IELTS Task 1

Introduction to IELTS Writing Task 1

How much should I write?
You should write more than 150 words. Although there is no upper word limit, consider writing
around 170-190 words, and not write too much irrelevant information. This way, you can show off
your range of vocabulary and Grammar without sacrificing the quality of your writing.
You will not get a good score if you write under the word counts. You will not get more than band
score 5 if you answer only half of the question. Make sure you understand the question and manage
your time to write according to the safe word count.

Tenses for your Essay

When you are given a diagram, graph, bar chart, process or maps, pay attention to the tenses you
use for your essay. Use the following guidelines for your essay:
1. No dates: Simple Present Tense

2. Dates in the Past: Simple Past Tense

3. Dates spanning Past and Future: Both past and future forms

Structure of Your Essay

Task 1 is different from Task 2, in which Task 2 is more like an essay while Task 1 is more like a report.
It is important to put an overview, whether to put it after the introduction, or at the end of the essay.
However, putting overview after the introduction is much preferable as people can focus on the
overall graph before reading its details.
The following is the structure recommended to get more than band score of 6.
1. Introduction
In introduction, you have to paraphrase the question. For example:

Original Question Paraphrased Question

The diagrams below show the stages and The pictures illustrate processes and equipments
equipment used in the cement-making process, used in the cement production and steps taken
and how cement is used to produce concrete for in the concrete production for construction of
building purposes. buildings.

The diagram: the picture

Show: illustrate
Stages: processes
Equipment: equipment
Cement-making process: cement production
Produce concrete: concrete production
Building purposes: for construction of buildings

The followings are some other tips to paraphrase the questions:

a. Using synonyms
One way to paraphrase is to use synonyms. Using different words with a similar meaning shows the
examiner a range of vocabulary which you need to get over band score 6. Here is an example of how
a sentence can be re-written by using synonyms:
Original statement Paraphrased version
The reasons for increasing levels of pollution are The causes of rising levels of pollution are the
the development of industry and air travel. growth and expansionof industry as well as the
number of people travelling by air.

This is the list of words which are paraphrased:

causes = reasons increasing = rising
the development of = the growth and expansion of and = as well as
air travel = travelling by air
Notice: you can see that the words “levels of pollution” and “industry” have not be changed. This is
fine. Not all words need to be changed. In fact, the
word “pollution” is best not changed.

2. Not All Words Need to Be Changed

Not all words need to be changed for a high score in IELTS. You can see from the example above that
some words have remained the same. Decide which words you can successfully paraphrase and
which ones you will keep. Be selective. A high level student knows when to change words and when
now to change words.

If you try to paraphrase too much, you might:

1. make mistakes which will lower your score
2. change the meaning which might result in you going off topic
3. Changing the Word Form
Another way to paraphrase sentences is to change the form of the word. This means we use the
same words as IELTS but change their form. Here is an example:
Original Statement Paraphrased Version
Many people are unhealthy because they fail to Many people have poor health because they are
eat well and exercise. failing to eat well and are not exercising
enough.

Fill in the Gaps:

Fill in the gaps with no more than two words in order to complete the introduction and overview
for the above chart.

Introduction:
The (1) ……………………… illustrates the typical (2) ……………………….. of money spent each month on
utility bills, transport, rent, entertainment (3)
…………..groceries by households in Britain in three years (1990, 2000 and 2010). Units are (4)
…………………. in pounds sterling.
Exercise:
Now try to write an introduction for the following questions:
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Exercise 2
Answer:
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2. Writing an Overview
Look at the writing task 1 band descriptors for "task achievement", and you'll see the following
points:
Band 5 = no clear overview
Band 6 = presents an overview
Band 7 = presents a clear overview
The most common mistake in students' task 1 answers is that there is no overview. So what makes a
good overview? Here are a few tips:
• An overview is simply a summary of the main things you can see.
• Because the overview is so important, put it at the beginning of your report, just after the
introduction sentence.
• Try not to include specific numbers in the overview. Save the specifics for later paragraphs.
• Look at the 'big picture' e.g. the overall change from the first year to the last year (if years are
shown on the chart), the differences between whole categories rather than single numbers,
or the total number of stages in a process.
Example:

Overview:
(5) …………………., the largest expenditure was on rent,, (6) ………………. the least amount of money
spent was on utility bills and entertainment. While there
was a significant (7) …………………. in spending on rent, transport and utility bills, there was li le
change in the amount spent on the two other items.
Try to describe something more general. For example, landfill seems to be the most popular form of
waste management overall, and only two countries (Austria and Belgium) recycle at least 50% of
their waste.

