This is an IELTS writing task 1 sample answer essay on the topic of a map of a ground floor in a building and containing 3 maps.

Find my full IELTS Ebooks here.

You can find maps here and line charts here and bar charts here.

Dave

IELTS Task 1 Essay: Building with 3 Maps

The floorplan shows how a building has changed from 1958 to the present day. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the building has served both commercial and residential purposes with the only area remaining unchanged being the kitchen. At present, the flower shop has a more open layout relative to when it was an apartment and office.

In 1958, the building was used as an office with a meeting room in the top left corner of the floorplan, an assistant’s and secretary’s office below there and a toilet in the bottom left corner. In 1985, the meeting room was extended and turned into a living room and a large bathroom and shower took the place of the offices and toilet. The florist shop contained a gift card room in the top left, above a large open space for flowers and a play area in the bottom left corner.

On the right side, the kitchen in the top corner was unaltered across all iterations of the ground floor. In comparison, there was a manager’s office on the right hand side and a reception area in the bottom corner. These spaces were allocated for bedrooms in the apartment and are now an office and additional space for flowers.

Analysis

1. The floorplan shows how a building has changed from 1958 to the present day. 2. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the building has served both commercial and residential purposes with the only area remaining unchanged being the kitchen. 3. At present, the flower shop has a more open layout relative to when it was an apartment and office.

  1. Paraphrase what the map shows.
  2. Write a clear overview summarising the differences.
  3. Add a second sentence to make sure everything is covered.

1. In 1958, the building was used as an office with a meeting room in the top left corner of the floorplan, an assistant’s and secretary’s office below there and a toilet in the bottom left corner. 2. In 1985, the meeting room was extended and turned into a living room and a large bathroom and shower took the place of the offices and toilet. 3. The florist shop contained a gift card room in the top left, above a large open space for flowers and a play area in the bottom left corner.

  1. Begin writing about the map.
  2. Make sure you compare as much as possible.
  3. Don’t leave anything out.

1. On the right side, the kitchen in the top corner was unaltered across all iterations of the ground floor. 2. In comparison, there was a manager’s office on the right hand side and a reception area in the bottom corner. 3. These spaces were allocated for bedrooms in the apartment and are now an office and additional space for flowers.

  1. Write about the final, other parts of the map – include everything!
  2. Compare the categories.
  3. Add in everything, even what has not changed.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean? Take some notes on a piece of paper to aid your memory:

The floorplan shows how a building has changed from 1958 to the present day. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the building has served both commercial and residential purposes with the only area remaining unchanged being the kitchen. At present, the flower shop has a more open layout relative to when it was an apartment and office.

In 1958, the building was used as an office with a meeting room in the top left corner of the floor, an assistant’s and secretary’s office below there and a toilet in the bottom left corner. In 1985, the meeting room was extended and turned into a living room and a large bathroom and shower took the place of the offices and toilet. The florist shop contained a gift card room in the top left, above a large open space for flowers and a play area in the bottom left corner.

On the right side, the kitchen in the top corner was unaltered across all iterations of the ground floor. In comparison, there was a manager’s office on the right hand side and a reception area in the bottom corner. These spaces were allocated for bedrooms in the apartment and are now an office and additional space for flowers.

Answers

Try to write down or think of an antonym/opposite word for further practice:

floorplan blueprint

from to the present day starting then up until now

Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that overall

served both commercial and residential purposes was for business and for living

remaining unchanged was not altered

At present now

open layout lots of space

relative to when compared to the time

meeting room place to meet

top left corner northwest

assistant’s people helping out

secretary’s office below assistant’s working space under that

bottom left corner southwest

extended lengthened

turned into transformed into

took the place of replaced

florist shop contained flower shop has

gift card room place to sell cards

play area where kid’s can play

unaltered across all iterations of the ground floor didn’t change through the years

In comparison compared to that

manager’s boss’s

on the right hand side to the right

reception area area to get help from a receptionist

allocated for made for

additional extra

Pronunciation

Practice saying the words below using this tip with Google voice dictation:

flɔː plæn 
frɒm … tuː ðə ˈprɛznt deɪ 
ˈlʊkɪŋ frɒm ən ˈəʊvərɔːl pəˈspɛktɪvɪt ɪz ˈrɛdɪli əˈpærənt ðæt 
sɜːvd bəʊθ kəˈmɜːʃəl ænd ˌrɛzɪˈdɛnʃəl ˈpɜːpəsɪz 
rɪˈmeɪnɪŋ ʌnˈʧeɪnʤd 
æt ˈprɛznt 
ˈəʊpən ˈleɪaʊt 
ˈrɛlətɪv tuː wɛn 
ˈmiːtɪŋ ruːm 
tɒp lɛft ˈkɔːnə 
əˈsɪstənts 
ˈsɛkrətriz ˈɒfɪs bɪˈləʊ 
ˈbɒtəm lɛft ˈkɔːnə 
ɪksˈtɛndɪd 
tɜːnd ˈɪntuː 
tʊk ðə pleɪs ɒv 
ˈflɒrɪst ʃɒp kənˈteɪnd 
ɡɪft kɑːd ruːm
pleɪ ˈeərɪə 
ʌnˈɔːltəd əˈkrɒs ɔːl ˌɪtəˈreɪʃᵊnz ɒv ðə ɡraʊnd flɔː 
ɪn kəmˈpærɪsn 
ˈmænɪʤəz 
ɒn ðə raɪt hænd saɪd 
rɪˈsɛpʃᵊn ˈeərɪə 
ˈæləʊkeɪtɪd fɔː 
əˈdɪʃənl 

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks. Note it on a piece of paper so you can remember better:

The f_________n shows how a building has changed f____m 1958 t_________________y. L______________________________________________________________t the building has s_____________________________________________s with the only area r_____________________d being the kitchen. A_________________t, the flower shop has a more o_____________________________n it was an apartment and office.

In 1958, the building was used as an office with a m_________________m in the t______________r of the floor, an a_______________s and s________________________w there and a toilet in the b__________________r. In 1985, the meeting room was e___________d and t______________o a living room and a large bathroom and shower t___________________f the offices and toilet. The f______________________d a g__________d room in the top left, above a large open space for flowers and a p__________a in the bottom left corner.

On the right side, the kitchen in the top corner was u______________________________________________________r. I_______________n, there was a m___________s office o___________________e and a r_____________a in the bottom corner. These spaces were a______________r bedrooms in the apartment and are now an office and a_______________l space for flowers.

Listening Practice

Listen to the related topic below and practice with these activities:

Reading Practice

Read more and use these ideas to practice:

https://thursd.com/articles/8-floral-shops-from-around-the-world-you-should-visit

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following related questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Offices

  1. Do you work in an office?
  2. Is it common for people in your country to work in office?
  3. Where do most of your friends work?
  4. Would you like to design an office?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related map below and then check with my sample answer:

Recommended For You