Scribd
Upload
15 views

Different Kinds of Map Question IELTS

How to answer the IELTS task 1 map format questions

Uploaded by

luzhan100
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
15 views

Different Kinds of Map Question IELTS

How to answer the IELTS task 1 map format questions

Uploaded by

luzhan100
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 7

Different Kinds of Map Question

There are three main types of map questions:

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.

The first kind is very rare, as it only requires you to use the
present simple, and no comparisons can be made.
The second kind occasionally comes up and requires you to
use present and future tenses. This kind of question is
normally about the future development of a town or city. It
requires the same vocabulary as the other two.

The third is the most common and will be the main focus of
this post.

You will normally be shown two maps, as above and asked


to select and report the main features and make
comparisons where relevant. You will obviously use both
present and past tenses to describe the maps and how the
town has developed.

Also, as this is a man-made process, we will use the


passive.
Structure
To describe two maps, I advise my students to follow a four-paragraph
structure.

Paragraph 1- Paraphrase Sentence

Paraphrase question using synonyms.

Paragraph 2- Overview

Make two general statements about the map. You should describe the
maps generally and write about the most noticeable differences between
the two maps. You could ask yourself the following questions to identify
general changes. Is the map more or less residential? Is there more or less
countryside? Are there more or fewer trees? Were the changes dramatic
or negligible? Were there any major infrastructure improvements? How
have the buildings and leisure facilities changed?

Paragraph 3- Main Body 1

Three to four sentences about specific changes that have occurred.

Paragraph 4- Main Body 2

Further, three to four sentences about specific changes that have


occurred.

You can group information in paragraphs 3 and 4 by time or location,


depending on the question asked.

Look at the sample answer below to see how I have used this structure.

How to Describe Specific Changes


The ability to describe change is crucial to answering these questions. The
various buildings and features will normally be labelled for you. You need
to work on how to write about how they have changed from the past up
until the present day.

Tip: You may be asked to describe your hometown in the speaking test.
The vocabulary and grammar in this post should come in very useful.

Below I will list various buildings, features, and verbs we could use to
describe their change.

Buildings– demolished, knocked down, flattened, replaced, renovated,


built, constructed, reconstructed, developed, extended, expanded,
relocated, converted and modernized.
Examples:

The government demolished the industrial estate and developed a sports


ground.

They removed the shops and replaced them 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 city’s
north.

The old warehouses were replaced with new hotels.

The factory was converted into apartments.

Trees and Forests- cleared, cut down, chopped down, removed, planted.

Examples:

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 was built over the river.

Leisure facilities- opened, set up, developed.

Examples:

A skate park was set up next to the swimming pool.

A park was developed beside the forest.


How to Describe General Changes
As this is an IELTS writing task 1 question, we must write an overview,
where we generally talk about the main changes between the two maps.

Below are some examples of general statements we could use to describe


change in towns and cities.

1. Over the period, the area witnessed dramatic changes.

2. From 1995 to 2005, the city centre saw spectacular developments.

3. The village changed considerably over the period.

4. During the 10-year period, the industrial area was totally

transformed.

5. Over the past 20 years, the residential area was totally

reconstructed.

6. Over the period, the old docks were totally redeveloped.

7. Between 1995 and 2005, the old houses were rebuilt.

8. The central business district was completely modernised during the

period.

Pick two or three of the most noticeable differences in the map and write
a general statement for each. This will be your overview paragraph.
The more specific changes should be included in your main body
paragraphs.

How to Describe Locations


You will also be expected to describe where things are maps and describe
where changes have occurred.

You can use ‘to the left’ and ‘to the right’, but a better way is to use
‘north’, ‘south’, ‘east’ and ‘west’. I normally advise my students to draw
the symbols on the question paper if they are not already there.

Examples:

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 southwest of the town were demolished.

The green fields to the city’s northwest were redeveloped as a park.

The airport in the city’s centre was relocated to the northeast of the river.

The school to the southeast was knocked down and a new one was
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.
Examples:

Dramatic changes took place in the city centre.

To the town’s south 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.

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy