band 9 writing guide for the ielts academic task 1: map · earning a high band score for task 1...

Band 9 Writing Guide for the IELTS Academic Task 1: Map Get the best IELTS learning materials for free www.eliclass.com/ielts

To tackle the challenge of describing a map for the exam, you must understand the objectives of the

task at hand. Importantly, while 75% of your score represents your linguistic performance (coherence

and cohesion, vocabulary, and grammar), 25% depends on your achievement of the task.

Earning a high band score for task 1 completion is awarded for a “clear overview of main trends,

differences, or stages.” If a clear overview cannot be achieved, you must minimally highlight the key

features related to the prompt.

With this in mind, check out the image below.

If we want to consider key features or trends in this single image, it wouldn’t be enough to say that

there are buildings, waterways, farmland, and forest area. This doesn’t provide any overviews; it

simply lists elements. Noting patterns and overall “trends” requires looking at the bigger picture, not

isolated elements. An overview might point out instead that houses and other buildings are clustered

around lines of transport (i.e. the river or the railroads).

But you probably won’t be given an image and simply told, “describe it.” Instead, you will be given a

specific task, and you will use the information in the image to complete it. For example, for the image

above, a probably likely task would be to consider the suburban areas that have developed outside

the central city and to identify and compare the main characteristics of each. Perhaps you’d note

that residential and single-family homes always appear at the margins, away from the town/city

centers.

Describe an IELTS Map: Go Beyond Naming

As noted, your task requires more than mere description. While vocabulary is obviously important

(for naming various structures and natural elements), task completion involves more than

listing items. Describing trends, differences, or stages requires noting the relationship

among elements and between images for comparison.

Imagine that your task is to examine before and after illustrations of an island that has been turned

into a resort and describe the changes that have occurred.

For this task, it is clearly not enough to name what is new. Don’t just describe what’s there, describe

the relationship between what’s there.

For example, do not simply say “there is a pier there that wasn’t there before.” What relationship

does this have to the big picture? Remember, you must be able to provide an overview.

No: Yes:

There is a pier. A pier gives access to the island and is

linked to the reception building by a

vehicle track.

There are roads and footpaths. Roads and footpaths connect the

various parts of the islands.

There is a reception building. A reception building and a restaurant

are at the center of the island and are

linked to accommodation by footpaths.

There is a restaurant.

There are buildings for accommodation. Small accommodation buildings are

arranged in two circles, one to the east

of reception, and one to the west.

But, wait! Your overview shouldn’t just mention elements and their relationship to one another. How

are the elements that you’re describing relevant to the prompt? What changes have been

made? We must connect these observations to the before and after context, reflecting change:

The western and central parts of the island have been developed into a resort. A pier, roads, and

footpaths have been added to give access to the island and the developed areas of the island. A short

vehicle track has been laid linking the pier directly to the reception building, which was

constructed at the center of the island. Accommodation buildings have been built and

organized along a circular footpath. Footpaths have been cleared to connect these areas to each

other and to make the reception, a restaurant, and a beach accessible. While the beach on the

western side of the island remains as it was, the area surrounding it has been designated as a

swimming area. No foot paths connect the west end, the accommodation, reception or the restaurant

to the east side of the island. The east is the only portion of the beach that has not yet been altered.

Your description should illustrate the main points well enough to help someone who hasn’t seen the

maps imagine them.

Main takeaways for comparing and describing an IELTS map:

1. Remember that the examiner is looking for an overview with main points, not an exhaustive

list of elements.

(Notice, for example that I didn’t quantify accommodation, trees, or distances.)

2. Think of the big picture. Rather than focusing on what’s there, think about how they’re

related to the overall developments.

3. Don’t forget your primary task – What changes have been made? What occurred, resulting in

the differences you see?

Check out more helpful articles (and this bonus IELTS Video!) on preparing for the IELTS Academic

Writing Task 1:

IELTS Map Model Answer 1

Get the best IELTS learning materials for free www.eliclass.com/ielts

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The map below is of the town of Canterbury. A new school (S) is planned for the area. The map

shows two possible sites for the school.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons

where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer

The map shows two proposed sites for a new school for the town of Canterbury and the surrounding

area.

The first site (S1) is situated in the countryside, to the north-east of the town centre. It is just outside

the main housing area of the town and not far from the main road that links Sturry with Canterbury.

