The two maps below show an island, before and after the construction of some tourist facilities.
Sample Response
The two maps illustrate the changes on an island due to the constructions and adaptations made for the tourism activities. In general, the island became more crowded with entertainment facilities after the introduction of tourism. In the first picture before the construction of tourist facilities, there was no accommodation and the whole island had almost nothing except few trees. Furthermore, the area was completely calm and quiet. However, turning to the second picture, this island provides a lot of accommodation facilities and a large restaurant. Reception block is located close to the restaurant and these buildings are linked through vehicle tracks. From the reception centre, people can go to the pier through the vehicle track. Moreover, the swimming area is also available near the beach for visiting tourists. Tourists can walk on the footpath to reach the beach from their cottages. Overall, tourism facilities made greater development on this island, while it became congested. However, it is good no notice that trees were not chopped down during the renovation works.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Correct preposition Original: on Suggested revision: to Why it matters: Changes to is the natural construction for alterations made to a place.
- 2. Use natural wording Original: due to the constructions and adaptations Suggested revision: after construction and redevelopment Why it matters: Construction is normally uncountable here, and redevelopment describes the overall transformation more precisely.
- 3. Remove unnecessary article Original: the tourism activities Suggested revision: tourism Why it matters: Tourism is used generally here and does not need an article or the word activities.
- 4. Describe facilities accurately Original: became more crowded with entertainment facilities Suggested revision: contained many new tourist facilities Why it matters: The map shows accommodation, service buildings, paths and a pier rather than entertainment facilities or measurable crowding.
- 5. Include existing features Original: except few trees Suggested revision: except for a few groups of trees and a beach Why it matters: The original island contained several groups of trees as well as a beach.
- 6. Avoid unsupported description Original: completely calm and quiet Suggested revision: undeveloped Why it matters: The map establishes the absence of buildings but provides no evidence about noise or tranquillity.
- 7. Use direct transition Original: turning to the second picture Suggested revision: in the second map Why it matters: A direct map reference gives the description a more formal and efficient transition.
- 8. Keep past tense Original: this island provides Suggested revision: the island contained Why it matters: The report describes completed changes shown in the second map, so the past tense is appropriate.
- 9. Specify accommodation layout Original: a lot of accommodation facilities Suggested revision: two groups of accommodation huts Why it matters: The map clearly shows two separate clusters of accommodation.
- 10. Add an article Original: Reception block Suggested revision: A reception building Why it matters: A singular countable noun requires an article when first introduced.
- 11. Correct linking phrase Original: these buildings are linked through vehicle tracks Suggested revision: these buildings are linked by a vehicle track Why it matters: By is the correct preposition, and the map depicts one connected vehicle route.
- 12. Use route collocation Original: go to the pier through the vehicle track Suggested revision: reach the pier along the vehicle track Why it matters: People travel along a track rather than through it.
Suggested Rewrites
- on to
- due to the constructions and adaptations after construction and redevelopment
- the tourism activities tourism
- became more crowded with entertainment facilities contained many new tourist facilities
- except few trees except for a few groups of trees and a beach
- completely calm and quiet undeveloped
Why this response received Band 6.5
The response identifies nearly all the principal additions and explains the transport links and beach access clearly. Its main limitation is a reliance on subjective or unsupported descriptions such as the island being calm, crowded, or congested, while the layout and locations of the accommodation groups receive little precise comparison. The priority is to describe observable spatial changes objectively and organise them into clear before-and-after detail paragraphs.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
Most major facilities and access routes are accurately reported, but some subjective claims replace precise spatial description of the accommodation areas.
Describe the two accommodation clusters and their positions relative to the reception, restaurant, beach, and preserved eastern area.
Coherence and Cohesion
The description moves logically from the original island to the developed map, though one long paragraph and repeated overview statements weaken organisation.
Use a separate overview followed by distinct paragraphs for the western accommodation area and the central transport and service facilities.
Lexical Resource
The vocabulary covers facilities, routes, and development adequately, but several collocations and evaluative terms are imprecise or unnatural.
Replace phrases such as 'tourism activities', 'made greater development', and 'became congested' with objective map-description language.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A range of sentence forms conveys the map changes clearly, despite recurring article, plural, preposition, and word-form errors.
Check determiners and fixed patterns, including 'a few trees', 'the reception block', and 'connected by a vehicle track'.
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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.