Task
The maps below show the centre of a small town called Islip as it is now, and plans for its development.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Candidate’s Answer
This is an answer written by a candidate who achieved a Band 7.0 score.
The two maps of the centre of the towns of Islip give information about the city currently and in the future. Overall, a lot of modifications can be observed during the forecast development.
First of all, according to the current map the centre is close to a countryside. A main road deserves houses, a school, several shops and a park.
Looking more closely at the map predicting the future development of the city, a lot of modifications can be observed. The size of the centre will increase in an oval shape, therefore the countryside will disappear. Moreover, the single road will be replaced by a bigger dual carriageway. A pedestrian way will deserve the central area. New houses will be built with new facilities such as a bus station and a parking. The shops will be be built with new facilities such as a bus station and a parking. The shops will be grouped in a shopping mall. The next point is the garden area which will be smaller. As the city will have more people the school will be bigger.
To sum up, between the actual map of Islip town centre and the future planned development, a lot of modifications are predicted. On the one hand the city will be bigger with more facilities. On the other hand the park will be reduced and the countryside will disappear. The city will have changed a great deal.
Examiner’s Comment
The candidate covers all the key features and presents a clear overview of the developments planned. Information and ideas are logically organised and there is a clear progression throughout the response. A range of cohesive devices is used flexibly [currently | Overall | First of all | therefore | Moreover | The next point | To sum up]. Lexical choice shows flexibility and precision, and includes less common items [modifications | predicting | grouped in a shopping mall], though there is some inappropriate word choice [deserves]. A range of grammatical structures is used flexibly and accurately and error-free sentences are frequent.
