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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Map With Model Answer

Pen and highlighters over blank IELTS writing map - image by Magoosh

Some IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 questions present a map, which you’ll need to describe and explain. To give you a better idea of how to approach this Task 1 question type, we’ll show you a practice question with a model band 9 essay .

To see why this essay is band 9, see our Band 9 essay with scorer commentary , and check out the official IELTS rubric for Task 1 (PDF) .

This particular prompt is an IELTS map . Your approach to this map should be the same as your approach to any other Task 1 infographic. Take a look at the information and think carefully. What is the best way to summarize the way the information is structured and the main points? From there, how can you best compare the most relevant pieces of information? Finally, how should you structure that summary and comparison? For more advice on how to approach this, see our article on IELTS Academic Task 1 paragraph structure , as well as our main page for IELTS sample questions and practice resources .

Try to do this prompt yourself. Then check out our band 9 model essay below the prompt and compare it to your own work to see how you did.

Model IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Prompt: Describe a Map

The diagrams below show changes that have taken place in the Sawry District neighbourhood since 1920.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

map essay ielts simon

Model Essay

This pair of maps depicts change over the course of a century in the Sawry District neighborhood by showing the area in 1920 and 2020.

The overall change in the neighborhood is one of growth. By 2020 there are more businesses, more housing, and greater public services. However, not all businesses and services remained intact after 1920.

Business and housing saw the most change and growth. The cannery present in 1920 was replaced by an office complex. Two of the houses near the Elmwood River were demolished and replaced by a road and an apartment complex. Oak Avenue went from having two houses and a shop to having three houses, two shops, an apartment complex, and a petrol station.

The change in public services was less significant than the change in housing and businesses. Prestwich Primary School was demolished and then rebuilt as a bigger school, closer to Oak Street’s shops. And Elmwood River gained a bridge and a bike path, the latter of which replaced the small beach seen on the 1920 map.

More Practice IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Sample Questions with Model Essays

  • IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Process Diagram with Model Answer
  • IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Bar Chart With Model Answer
  • IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Line Graph with Model Answer
  • IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Pie Chart with Model Answer
  • IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Comparing two Graphics with Model Answer

Also, make sure you are prepared for the entire Writing section. Click here for a page full of IELTS Writing resources .

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2 responses to “IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Map With Model Answer”

Salowa Salam Shaoli Avatar

The maps illustrate how the Sawry district neighborhood changed over a period of a century from 1920 to 2020. Overall, the change in the neighborhood developed and had more business, housing, and greater public services by 2020. However, some businesses were not same after 1920. Business and housing contributed the most to the development. An office complex took over the place of the cannery of 1920. Due to the expansion of the road to the Elmwood river, two of the housing complexes were knocked down and added with a brand-new apartment complex. The number of housing and shops rose at the Oak Avenue. Though the development in public services was not as drastic as housing and business, the Prestwitch primary school was relocated and built a bigger one affecting some of the woods near the shop area. A petrol station was installed at the place of the former small primary school close to the miller’s lake. A bridge was constructed across the Elmwood river to connect the Sawry district to the other part of the city. A bike path at the bank of the river took over the small beach seen a century before.

uccy Avatar

The map depicts the transformation of a neighbourhood in Sawry district over a century, specifically from 1920 to 2020.

The district experienced prominent changes in the timeframe resulting in newer infrastructure, relocation of pre-existing businesses and demolitions.

Tulebug bros. cannery was situated on the Northwest of the Oak avenue in the year 1920, with a few houses set northeast near the beach by the elmwood river. The southern region of oak avenue had a primary school named Prestwich with fewer houses than the northern area, with the inclusion of a shop.

By 2020, this northern area was altered dramatically, with the replacement of the Cannery by Yang office complex and additionally on the northeastern bend, a bridge was constructed over the Elmwood river and a bike path underneath, just by the river bank where the beach was previously situated.

Additionally, the southern region of the district changed as well, with the relocation and development of the Prestwich primary school, and inclusion of a petrol station where it used to be. Apartment complexes were established, which was new to the community and an additional shop to possibly meet the demands of the growing neighborhood.

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How To Write an IELTS Map Essay

IELTS map questions are the easiest to answer. There are no numbers to analyse, just 2 or 3 maps to compare. Very occasionally, there might only be a single map, but this is rare.

The maps will be of the same location at different times. This could be in the past, the present time or a plan for a proposed development in the future. You are required to write about the changes you see between the maps.

