Although they do not appear quite often in IELTS Writing Task 1, you can get such a task, and you definitely need to know and learn how to describe maps. Depending on the question you will need to describe where the objects are/were / will be on the map and what changes they went through/will go through. We are going to look at some useful vocabulary you can use to describe those changes and other common language for describing maps.
Basic vocabulary
Describing a map for IELTS aims to check whether you are able to describe physical locations. You do not have to be a genius geographer, but you have to give a reasonable description of a place.
As you receive the task, you will have to describe where the objects are located on the map. There may already be the compass points on the map. So, use those cardinal directions and adjectives when describing locations: north, south, east, west, north-west, north-east, south-west, south-east, north-western, north-eastern, south-western, south-eastern, etc.
For example:
- Another expansion can be observed in the south-eastern part, where a third residential area has been constructed.
- Regarding the new features, there has been a noticeable change in the south-western part of Salata, next to the factories.
- The park, which was previously situated there, has been relocated to the north of the district to cover the area around the church.
You will also have t0 use prepositions of place and other prepositional phrases to describe where the objects are. For example:
- The park has been relocated to the north of the district.
- The church has remained where it was, behind the residential area and the supermarket.
- A new building was constructed to the right/left of the supermarket.
- There has been a noticeable change in the southern part of Salata, next to the factories.
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What grammar to use
It’s important to read the task carefully and spend some time planning your answer. Besides using a wider vocabulary, you will also need to demonstrate your knowledge of grammar. When planning your report, think about the tenses and structures you are going to use.
To describe things that are true now — use present simple passive:
- One more expansion is observed in the residential area.
To write about changes which happened by now — use present perfect active/passive:
- To conclude, Slovang has expanded providing more infrastructure and housing for its residents.
- A highway has been constructed along the seashore.
For things that were in the past, but are no longer true — use ‘used to’:
- A street with new houses has appeared where half a century ago there used to be only a few separate houses.
Add some details using ‘with’ structure:
- The market has been relocated to a place behind the farm, with a new path leading to it.
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How to describe the change
You might get different kinds of maps with various objects on them. Here is the language you can use to describe them.
demolish – to completely destroy a building, especially in order to use the land for something else:
- The old school was demolished to build a new one.
flatten – to become level or to cause something to become level:
- The whole area was flattened – not a building left standing.
replace with – to take a place of something, to put something in the place of something else:
- The old warehouses were replaced with new blocks of flats.
renovate – to repair and improve something, especially a building:
- The existing buildings are being renovated.
build/construct – put together different parts to make something whole:
- A new factory was constructed south of the residential area.
- A local history museum is planned to be built instead of the ruined military base.
reconstruct – to build again something that has been damaged or destroyed:
- The city was reconstructed in the post-war period.
develop – grow or change into something more advanced:
- The maps illustrate how the Danish village of Slovang has developed from 1967 to the present moment.
develop into – to build houses, factories, etc. on the piece of land:
- The whole site will be developed into a shopping complex.
extend – to add to something in order to make it bigger or longer:
- The school was extended to add a new gym and a canteen.
expand – to increase in size, number, or to make something increase in this way:
- The number of stores expanded significantly in the 1990s.
relocate – to move something from one place to another:
- There are plans to relocate the main runway at the airport.
convert into – to change in form, appearance, operation of something:
- At the end of the 1990s, old industrial buildings were converted into art spaces.
modernize – to make something more modern:
- The park was modernized by converting the dirt paths into new cycling lanes and concrete footpaths.
open – start, begin:
- A new hospital was opened next to the school.
set up – to arrange or establish something:
- A new beach was set up on the bank of the river.
remain – to stay in the same place or in the same condition:
- The church has remained where it was, behind the residential area and the supermarket, making it easily accessible to the congregation.
To have a more detailed task overview with sample answers, to learn how to build your report, to practice using the vocabulary, and receive the teacher’s comments, join our online IELTS preparation course. We also look at different types of maps and provide you with lots of writing practice. Our AI automatically checks your reports and you get instant feedback from IELTS experts.
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