This is an IELTS writing task 1 sample answer essay on the topic of an airport map’s redevelopment in the next year from IELTS Cambridge 16.

Here are links to the other Cambridge 16 essays:

Writing Task 1 Tests 1-4:

Cambridge 16: Ownership of Electrical Appliances Line Chart

Cambridge 16: Airport Map

Cambridge 16: Recycling Plastic Bottles

Cambridge 16: Sugar Cane

Writing Task 2 Tests 1-4

Cambridge 16: Driverless Vehicles

Cambridge 16: History of a House or Building

Cambridge 16: Manufactured Foods and Sugar

Cambridge 16: Advertising New Products

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Dave

IELTS Cambridge 16 Essay: Airport Map

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.

The map details plans for the renovation in the next year of Southwest Airport. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the number of gates will greatly expand and there will be a variety of customer-facing facilities added including shops, a car hire, and an ATM.

The location of the departure and arrival entrances will remain the same but there are plans to install additional doors. Upon entering the airport, there is currently a single check-in and cafe. The future plan projects moving the check-in from the left to right side of the departure space in order to make room for a bag drop area and the repositioning of the cafe. The arrival section will affix a cafe, ATM and car hire that necessitates expanding the size of the building.

Security, passport control, and customs will be unchanged, however, the future floor plan shows shops immediately upon exiting the security section for departures. The largest proposed alterations are replacing a walkway with a long sky train track and constructing 2 branching corridors that will enable flyers to reach more than twice as many gates (8 at the moment and 18 after renovations).

Analysis

1. The map details plans for the renovation in the next year of Southwest Airport. 2. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the number of gates will greatly expand and there will be a variety of customer-facing facilities added including shops, a car hire, and an ATM.

  1. Paraphrase what the process shows.
  2. Write a clear overview summarising the major groups. Read here about overviews for processes.

1. The location of the departure and arrival entrances will remain the same but there are plans to install additional doors. 2. Upon entering the airport, there is currently a single check-in and cafe. 3. The future plan projects moving the check-in from the left to right side of the departure space in order to make room for a bag drop area and the repositioning of the cafe. 4. The arrival section will affix a cafe, ATM and car hire that necessitates expanding the size of the building.

  1. Begin writing about the details of the process.
  2. This one is tricky to get up to the word count (no longer required on IELTS) so try to make it a little wordy.

1. Security, passport control, and customs will be unchanged, however, the future floor plan shows shops immediately upon exiting the security section for departures. 2. The largest proposed alterations are replacing a walkway with a long sky train track and constructing 2 branching corridors that will enable flyers to reach more than twice as many gates (8 at the moment and 18 after renovations).

  1. Write about the rest of the process – include everything!
  2. Try to paraphrase some of the words from process as well.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean? Take some notes on a piece of paper to aid your memory:

The map details plans for the renovation in the next year of Southwest Airport. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the number of gates will greatly expand and there will be a variety of customer-facing facilities added including shops, a car hire, and an ATM.

The location of the departure and arrival entrances will remain the same but there are plans to install additional doors. Upon entering the airport, there is currently a single check-in and cafe. The future plan projects moving the check-in from the left to right side of the departure space in order to make room for a bag drop area and the repositioning of the cafe. The arrival section will affix a cafe, ATM and car hire that necessitates expanding the size of the building.

Security, passport control, and customs will be unchanged, however, the future floor plan shows shops immediately upon exiting the security section for departures. The largest proposed alterations are replacing a walkway with a long sky train track and constructing 2 branching corridors that will enable flyers to reach more than twice as many gates (8 at the moment and 18 after renovations).

