IELTS Writing Task 1: Map of a City Hospital (IELTS Cambridge 13)

This is an IELTS Writing Task 1 Sample Answer from IELTS Cambridge 13 about the map of a city hospital.

This map presents some challenges because there aren’t a ton of changes and the overview is a little bit tricky.

Read on to see how I dealt with those challenges…

Here are some other IELTS Task 1 Writing Sample Answers that I wrote!

Including this map of a public park from IELTS Cambridge 14.

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IELTS Writing Task 1: Map of a City Hospital (IELTS Cambridge 13)

The two maps below show road access to a city hospital in 2007 and in 2010.

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

The two presented maps describe the changes that took place at a city hospital from 2007 to 2010. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the largest changes involved transportation, including additional public parking, the construction of a nearby bus station and new roundabouts.

The majority of the hospital underwent very little change. The roads (Ring, City, and Hospital road) all remained largely the same, though two small lanes were built off of hospital road to link up with the new bus station and roundabouts on either end of Hospital road (where it bisects with Ring and City road) were added. The city hospital building itself was unaltered.

The changes were mainly around the hospital and the largest of these was related to parking. In 2007, there was a small parking lot along Hospital road for both staff and the public. By 2010 they had decided to separate the public and staff parking by adding an exclusively public parking area running along the east side of the city hospital.

IELTS Examiner Sample Answer Analysis

1. The two presented maps describe the changes that took place at a city hospital from 2007 to 2010. 2. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the largest changes involved transportation, including additional public parking, the construction of a nearby bus station and new roundabouts.

1. My first sentence rephrases what the map is showing – write this sentence as fast as possible because it has very little impact on your score!

2. This is my overview. For a map, try to group and describe the biggest changes. Be careful not to add any opinion – for example, don’t say that the hospital is more convenient or more interesting. Just group and describe it, no opinion!

1. The majority of the hospital underwent very little change. 2. The roads (Ring, City, and Hospital Road) all remained largely the same, though two small lanes were built off of hospital road to link up with the new bus station and roundabouts on either end of Hospital road (where it bisects with Ring and City road) were added. 3. The city hospital building itself was unaltered.

1. The first sentence describes what didn’t change much.

2. My second sentence details how the roads around the hospital didn’t change, though lanes and roundabouts were added.

3. The final sentence of this paragraph states that the hospital itself was unchanged.

1. The changes were mainly around the hospital and the largest of these was related to parking. 2. In 2007, there was a small parking lot along Hospital road for both staff and the public. 3. By 2010 they had decided to separate the public and staff parking by adding an exclusively public parking area running along the east side of the city hospital.

1. The first sentence is a topic sentence that gives my writing some structure. In this paragraph I will look at the areas related to parking.

2. The second sentence describes the parking situation in the past.

3. My third sentence describes how the parking situation has changed.

Sample Answer Vocabulary

Figure out what the words in bold mean by reading the sentences around them. Write down the meaning and then check your answers below.

The two presented maps describe the changes that took place at a city hospital from 2007 to 2010. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the largest changes involved transportation, including additional public parking, the construction of a nearby bus station and new roundabouts.

The majority of the hospital underwent very little change. The roads (Ring, City, and Hospital road) all remained largely the same, though two small lanes were built off of Hospital road to link up with the new bus station and roundabouts on either end of hospital road (where it bisects with Ring and City road) were added. The city hospital building itself was unaltered.

The changes were mainly around the hospital and the largest of these was related to parking. In 2007, there was a small parking lot along Hospital road for both staff and the public. By 2010 they had decided to separate the public and staff parking by adding an exclusively public parking area running along the east side of the city hospital.

Answers:

readily apparent: very clear

additional: more

roundabouts: rotaries/circular intersections that help ease traffic congestion

underwent: changed

largely the same: mostly unchanged

lanes: where cars and motorbikes drive on streets

built off of: added on to

link up with: join together

on either end of: on both sides of

bisects: cuts through/across

unaltered: unchanged

parking lot: where cars can park

the public: people who do not work at the hospital

separate: distinct from

exclusively public: only for the public

running along: next to

Pronunciation:

əˈdɪʃənl 

ˈraʊndəbaʊts

ˌʌndəˈwɛnt 

ˈlɑːʤli ðə seɪm 

leɪnz 

bɪlt ɒf ɒv 

lɪŋk ʌp wɪð 

ɒn ˈaɪðər ɛnd ɒv 

baɪˈsɛkts 

ʌnˈɔːltəd 

ˈpɑːkɪŋ lɒt 

ðə ˈpʌblɪk 

ˈsɛprɪt 

ɪksˈkluːsɪvli ˈpʌblɪk 

ˈrʌnɪŋ əˈlɒŋ 

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

The two presented maps describe the changes that took place at a city hospital from 2007 to 2010. Looking from an overall perspective, it is ____________________ that the largest changes involved transportation, including ____________________ public parking, the construction of a nearby bus station and new ____________________.

The majority of the hospital ____________________ very little change. The roads (Ring, City, and Hospital road) all remained ____________________, though two small ____________________ were ____________________ hospital road to ____________________ the new bus station and roundabouts ____________________ Hospital road (where it ____________________ with Ring and City road) were added. The city hospital building itself was ____________________.

The changes were mainly around the hospital and the largest of these was related to parking. In 2007, there was a small ____________________ along Hospital road for both staff and ____________________. By 2010 they had decided to ____________________the public and staff parking by adding an ____________________ parking area ____________________ the east side of the city hospital.

Learn More about Hospitals and Medicine:

A Day in the Life of an Egyptian Doctor

How the Food you Eat Affects your Brain

Which Diets Actually Work

Exercise vs Diet

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