ielts_trainer_2_academic_six_practice_tests

Most striking changes
Changes relating to transport
Name changes
Concluding remark
Avoiding repetition: nouns and adjectives
1 striking
2 alteration
3 constructed
4 major
5 added
6 given new names
After you write
Useful language: signalling order of importance
a The most significantly change is in the size of the
buildings.
b Two buildings have been changed making them
noticeably larger.
c Another obvious thing is the reduction in grassland.
d The clearest alteration in the transport is fewer cars.
e There are more transport links than there were in the past.
Verb forms: present perfect and present perfect passive
The two plans show changes to a science park since
2008. The most striking alteration has been [present
perfect passive] to the northern part of the area, where a
Research and Development block has been constructed
[present perfect passive] on the grassland, though it is
noticeable that the area covered by trees has remained
[present perfect] approximately the same. Two buildings
have been expanded [present perfect passive], most
obviously the Cyber Security unit, which has almost
doubled [present perfect] in size. Another important
change has been to the transport arrangements.
The amount of space for cars has been significantly
reduced [present perfect passive], with car parking
cut [present perfect] by almost half. At the same time,
public transport links have been increased: [present
perfect passive] a train station has been added [present
perfect passive] and there is now a bus stop opposite
the entrance; a cycling lane has also been introduced
[present perfect passive]. Two buildings have been
given [present perfect passive] different names: the old
Reception block is now called the University Hub and
the IT Centre has been renamed [present perfect] the
Innovation Centre. Taken as a whole, the Science Park
has undergone [present perfect passive] a number of
major alterations since 2008.
Verb forms: past simple vs present perfect
2 a Between 2015 and 2017; were
b has been; now
c Since 2010; have been
d In the last decade; has been
e After 1960; was
3 a has risen
b has been
c moved
d closed
4/5 Verbs to describe change
Growing: double, increase, expand
Making: construct, build
Adding: introduce, increase, lengthen, widen
Converting: transfer, change, alter
Developing: improve, make better, grow
Making less: reduce, cut, decline, drop, decrease, shrink
Staying the same: remain
a decline
b expand, widen, shrink, lengthen
c remain, increase, decrease
Exam Practice
Sample answer
The two plans show that there were a number of
small but important changes to the ground floor of a
museum between 1990 and 2010. The general design
remained the same, with the entrance and stairs in
the same place, although the entrance was widened
and certain areas were used for different purposes.
The most noticeable alteration was the removal of
the Archaeology Gallery. This was replaced with two
new areas: a poster display space and a children’s
interactive zone. The Natural History and Local History
rooms stayed the same size and in the same location,
but one wall of the latter was knocked down, making it
more open. The museum office was unchanged but the
reception counter was enlarged and moved closer to
the entrance. The original gift shop was expanded to
include a café. The statue which in 1990 was next to
the staircase was moved to the centre of the floor. A lift
was added in the space between the Gift Shop and the
Natural History Room.
70