The map is of the town of Garlsdon. A new supermarket (S) is planned for the town. The map shows two possible sites for the supermarket.
Sample Response
The map shows two potential locations (S1 and S2) for a new supermarket in a town called Garlsdon.
The main difference between the two sites is that S1 is outside the town, whereas S2 is in the town centre. The sites can also be compared in terms of access by road or rail, and their positions relative to three smaller towns.
Looking at the information in more detail, S1 is in the countryside to the north west of Garlsdon, but it is close to the residential area of the town. S2 is also close to the housing area, which surrounds the town centre.
There are main roads from Hindon, Bransdon and Cransdon to Garlsdon town centre, but this is a no traffic zone, so there would be no access to S2 by car. By contrast, S1 lies on the main road to Hindon, but it would be more difficult to reach from Bransdon and Cransdon. Both supermarket sites are close to the railway that runs through Garlsdon from Hindon to Cransdon.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use map terminology Original: potential locations Suggested revision: possible sites Why it matters: ‘Possible sites’ matches the map’s planning context more precisely.
- 2. Use concise place reference Original: a town called Garlsdon Suggested revision: the town of Garlsdon Why it matters: This is a more concise formal way to introduce the mapped town.
- 3. Link both access modes Original: or Suggested revision: and Why it matters: The response goes on to compare both modes of access, so ‘and’ states the relationship accurately.
- 4. Specify road access Original: more difficult to reach from Bransdon and Cransdon Suggested revision: less directly accessible by road from Bransdon and Cransdon Why it matters: The revision states more precisely how S1’s location affects access from these towns.
- 5. Describe position precisely Original: close to the residential area of the town Suggested revision: adjacent to Garlsdon’s housing area Why it matters: ‘Adjacent to’ reflects S1’s position beside the built-up area more precisely.
- 6. Use natural compound Original: no traffic zone Suggested revision: traffic-free zone Why it matters: ‘Traffic-free zone’ is the natural expression for an area where cars are excluded.
- 7. Qualify car access Original: no access to S2 by car Suggested revision: no direct car access to S2 Why it matters: ‘Direct’ keeps the claim closely tied to S2’s location inside the central traffic-free zone.
- 8. Quantify nearby towns Suggested revision: Support the accessibility comparison with the mapped distances and populations of Hindon, Bransdon, and Cransdon. Why it matters: The map provides these figures, but the response names the towns without using them to strengthen the site comparison.
Suggested Rewrites
- potential locations possible sites
- a town called Garlsdon the town of Garlsdon
- or and
- more difficult to reach from Bransdon and Cransdon less directly accessible by road from Bransdon and Cransdon
- close to the residential area of the town adjacent to Garlsdon’s housing area
- no traffic zone traffic-free zone
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response gives a clear overview of the central contrast between the two sites and develops it with accurate comparisons of location, road access, housing, and rail connections. Organisation is effortless and the language is precise, varied, and highly controlled. To strengthen an already accomplished report, the writer could incorporate one or two relevant distance or population details to sharpen the accessibility comparison.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The response selects and compares the principal location and access features accurately, with a clear overview and well-chosen supporting detail.
Add a selective distance or population figure where it clarifies the relative market access of the two sites.
Coherence and Cohesion
Information is sequenced logically across focused paragraphs, and cohesive devices guide the comparison without drawing attention to themselves.
Maintain this structure while making the final comparison slightly more synthesizing rather than ending on a shared feature.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is flexible and precise, particularly for spatial relationships, transport access, and direct comparison.
Refine the description further with an occasional concise term for each site's potential catchment area.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of complex structures is used accurately, with consistently clear punctuation and sentence control.
Continue varying comparative structures while preserving the same high level of accuracy and readability.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The map is of the town of Garlsdon. A new supermarket (S) is planned for the town. The map shows two possible sites for the supermarket.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.