Academic Writing Task 1 · map

Comparison of the current college layout and the 2020 redevelopment plan: IELTS Writing Task 1 sample answer

An IELTS Writing Task 1 map question with a Band 8 sample answer, the chart redrawn with its data, the vocabulary that lifts the report and how to write about maps.
  • 191 words
  • Maps
  • Academic
  • 20 minutes

The question

The diagrams below show the present building of a college and the plan for changes to the college site in the future.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

Present college

Present college

  • Car park on the left
  • Footpath along the left side
  • Garden with trees at the top
  • Entrance at the top
  • Lunch area in the top-left
  • Classroom in the top-right
  • Reception in the middle-right
  • Library in the bottom-right
  • Classroom in the middle-left
  • Classroom in the bottom-left
  • Toilets in the bottom-middle
  • Bus stop at the bottom

Plan in 2020

  • Expanded car park on the left
  • Shop in the top-left
  • Toilets in the top-middle
  • Classroom in the top-right
  • Lunch area in the middle-left
  • Classroom in the middle-right
  • Classroom in the middle-left
  • Reception in the centre
  • Classroom in the bottom-right
  • Library in the bottom-left
  • Classroom in the bottom-right
  • Entrance at the bottom
  • Bus stop at the bottom

Chart redrawn by BandLadder from the data in the original IELTS practice task. Many IELTS practice tasks come from the Cambridge IELTS series (Cambridge University Press & Assessment); all rights in the original tasks remain with their owners.

Model answer

Band 8 sample answer

Band 8191 words. Every figure in the answer comes from the chart above.

The provided diagrams illustrate the current layout of a college and the proposed modifications scheduled for 2020. Overall, the college is set to undergo extensive structural changes, most notably the relocation of the entrance and the expansion of the car parking facilities.

Currently, the college features an entrance at the top, adjacent to a garden, with a lunch area and a single classroom occupying the upper section. The central and lower areas house a reception, a library, two classrooms, and toilets. A footpath runs along the left side, separating the building from the car park, while a bus stop is situated at the bottom near the road.

In the 2020 plan, the car park will be enlarged, and the footpath will be removed. The entrance will be moved from the top to the bottom, facing the road. Internally, the layout will be transformed: a shop will be added in the top-left, and the reception will be relocated to the centre. Furthermore, the number of classrooms will increase, with new ones replacing the former garden and library spaces, while the library and toilets will be repositioned to the bottom-left and top-middle, respectively.

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Maps

How to write about maps: tips and vocabulary

  • →Overview: how much the area changed and what stayed the same.
  • →Use location language: to the north of, adjacent to, replaced by.
  • →Group changes by area or by type, such as housing, roads and green space.
  • reconfiguration

    The process of changing the arrangement of something

  • relocation

    The act of moving something to a new place

  • adjacent

    Next to or adjoining something else

  • repositioned

    Placed or arranged in a different position

  • extensive

    Covering or affecting a large area

  • transformed

    Changed completely in appearance or structure

Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?+

The proposed 2020 plan involves a significant expansion of the car park and a complete reconfiguration of the internal building layout, including the relocation of the main entrance.

How many words and how long for IELTS Writing Task 1?+

At least 150 words; 170 to 200 is the safe range. Spend about 20 minutes on it and leave 40 for Task 2, which carries twice the marks.

How is IELTS Writing Task 1 scored?+

On four criteria: task achievement, coherence and cohesion, vocabulary, and grammatical range and accuracy. A clear overview of the main features is what most separates Band 6 from Band 7 and above.

How do I describe maps?+

Overview: how much the area changed and what stayed the same. Use location language: to the north of, adjacent to, replaced by. Group changes by area or by type, such as housing, roads and green space.

Keep practising

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