User-written IELTS example
Writing Academic Task 2 Band 7.0 Example
Original task prompt, user essay, band score, and related examples in the same report workspace.
Illustrative target band for this original model answer.
Plan your answer
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Ideas to explore
- Practical motivation: understanding a building’s age and past alterations can help owners plan suitable maintenance and repairs.
- Legal motivation: checking heritage status can clarify whether regulations restrict proposed changes.
- Personal motivation and research: curiosity about past residents can be explored through official records, archives, local interviews and expert inspection.
Suggested structure
- Introduce the growing interest and state the main practical reasons.
- Develop personal curiosity or connection to the property as an additional reason.
- Explain official sources, such as council, land registry and archive records.
- Add interviews and professional assessment, then conclude by summarising how these sources work together.
Useful vocabulary & examples
- heritage status
- official recognition that a building has historical or cultural importance, often with rules about changes
Owners can check a property's heritage status before planning major alterations.
- land registry
- an official organisation or record system containing information about property ownership
The land registry may help researchers identify previous owners.
- documentary evidence
- information found in written or recorded sources, such as deeds, maps or permits
Researchers can compare documentary evidence with accounts from former residents.
- building surveyor
- a professional who examines a building's condition and construction
A building surveyor may identify features that indicate when parts of a property were added.
Task Prompt
User Essay Analysis
Review the public answer with report-style highlights.
In numerous countries, there is a growing interest in uncovering the historical background of residential and commercial structures that individuals inhabit. This trend can be attributed to the imperative need for restoration and upkeep, as well as the enforcement of regulatory policies concerning heritage properties. Furthermore, the methods for conducting research on the history of a property vary, but the first step is usually to consult official records. Local councils, land registries and planning offices may hold deeds, building permits, maps and records of major alterations. These documents can show when a building was constructed, who owned it and whether it has protected status. Libraries and local archives are also valuable: old newspapers, photographs and directories can reveal how a street or building changed over time.
There is also a personal motive: owners may want to understand who lived there before them, especially when the property has been passed down or recently purchased. Knowing its age and former uses can strengthen a sense of connection to the neighbourhood, while helping buyers make informed decisions before committing to repairs.
People can supplement documentary evidence by speaking with former owners, long-term neighbours or local historians, whose memories may provide details not recorded in official files. For a more technical investigation, an architect or building surveyor can identify construction features and assess whether later changes have affected the structure. It is wise to compare information from several sources, since personal recollections may be incomplete and online accounts can be inaccurate.
Overall, interest in a building's past is driven by practical concerns about maintaining it and by rules that protect historic properties. A combination of public records, local knowledge and expert advice offers the clearest picture of its history.
Targeted Improvement Tips
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