DESCRIBING CHANGES IN MAPS

OBJECTIVE
Targeted skills:
 describing changes in maps or plans
 reporting on an impersonal topic without the use of opinion

IN CLASS PRACTICE
DESCRIPTION

The type of map often encountered in Task 1 of the IELTS Academic Writing Module shows how a place.
has changed over a period of time. The various buildings and features are normally labelled for you.
You need to write about how they have changed from the past up until the present day.
There are three main types of map question:
1. Describe one map in the present day.
2. Describe two maps – one in the present and one in the future.
3. Describe two maps – one in the past and one in the present.

ACTION PLAN

1. Read the instruction carefully to identify what type of

maps you are dealing with.
TIPS
2. Analyse the maps: what labels are given? Notice the
- You are summarising ideas, so
time frame and the requirements given in the prompt avoid getting lost in details.
to decide on the language and grammar to use. - Don’t just state what is there, but
try to link the details together.
3. Identify changes. Pay attention to the size, position (E.g. ‘There are roads and
and location of the items in the given maps. Note new footpaths.’ is not enough. Write
more informative sentences such
items and/or items that have disappeared.
as ‘Roads and footpaths connect
the various parts of the islands.)
4. Select the main features and organise your ideas into
body paragraphs and an overview.

5. Write the report.

6. Check your response.
Suggested format
 Introductory sentence: says what are shown in the maps.
 Overview:
− Make one or two general statements about the map. You should describe the maps generally and
write about the most noticeable differences between the two maps.
− The overview can be placed right after the introductory sentence or at the end of the essay.
 Body:
− Main Body 1: Three to four sentences about specific changes that have occurred.
− Main Body 2: Further three to four sentences about specific changes that have occurred.
 Conclusion (optional)
− Paraphrase of the overview.
You can group information together in paragraph 3 and 4 by time or location, depending on the question
asked.

USEFUL EXPRESSIONS AND PHRASES

Buildings: demolish, develop, replace, construct, convert and relocate

 The government demolished the industrial estate and developed a sports ground.
 They removed the shops and replaced it with a skyscraper.
 A port was constructed at the edge of the river.
 The factory in the city centre was demolished and relocated to the north of the city.
 The old warehouses were replaced with new hotels.
 The factory was converted into apartments.
Trees and Forests: cleared, cut-down, chopped-down, removed, planted, etc.
 The forest was cut-down and replaced with a shopping centre.
 The trees were cleared to make way for houses.
Roads, bridges and railways lines- constructed, built, extended, expanded and removed.
 The main road was extended and a new bridge built over the river.
New facilities: opened, set up, developed.
 A skate park was set up next to the swimming pool.
 A park was developed beside the forest.
Increase and decrease in size
 Increase: expand, extend, enlarge, broaden, widen, swell
 Decrease: dwindle, shrink, diminish, shrivel
Increase and decrease in number
  Increase: double – triple – quadruple – quintuple, manifold
 Decrease: curtail, cut down, downsize, contract
Describing locations
You can use ‘to the left’ and ‘to the right’, but a better way is to use ‘north’, ‘south’, ‘east’ and ‘west’.
E.g. The forest to the south of the river was cut down.
A golf course was constructed to the north of the airport. The houses in the south-west of the town were
demolished.
The green fields to the north-west of the city were redeveloped as a park.
The airport in the centre of the city was relocated to the north-east of the river.
The school to the south-east was knocked down and a new one built to the east of the forest.
Finally, you will also be expected to use prepositions of place, e.g. at/ in/ on/ by/ beside/ to/ off/ from, to
describe where things are.
E.g. Dramatic changes took place in the city centre.
To the south of the town, there is a golf course surrounded by trees.
A new school was built next to the swimming pool.
The old road running from north to south was replaced by a new motorway.
A marina was built on the banks of the river.

MODEL PRACTICE

EXERCISE A: ANALYSIS
The maps below show changes that took place in Youngsville in New Zealand over a 25-year period from
1980 to 2005. Answer the following questions:
a. What is the most noticeable difference between the two maps?
b. Was the town more or less residential in 2005 compared to
1980?
c. Were there more or fewer trees in 2005?
d. Were the changes dramatic or negligible over the 25-year
period?
e. What happened to the houses and trees along the railway line
south of the river?
f. What were the two biggest changes north of the river?

In order to identify changes, study the maps and number the changes on the second ones.

Think of some general statements, and make notes.

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a/ trees were cut down a lot, more factories were built

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b/ no more houses in 2005 in this town, were replaced with skyscrapers & factories
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c/ there are less trees, they were cut down

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d/ the changes were dramatic, no more houses, trees were replaced with factories,...

