Skip to content

IELTS Writing Samples

IELTS essay samples (writing task 2), report and letter samples (writing task 1) with Band Scores, marked by IELTS teachers, including comments and suggestions on how to increase your score

IELTS Report, topic: Describing two maps of a city, in 1960 and now

This is a model answer for a Writing Task 1 from the IELTS exam in Thailand, shared yesterday. This response is likely to score no less than Band 8 in IELTS.

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task

The maps below describe the city in 1960 and now. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 two maps

Band 8 Answer

The two maps are describing the same city, in 1960 and at present. The main features that can be seen are the residential and business districts, roads, a river, an airport and a government building.

It is clear that with the passage of time the population has grown tenfold and the amenities and infrastructure developed in a very significant way.

In 1960 both the business district and the residential area around it were relatively small, as was the airport, located to the east of the city along a major road, crossing the city from west to east. Another major road ran through the city from south to north and there was a small bridge over a river. There was a government building on the riverbank, next to the bridge.

Since 1960 the business district has spread out to an area at least 4 times what it was before, and the residential district has quadrupled in size. The airport has experienced a significant growth as well, in line with the increase in population to 200,000. The river has been diverted into a man-made lake with a dam in the heart of the city, with the business and residential areas around it to the north and the south. A longer bridge now connects the lake’s shores. In addition to the two roads that criss-crossed the city before, a new road was built and another, smaller building for government officials was added in the business district.

Teacher’s comment: This is a good example of a high-scoring response. All the maps’ features were covered in this well-developed report. The writer’s vocabulary and word choice are adequate and the organisation of information is logical. Overall, this work seems worthy of Band 8.

Click here to see more IELTS reports of band 8

IELTS Report, topic: Table and pie chart describing day and overnight stays in public and private hospitals in Australia (from IELTS High Scorer’s Choice series, Academic Set 2)

This is a model response to a Writing Task 1 topic from High Scorer’s Choice IELTS Practice Tests book series (reprinted with permission). This answer is close to IELTS Band 9.

Set 2 Academic book, Practice Test 8

Writing Task 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The table below shows the numbers of same day and overnight stays in public and private hospitals in 5 Australian states for last year. The pie chart below shows percentages of same day and overnight stays in public and private hospitals in the same 5 Australian states.

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

You should write at least 150 words.

Table and pie chart describing day and overnight stays in public and private hospitals in Australia (from IELTS High Scorer's Choice series, Academic Set 2 book)

Sample Band 9 Report

The table and the pie chart both show last years’ visits to hospitals in Australia. The table shows the number of days that patients stayed at either public or private hospitals, while the pie chart shows the percentage of patients that stayed overnight or left the same day. Both charts present information for the same Australian states, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia.

The table shows the number of days patients stayed at general and psychiatric hospitals in the public and private sectors. The public general hospitals had far more patient days than public psychiatric hospitals for every state, with New South Wales having the highest general hospital patient stays at 5,816 days and South Australia having the fewest at 1,495 days. New South Wales also had the highest public psychiatric hospital patient stays at 281 days, although Victoria had the fewest at 59 days.

Patient days at private general hospitals were highest in Victoria (2,047 days) and lowest in South Australia (560 days). Patient days at private psychiatric hospitals were highest in New South Wales and Queensland at 213 days each, and lowest in South Australia (57 days).

Total numbers were highest for New South Wales (8,323 days) and lowest for South Australia (2,209 days), in line with their population sizes.

The pie chart divides the stays of the patients into overnight stays and same day stays for both private and public hospitals. From the chart it can be seen that the majority of the stays were in public hospitals both overnight and same day stays, both of these taking up 30% each of the hospital stays.

Go here for more IELTS Band 9 Reports