The two maps below show an island, before and after the construction of some tourist facilities.
Sample Response
The first map showsThe first map provides information about an island before tourist facilities were builtbefore the construction of facilities to serve touristsfor the purpose of serving the tourists while the second shows the changes madewhile the second map illustrates the changes that took place onin the same island after the development of the touristaforementioned facilities.
The first map shows thatIt is noticeable that the islandthe island as illustrated in the first map contained no man-made structuresconstructions of any kind. Also it is evident that the distance from the West to the East of the island is about six times more than the distance from its North to South.
Two groups of accommodation units wereare built in the western and central parts of the islandin the middle two thirds of the island while the westernmost partWest most part of the island contains the beach and several accommodation unitsis left as a green area with its trees. On the other side, the East most area is used as a beach which can be accessed from the housing units by a footpath.
The two groups of accommodation units are separated by a restaurant and a reception buildinga restaurant and a reception which are linked to one another and to the pier by a vehicle trackwhich are connected to each other and to a pier by a vehicle track. From the pier, tourists can reach ships docked at the sea, near the island.
Why this response received Band 6.5
The response is clearly organised and uses a useful range of map language to describe most of the new facilities and their connections. Its main limitation is task accuracy: the beach and undeveloped area are placed on the wrong sides, the overview does not capture the overall transformation, and the statement about ships is unsupported. Prioritise a precise overview and verify every location against the maps before adding detail.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The response identifies most major additions and the previously undeveloped state, but its overview is limited and it reverses the beach and undeveloped ends of the island.
State the main transformation and unchanged natural features, then describe the beach as western and avoid unsupported claims about ships.
Coherence and Cohesion
The four-paragraph structure creates clear progression from the initial state to accommodation, access, and central facilities.
Use more precise spatial links between the two accommodation clusters and the facilities connecting them.
Lexical Resource
There is a useful range of map vocabulary, though expressions such as "West most", "East most", and "docked at the sea" are imprecise.
Use natural location phrases such as "western end", "eastern end", and "off the coast" consistently.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex sentences and passive forms are generally well controlled, with occasional article, preposition, and punctuation lapses.
Check articles and prepositions in location phrases, especially "on the island" and "from north to south".
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The two maps below show an island, before and after the construction of some tourist facilities.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.