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User-written IELTS example

Writing Academic Task 1 Band 8.0 Example

Original task prompt, user essay, band score, and related examples in the same report workspace.

204 words AcademicTask 1Map
Task 1

Illustrative target band for this original model answer.

Plan your answer

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Ideas to explore

  • Summarise the overall pattern: the village grew substantially between 1868 and 1994.
  • Compare the stages of expansion: early development was limited, followed by growth around the centre and later in several outlying areas.
  • Mention transport changes accurately: the railway was built in 1909 and the motorway in 1970; the park and golf course remained a prominent mapped feature.

Suggested structure

  1. Introduce the map, location and time span.
  2. Give an overview of the main expansion and transport-related changes.
  3. Describe the earliest period and development up to 1922.
  4. Compare the 1922–1970 and 1970–1994 periods, including the directions of later growth.
  5. Finish with a brief summary of the village’s expansion and continuing park and golf course.
Useful vocabulary & examples
built-up area
Land covered by buildings and developed settlement.

The built-up area was limited in the earliest period.

spread around the centre
Expanded outward in places close to the central area.

Development spread around the centre between 1883 and 1922.

in several separate areas
In a number of distinct locations rather than one continuous zone.

From 1970 to 1994, development appeared in several separate areas.

transport links
Routes or services that connect places, such as railways and motorways.

The map shows the railway and motorway as important transport links.

Task Prompt

Chorleywood is a village near London whose population has increased steadily since the middle of the nineteenth century. The map below shows the development of the village.
IELTS Writing Task 1 visual

User Essay Analysis

Review the public answer with report-style highlights.

Band 8.0

The map above illustrates the development of Chorleywood village from 1868 to 1994. In 1868, the village already had two main roads. One ran along the western side of the village, and the other ran along the northern side. By 1883, the population grew in the eastern part of the village, situated to the east of the railway station. Overall, Chorleywood expanded considerably between 1868 and 1994, particularly after the railway and motorway were introduced, while the park and golf course remained in the central area.

In 1868, the built-up area was limited. By 1883, development had extended around the station area and to its east. The railway was added in 1909, crossing the village from west to east, with Chorleywood station on its route. Between 1922 and 1970, housing spread west and south of the station, forming a much larger developed area.

After 1970, further development appeared in several separate areas, especially to the north-east, east and south-east. The motorway, also constructed in 1970, ran north-south to the east of the village and connected with a main road at a roundabout. By 1994, the village was therefore substantially larger and better connected by transport, although the park and golf course remained largely undeveloped.

Targeted Improvement Tips

1
Replace claims about population change with descriptions of the mapped built-up area, unless the visual provides population figures.
2
Use the map legend to check the order and boundaries of each development period before describing where the village expanded.
3
Keep the overview to the biggest trends, then use a separate paragraph to describe the railway, motorway and their routes.

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