This is an IELTS writing task 1 sample answer essay on the topic of a mining town in the past and now from the real IELTS exam.
A really interesting, kind of strange one – love the opportunity to write about an old-timey mining town!
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Dave
IELTS Cambridge 16 Essay: Airport Map
The plans below show the site of mining town in the past and after redevelopment in the present day.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
The maps detail significant alterations to a former mining town. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the town became less focused on the industry of mining and more on tourism with various historical sites and facilities for dining and entertainment.
In the past, the mining town was centered around a mine entrance for workers and related infrastructure. There were two waste pits near the mines as well as a staff changing room and medical room for treatment of injuries. Adjacent to the mine was also an office building and slightly further away was the parking lot for cars and lorries.
In the present day, the parking lot for cars remains the same and the mine is still present, though it is now for visitors instead of workers. The office and changing rooms have been replaced by a museum while the lorry parking space and medical area have become a footpath (leading to a children’s playground) and a cafe, respectively. Finally, the waste pits have been removed in favor of a driving truck track and an area reserved for picnics.
Analysis
1. The maps detail significant alterations to a former mining town. 2. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the town became less focused on the industry of mining and more on tourism with various historical sites and facilities for dining and entertainment.
- Paraphrase what the map shows.
- Write a clear overview summarising the major groups.
1. In the past, the mining town was centered around a mine entrance for workers and related infrastructure. 2. There were two waste pits near the mines as well as a staff changing room and medical room for treatment of injuries. 3. Adjacent to the mine was also an office building and slightly further away was the parking lot for cars and lorries.
- Begin writing about the details of the map.
- Describe what is located next to what you described before.
- Include everything!
1. In the present day, the parking lot for cars remains the same and the mine is still present, though it is now for visitors instead of workers. 2. The office and changing rooms have been replaced by a museum while the lorry parking space and medical area have become a footpath (leading to a children’s playground) and a cafe, respectively. 3. Finally, the waste pits have been removed in favor of a driving truck track and an area reserved for picnics.
- Move on to the other map.
- Try to paraphrase some of the words from the map as well.
- Include every single change in the map.
Vocabulary
What do the words in bold below mean? Take some notes on a piece of paper to aid your memory:
The maps detail significant alterations to a former mining town. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the town became less focused on the industry of mining and more on tourism with various historical sites and facilities for dining and entertainment.
In the past, the mining town was centered around a mine entrance for workers and related infrastructure. There were two waste pits near the mines as well as a staff changing room and medical room for treatment of injuries. Adjacent to the mine was also an office building and slightly further away was the parking lot for cars and lorries.
In the present day, the parking lot for cars remains the same and the mine is still present, though it is now for visitors instead of workers. The office and changing rooms have been replaced by a museum while the lorry parking space and medical area have become a footpath (leading to a children’s playground) and a cafe, respectively. Finally, the waste pits have been removed in favor of a driving truck track and an area reserved for picnics.
Answers
Try to write down or think of an antonym/opposite word for further practice:
detail show
significant alterations big changes
former mining town past place where people dug into the ground to locate minerals
Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that overall
less focused on not caring about
industry business, work
more on tourism directed more toward customers
various historical sites different places related to history
facilities infrastructure
dining eating
entertainment places to have fun
in the past formerly
centered around related to
entrance place to go in
related infrastructure similar buildings, etc.
waste pits where to put the excess waste/trass
near next to
as well as and
a staff changing room place to put on clothes
medical room hospital area
injuries getting hurt
adjacent to next to
slightly further away a little bit away from there
parking lot place to park
lorries trucks
in the present day right now
remains the same nothing has changed
present now
visitors guests
instead of rather than
replaced by something in its place
footpath walking road
leading to going toward
respectively in turn
removed in favor of taken away in order for
reserved for specifically for
Pronunciation
Practice saying the words below using this tip with Google voice dictation:
ˈdiːteɪl
sɪgˈnɪfɪkənt ˌɔːltəˈreɪʃ(ə)nz
ˈfɔːmə ˈmaɪnɪŋ taʊn
ˈlʊkɪŋ frɒm ən ˈəʊvərɔːl pəˈspɛktɪv, ɪt ɪz ˈrɛdɪli əˈpærənt ðæt
lɛs ˈfəʊkəst ɒn
ˈɪndəstri
mɔːr ɒn ˈtʊərɪz(ə)m
ˈveərɪəs hɪsˈtɒrɪkəl saɪts
fəˈsɪlɪtiz
ˈdaɪnɪŋ
ˌɛntəˈteɪnmənt
ɪn ðə pɑːst
ˈsɛntəd əˈraʊnd
ˈɛntrəns
rɪˈleɪtɪd ˈɪnfrəˌstrʌkʧə
weɪst pɪts
nɪə
æz wɛl æz
ə stɑːf ˈʧeɪnʤɪŋ ruːm
ˈmɛdɪkəl ruːm
ˈɪnʤəriz
əˈʤeɪsənt tuː
ˈslaɪtli ˈfɜːðər əˈweɪ
ˈpɑːkɪŋ lɒt
ˈlɒriz
ɪn ðə ˈprɛznt deɪ
rɪˈmeɪnz ðə seɪm
ˈprɛznt
ˈvɪzɪtəz
ɪnˈstɛd ɒv
rɪˈpleɪst baɪ
ˈfʊtpɑːθ
ˈliːdɪŋ tuː
rɪsˈpɛktɪvli
rɪˈmuːvd ɪn ˈfeɪvər ɒv
rɪˈzɜːvd fɔː
Vocabulary Practice
Remember and fill in the blanks:
The maps d_________l s______________________s to a f________________n. L_____________________________________________________t the town became l__________________n the i__________y of mining and m_______________m with v_________________________s and f______________s for d________g and e_________________t.
