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.

Same questionCompare 3 different answers (Band 5.5–6)

Sample Response

1

The map Deletebelow is of the town of Garlsdonwhere, while a supermarket is planned for the town. The map showsshow two possible sites for the supermarket. Overall, the first location is in the northwestern area of the countryside. The other one is proposed to be builtis planned to build in the town centre. A railway passespass through the town, bothboth of the two possible sites are near the railway. The S1 location is next to the housing, and it is more convenient for people who live nearbyhere. The S2 position is in the town center. The transport network in this areaThis area's transportation connectsconnect with other towns, such as HindonHinton, BransdonBranson and CransdonCranston. People can go to these towns through the main road. However, the town centre is a no-traffic zonehas no traffic zone. Furthermore, the housing area is around the town center. Two industrial zonesTwo industry areas are located in this area. The first one is in the northern area, and the other one is to the south of the town centreopposite the town center.

Overall assessment

Why this response received Band 5.5

The report successfully identifies the main locations for the proposed supermarkets and mentions key surrounding features such as transport links and residential zones. However, the response relies heavily on copying prompt wording and displays limited grammatical accuracy. To raise your score, focus on correcting subject-verb agreement and comma splices while incorporating specific distance and population figures into your comparisons.

Band score breakdown

IELTS Writing Criteria Scores

TA

Task Achievement

6.0
Scoring rule

You provided a clear overview and outlined the main locations of both sites alongside major features like transport connections and surrounding zones.

Next step

Include specific quantitative data from the map, such as town population figures and exact distances to neighbouring towns, to strengthen your comparisons.

CC

Coherence and Cohesion

5.5
Scoring rule

Information is arranged logically, but the initial intro relies on copied prompt text and paragraphing is underdeveloped.

Next step

Paraphrase the introductory description in your own words and group details into clear, distinct body paragraphs based on each location site.

LR

Lexical Resource

5.5
Scoring rule

The vocabulary used is adequate to describe locations and map features, though word choices are repetitive and basic.

Next step

Vary your vocabulary by using precise spatial language and synonyms for repetitive terms such as 'housing' and 'town center'.

GRA

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

5.0
Scoring rule

Frequent grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement mistakes, missing passive structures, and comma splices, impede the overall flow.

Next step

Practice using correct verb agreements and full sentence boundaries to eliminate run-on sentences and comma splices.

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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1

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.

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