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User-written IELTS example

Writing Academic Task 1 Band 5.0 Example

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

203 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 5.0

The maps illustrate the science park and its differences between 2008 and the present day. Overall, many changes have been made to roads as well as replacing the IT center with the Innovation center. To begin with, to the northwest, grass made a way to research and development while the trees stayed in their places. Further changes can be seen in the eastern and southern parts. The offices remain in the northeast, but the reception shown below them in 2008 has become a university hub. The business units on the western side and the cyber security building in the southeast appear to remain in the same locations. In the south-west, the IT centre has been replaced by an Innovation centre, while the woodland along the southern edge is still present. The central car park is retained, and the roads continue to provide access around the site. However, a cycle path is now shown along the eastern side, and a bus stop has been added beside the road there. A station has also been built near the southern boundary, next to the railway. In general, the park has gained research, university and transport facilities, while several existing buildings and green areas have been kept.

Targeted Improvement Tips

1
Write an overview that names the largest changes: the new research and development area, university hub, station and cycle path, alongside the replacement of the IT centre.
2
Describe the maps in a consistent spatial order, such as north to south, and compare each location with its 2008 use.
3
Proofread for natural change language and parallel grammar; practise forms such as “X was replaced by Y” and “changes include X and Y.”

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