It would therefore probably be in an ideal location for students coming from Sturry, which is only 5

kilometres away, and those who live on the east side of Canterbury. If there are students coming

from Chartham, which is 7 kilometres to the south-west, they would be able to reach the school by

taking the main road that runs south-west of Canterbury.

The second site (S2) is located in the town centre itself. There are advantages of this: it makes it

practically equidistant for students coming from either Sturry or Chartham. Moreover, it would

presumably be relatively easy for students who live in the housing area around the town centre to

reach the school. However, because of the no traffic zone in the town centre, no parent would be

able to drive their child all the way to school. This may make travel arrangements difficult for some

parents.

(206 words)




The map below is of the town of Garlsdon. A new supermarket (S) is planned for the town. The

map shows two possible sites for the supermarket.


where relevant.

You should write at least 150 words.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or

experience.

Model answer:

The first potential location (S1) is outside the town itself, and is sited just off the main road to the

town of Hindon, lying 12 kms to the north-west. This site is in the countryside and so would be able

to accommodate a lot of car parking. This would make it accessable to shoppers from both Hindon

and Garlsdon who could travel by car. As it is also close to the railway line linking the who towns to

Cransdon (25 km to the south-east), a potentially large number of shoppers would also be able to

travel by train.

In contrast, the suggested location, S2, is right in the town centre, which would be good for local

residents. Theorically the store could be accessed by road or rail from the surrounding towns,

including Bransdon, but as the central area is a no-traffic zone, cars would be unable to park and

access would be difficult.

Overall, neither site is appropriate for all the towns, but for customers in Cransdon, Hindon and

Garlsdon, the out-of-town site (S1) would probably offer more advantages.

(179 words)\




The diagrams below show the changes that have taken place at Queen Mary Hospital since its

construction in 1960.


where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer

The diagrams show Queen Mary Hospital at three different stages in its development: 1960, 1980

and 2000.

In 1960, the hospital was built close to a main road and next to a shopping centre. A large area

behind the hospital was turned into a car park, while the area behind the shopping centre was

farmland.

By 1980, the shopping centre had been demolished in order to make way for two additional hospital

building which became a pharmacy and a cancer centre. Furthermore, the hospital gained the

farmland and converted it into a nursing school.

In 2000, the main hospital building remained unchanged but the cancer centre was extended to

cover the entire nursing school. As a result of this, the original car park was divided into two so that it

provided a smaller car park and a small nursing school.

During this period, the hospital has increased in size and, in addition to a new nursing school, a

cancer centre has been created and extended. Hence the capacity of the car park has been reduced

by a half.

(178 words)


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The diagrams below give information about the Eiffel Tower in Paris and an outline project to

extend it underground.

Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information


l Answer 4




Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown.



Model answer:

The Eiffel Tower is situated close to the Seine River in Paris. It is a metal structure that is 1,063 feet

high and weighs 7,417 tonnes. The tower has been a tourist attraction since 1889, when it was built,

and there are 1,665 steps that can be climbed in order to reach the two viewing platforms.

There are now plans to build below the foundations of the tower. These plans include the

development of five underground levels that will incorporate the tower's ticket office, shopping

facilities, a cinema and museum and two floors of underground parking.

Although details have yet to be finalised, the principle is that the five floors will be connected by two

vertical passenger lifts on either side of the tower. In addition, the floor immediately below the

tower, which is planned to house the ticket office, will also consist of a large atrium with a glass

ceiling so that visitors can look directly up at the tower itself.

(162 words)





The diagram below gives the information about the Hawaiian island chain in the centre of the

Pacific Ocean.

Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown.


Model answer:

The Hawaiian island chain, in the centre of the Pacific Ocean, is approximately 2,700 km in length. It

is formed of volcanoes and the active ones are at the south-east tip of the archipelago, where Hawaii

itself is located.

It is believed that the chain began to form nearly 80 million years ago. Each island started to evolve

after an eruption on the sea floor. First, a `hot spot' existed on the ocean bed, which let out a plume

of material called magma. This magma may originate as deep as 2,883km below the ocean bed. Next,

further eruptions took place, which built up the volcano. Eventually, it emerged above the surface of

the ocean.

Since that time, the spume of magma has remained static as the Pacific tectonic plate moves in a

north-west direction across it at a speed of 7-9cm per year. As it moves, a volcano forms as it passes

over the hotspot and then become inactive when it has passed it.

(164 words)

band 9 writing guide for the ielts academic task 1: map · earning a high band score for task 1...

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