So, here's an overview using the observations above:

If we look at the fifteen EU countries as a whole, it is clear that more waste goes to landfill sites than
to any other refuse management facility. In fact, while around half of the countries put the majority
of their waste into landfill sites, only two countries recycle at least half of the waste that they
produce.

Now look at another picture here and choose the main stages to make the overview:

Overall, tadpoles, which emerge from eggs in the water, past through a number of phases before
going on to land and maturing into adult frogs.

Exercise:
After learning how to write introduction and overview, try to write an introduction and overview
for the following question:

Introduction:

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Overview:

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Introduction:

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Overview:

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3. Body Paragraphs
In writing body paragraph for Writing Task 1, each type of question will need to be written in
different style. The details will be explained in the next categories, IELTS Task 1 Question Types.

A. LINE GRAPH
To get a good band score you must show the examiner a range of different words to show upward
and downward trends. IELTS line graphs show change over a period of time and you must vary your
language when you write your report.
1. Vocabulary for Line Graph
Sample Sentences
1. There was a substantial increase in the value of stocks on March 15th.
2. House prices rose dramatically in July.
3. The number of tourists visiting New York fell sharply in October.
4. The number of students studying Economics rose gradually from 2001 to 2010.
5. There was a sharp increase in employee turnover after the strike.
6. Interest in environmental issues has risen steadily over the last 10 years.

Pepositions:
Prepositions are needed to describe dates, numbers or comparisons:
Dates
In December,
In 2005,
From 2001 to 2010,
By 1998,
Between 1965 and 1969
Over a ten year period

Numbers
An Increase of 25%.
Decreased by 10%.
Fell from 200 in July to 150 in August.
Dropped from 200 units to 120 units in a period of 6 months.
Rose sharply over a period of 5 years.
Started at one third and peaked at three thirds
Fell from 30% to just over 20%

Mistakes when using words will affect your band score. To get band score 6, you must have only
some errors with a range of vocabulary. To get band score 7, you must have few errors with a good
range of vocabulary.

Vocabulary Exercise
Practice
Now look at the following line graphs and try to fill in the gaps with appropriate words to learn
how to use the phrases correctly.
 Exports of rubber ducks in the USA ___ 2013 started ___ 10,000 units and ____ slightly to around
15,000 units, they ________ off and fell ______ by 2016 to around 13,000 units. However_____
2016 ____ 2017 exports fell sharply ending ___ only 2,000 units.
In contrast, exports of rubber ducks from the EU started well at 30, 000 units and rose_________
but then ________ gradually in 2015 to 21,000 units. Soon after, the trend grew _________ to over
33,000 units in 2016 and _______ at 40,000 units in 2017. Similarly, in the UK exports _____
steadily from 2014 ending at 40,000 units ___ 2017.

The number of cases began at 100 in 1983 and then the figure (1) ……………………
steadily to reach 200 in 1987. In the following year, there was (2) ……………………
back to 100 before rising to (3) …………………….. 400 in 1989. The number (4)
………… slightly to 350 in 1991 and then (5) ……………….. dramatically to a low of
0 in 1992.

Past Form and Future Form

In some graphs you may be given a time frame that includes the past and the future (or
possibly only the future). In this case you need to be very careful that you are using the past
tense when appropriate and the future tense when appropriate.

These are some common phrases you can use to discuss a graph in the future:
Now take a look at the line graph and the model answer.
• will + infinitive
• is/are expected to + infinitive
• is/are predicted to + infinitive
In order to see clearly how the past and future time frames have been used, the past is in bold italic,
and the future is in bold.