I_______________t, the mining town was c_________________d a mine e__________e for workers and r________________________e. There were two w_________________r the mines a____________s a________________________m and m_________________m for treatment of i___________s. A___________o the mine was also an office building and s_______________________y was the p_______________t for cars and l___________s.
I__________________y, the parking lot for cars r___________________e and the mine is still p_________t, though it is now for v_________s i___________f workers. The office and changing rooms have been r_____________y a museum while the lorry parking space and medical area have become a f_________h (l_____________o a children’s playground) and a cafe, r_____________y. Finally, the waste pits have been r__________________________f a driving truck track and an area r______________r picnics.
Listening Practice
Listen to the related topic below and practice with these activities:
Reading Practice
Read more and use these ideas to practice:
Speaking Practice
Practice with the following related questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:
Work (Model answer available on my Patreon)
- Do you work or are you a student?
- Do you like your current job?
- In the future, do you want to change jobs?
Writing Practice
Practice with the related map below and then check with my sample answer:
Would you please let me know why you are not using the present perfect here? anyway, Thank you for such an outstanding report.
The diagrams detail how the layout of a mining town has changed from the past to the present day after its renovation.
Overall, it is readily apparent that the town has been redeveloped into a tourist place less focused on mining. This development is accompanied by the emergence of many recreational and historical facilities such as a museum, a playground for children, a picnic area, and a café.
In the past, the mining town focused primarily on the mine entrance for workers and other related infrastructure. This site was surrounded by an office and a staff’s changing room to the west, a medical room to the south, and two waste pits to the east. A parking lot was located in the southwestern corner of the town which was in the vicinity of parking space for lorries.
At the present, the parking lot and the mine entrance remain unchanged, although the latter is now used by visitors instead of workers. The place which was previously occupied by an office and a staff’s changing room is now a newly constructed museum while the lorry park nearby has been demolished. The medical room has been converted into a café and the two waste pits were removed to make room for a driving truck track and a picnic area. These three areas, namely the café, driving truck track, picnic area, have been combined into a shared area by a footpath, whereas a playground reserved for children has been built in the southeastern corner of the town.
Present perfect would be fine as well, Mike – they are complete actions in the past so you have a choice.
People from the UK tend to use the present perfect more often and those in US tend to use more past simple.
Hi Dave, would you please give any comments for my answer below? Thank you so much!
The given pictures illustrate the maps of a mining area where it shows feature changes from before to after reconstruction. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the mining site has experienced massive changes except for the parking area and mine entrance. Additionally, the current map shows an exclusive area related to amusement at the center and right side of the image.
Looking first at the far left side of the site, the office and staff’s changing room have been converted into a large museum. Turning to the center of the image, while the mine entrance for visitors has remained unchanged, the medical room and lorry park have been transformed into a café and foot path respectively.
The café is inside a special area along with a driving truck track and a picnic park that were initially an area for two waste pits. Finally, turning to the bottom side, there is now a playground for kids that seems to be an additional area for the site.
Sure, Marsha!
Just saying ‘changes’ doesn’t count in the overview – you must describe or define them in some way. The second part of the overview is a bit better, though maybe too specific.
Nice vocabulary and grammar in general – avoid words like ‘seems’.
The two maps illustrate a mining town, before and after construction of some facilities for entertainment and dining.
Overall, what stands out from the maps is that the town became less focused on the industry of mining and replacement some areas with several major infrastructure projects.
To begin, focusing on the north-east of the town, in the past there was 2 waste pit, which have been transformed into driving truck track and picnic area. In the south-east constructed new children’s playground.
In the centre itself, medical room knocked down and turned into cafe. Another interesting development has been the construction of foot path. Near to cafe there had been office and staff’s changing room in the past, significant alterations have been happened, they were fully demolished and redeveloped into museum.
In regard to the parking lot and mine entrance, they have particularly stayed without change, though mine entrance it is now for visitors instead of workers.