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…
Dave
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
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:
Dear
you wrote about change that took place at the bus stope and roundabout at the last sentence, but they are map signs. it seems to be corrected.
Ah thanks so much! I will take a closer look at that!
Hello Dave,
Can you kindly take a look at my answer :
The presented maps demonstrate how the road access to City Hospital had changed from 2007 to 2010. There were a few changes regarding to roundabout, bus station, and parking lot.
First, the biggest difference is the existence of roundabout. In 2010, two roundabouts were built right at each end of Hospital Road at the point of City Hospital and City Road. It was a big change from 2007, where Hospital Road was the straight path connecting the hospital to City Road. In addition, bus station, which was located far away on the west side of the hospital, was relocated to the west of Hospital Road connected to both roundabouts. Finally, in 2007, there was a parking lot right in front of the hospital building, which shared by public and staff. On the other hand, in 3 years, public and staff parking lots were divided into two different locations: public park their car on the east side of the hospital building, while staff park their car in front of the building on the opposite side of bus station.
Yes, here are some comments:
You need to describe and group the changes. That won’t count as an overview and you will get band 5 for task achievement. Check the overview in my answer to see the difference.
The rest of it is really strong!
For more detailed corrections: https://course.howtodoielts.com/band-scores-corrections
Hello Dave, please have a look at my answer. Thank you.
The two maps illustrate the infrastructure of roads allowing access to a city hospital in the years 2007 and 2019.
Overall, the main layout of the City Hospital has remained the same, with its main access being at the south side. However, the road infrastructure has been significantly upgraded, mainly by the addition of new roundabouts, a new bus stop and car park.
In the year 2007, the City Hospital was surrounded by the Ring Road, which then connected to the Hospital Road via a simple cross junction. On the other hand, in 2010 the simple cross junctions at either end of Hospital Road were replaced by roundabouts, which provided access to the Bus station.
Bus stops were present on both sides of Hospital Road in 2007, however these were given a new home in the form of a brand new Bus station in the year 2010.
Only one car park, which provided parking space to the hospital staff and public was available in 2007. Fortunately, an additional public car park was created adjacent to the City Hospital later on.
The first blueprint displays a city hospital and the area surrounding it in 2007, and the second one demonstrates the reconstruction of this area in 2010.
Generally speaking, while the hospital building and the Ring Road around it are kept unchanged, it appears that some modifications were applied to the road leading to the hospital and the facilities surrounding it, consisting of new roundabouts, a bus station, and an additional car park.
In 2007, the hospital had a direct street leading to it named Hospital Road, which had three bus stops on each side, and a car park for both staff and public use on the right side of the road. Whereas in 2010, two roundabouts were constructed at the beginning and the end of Hospital Road, these roundabouts connect the Hospital Road to the city hospital above and the City Road below, also they lead to a new bus station on the left aspect of the Hospital Road replacing the small bus stops. In addition, although the staff parking lot remains in its original place, another parking space was built on the right side of the city hospital for public use only.