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User-written IELTS example

Writing Academic Task 1 Band 9.0 Example

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

231 words AcademicTask 1Process Diagram
Task 1

Illustrative target band for this original model answer.

Plan your answer

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Ideas to explore

  • Describe the overall shift from scientific research to tourism before listing individual map features.
  • Compare what stayed the same (the pier, beach, natural spring and rocks) with what was added or replaced.
  • Group details by location: the western pier and beach, the central hotel and leisure facilities, and the eastern spring, rocks and lookout.

Suggested structure

  1. Introduce what the two maps compare.
  2. Give an overview of the island’s main change and any notable features that remain.
  3. Describe the past layout, moving from west to east.
  4. Describe the present layout in the same order and compare new facilities with former features.
Useful vocabulary & examples
be transformed into
to change substantially into a different kind of place or thing

Paradise Island has been transformed into a popular tourist destination.

remain in place
to continue to exist in the same location

The natural spring and the rocks remain in place on the eastern side.

be replaced by
to give way to something new in the same position or role

The small boat was replaced by a cruise ship.

inland from
away from the coast and towards the interior

The hotel complex is located inland from the beach.

Task Prompt

The diagram below show the condition of paradise island in the past and now. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
IELTS Writing Task 1 visual

User Essay Analysis

Review the public answer with report-style highlights.

Band 9.0

The diagram shows how Paradise Island has changed from the past to the present. Overall, the island has undergone significant transformations, with much of its natural greenery removed and replaced by commercial establishments. Additionally, these transformations aimed to develop the island from a site primarily for scientific research into an attractive destination for tourists. In the present-day layout, the island is substantially more developed, with new visitor facilities and a path around much of its perimeter. In the past, the western side contained a pier and a small boat, while a scientific research station stood nearby. Several groups of palm trees occupied the central area. The northern coast had a beach, and rocks marked the northeastern tip. On the eastern side, a natural spring was the only feature shown; the surrounding shoreline was otherwise undeveloped. Today, the beach remains in the northwest and is marked as suitable for swimming. The original pier area has been extended with a larger pier and a cruise-ship landing to the southwest. Inland, the research station and palms have been replaced by a hotel complex and swimming pool. Dining options now include an open restaurant, a café and a separate barbecue area. A cycle path runs around most of the island, connecting these facilities with a scenic lookout near the northeastern rocks. The natural spring remains in the east, while the sea still surrounds the island.

Targeted Improvement Tips

1
Keep the overview focused on the two clearest contrasts: the island’s greater development and the addition of facilities for visitors.
2
Use the map evidence precisely: name the palm trees, research station and individual visitor facilities rather than suggesting an unshown purpose or scale of use.
3
Organise the present-day details by location—for example, southwest access, central accommodation and eastern features—to make the spatial comparison easier to picture.

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