Cambridge IELTS 13 Test 4 Writing Task 1: Sports Centre Plans
Cambridge IELTS 13 · Test 4 · Academic Writing Task 1Map / plan
The two plans show the layout of a university sports centre at present and how it will look after a planned redevelopment. The second plan is a future proposal, so the changes must be described with future forms.
The question
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The plans below show the layout of a university’s sports centre now, and how it will look after redevelopment. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparison where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
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Key features to report
- At present the centre is a single central building with a gym along the north side, a changing room on the west side, a 25m pool in the middle, seating on the east side and reception at the southern entrance; there are outdoor courts to the west and east of the building.
- After redevelopment the outdoor courts on both sides will disappear, and the building will be extended westwards and eastwards to cover their area.
- The core of the building will stay the same: the 25m pool, the seating, the original changing room, the reception and the main entrance in the south will remain in their current positions.
- The new western wing will contain a leisure pool in the north-west, with a changing room and a sports shop along the south side.
- The new eastern wing will contain a sports hall next to the seating, two dance studios along the eastern edge, and a café and another changing room in the south-east corner.
- The gym will be lengthened eastwards along the north side, stretching from the original changing room as far as the dance studios.
Model overview
Overall, the sports centre will become much larger and offer a wider range of facilities, as the building will expand on both sides to replace the outdoor courts. While the central swimming pool area and reception will remain unchanged, several new indoor facilities will be added.
Paragraph plan
- 1
Introduction
Paraphrase the task: the plans compare the current layout of a university sports centre with its proposed layout after redevelopment.
- 2
Overview
Give the main points without detail: the centre will expand to the east and west, the outdoor courts will be lost, the central pool area will remain, and many new indoor facilities will be provided.
- 3
Body paragraph 1: the present layout and what stays
Describe the current building: the gym to the north, changing room to the west, 25m pool and seating in the centre, and reception at the southern entrance, with outdoor courts on each side. Say which of these will remain and that the gym will be extended eastwards.
- 4
Body paragraph 2: the new wings
Explain that the courts will be replaced by two new wings. The west will have a leisure pool, a changing room and a sports shop; the east will have a sports hall, two dance studios, a café and a second new changing room.
Useful comparisons
- Contrast what will be kept (25m pool, seating, original changing room, reception, entrance) with what will be removed (both sets of outdoor courts).
- Describe the extension by direction: a west wing and an east wing built on the site of the courts.
- Group new facilities by purpose: swimming (leisure pool), indoor sports (sports hall, dance studios) and services (sports shop, café, changing rooms).
- Note the increase in changing rooms from one to three, one for each part of the centre.
- Point out the trade-off: outdoor sport will be lost, while indoor and leisure facilities will increase.
- Mention that the gym will be extended rather than moved.
Band 8+ model answer
206 words · An original model answer written for ieltswrites, not an official answer. It stays in English, as in the exam.
The plans illustrate the current layout of a university sports centre and the changes that are proposed in its redevelopment.
Overall, the centre will become considerably larger and offer a much wider range of facilities, as the building is set to expand on both sides at the expense of the outdoor courts. The central swimming area and reception, however, will remain largely unchanged.
At present, the centre consists of a single building, which is entered from the south through a reception area. A 25m pool occupies the middle, with seating to its east, a changing room to its west and a gym along the northern side. Outdoor courts are located on either side of the building. After the redevelopment, the existing pool, seating, changing room and reception will stay in place, but the gym will be extended eastwards.
Both sets of courts will make way for new wings. In the west, a leisure pool will be built in the north-west corner, with a changing room and a sports shop to its south. The east wing will house a sports hall next to the seating and two dance studios along the eastern edge, while a café and a third changing room will be added near the entrance.
Why this answer scores highly
- Task Achievement
- The overview captures the main point that the centre will grow and replace outdoor space with indoor facilities, and the body accurately reports what will remain, what will be lost and what will be added on each side.
- Coherence and Cohesion
- The answer moves logically from the current building to the unchanged core, then to the west and east wings, using clear referencing such as its east, its south and both sets of courts.
- Lexical Resource
- Specific vocabulary such as at the expense of, make way for, wing and house, together with accurate direction phrases, shows a wide and precise range.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
- A variety of future forms, including future passive and is set to, is used alongside present simple for the current layout, with accurate complex sentences.
Useful vocabulary
- redevelopment
- the process of changing and improving an existing building or area
- layout
- the way the parts of a building are arranged
- will be demolished
- will be knocked down or removed
- will make way for
- will be removed so that something new can be built
- will be extended
- will be made larger or longer
- wing
- a section of a building that sticks out from the main part
- leisure pool
- a pool designed for fun and relaxation rather than lane swimming
- sports hall
- a large indoor room for games such as badminton or basketball
- dance studio
- a room with a large open floor used for dance and exercise classes
- retail and catering facilities
- places to buy goods and food, such as a shop and a café
- remain in place
- stay where they are now
- in the north-west corner
- at the top left of a plan that faces north
- is set to
- is planned or expected to
- the existing
- the one that is there now
Common mistakes
- Describing the future plan in the past tense, as if the changes have already happened; use will be or is set to.
- Forgetting that the outdoor courts will be removed altogether, which is the most important loss in the plans.
- Saying that the 25m pool will be moved or enlarged, when it stays exactly where it is.
- Describing each room separately without grouping, which makes the answer a long list with no clear structure.
- Placing new facilities on the wrong side, for example putting the café in the west wing next to the sports shop.
- Omitting the overview, or writing one that only says there will be many changes without saying what kind.
Frequently asked questions
- Which Cambridge book is this question from?
- These plans of a university sports centre now and after redevelopment are Writing Task 1 of Test 4 in Cambridge IELTS 13 Academic, published in 2018.
- Which tense should I use for future plans?
- Use the present simple for the current layout and future forms for the changes, especially the future passive, such as will be replaced and will be added.
- Do I need to mention every room?
- Mention all the main new facilities, but group them, for example by the west and east sides, instead of describing each room in a separate sentence.
- How many words should I write for this Task 1?
- Write at least 150 words; about 170-200 words is enough for an overview and the key changes in around 20 minutes.
Free and timed, with a live word count, just like the computer-delivered test. Then get an instant AI band score.
The exam simulator runs on a computer. Open this page on a laptop or desktop to practise.