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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.

198 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

  • Separate features that remain from those that have been added, relocated or replaced; the business units and car park remain, while the IT centre gives way to an innovation centre.
  • Describe the shift in land use: open grassland in the northwest is now substantially developed, while trees remain in the southwest.
  • Treat transport access as a key change, noting the cycle path, station and bus stop, while also mentioning the railway that continues to border the site.

Suggested structure

  1. Introduce the maps and identify the time comparison.
  2. Give an overview of the most important changes: redevelopment and improved access.
  3. Describe the 2008 arrangement by area, covering open land and existing facilities.
  4. Compare the current layout, highlighting retained and replaced buildings.
  5. Finish with access changes and any transport feature that remains.
Useful vocabulary & examples
give way to
to be replaced by something new

The IT centre has given way to an innovation centre.

remain in broadly similar positions
to stay in approximately the same locations

The business units remain in broadly similar positions.

be concentrated in
to be located mainly within a particular area

Woodland was concentrated in the southwest.

border the site
to run along the edge of an area

The railway continues to border the site to the east.

Task Prompt

The maps below show a science park in 2008 and the same park today. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
IELTS Writing Task 1 visual

User Essay Analysis

Review the public answer with report-style highlights.

Band 8.0

The given maps illustrate the layout of the the science park in 2008 and its present state. Overall, minor but significant developments were made in the park’s facilities, particularly the addition of buildings, a railway station, a bus stop, and some new paths for walking and cycling. In 2008, the park was green, surrounded by grassland, with woodland scattered across the northern and southern areas. The central car park and the business units to its west remain in place, as do the offices in the northeast and the Cyber security building in the southeast. However, the former reception area has become a university hub, while a research and development centre has been built to its west, replacing much of the northern grassland. In the southwest, the IT centre has been replaced by an innovation centre, and a railway station has been added near the southern edge. A cycle path now runs across the park north of the car park and continues along the eastern side; additional paths connect facilities in the southern part. A bus stop is also situated on the eastern road. Overall, the park has become more developed while retaining several original facilities and some woodland.

Targeted Improvement Tips

1
In the overview, summarise the key pattern as retained facilities alongside new buildings, transport links and paths.
2
Organise the details by area: describe the northern changes, then the central and western facilities, followed by southern additions.
3
Proofread the introduction for repeated articles and use precise labels such as “cycle path” where the map identifies a particular route.

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