The maps below shows university sports courts in 1990 and now.
Sample Response
The map describes how a university sports courts area has changed from 1990 to the present day. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the number of total courts for tennis and basketball has increased at the expense of parking and a park, while a formal building with a gym now houses various exercise facilities. These changes allow for more varied activity.
In 1990, on the left side of the map was a park with trees and grass as well as a car park. Today, the park has been replaced by a large basketball court and the car park by 4 tennis courts.
On the right side of the map, a structure to contain the various athletic facilities has been erected with only the indoor pool and reception area in the same position in the new building. The changing room beneath the reception area and pool has been lengthened and moved slightly to the right so as to line up directly above a new, large fitness centre. The fitness centre has replaced two tennis courts, now outside the main building.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use plural maps Original: The map describes Suggested revision: The maps describe Why it matters: Two maps are provided, so both the noun and verb should be plural.
- 2. Use natural term Original: a university sports courts area Suggested revision: a university sports complex Why it matters: “Sports complex” is the natural term for an area containing several facilities.
- 3. Fix word order Original: number of total courts Suggested revision: total number of courts Why it matters: This is the correct noun-phrase order in English.
- 4. State replacements directly Original: at the expense of parking and a park Suggested revision: replacing the car park and park Why it matters: The maps show the two former areas being replaced by new courts.
- 5. Name building clearly Original: a formal building Suggested revision: a main sports building Why it matters: “Formal building” does not clearly identify the structure enclosing the facilities.
- 6. Match map label Original: with a gym Suggested revision: with a fitness centre Why it matters: The new facility is labelled “Fitness Centre” on the map.
- 7. Use countable noun Original: more varied activity Suggested revision: a wider range of activities Why it matters: “Activities” is countable here and the revised phrase is more natural.
- 8. Sentence rewrite Original: On the right side of the map, a structure to contain the various athletic facilities has been erected with only the indoor pool and reception area in the same position in the new building. Suggested revision: On the right, a building now encloses the facilities; the reception and café remain in the same positions, while the former outdoor pool is now labelled as an indoor pool. Why it matters: The original wrongly calls the earlier pool indoor and omits the café that remains in place.
- 9. Sentence rewrite Original: The fitness centre has replaced two tennis courts, now outside the main building. Suggested revision: The fitness centre occupies the former site of two tennis courts, while four new tennis courts are now located outside the main building. Why it matters: This distinguishes the two removed courts from the four courts shown in the current layout.
Suggested Rewrites
- The map describes The maps describe
- a university sports courts area a university sports complex
- number of total courts total number of courts
- at the expense of parking and a park replacing the car park and park
- a formal building a main sports building
- with a gym with a fitness centre
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response is well organised by location and accurately explains most major replacements, using varied language and complex sentences with strong control. Its main limitation is visual accuracy: it treats the pool as unchanged and omits the café, although the map shows the outdoor pool becoming indoor while the café remains. Prioritise checking every unchanged and altered feature before finalising the overview and details.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The overview and details cover most major changes accurately, but the outdoor-to-indoor pool change is misstated and the unchanged café is omitted.
Systematically check every labelled feature so the report distinguishes unchanged locations from facilities whose function changed.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response progresses clearly from an overview to left-side and right-side changes, with effective referencing and paragraphing.
For even sharper progression, keep the unchanged features together before describing the replacements in each area.
Lexical Resource
A wide and precise range of change and location vocabulary is used naturally, with only minor awkwardness in a few descriptions.
Refine phrases such as 'university sports courts area' and 'formal building' into more exact map-report wording.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex sentence structures are varied and well controlled, and the few minor awkward constructions do not impede communication.
Polish noun phrases and agreement in the opening sentence while maintaining the same range of controlled complex structures.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The maps below shows university sports courts in 1990 and now.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.