Answers

Try to write down or think of an antonym/opposite word for further practice:

details shows

plans projections

renovation changes

Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that overall

gates places to get on and off the airplanes

greatly expand make much bigger

variety lots of different

customer-facing facilities shops, cafes, etc.

car hire place to rent a car

ATM place to take out money

location place

departure where you leave from

arrival where you come in from flights

entrances place to enter

remain the same unchanged

plans projections

install additional doors put in new doors

currently at the moment

check-in place to register for you flight

projects predicts

space area

in order to so that

make room for allow for

bag drop area place to leave your bags

repositioning of the cafe moving of the coffee shop

affix add on

necessitates requires

expanding making bigger

size how big it is

security checking to make sure you are safe

passport control checking your ID, passport

customs where they check what you are bringing

unchanged no different

however in contrast

future floor plan blueprint for later

immediately right now

exiting leaving

largest proposed alterations biggest changes to be made

replacing taking the place of

walkway path to walk on

sky train track commuter train line

constructing building

branching corridors hallways splitting off

enable flyers allow people flying

reach more than twice as many go to more than double

at the moment right now

renovations changes

Pronunciation

Practice saying the words below using this tip with Google voice dictation:

ˈdiːteɪlz 
plænz 
ˌrɛnəʊˈveɪʃən 
ˈlʊkɪŋ frɒm ən ˈəʊvərɔːl pəˈspɛktɪvɪt ɪz ˈrɛdɪli əˈpærənt ðæt 
geɪts 
ˈgreɪtli ɪksˈpænd 
vəˈraɪəti 
ˈkʌstəmə-ˈfeɪsɪŋ fəˈsɪlɪtiz 
kɑː ˈhaɪə 
eɪ-tiː-ɛm 
ləʊˈkeɪʃən 
dɪˈpɑːʧə 
əˈraɪvəl 
ˈɛntrənsɪz 
rɪˈmeɪn ðə seɪm 
plænz 
ɪnˈstɔːl əˈdɪʃənl dɔːz
ˈkʌrəntli 
ʧɛk-ɪn 
ˈprɒʤɛkts 
speɪs 
ɪn ˈɔːdə tuː 
meɪk ruːm fɔː 
bæg drɒp ˈeərɪə 
ˌriːpəˈzɪʃənɪŋ ɒv ðə ˈkæfeɪ
ˈæfɪks 
nɪˈsɛsɪteɪts 
ɪksˈpændɪŋ 
saɪz 
sɪˈkjʊərɪti
ˈpɑːspɔːt kənˈtrəʊl
ˈkʌstəmz 
ʌnˈʧeɪnʤd
haʊˈɛvə
ˈfjuːʧə flɔː plæn 
ɪˈmiːdiətli 
ˈɛksɪtɪŋ 
ˈlɑːʤɪst prəˈpəʊzd ˌɔːltəˈreɪʃ(ə)nz 
rɪˈpleɪsɪŋ 
ˈwɔːkweɪ 
skaɪ treɪn træk 
kənˈstrʌktɪŋ 
ˈbrɑːnʧɪŋ ˈkɒrɪdɔːz 
ɪˈneɪbl ˈflaɪəz 
riːʧ mɔː ðæn twaɪs æz ˈmɛni 
æt ðə ˈməʊmənt 
ˌrɛnəʊˈveɪʃənz

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

The map d_______s p______s for the r___________n in the next year of Southwest Airport. L_______________________________________________________t the number of g______s will g_________________d and there will be a v________y of c___________________________s added including shops, a c___________e, and an A___M.

The l_________n of the d___________e and a_________l e_____________s will r_______________e but there are p_______s to i_____________________s. Upon entering the airport, there is c_______________y a single c__________n and cafe. The future plan p___________s moving the check-in from the left to ride side of the departure s________e i_______________o m______________r a b_________________a and the r______________________e. The arrival section will a______x a cafe, ATM and car hire that n______________s e______________g the s_____e of the building.

S______________y, p__________________l, and c___________s will be u_____________d, h_____________r, the f____________________n shows shops i____________________y upon e___________g the security section for departures. The l__________________________________s are r____________g a w__________y with a long s_______________k and c_______________g 2 b__________________s that will e_____________s to r________________________________y gates (8 a_____________________t and 18 after r________________s).

Listening Practice

Listen to the related topic below and practice with these activities:

Reading Practice

Read more and use these ideas to practice:

https://www.dezeen.com/tag/airports/

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following related questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Travelling

  1. Do you like travelling?
  2. What is the most beautiful country you have visited?
  3. Would you like to have a job that demands travelling to other countries?
  4. What problems can occur when travelling?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related map below and then check with my sample answer:

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