Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-31
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
The plans below show the site of an airport now and how it will look after redevelopment next year.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
SOUTHWEST AIRPORT
Student answer (Band 6.0)
The diagram shows the current map of southwest airport and its future plan after changes. In future development the airport plans to increase different facilities and gates in next year.
Overall the major development will be on departures and arrivals area. Currently the arrivals area is empty and theres no shop after security passport control.
The departures and arrivals area have single gates on both sides and they plans to increase entry or exit gate from one to two. Moreover, Departures area have only check-in and cafe. In development plan it will have Bag drop area and Cafe will be move next to left door and check-in will be near to cafe old place. While in arrival area which is completely empty now, will have cafe on right corner, car hire next to right door after in corner and ATM will be on right side.
In development plan there will be shops after security passport control within airport. One major development will be increasing gates and redevelope the path from walking track to train or bus track. Currently there are only 8 gates which will increase to 18 gates in a Y shape.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
You identify the main change—the expansion from eight gates to eighteen in a Y-shaped concourse—and mention several new facilities, so the response covers the broad purpose of the plans. However, some details are inaccurate or unclear: the current arrivals area is not empty, as it contains passport control and customs, and the gates are not simply “single gates on both sides.” The comparison of the two terminal areas is also only partly developed. For example, you note the new café, ATM and car hire, but do not clearly explain that check-in moves to the inner wall beside arrivals, while shops are placed between departures and the concourse. A more precise overview and accurate location descriptions would make the key changes clearer.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs describing changes to the terminal and concourse. This gives the reader a general progression from the existing layout to the proposed one. Some linking is effective, including “Moreover” and “In development plan,” but connections can feel mechanical, and the organisation sometimes makes locations difficult to follow. The sentence beginning “While in arrival area…” combines several new features without clearly separating their positions. Also, “Overall” introduces an overview, but the claim that arrivals is empty conflicts with the later description of its facilities. Grouping the changes by area and using clearer references to the current and future plans would improve cohesion.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.0
You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “departures,” “arrivals,” “gates,” “Bag drop,” “ATM” and “Y shape.” These terms help communicate the main features, and “redevelop” shows an attempt to use more specific language. However, some choices are imprecise or unnatural for describing a plan: “entry or exit gate” does not clearly convey the expansion of the gate area, and “train or bus track” is not supported by the diagram, which shows a sky train. There are also spelling and word-form slips, such as “theres” and “redevelope.” More precise location language and accurate facility names would strengthen the description.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, for example, “Currently the arrivals area is empty” and the sentence beginning “While in arrival area…”. The main meaning is generally understandable, but some grammatical errors make relationships between features less clear. Examples include “the airport plans to increase different facilities and gates in next year,” where the article and time expression are problematic, and “the arrivals area… will have,” which needs a clearer subject and sentence structure. There are also agreement and verb-form issues in “they plans” and “Cafe will be move.” Aim for consistent present and future forms when comparing the plans, and check articles, subject–verb agreement and complete clause structure.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.