The line graph illustrates the financial position of a New Zealand local authority from 2012 to 2022. It
is measured in millions of New Zealand dollars. Overall, it can be seen that while rates revenue and
user charges are predicted to increase over the period, borrowings and grants and subsidies will
remain much lower.

Rates revenues and user charges will follow a very similar pattern over the time frame. Rates
revenue stood at just under 1.5 billion in 2012, which was the highest of the four criteria. Though
they remained stable until 2013, they are expected to climb to approximately 2.4 billion dollars in
2022. Like rates revenues, use charges are predicted to continuously increase. They began the
period at 1 billion and will stand at twice this level by 2022.

Borrowings, on the other hand, are expected to show considerable fluctuation. Although having
initially increased, they will drop to a low of 600 million in 2016, before reaching a peak of just
under 1.5 billion in 2020. Borrowings will finish the period at around the same level that they
began. Grant and subsidies were the lowest of the four, at under 500 million in 2012. Despite
moving up to exceed borrowing briefly in 2016, this low level will continue until 2022.
Sample Essay 1

Band Score 9 (IELTS Liz)

The line graph illustrates the amount of three kinds of spreads (margarine, low
fat and reduced spreads and butter) which were consumed over 26 years from
1981 to 2007. Units are measured in grams.
Overall, the consumption of margarine and bu_er decreased over the period
given, while for low fat and reduced spreads, it rose. At the start of the period,
bu_er was the most popular spread, which was replaced by margarine from
1991 to 2001, and following that low fat and reduced spreads became the most
widely used spread in the final years.
With regards to the amount of bu_er used, it began at around 140 grams and
then peaked at 160 grams in 1986 before falling dramatically to about 50
grams in the last year. Likewise, approximately 90 grams of margarine was
eaten in the first year after which the figure fluctuated slightly and dropped to
a low of 40 grams in 2007.
On the other hand, the consumption of low fats and reduced spreads only
started in 1996 at about 10 grams. This figure, which reached a high of just
over 80 grams 5 years later, fell slightly in the final years to approximately 70
grams in 2007.

Sample Essay 2 (Official Cambridge 11)

The graph illustrates the average output of carbon dioxide in metric tonnes for each individual in four
European countries over a forty year period.

Overall, the United Kingdom and Sweden, which initially showed a high Co2 output, saw a decline in
emissions by the end of the period. On the other hand, Italy and Portugal which started with
relatively low emissions, saw a dramatic increase in Co2 output in the end.

In 1967 The UK showed the highest amount of carbon emissions at 11 metric tonnes per person.
Sweden started at around 9 metric tonnes rising to a peak in output in 1977. Regarding the UK, there
was a steady decline in Co2 output ending at around 9 metric tonnes for each individual. Sweden
followed a similar trend seeing a sharp decline to only 5 metric tonnes of Co2 output by 2007.

Conversely, Portugal in 1967 had the lowest Co2 output at just over 1 metric tonne per person. Over
the next 40 years, this increased sharply ending at over 5 tonnes. Italy demonstrated a similar
pattern, beginning at 4 metric tonnes and ending at nearly 8 metric tonnes of Carbon dioxide for
each person by 2007.

196 words

Exercise 1

Now try to write an essay within 20 minutes time frame using the following question.
Exercise 2
B. COMPARISON BAR CHART
1. Vocabulary for Bar Charts

A. Introducing Differences

Generally, there is a significant difference between a and b.

a wide disparity in + n

B. Comparative Structures

In contrast (to B) a is larger/ smaller by a narrow margin

In comparison (with B) by x.
by a margin of x.
by a staggering x.

