The map shows the changes to a residence hall between 2010 and the present.
Sample Response
The maps below show how a residence hall has changed between 2010 and today. It is clear that the layout of the hall has changed significantly, with more private rooms at the expense of shared space.
In 2010, the hallThe hall was designed in 2010 and included three study/bedrooms, one bathroom, one kitchen, one living room, and one hallwayone main hall. The hallway was directly accessibleThe main hall was directly accessible from the residence hall's west entrance; at its far end were the kitchen and a study/bedroomopposite it were the kitchen and a study/bedroom. Another study/bedroom was located to the northeast, while the living room and bathroom were located along the corridor leading to the building's final study/bedroom in the west. Outside the residence hall, there were two garden patches to the north and south.
While the entryway remains in the west, it has become noticeably narrower, as has the main hall to which it leads. The kitchen has been expanded to serve as a social area for all residents, Deleteand as a result, the living room is no longer required. It has been converted into another study/bedroom, bringing the total number of student bedrooms to fiveprivate rooms to five, with the additional one located above the bathroomwith an additional one in the west, near the entrance. The student bedroom below the kitchenA private room near the kitchen in the southeast corner of the building has an en-suite bathroom. A parking lot has taken the place of the garden patch to the south of the building.
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response is coherent and linguistically strong, and it captures major changes such as the increase to five bedrooms, the loss of the living room and the new car park. Its main limitation is some imprecise spatial reporting, including the location of the final original bedroom and an unsupported claim that the kitchen expanded. The priority is to cross-check each room's position and distinguish structural extensions from changes of use.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The response provides a clear overview and describes most major changes, but several locations and modifications are inaccurate or insufficiently distinguished.
Correct the original bedroom's position, avoid claiming the kitchen expanded, and explain that a new northern bedroom extends into former garden space.
Coherence and Cohesion
The chronological organisation is clear, and the two plans are compared through well-focused paragraphs and controlled referencing.
Organise the current layout more systematically from west to east so each added or converted space can be matched more easily to the earlier plan.
Lexical Resource
The response uses varied and generally precise language for spatial relationships, conversion and changes in use.
Use more exact map language for additions and conversions so lexical choices do not suggest physical enlargement where only the function changed.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A broad range of complex sentences is used accurately and fluently, with strong control of subordination and punctuation.
Retain this grammatical range while shortening sentences that combine several spatial details to maximise clarity.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The map shows the changes to a residence hall between 2010 and the present.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.