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e/ they were replaced with skyscrapers

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f/ the railway was shortened, and the marina disappeared

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EXERCISE B: PRACTICE WITH MODEL ANSWERS sprang up = appeared

A. Complete the model text below. Use one word from the following list to complete each blank space. The
first one has been done for you.
=underwent
houses experienced noticeable factories facilities
development construction comparison residential corner
The maps show the 1 developments which took place in the coastal town of Youngsville between 1980 and
2005.
In 1980, the town was a much greener 2 ...............................
residential area with a large number of trees and
individuals houses, but during the next 25 years the town 3 ..............................
experienced a number of dramatic
changes. The most 4 ............................
noticeable is that all of the trees south of the River Alanah were cut down, with
all the 5 .......................... along the railway line being knocked down and replaced by skyscrapers. Moreover,
houses
factories
a new industrial estate, with 6 ......................... and warehouses sprang up around the airport and school.
Only a few trees north of the river remained. The woodland was cleared to make way for a park, a golf
construction
course, and car parking 7 ...........................
facilities Further developments were the 8 .......................... of a stadium
near the north east 9 ........................... of the lake and a new stretch of railway from the river running directly
corner

north. A marina was also built at the mouth of the river.

Overall, a 10 .....................
comparison of the two maps reveals a change from a largely rural to a mainly urban landscape.

B. Read the model essay again and notice how the model answer addresses the questions in exercise A

MAIN PRACTICE

EXERCISE A: DESCRIBING CHANGES

1. Transform the sentences below by changing the nouns into verbs and using the passive.
Example: There were spectacular changes in the area.  The area was changed spectacularly.
a. There were dramatic developments in the town centre.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………
b. There was a complete transformation of the neighbourhood.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………
c. There was a total reconstruction of the residential area.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………………
d. There was a total redevelopment of the old factories.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………
e. There was a rebuilding of the old houses.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………
f. There was a complete modernization of the entertainment district.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…
2. Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the verbs given in the brackets. All of the changes took place
between 2000 and 2005.
Examples
The block of flats …was turned... (turn) into a hotel (passive)
 The block of flats …made way…. (make way) for a hotel (active)
a. The row of old houses ................................ (knock down) to make way for a road.
b. The forest............................... (cut down) to build a railway.
c. The area ............................... (redevelop) completely.
d. The factory ............................... (convert) into an art gallery.
e. The city centre ................................(undergo) a total transformation.
f. The row of old terraced houses in the city .................. (pull down) and .................. (replace) by a
block of flats.
g. A sports complex ................................. (construct) in the suburbs.
h. A number of spectacular changes .................................. (take place).
i. The whole centre of the town .................................. (transform) by new developments.

EXERCISE B: DESCRIBING LOCATIONS

1. It is sometimes important to state locations clearly on a map. Read the examples. Then answer the
questions a-g about the maps on the previous page using the phrases in the box.
Example:
Only a few trees north of the river remained.
Where is the golf course? It is north-west of the lake.
south of the river beside the railway line in the south-west of the town
south of the golf course south-west of the stadium north-east of the lake
north of the skyscrapers

a. Where are the skyscrapers? They are ......................................

b. Where is the stadium? It is .............................................
c. Where is the lake? It is ..............................................
d. Where is the hospital? It is .............................................
e. Where is the railway station? It is .............................................
f. Where is the airport? It is .............................................
g. Where is the school? It is ..............................................
2. Complete the following sentences by choosing the correct prepositions of place from the alternatives.

a. Several changes took place at/in/on the town of Northgate.

b. North of the town, there is a lake surrounded in/of/by trees.
c. A number of new houses were built beside/at/on the railway line.
d. There was a large industrial area located on/in/at the north.
e. A new railway was constructed which ran from/at/in north to south.
f. Two new hotels were erected on/in/at the banks of the river.
g. A large number of new villas were built beside/at/to the sea.
h. A yachting club was set up on/in/at the shores of the lake.
i. A number of wind turbines were placed in the sea, just off/on/to the coastline.

EXERCISE C: BRAINSTORMING

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The map below shows the development of a seaside village between 1995 and present.
Write a short report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below.
Write at least 150 words.

Discuss the following questions with your partner. Then, use the ideas to make the outline.

1. What do the maps describe?

2. What tense(s) should be used in the essay?

3. Which features
a. are new?
b. Increased in number/extended?
c. have disappeared?
d. remain unchanged?

4. What overall changes should be described in the overview?

5. How would you group the features in the body of your description?
OUTLINE
Intro:..................................................................................................................................................................................

Overview:..........................................................................................................................................................................

Body 1...............................................................................................................................................................................

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Body 2...............................................................................................................................................................................

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