Academic Writing Task 1 · map

The geographical evolution of Tarnagul town between 1900 and 2000

Tarnagul is a small town near Melbourne. The maps show the town's development over a period of time.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

Tarnagul town development 1900-2000

1900

  • Dairy farm west of river
  • Oranges orchard north of town
  • Town area central
  • Mandarins orchard south of town
  • Road running east-west
  • River running north-south

1950

  • Lemons & Grapefruit west of river
  • Oranges orchard north of town
  • Town area central
  • Oranges orchard south of town
  • Packing sheds east of town
  • Railway tracks added east of town

2000

  • Wildlife sanctuary west of river
  • Unused land north of town
  • Town area central
  • Unused land south of town
  • Local museum and craft market at former packing sheds
  • Park south-east of town
  • Tourist shop east of town
  • Railway tracks removed

Chart redrawn by BandLadder from the data in the original IELTS practice task. Many IELTS practice tasks come from the Cambridge IELTS series (Cambridge University Press & Assessment); all rights in the original tasks remain with their owners.

Band 8 sample answer

The maps illustrate the transformation of Tarnagul from 1900 to 2000. Overall, the town shifted from a primary production base to a service-oriented area, with significant changes in land use and infrastructure.

In 1900, the town was defined by agricultural activities, featuring a dairy farm west of the river, and orange and mandarin orchards surrounding the central town area. By 1950, the dairy was replaced by a lemon and grapefruit plantation, and the southern mandarin orchard was converted into an orange grove. Furthermore, packing sheds were established to the east, served by new railway tracks.

By 2000, the agricultural landscape had been largely repurposed. The western plantation became a wildlife sanctuary, while the northern and southern orchards were left unused. The packing sheds were converted into a local museum and a craft market, and the railway tracks were removed. Additionally, a new park was developed south of the town area, and a tourist shop was added near the former railway site. Throughout the century, the central town area remained, while the road and river infrastructure persisted as constant features of the town's layout.

183 words. Every figure in the answer comes from the chart above.

How to write about maps

transformation
a thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance
repurposed
adapted for a different use or purpose
persisted
continued to exist in a particular state
defined by
having a particular characteristic as a main feature
transitioned
underwent a process of changing from one state
infrastructure
the basic physical systems of a town or area

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

Over the century, Tarnagul transitioned from an agricultural hub into a tourist-oriented destination, marked by the removal of railway infrastructure and the repurposing of land.

How long should an IELTS Task 1 answer be?

At least 150 words; 170 to 200 is the safe range. Spend about 20 minutes on it and leave 40 for Task 2, which carries twice the marks.

How do I describe maps?

Overview: how much the area changed and what stayed the same. Use location language: to the north of, adjacent to, replaced by. Group changes by area or by type, such as housing, roads and green space.

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