APIEWriting Task 1: Port Analysis
Container shipping and ports
Answers and an explanation for each question appear once you add this activity to your own library.
How to use this lesson
Use this 40-minute C1 lesson to build essential data-describing vocabulary before students move on to visual map reports.
Check answers together after completing Module 1, then set a 20-minute timer for the main writing task.
First, complete the four warm-up practice sections below to master graph-describing words using a school canteen scenario.
Next, review your answers and make note of useful phrases for describing figures and patterns accurately in Task 1.
How a School Canteen Serves Lunch
Practice core data-description language by analyzing how hundreds of hot meals, drinks, and snacks are served to students daily.
"Hot meal sales peaked at 1:00 PM as hundreds of students flooded the main hall."
Part (a): Word Forms
Complete each sentence by changing the word in brackets into the correct grammatical form.
1. The number of hot meal orders can __________ depending on the daily menu. (base word: fluctuation)
2. A large __________ of pupils choose vegetarian options on Meat-Free Mondays. (base word: proportionate)
3. Demand for warm soup __________ dramatically during the cold winter weeks. (base word: surge)
4. Fresh fruit consumption rose __________ throughout the entire spring term. (base word: steady)
5. Kitchen staff observed a gradual __________ in the purchasing of sugary fizzy drinks. (base word: declining)
Part (b): Data Collocations
Select the word that best completes the standard data-describing collocation.
6. The canteen recorded a _____ increase in snack orders following the introduction of electronic payment cards.
7. There was a _____ decline in leftover food waste after the kitchen adjusted portion sizes.
8. Figures show a _____ rise in hall attendance at 12:30 PM when the main bell rings.
9. The _____ trend suggests a gradual transition toward healthier lunch options over the five-year period.
10. A _____ majority of senior students prefer eating in the outdoor picnic courtyard.
Part (c): Common Phrases for Describing Figures
Fill in each blank using the appropriate phrase from the Word Bank below.
📦 Word Bank
11. Hot cooked meals __________ the largest share of total food sales during October.
12. Expenditure on fresh produce __________ exactly £3,200 in the first week of term, before it began to rise.
13. Daily lunch sales __________ modest growth between September and November.
14. The price of meal deals __________ throughout the entire academic year.
15. Canteen queue numbers __________ approximately 450 students, the highest point of the day, right at 1:15 PM.
Part (d): Paraphrasing Sentence Structures
Select the sentence option that expresses the exact same meaning using different vocabulary and structure.
"The proportion of students purchasing lunch in the canteen increased sharply between 12:00 and 12:30."
"Sandwich sales remained relatively stable for most of the autumn term."
"A significant majority of staff members prefer hot soup over cold salads during winter."
Task Analysis: The Port of Varnholm
Examine the two grid maps depicting the development of the container terminal, then write a complete report of at least 150 words.
The two maps show the container terminal of the port of Varnholm in 2005 and in 2025. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features.
Write at least 150 words.
Container Terminal Layout Grids
Each grid represents the terminal layout in a 4-row by 5-column spatial map.
Map 1 (2005)
4 × 5 GridMap 2 (2025)
4 × 5 GridEssential Map Report Checklist
Every successful map comparison report must include each of the following key elements:
Submit Your Task 1 Report
Type your full response below. Your essay will be evaluated across all four IELTS criteria.
Model Answer and Phrase Analysis
Read this complete model report to see how to organize map changes and use high-impact phrases naturally.
Port of Varnholm Report (2005 vs 2025)
Fully written response based strictly on grid dataThe two maps illustrate how the container terminal at the port of Varnholm was modernized between 2005 and 2025.
Overall, the terminal underwent significant expansion, characterized by the addition of heavy cargo equipment, the expansion of storage space, and the introduction of a new railway network, while fields were entirely removed.
In 2005, the quay along the northern sea area featured only one section with cranes. By 2025, crane coverage had extended across three central quay blocks. To the east of the storage yards, the fields were completely cleared. In their place, a new rail link was constructed, running through the eastern sector and connecting to the main port facilities.
Additionally, the container storage yard expanded eastward to occupy three consecutive blocks in the third row. While the office buildings and key access roads remained unchanged in the southwestern area, the residential housing in the southeast was partially replaced by the new rail infrastructure. Consequently, the port shifted from a small facility bordered by farmland into a fully industrial transport hub.
Why This Works: Key Phrase Breakdown
Teacher notes explaining why each highlighted phrase makes the writing effective and clear.
💡 Why this works
Summarizes the main transformation right at the start of your overview before going into specific grid changes.
💡 Why this works
Shows time comparison by describing what was already completed by the target year.
💡 Why this works
Uses compass direction relative to existing structures, making spatial layout changes easy to follow.
💡 Why this works
Focuses directly on what feature was added without wasting words on who performed the construction.
💡 Why this works
Combines movement direction and physical enlargement across the grid into one precise phrase.
💡 Why this works
Connects static features with new developments within a single balanced comparison.
💡 Why this works
Accurately describes land-use conversion where existing residential blocks were taken over by new port infrastructure.
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