A is just under/over Larger/Smaller Than B

approximately

A is under/ over twice as large/great/high as B

two/three times

A is considerably/substantially/marginally/slightly greater/higher/smaller than

B

A is Almost/roughly As large/ high as B

A produces/consumes/.. more/less+ uncountable noun than B

more/fewer+ countable noun
as B

C. Superlative Structures

A is the second/third largest/most productive + noun

A has the second/ third greatest/most productive + noun

A uses the largest/the smallest/the proportion of+ noun

A produces lowest quantity of+ noun
A consumes amount+ of uncountable noun
number of+ countable noun
Transitions

However Over 90% of exports were fruits; however,

industrial exports contributed none.
In contrast Almost all female students are interested in
sports. In contrast, the figure of male students
was a mere 15%
On the other hand Most of the forests in Asia were damaged by
deforestation. On the other hand, the most
significant cause of damage in Africa is draught.

Approximation
12.1% Just over 12 %
Approximately/around 12%
A little more than 12%
11.9% Almost/nearly 12%
Approximately/around 12%
A little less than 12%
Just below 12%
146 kg Almost/nearly 150 kg
Approximately/around 150 kg
Less than 150 kg

Sample Essay 1

The charts below show the levels of participation in education and science in developing and
industrialised countries in 1980 and 1990.
The three bar charts show average years of schooling, numbers of scientists and technicians, and
research and development spending in developing and developed countries. Figures are given for
1980 and 1990.

It is clear from the charts that the figures for developed countries are much higher than those for
developing nations. Also, the charts show an overall increase in participation in education and
science from 1980 to 1990.

People in developing nations attended school for an average of around 3 years, with only a slight
increase in years of schooling from 1980 to 1990. On the other hand, the figure for industrialised
countries rose from nearly 9 years of schooling in 1980 to nearly 11 years in 1990. From 1980 to
1990, the number of scientists and technicians in industrialised countries almost doubled to about 70
per 1000 people.

(187 words)

Sample Essay 2

The bar charts compare students of different ages in terms of why they
are studying and whether they are supported by an employer.
It is clear that the proportion of students who study for career purposes
is far higher among the younger age groups, while the oldest students
are more likely to study for interest. Employer support is more commonly
given to younger students.
Around 80% of students aged under 26 study to further their careers,
whereas only 10% study purely out of interest. The gap between these
two proportions narrows as students get older, and the figures for those
in their forties are the same, at about 40%. Students aged over 49
overwhelmingly study for interest (70%) rather than for professional
reasons (less than 20%).
Just over 60% of students aged under 26 are supported by their
employers. By contrast, the 30-39 age group is the most self-sufficient,
with only 30% being given time off and help with fees. The figures rise
slightly for students in their forties and for those aged 50 or more.
(178 words, band 9)

Exercise 1

Exercise 2
 C. PIE CHARTS

In pie chart, one of the main task is to report proportions. Verbs and phrases used in describing pie
charts are mostly similar to those used in describing line graphs and bar charts. Now, look at the
following words to report proportions.

75% → three-quarters → three out of every 4 people/penguins/patients/…

Out of every $100 spent by the Turkish, just over $30 was spent on food,
beverages and smoking products, which ranked first among the nations
compared in the survey.
Other Structures

The share of..

contribution
proportion
percentage

The contribution of consumer expenditure in this category was almost similar in 3 countries, namely
Turkey, Spain and Ireland.

x formed y% of…
accounted for
was responsible for
comprised
Contributed y% to…

Money spent on leisure and education in Turkey accounted for just below 4.5% of spending there,
which was the largest proportion among five countries.

The remaining x%

The remaining 40% was allocated to a variety of other items.

Vocabulary Exercises
 Writing Percentage and Proportions
Now look at the following pie chart and pay attention to the verbs and phrases used to describe
the chart. Also notice how comparisons are made by comparing the same item in the three
different periods.

1. It is clear that teachers’ salaries made up the largest proportion of the school’s spending in all
three years (1981, 1991 and 2001).
2. By contrast, insurance was the smallest cost in each year.
3. In 1981, 40% of the school’s budget went on teachers’ salaries.
4. Expenditure on insurance stood at only 2% of the total in 1981, but
reached 8% in 2001.
5. The percentages for resources and furniture/equipment fluctuated.
6. The proportion of spending on other workers’ wages fell steadily over the 20-year period, from
28% of the budget in 1981 to only 15% in 2001.

