The maps below show a town centre in 1990 and the same town centre today.

Practice this IELTS Writing Task 1 question on IELTSX. The maps below show a town centre in 1990 and the same town centre today.

Town Centre Changes 1990 and Today - IELTS Writing Task 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

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

Write at least 150 words.

IELTS Writing Task 1 chart for Town Centre Changes 1990 and Today
Chart supplied with the IELTS Writing Task 1 question: Town Centre Changes 1990 and Today

A student's answer to this task, and the feedback on it

Written by an IELTSX user under exam conditions and published unedited and anonymously. Band 8 ยท 151 words.

The plans illustrate the layout of the town centre in 1990 and today. Overall, while the central part of the town remained unchanged, the primary changes concerned the reorganisation of facilities on the northern and southern sides of the town.

On the northern side of the town there was a row of small shops along with a childcare centre in 1990. Today these buildings have been reconstructed and converted into a single shopping mall. Additionally, Smith Street, located between the childcare centre and Town Hall, has been turned into a pedestrianised area.

The southern side contained houses in 1990 and now they have been converted into apartment blocks. One of the banks has been replaced by a cafe and pavements connect these new buildings to the central part of the town. A pedestrian crossing has also been added on Oldfield Street, improving access between the apartment blocks and the town centre.

Examiner feedback

This is an exceptionally strong response that clearly and accurately describes the changes in the town centre. The vocabulary is precise, the grammar is nearly flawless, and the organization is highly logical, meeting the requirements for a Band 8.0.

Task Achievement - 8

- The response covers all requirements of the task, providing a clear overview of the main transformations. - Key features like the conversion of shops to a mall and houses to apartments are skillfully highlighted. - All descriptions are accurate and relevant to the visual data provided in the maps.

Coherence & Cohesion - 8

- Information is logically organized with a clear progression from the general overview to specific regional changes. - Cohesive devices such as "while," "additionally," and "now" are used effectively to link ideas without being intrusive. - Paragraphing is used appropriately, separating the description of the northern and southern areas.

Lexical Resource - 8

- A wide range of vocabulary is used accurately and appropriately for map descriptions (e.g., "reorganised," "pedestrianised," "reconstructed"). - Collocations such as "apartment blocks" and "pedestrian crossing" are used naturally. - Very precise word choice conveys changes clearly with no spelling errors.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 8

- A wide range of structures is used with flexibility, including passive voice ("have been reconstructed") and relative clauses. - The majority of sentences are error-free, demonstrating high control over complex grammar. - Punctuation is accurate throughout, facilitating a smooth reading experience.

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