Academic Writing Task 1 · map

Comparison of the layout of a medical centre between 2008 and 2010: 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.
  • 190 words
  • Maps
  • Academic
  • 20 minutes

The question

The diagram below shows the plan of a medical center in 2008 and 2010.

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

Medical Centre 2008

2008

  • Treatment Room on the top left
  • Three Doctor's Offices in the top middle
  • Corridor running horizontally
  • Staff office and Reception in the centre
  • Waiting Room on the bottom left
  • Laboratory on the bottom right
  • Main Entrance at the bottom

2010

  • Treatment Room on the top left
  • Four Doctor's Offices in the top middle
  • Store Room on the top right
  • Corridor extended horizontally
  • Staff office and Reception in the centre
  • Education Room and Mother and Child Room on the bottom left
  • Waiting Room in the bottom centre
  • Pharmacy on the middle right
  • Laboratory on the bottom right
  • Main Entrance 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 8190 words. Every figure in the answer comes from the chart above.

The provided diagrams illustrate the structural changes made to a medical centre between 2008 and 2010. Overall, the facility experienced substantial growth, with the floor plan becoming more complex due to the addition of several new rooms and the extension of the central corridor.

In 2008, the centre featured a treatment room, three doctor's offices, a staff office, a reception, a waiting room, and a laboratory. By 2010, the layout had been significantly modified. The number of doctor's offices increased from three to four, and a new store room was added at the end of the extended corridor. Furthermore, the waiting room was relocated towards the centre of the building to accommodate new facilities on the left side, specifically an education room and a mother and child room.

Additional changes included the introduction of a pharmacy, which was positioned between the staff office and the laboratory on the right side of the building. While the main entrance and the treatment room remained in their original positions, the overall footprint of the medical centre expanded to incorporate these new amenities, reflecting a broader range of services provided to patients by 2010.

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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.
  • underwent

    experienced or was subjected to a process

  • reconfiguration

    the process of changing the arrangement of parts

  • substantial

    of considerable importance, size, or worth

  • accommodate

    to provide sufficient space for something

  • relocated

    moved to a new place or position

  • incorporate

    to take in or contain as part of

Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?+

The medical centre underwent significant expansion between 2008 and 2010, characterized by the addition of several new rooms and the reconfiguration of existing facilities.

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

More maps

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