Practice
Now try to describe the following pie charts in 6 sentences.

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Sample Essay 1

The three charts show the comparison between industrial and agricultural purposes in San Diego
County, California, and the world as a whole.

It is noticeable that more water is consumed by homes than by industry or agriculture in the two
American regions. By contrast, agriculture accounts for the vast majority of water used worldwide.

In San Diego County and California State, residential water consumption accounts for 60% and 39%
of total water usage. By contrast, a mere 8% of the water used globally goes to homes. The opposite
trend can be seen when we look at water consumption for agriculture. This accounts for a massive
69% of global water use, but only 17% and 28% of water usage in San Diego and California
respectively.

Such dramatic differences are not seen when we compare the figures for industrial water use. The
same proportion of water (23%) is used by industry in San Diego and worldwide, while the figure for
California is 10% higher, at 33%.

(168 words, band 9)

Exercise 1

Exercise 2
 D. TABLES
Analysing the IELTS Table
As with all graphs and charts, when describing tables:
• Do not describe all the data presented - present the main points of each feature (you should
make sure you mention each feature though)
• Look for significant data; e.g. the highest, the lowest etc
• Try and group the data. This may require you to use some general knowledge about the
world, such as recognising developed and developing countries
Verbs and phrases used for describing tables are mostly similar to those used for charts and line
graphs. Look at the following sentence and pay attention to how sentences are formed based on the
table.

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information in the table below.

Write at least 150 words.

1. Teenagers and people in their twenties spend on average 500 hours per year on socialising and
350 hours of that time is with a group of more than 4 people.

2. The total hours of socialising in their 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s is fairly constant (between 300-350),
socialising with more than 4 people drops dramatically to 50 hours in the 30s and 40s age groups
and only 25 from 50 years old.

3. Home entertainment ranges from just over a thousand hours for teenagers and retired people
and an average of 600 hours for everyone else.

4. Cinema accounts for 100 hours of the teenagers and retired people’s leisure time and 25-50 hours
for the rest.

Practice

Now look at the following table, and try to describe the data in four sentences.
Answer:

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Sample Essay 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The table shows the Proportions of Pupils Attending Four Secondary School Types Between
Between 2000 and 2009.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons
where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Secondary School Attendance

2000 2005 2009

Specialist Schools 12% 11% 10%
Grammar Schools 24% 19% 12%
Voluntary-controlled Schools 52% 38% 20%
Community Schools 12% 32% 58%
The table illustrates the percentage of school children attending four different types of secondary
school from 2000 to 2009. It is evident that whereas the community schools experienced a marked
increase in the proportion of those attending their institutions over the period, the others saw a
corresponding decline.

To begin, the percentage of pupils in voluntary-controlled schools fell from just over half to only 20%
or one fifth from 2000 to 2009. Similarly, the relative number of children in grammar schools -- just
under one quarter -- dropped by half in the same period. As for the specialist schools, the relatively
small percentage of pupils attending this type of school (12%) also fell, although not significantly.

However, while the other three types of school declined in importance, the opposite was true in the
case of community schools. In fact, while only a small minority of 12% were educated in these
schools in 2000, this figure increased to well over half of all pupils during the following nine years.

170 Words

Sample Essay 2

A table of data is a familiar sight in IELTS Writing Task 1. Try this example which looks at student
funding in the US. A sample answer follows below.

The table below shows the primary funding sources of international students in the US during the
years 2003/04 and 2013/14. Write a 150-word report for a university lecturer describing the data
and make comparisons where relevant.

IELTS Writing Task 1: Sample Answer

The table shows how international students in the US funded their studies in the years 2003/04 and
2013/14. Overall, there was a noticeable trend towards sponsorship by foreign governments, foreign
universities, and current employers over the ten-year period.
First of all, the period 2003/04 to 2013/14 witnessed a significant rise in the number of international
students in the US, from 572,509 to 886,052, a rise of more than 50%. Given the large increase, were
there any changes in how foreign students paid for their studies?

