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: Recycling Plastic Bottles
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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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.
- Paraphrase what the process shows.
- 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.
- Begin writing about the details of the process.
- 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).
- Write about the rest of the process – include everything!
- 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 pəˈspɛktɪv, ɪt 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
- Do you like travelling?
- What is the most beautiful country you have visited?
- Would you like to have a job that demands travelling to other countries?
- What problems can occur when travelling?
Writing Practice
Practice with the related map below and then check with my sample answer:

Really good and most useful information about task 1
Thanks Happy, happy to hear that!
Hello! Thank you for these amazing mock exams! how much do you think I’ll score out of 9?
The blueprints illustrate the layout of an airport now and how it will be renovated by next year.
From a general perspective, it is clearly visible that the airport will expand to include more gates, entrances, and facilities.
For a start, there are only eight gates in the airport for the time being, which are in a square-shaped hall, but ten more gates are anticipated to be installed by next year alongside changing the hall’s structure into a Y-shaped passage. Also, the walkway which is currently in the gates hall is expected to be replaced by a sky train.
The airport, for now, has only one entrance for the departing passengers and one exit for the arrivals; the number of these doors are projected to double after the redevelopment. Furthermore, new facilities will be provided in the airport after the enhancements, such as shops (in the departures section after passport control), a car rental office, an ATM, and a baggage drop service. Finally, the old café in the departures hall is predicted to be relocated, and another one will be added to the arrivals hall.