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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.

186 words AcademicTask 1Map
Task 1

Illustrative target band for this original model answer.

Plan your answer

Try your own response before reading the samples.

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 4.0

The map provides detail of how chorleywood a countryside area in London has be modernized from 1868 to 1994. Overall, it is clearly seen that, there were Chorleywood Park and golf course and railway station built in the starting period. However, there residents were use three transport system, namely main road, motorway and, railway which made it easier for people to travel to other places. In the period from 1868 to 1883, the village had only a small developed area. This area was close to the centre. From 1883 to 1922, more houses appeared near the railway line and to the south-west. In 1922 to 1970, the developed area became bigger on the west side and around the centre. The motorway was built in 1970. After that, many more houses were built, mostly to the north-east and south-east of the village. The main road and the railway also cross the village and connect these areas. The park and golf course are still in the centre. Overall, Chorleywood grew more quickly in the last period and it changed from a small countryside area into a larger village.

Targeted Improvement Tips

1
Make a four-row note for 1868–1883, 1883–1922, 1922–1970 and 1970–1994, recording only the locations where the shaded developed area appears in each period.
2
Keep the overview to two main points: the village expands over time, and the map shows the railway and later the motorway.
3
Before finishing, check every sentence for a subject and correctly formed verb, then check articles and plurals such as “a railway station” and “transport systems”.

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