The table shows that the two main funding sources were ‘Personal and Family’ and ‘US College or
University’, which together accounted for 90% of funding in 2003/2004. However, taken together,
these two sources had dropped to 84% by 2013/14.

At the same time, there was substantial growth in the numbers of students funded by ‘Foreign
Government or University’ and ‘Current Employer’, which saw increases of 383% and 390%
respectively. Even though they still accounted for only a small minority of funding, both sources
became more important to foreign students during the period.

(177 words, IELTS 9.0)

Exercise 1
Exercise 2
 E. PROCESS AND CYCLE

To understand the task and quickly make a plan to answer process questions you should follow the 7
steps below:

1. Understand the process. Find the start and the end of the process. Count how many stages
there are and understand what each stage does and the relationship it has with the stage
before and after it.
2. Paraphrase the question.
3. Describe what is happening generally in 2 sentences. This is your overview paragraph and I
will show you how to write this in more detail below.
4. Divide the process in two and write two separate paragraphs detailing each stage of the
process.

You can quickly understand any process by asking yourself these questions:

1. Where does the process start and where does it end?

2. How many stages are there?
3. Is it a man-made process or natural process?
4. Is it a cyclical (in a circle) or linear (one start point and one end point) process?
5. Are there any materials that need to be added to the process?
6. What is produced?
7. What does each stage of the process do?
8. What are the relationships between each stage?

Sequencing the Process

Try to sequence your language and make your details easier to read by using language like:

• Firstly
• First of all
• Secondly
• After that
• From this
• Where
• Following that
• Subsequently
• Before that
• In turn
• Then

Describing Process

Natural processes/ Natural Events

a. Include things like the life cycle of butterfly or frog, pregnancy, or how cow produces milk
b. Active form or passive form
- The larvae begin forming cocoons around themselves using silk threads.
- Numerous eggs are laid by a moth and hatch after 10 days.
• Man-made processes/ Artificial Events
a. How coffee, tea, beer, or wine are made, or how ATM works.
b. Usually passive form.
- Energy is sent to the substations by means of transmission lines.
Describing Purpose:
a. For tools: it is done using/ through the use of/ by means of….
- The mixture is cut into individual bricks using a wire cutter.
b. For ways and methods: it is done through /via/by means of…
- The oil is transferred to the refinery through a pipeline.

Sample Essay 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The illustrations show how chocolate is produced.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons
where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

IELTS Task 1 Process - Model Answer

The diagram explains the process for the making of chocolate. There are a total of ten stages in the
process, beginning with the growing of the pods on the cacao trees and culminating in the
production of the chocolate.

To begin, the cocoa comes from the cacao tree, which is grown in the South American and African
continents and the country of Indonesia. Once the pods are ripe and red, they are harvested and the
white cocoa beans are removed. Following a period of fermentation, they are then laid out on a large
tray so they can dry under the sun. Next, they are placed into large sacks and delivered to the
factory. They are then roasted at a temperature of 350 degrees, after which the beans are crushed
and separated from their outer shell. In the final stage, this inner part that is left is pressed and the
chocolate is produced.

(152 Words)

Sample Essay 2

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The diagram illustrates the process that is used to manufacture bricks for the building industry.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons
where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

The Brick Manufacturing Process

The diagram explains the way in which bricks are made for the building industry. Overall, there are
seven stages in the process, beginning with the digging up of clay and culminating in delivery.
To begin, the clay used to make the bricks is dug up from the ground by a large digger. This clay is
then placed onto a metal grid, which is used to break up the clay into smaller pieces. A roller assists
in this process.
Following this, sand and water are added to the clay, and this mixture is turned into bricks by either
placing it into a mould or using a wire cutter. Next, these bricks are placed in an oven to dry for 24 –
48 hours.
In the subsequent stage, the bricks go through a heating and cooling process. They are heated in a
kiln at a moderate and then a high temperature (ranging from 200c to 1300c), followed by a cooling
process in a chamber for 2 – 3 days. Finally, the bricks are packed and delivered to their destinations.
Words 173
Exercise 1

