IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 – Sample Test06 (Map)
Task Question
The maps below show developments in a town between 2000 and 2020.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Figure: Town development in 2000 vs 2020
Sample Answer (Band 7.5–8)
The two maps illustrate how a town changed over a twenty-year period between 2000 and 2020. Overall, the town was transformed from a semi-rural community into a more modern, residential and leisure-oriented settlement. The river remained a central feature, but almost all surrounding land uses were replaced.
In 2000, the western side of the river contained housing, a block of shops and an area of farmland. By contrast, in 2020 these functions were substituted. Traditional housing was redeveloped into apartments with greater capacity, and the farmland disappeared, giving space to a new sports centre. The former retail zone was cleared to make way for a landscaped park with trees and walking paths.
Other notable additions include a bridge across the river and a car park next to the sports centre, improving access and convenience. Despite such extensive interventions, the river itself was preserved as the natural divider of the town. To conclude, the redevelopment over two decades shifted the town’s focus away from farming and small retail towards dense housing, recreation and modern infrastructure, reflecting broader trends in urbanization.
Detailed Analysis & Feedback – Test 06 (Map)
Strengths
- ✔️ A clear overview is provided, highlighting the shift from rural to residential and leisure functions.
- ✔️ Logical progression: introduction → description of 2000 → changes by 2020 → conclusion.
- ✔️ Accurate reporting of key replacements (housing → apartments, farmland → sports centre, shops → park).
- ✔️ Effective use of academic vocabulary: “redeveloped,” “landscaped,” “interventions,” “urbanization.”
- ✔️ Conclusion interprets broader significance, not just summary, which examiners value.
Weaknesses
- ❌ Sentences rely on standard structures; more advanced grammar (conditionals, concessive clauses) could enhance range.
- ❌ Limited use of explicit numerical or spatial comparisons (e.g., “on the western side,” “covering a larger area”).
- ❌ Cohesive devices such as “by contrast” and “while” are repeated, reducing variety.
- ❌ The answer does not explain potential reasons for changes, which could add analytical depth.
Stronger Vocabulary & Synonyms
- “redeveloped” → “converted,” “repurposed,” “transformed”
- “replaced” → “substituted,” “supplanted,” “gave way to”
- “unchanged” → “retained,” “remained intact,” “persisted”
- “modern” → “contemporary,” “up-to-date,” “state-of-the-art”
- “urbanization” → “expansion of built-up areas,” “growth of settlements”
Suggestions for Improvement
- 🔹 Incorporate more spatial details: e.g., “On the eastern bank of the river, a park replaced the shops.”
- 🔹 Add conditional or concessive sentences: “Although the river remained unchanged, almost every other feature was transformed.”
- 🔹 Provide reasons or implications: “This transformation reflects a shift in priorities from agriculture to urban living and leisure.”
- 🔹 Use a wider range of connectors: “in contrast, nevertheless, conversely, subsequently.”
- 🔹 Enhance conclusion with interpretation: “These changes not only improved amenities but also signaled the town’s transition toward modern urban standards.”
Band Justification
The response successfully meets task requirements, offering a clear overview and accurate reporting of changes, which secures Band 7.5–8. Lexical resource is strong, with some advanced terms, and coherence is logical. However, the limited variety in grammar and connectors, along with a lack of deeper analytical explanation, keeps the score below Band 9. With richer grammatical structures, diverse cohesive devices, and more interpretive commentary, this answer could be elevated to Band 8.5–9.
Analysis & Feedback – Test 06 (Map)
Strengths
- ✔️ A clear overview highlighting the shift from rural to residential and leisure functions.
- ✔️ Logical structure: intro → 2000 → 2020 → conclusion.
- ✔️ Accurate reporting of key replacements (housing → apartments, farmland → sports centre, shops → park).
- ✔️ Effective vocabulary: “redeveloped,” “landscaped,” “urbanization.”
نقاط قوت
- ✔️ نمای کلی به‌خوبی بیان شده و تغییر تمرکز از کشاورزی به مسکونی و تفریحی توضیح داده شده است.
- ✔️ ساختار پاسخ منظم است: مقدمه → سال ۲۰۰۰ → سال ۲۰۲۰ → جمع‌بندی.
- ✔️ گزارش دقیق از تغییرات اصلی (خانه → آپارتمان، مزرعه → مرکز ورزشی، مغازه‌ها → پارک).
- ✔️ واژگان علمی و مناسب استفاده شده‌اند (مثل: "بازسازی"، "طراحی چشم‌انداز"، "شهرنشینی").
Weaknesses
- ❌ Limited variety of grammar; few advanced clauses used.
- ❌ Repetitive cohesive devices (while, by contrast).
- ❌ Minimal analytical depth; no reasons or implications given.
نقاط ضعف
- ❌ تنوع گرامری محدود است و از جمله‌های پیچیده کمتر استفاده شده.
- ❌ ابزارهای انسجامی تکراری هستند (مثل while، by contrast).
- ❌ تحلیل عمیق ارائه نشده؛ دلیل یا پیامد تغییرات ذکر نشده است.
Stronger Vocabulary
- “redeveloped” → “repurposed,” “transformed”
- “replaced” → “supplanted,” “gave way to”
- “unchanged” → “remained intact,” “retained”
مترادف‌ها
- "بازسازی" → "تبدیل"، "دگرگون‌سازی"
- "جایگزین شد" → "جانشین شد"، "به‌جای آن آمد"
- "بدون تغییر" → "دست‌نخورده باقی ماند"، "حفظ شد"
Suggestions for Improvement
- 🔹 Add spatial detail: “On the eastern bank of the river, a park replaced the shops.”
- 🔹 Use conditionals: “Although the river remained, nearly all other features were transformed.”
- 🔹 Provide implications: “This reflects a shift in priorities from agriculture to leisure.”
پیشنهادهای بهبود
- 🔹 جزئیات مکانی بیشتری اضافه کنید: "در کرانه شرقی رودخانه، پارک جای مغازه‌ها را گرفت."
- 🔹 از جمله‌های شرطی یا امتیازی استفاده کنید: "اگرچه رودخانه دست‌نخورده ماند، تقریباً تمام ویژگی‌های دیگر تغییر کردند."
- 🔹 به پیامدها اشاره کنید: "این تغییر نشان‌دهنده جابه‌جایی اولویت‌ها از کشاورزی به تفریح و زندگی شهری است."
Band Justification
Task achievement is strong with accurate description and comparisons, justifying Band 7.5–8. However, limited grammar range and repetitive connectors prevent a higher score. With more advanced structures and analytical depth, it could reach Band 8.5–9.
توجیه نمره
این پاسخ تسک را به‌خوبی انجام داده و مقایسه‌ها و توضیحات دقیق ارائه کرده است، بنابراین نمره ۷.۵ تا ۸ مناسب است. اما تنوع محدود در گرامر و تکرار ابزارهای انسجامی مانع نمره بالاتر می‌شود. با افزودن ساختارهای پیچیده‌تر و تحلیل عمیق‌تر، می‌تواند به ۸.۵ یا حتی ۹ برسد.