IELTS Writing Task 1: Maps & Plans

IELTS Writing Task 1: Maps & Plans

The Ultimate Guide to IELTS Maps

Vocabulary, Tenses, and Structure for Band 7+

1. The 4-Part Structure

A. The Introduction (Paraphrase)

Never copy the prompt. Use synonyms to rewrite the question statement.

Prompt: "The maps show the developments in the village of Rydal between 1920 and 2000."
Your Intro: "The maps illustrate how the village of Rydal changed/developed/transformed over an 80-year period from 1920 to 2000."

B. The Overview (The "Big Picture")

Do not mention specific buildings here. Describe the general nature of the change.

  • 🌿 Rural to Urban: "Overall, the village became significantly more urbanized, with the loss of farmland to make way for housing."
  • 🏭 Industrial to Residential: "Overall, the industrial area was completely transformed into a residential zone."
  • 🛳️ Modernization: "Overall, the port was modernized and expanded, with new infrastructure replacing the old facilities."

2. Vocabulary by Change Type

Maps show specific types of changes. You need precise verbs for each.

📈 Getting Bigger
  • Expanded: "The car park was expanded."
  • Extended: "The railway line was extended to the north."
  • Enlarged: "The main terminal was enlarged."
🏚️ Removal / Destruction
  • Demolished: "The old warehouse was demolished."
  • Knocked down: "The houses were knocked down."
  • Flattened: "The entire area was flattened."
  • Cleared: (Used for trees/forests) "The forest was cleared."
🏗️ New Additions
  • Constructed: "A bridge was constructed."
  • Erected: "Several skyscrapers were erected."
  • Built: "A new school was built."
  • Introduced: "A cycle lane was introduced."
🔄 Conversion / Replacement
  • Converted into: "The factory was converted into apartments."
  • Replaced by: "The park was replaced by a shopping mall."
  • Made way for: "The trees were cut down to make way for a road."
  • Modernized: "The airport was modernized."

3. Grammar: Handling Time Periods

The grammar you use depends entirely on the dates shown in the map.

⏳ Scenario A: Two Past Dates (e.g., 1990 and 2010)

Tense: Simple Past & Past Perfect Passive

  • "In 2010, the library was demolished." (Simple Past)
  • "By 2010, the library had been demolished." (Past Perfect - highly recommended to show completion)

⏱️ Scenario B: Past to Present Day (e.g., 1990 and Now)

Tense: Present Perfect Passive

  • "The school has been extended." (It happened in the past, but we see the result now).
  • "A new road has been built."

🔮 Scenario C: Future Developments (e.g., Now and 2030)

Tense: Future Passive & Prediction Language

  • "A new stadium is going to be built."
  • "A car park is projected to be constructed."
  • "The housing area is set to be expanded."

4. Cohesion: Describing Location & Change

🧭 Compass Points
"To the north of..."
"In the northeast corner..."
"On the west side of the town..."
📍 Prepositions
"Adjacent to..."
"Opposite..."
"Running parallel to..."
"Across from..."

🚀 Advanced Sentence Starters

Use these phrases to introduce new developments smoothly in your Body Paragraphs:

  • 🗣️ "Another striking change is..."
    Example: "Another striking change is the construction of a new bridge in the east."
  • 🗣️ "A notable change has been..."
    Example: "A notable change has been the expansion of the residential area."
  • 🗣️ "The whole [area] has experienced a significant..."
    Example: "The whole town center has experienced a significant modernization."
  • 🗣️ "An interesting development has been..."
    Example: "An interesting development has been the conversion of the park into a stadium."
  • 🗣️ "There did not use to be..."
    Example: "There did not use to be a railway station in 1990."
  • 🗣️ "The last few years have seen the building of..."
    Example: "The last few years have seen the building of several new skyscrapers."

Standard navigational phrases:

  • "Turning to the north of the map..."
  • "Looking at the southern section..."
  • "Moving to the east..."
  • "In the center of the town..."

✅ The Map Writing Checklist

  • Did I use the Passive Voice? ("was built" not "they built")
  • Did I include an Overview describing the general trend?
  • Did I use specific verbs like "Demolished" and "Converted"?
  • Did I use Compass Directions (North, South) instead of "left/right"?
  • Is my grammar matching the Dates in the map?
  • Did I use varied sentence starters (e.g., "A notable change has been...")?
Advanced IELTS Map Writing Lesson Module