Exercise 2
F. MAPS
here are three main types of map question:
1. Describe one map in the present day.
2. Describe two maps- one in the present and one in the future.
3. Describe two maps- one in the past and one in the present.
The first kind is very rare, as it only requires you to use the present simple and it is impossible for any
comparisons to be made.
The second kind does come up occasionally and would require you to use present and future tenses.
This kind of question is normally about the future development of a town or city. It requires the same
vocabulary as the other two.
The third is the most common.

How to Describe General Changes

As this is an IELTS writing task 1 question we must write an overview and this is where we
talk generally about the main changes that have occurred between the two maps.
Below are some examples of general statements we could use to describe change in towns
and cities.
1. Over the period, the area witnessed dramatic changes.
2. From 1995 to 2005, the city centre saw spectacular developments.
3. The village changed considerably over the time period.
4. During the 10 year period, the industrial area was totally transformed.
5. Over the past 20 years, the residential area was totally reconstructed.
6. Over the time period, the old docks were totally redeveloped.
7. Between 1995 and 2005, the old houses were rebuilt.
8. The central business district was completely modernised during the time period.
Pick two or three of the most noticeable differences in the map and write a general statement
for each. This will be your overview paragraph.
The more specific changes should be included in your main body paragraphs.

How to Describe Locations

You will also be expected to describe where things are maps and describe where changes have
occurred. You can use ‘to the left’ and ‘to the right’, but a better way is to use ‘north’, ‘south’, ‘east’
and ‘west’. I normally advise my students to draw the symbols on the question paper if they are not
already there.
Examples:
The forest to the south of the river was cut down.
A golf course was constructed to the north of the airport.
The houses in the south-west of the town were demolished.
The green fields to the north-west of the city were redeveloped as a park.
The airport in the centre of the city was relocated to the north-east of the river.
The school to the south-east was knocked down and a new one built to the east of the forest.
Finally, you will also be expected to use prepositions of place, e.g. at/in/on/by/beside/to/off/from,
to describe where things are.
Examples:
Dramatic changes took place in the city centre.
To the south of the town, there is a golf course surrounded by trees.
A new school was built next to the swimming pool.
The old road running from north to south was replaced by a new motorway.
A marina was built on the banks of the river.

Sample Esssay 1

Both maps display an island, before and after it was developed for tourism.
The island is approximately 250 metres long, has palm trees dotted around it, is surrounded
by ocean and has a beach to the west. Over the period, the island was completely
transformed with the addition of a hotel and a pier; however, the eastern part of the island
appears to have been left undeveloped.
The most noticeable additions are the hotel rooms. 6 buildings, surrounding some trees,
have been built in the west of the island and 9 buildings have been constructed in the centre
of the island. Between the two accommodation areas, a reception building and a restaurant
have been developed.
A pier has also been built on the south coast of the island, allowing yachts access to the
resort. Apart from the trees, the beach remains the only natural feature to remain relatively
untouched; however, it does appear that it is now used for swimming.
(160 words)

Saple Essay 2

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

Below is a map of the city of Brandfield. City planners have decided to build a new
shopping mall for the area, and two sites, S1 and S2 have been proposed.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make
comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

The map illustrates plans for two possible sites for a shopping mall in the city of Brandfield. It
can be seen that the two sites under consideration are in the north and the south east of the
town.

The first possible site for the shopping mall, S1, is just north of the city centre, above the
railway line, which runs from the south east of the city to the north west. If it is built here, it
will be next to a large housing estate, thus providing easy access for those living on the
estate and in the city centre. It will also be next to the river, which runs through the town.

The site in the south east, S2, is again just by the railway line and fairly close to the city
centre, but it is near to an industrial estate rather than housing.
There is a main road that runs through the city and is close to both sites, thus providing good
road access to either location. A large golf course and park in the west of the town prevents
this area from being available as a site.

190 words

Exercise 1