User-written IELTS example

Writing Academic Task 1 Band 4.0 Example

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

207 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

Introduce the map, location and time span.
Give an overview of the main expansion and transport-related changes.
Describe the earliest period and development up to 1922.
Compare the 1922–1970 and 1970–1994 periods, including the directions of later growth.
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.

User Essay Analysis

Review the public answer with report-style highlights.

Band 4.0

The illustration demonstrates the growth of citinizens in a village near to london between 1868 to 1994. Overall, the largest increase where in the east of the village , whereas the smallest was the charleywood station the middle west of the village. Meanwhile the rest areas showed a gradual growth In a hand, from the map, it can be seen that the village developed around the railway and station, and later it expanded mainly towards the east. In the first period, from 1868 to 1883, the earliest marked development was a small area close to the station. Between 1883 and 1922, more land was developed on both sides of the railway, especially to the south-west of the station. The railway was built in 1909. From 1922 to 1970, development spread across a larger area to the west and south-east of the centre. Chorleywood Park and Golf Course remained in the middle north of the village. After 1970, new areas appeared mostly in the east and north-east, with some growth in the south-east as well. A motorway was built in 1970 and runs from north to south. Therefore, Chorleywood changed from a small settlement near the station into a larger village, although development was not equal in every direction.

Targeted Improvement Tips

Replace the population-focused opening with a direct description of the map’s subject, and write the date span as “between 1868 and 1994.”

For each period, name the direction of development and compare it with the previous period; distinguish built-up zones from transport features such as the station and motorway.

After drafting, check every sentence for a clear subject and verb, then proofread place names, spelling, commas and linking phrases.

AI Feedback

Overall Band

4.0

Modest

Words

207

Type

Map

Criteria Breakdown

Task Achievement

4.5 Band

The completed answer gives an overview of expansion towards the east and mentions the railway, motorway and park, showing awareness of several mapped features. However, “the smallest was the charleywood station” confuses a transport feature with an area of development, and the period comparisons are only broadly described. Next, identify the main built-up areas by map period and compare their locations without treating the station itself as a development zone.

Coherence & Cohesion

4.0 Band

The answer proceeds from an overview into a chronological account, including “Between 1883 and 1922” and “After 1970,” which helps the reader follow the map’s time periods. The transition “In a hand, from the map” is not a meaningful linking phrase, and some points repeat the eastward trend. Use a clear overview, then one paragraph for earlier changes and one for later development, with straightforward links such as “By contrast” or “In the final period.”

Lexical Resource

4.0 Band

Some relevant map vocabulary is used, including “railway,” “motorway” and “developed,” and the answer distinguishes directions such as “south-west” and “north-east.” However, “growth of citinizens” is an inaccurate description of what the map shows, while “rest areas” and repeated uses of “area” are imprecise. Use map-focused terms such as “built-up area,” “spread” and “remained undeveloped,” and check spelling and place-name capitalization.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

3.5 Band

The continuation includes some understandable time clauses, for example “After 1970, new areas appeared mostly in the east.” However, errors in the opening—“between 1868 to 1994” and “the largest increase where”—and the fragment-like wording “the smallest was the charleywood station” make key information difficult to read. Practise the “between…and…” pattern, past-tense agreement, and complete clauses; proofread punctuation and capital letters.

Topic Band Distribution

Band 9.03 examples

Band 8.03 examples

Band 7.03 examples

Band 6.03 examples

Band 5.03 examples

Band 4.03 examples

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