Southwest Airport Redevelopment Plans

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.

Cambridge IELTS 16 Academic Test 3 Writing Task 1 visual

Annotated response

6 correction notes

Showing 6 correction notes.

The two plans show Southwest Airport as it is now and redevelopment plans for next year. Overall, the number of gates will increase significantly, while the main building will generally remain unchanged apart from the addition of more passenger facilities.

The current airport has very few facilities for departing passengers, with only a coffee shop on the right-hand side, opposite a check-in counter. There are no facilities beyond passport control and security, and passengers have to walk to the eight departure gates. Arriving passengers have no amenities at all.

Following redevelopment, , beginning with double the number of entrances and exits. In the departures area, the coffee shop will move to the opposite side, closer to the front, and the check-in desk will take its place, making room for a new baggage drop counter. Although the security area will not change, beyond this section, passengers will be able to shop the new sky train service to reach the expanded gate area, with . Arriving passengers will also have access to a coffee shop and . The only structural change to the main building is a small annexe in the front right-hand corner, where passengers will be able to hire a car.

Overall assessment

Why this response received Band 8.0

The response covers the key changes between the two plans accurately and in well-organised detail, with a clear overview and precise comparisons such as the gate expansion and relocated facilities. Its main limitation is the minor mislabeling of the ATM as a currency exchange, alongside occasional ambitious phrasing, but the language is flexible and errors are rare.

IELTS criteria

How each score was decided

Task Achievement

8.0

The response presents a clear overview of the main developments, covers most key features of both plans with accurate comparisons, and contains only a minor slip in reporting the ATM as a currency exchange.

Coherence and Cohesion

8.0

Ideas are logically sequenced from the current layout to the redevelopment, with cohesive devices and referencing used naturally and without strain.

Lexical Resource

8.0

Vocabulary is flexible and precise for describing spatial and functional change, using natural expressions such as better catered for and take its place, with only a small imprecision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

8.0

A wide range of complex structures, including participial and relative clauses, is used with consistent accuracy and flexibility.