Maps & Plans: Model Answers (British Council Academic IELTS: Writing): Study Material

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The maps below show the town of Saltford in 2000 and 2020. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the major features and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

The maps illustrate the development and expansion of the town of Saltford between 2000 and 2020. Overall, Saltford has seen significant growth over the twenty years since the beginning of the century. There has been expansion both in terms of the number of residential areas and in the range of amenities in the town.

Saltford was a small town in 2000, with houses lining the two roads that led through the town. To the west, there was a river with a bridge carrying the main road through the town and farmland surrounded the town on all sides. However, by 2020, several new residential areas and new roads had been built in the centre of the town.

In 2000, there was only a school and small shopping area in the middle of the town. By 2020, there were new amenities, including a hotel and golf course in the northeast and a new shopping centre in the northwest. On the southern side of the town, a bus station and swimming pool were built on what had been farmland.

(174 words) 

This is a good answer because:

• The introduction paraphrases the task without copying it word by word

• The overview summarises the main changes

• The body paragraphs make comparisons between the two time periods

• The answer uses clear, accurate language and the passive voice