You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The maps below show Riverside Train Station in 1998 and now. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

The maps compare the layout of Riverside Train Station in 1998 with its current arrangement.

Overall, the station has become more developed and offers a wider range of facilities than it did in 1998. While the main station building, car park, railway tracks and footbridge have remained in place, several new amenities have been added, particularly in the southern and eastern parts of the site.

In 1998, the northern section contained a car park on the left, the main station building in the centre and a green area on the right. To the south of the railway lines, there were only three main facilities: a café, a ticket office and a shop. These were located inside a large rectangular area beside the road.

At present, the car park and station building remain in similar positions, while the green space to the east has been partly replaced by a new waiting area. The southern part of the station has changed more significantly. A restaurant has been added next to the café, while the original shop has been replaced by two separate shops. The ticket office is still located in this area. In addition, the site now has more landscaped spaces and improved access around the station.

Vocabulary to highlight

  • the layout of — the arrangement of buildings and features in a place
  • current arrangement — how the area is organised now
  • has become more developed — has gained more buildings, facilities or infrastructure
  • offers a wider range of facilities — provides more types of services or amenities
  • have remained in place — have stayed in the same location
  • several new amenities have been added — new useful facilities have been introduced
  • the northern section — the part of the map at the top
  • to the south of — below something on a map
  • was located in — was situated in a particular place
  • remain in similar positions — are still located approximately where they were before
  • has been partly replaced by — part of one feature has been removed and another has taken its place
  • has changed more significantly — has experienced greater changes
  • has been added next to — a new feature has been built beside another
  • has been replaced by — one feature has been removed and another now occupies its place
  • is still located in this area — has not changed position
  • landscaped spaces — areas designed with plants, trees or greenery
  • improved access — easier ways of entering, leaving or moving around a place
  • inside a large rectangular area — useful positional language for describing map layouts
  • on the left / on the right / in the centre — essential map-location language
  • beside the road — next to the road