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User-written IELTS example

Writing Academic Task 1 Band 6.0 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 6.0

The two maps illustrate changes that have been made to a science park between 2008 and today. Overall, it can be clearly seen that there are some main changes that have altered the science park, whichare the establishment of research and development, the extension of cybersecurity, and the improvement of public transportation infrastructures. Beginning by comparing the two layouts, we can see that the former grassland in the northern part of the park has been replaced by a research and development building, while the offices remain in the northeast. A university hub has also been added between these facilities. The business units on the western side and the central car park have been retained, although paths and cycle routes now connect the different areas more clearly. In the south, the former IT centre has been redeveloped as an innovation centre, while the cybersecurity facility remains in the southeast. The park’s transport provision has also changed: a bus stop is now located beside the eastern road, and a station has been built along the southern edge. Overall, the site has become more specialised, with new research and innovation facilities and improved links for visitors, while several original buildings and the central parking area remain.

Targeted Improvement Tips

1
Check each feature across both maps before labelling it: the cybersecurity facility appears in both years, so describe it as retained rather than extended.
2
Build the overview from two or three verified major changes, then organise the details by area: north, west/centre and south.
3
After drafting, check multiword phrases and sentence length; specifically separate “which are” and simplify the long overview sentence.

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