There are 5 steps to writing   a high-scoring IELTS map essay:

1)  Analyse the question

2)  Identify the main features

3)  Write an introduction

4)  Write an overview

5)  Write the details paragraphs

I must emphasise the importance of steps 1 and 2. It is essential that you complete this planning stage properly before you start writing. You’ll understand why when I guide you through it. It should only take 5 minutes, leaving you a full 15 minute to write your essay.

In this lesson, we’re going to work through the 5 stages step-by-step as we answer a practice IELTS map question.

Before we begin, here’s a model essay structure that you can use as a guideline for all IELTS Academic Task 1 questions.

Ideally, your essay should have 4 paragraphs:

Paragraph 1  – Introduction

Paragraph 2  – Overview

Paragraph 3  – 1 st  main feature

Paragraph 4  – 2 nd  main feature

We now have everything we need to begin planning and writing our IELTS map essay.

Here’s our practice question:

The maps below show the village of Stokeford in 1930 and 2010.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

map essay ielts simon

Step 1 –  Analyse the question

The format of every Academic Task 1 question is the same. Here is our practice question again with the words that will be included in all questions highlighted.

Every question consists of:

  • Sentence 1 – A brief description of the graphic
  • Sentence 2 – The instructions
  • The graphic – map, chart, graph, table, etc.

Sentence 2 tells you what you have to do.

You must do 3 things:

1.     Select the main features.

2.     Write about the main features.

3.     Compare the main features.

All three tasks refer to the ‘ main features ’ of the graphic. You  do not  have to write about everything. Just pick out 2 or 3 key features and you’ll have plenty to write about.

Step 2 – Identify the Main Features

All you are looking for are the main features. Start with the earliest map. Identify the key features and look to see how they have changed in the later map, and again in the final map if there are three.

Here are some useful questions to ask?

1) What time periods are shown?

Are the maps of past, present or future situations? This is important to note because it will determine whether you write your essay using past, present or future tenses.

The two maps in our practice IELTS map question show the village of Stokeford at two different times in the past. This immediately tells us that we will need to use the past tense in our essay.

2) What are the main differences between the maps?

What features have disappeared? What new features are in their place?

3) What features have remained the same over the time period?

Although the location on the maps will have undergone major development, some features may remain unchanged.

Also, think about directional language you can use, such as:

So,  what information is contained our maps? Here they are again.

map essay ielts simon

Source: IELTS past paper

There are a number of different features we could select such as, the loss of the shops, the disappearance of farmland, the enlargement of the school and the development of the large house into a retirement home.

Many maps will contain far more changes than our sample maps and the changes may be more complex. In such cases, you won’t have time to write about all of them and will need to select just 2 or 3 main features to focus on.

Our maps are quite simple so we’ll list all 4 of the major changes I’ve just identified. 

Main feature 1:  The farmland has been built on.

Main feature 2:  The large house has been converted into a retirement home.

Main feature 3:  The school has been enlarged.

Main feature 4:  The shops have disappeared.

The key features you select will be the starting point for your IELTS map essay. You will then go on to add more detail later. However, with just 20 minutes allowed for Task 1, and a requirement of only 150 words, you won't be able to include many details.

We’re now ready to begin writing our essay. Here’s a reminder of the 4 part structure we’re going to use.

For this essay, we’ll adapt this a little to write about two of the features in Paragraph 3 and the other two features in Paragraph 4.

Step 3 – Write an Introduction 

In the introduction, you should simply paraphrase the question, that is, say the same thing in a different way. You can do this by using synonyms and changing the sentence structure. For example:

Introduction (Paragraph 1): 

The two maps illustrate how the village of Stokeford, situated on the east bank of the River Stoke, changed over an 80 year period from 1930 to 2010.

This is all you need to do for the introduction.

Step 4 – Write an Overview (Paragraph 2)

In the second paragraph, you should describe the general changes that have taken place. The detail comes later in the essay.

State the information simply. No elaborate vocabulary or grammar structures are required, just the appropriate words and correct verb tenses.

For example:

Overview  (Paragraph 2): 

There was considerable development of the settlement over these years and it was gradually transformed from a small rural village into a largely residential area.

Two sentences would be better than one for the second paragraph but we’ll be getting into the detail if we say more about these maps at this point, so we’ll leave the overview as one sentence.

Step 5  – Write the 1st Detail Paragraph

Paragraphs 3 and 4 of your IELTS map essay are where you include more detailed information. In paragraph 3, you should give evidence to support your first 1or 2 key features.

In the case of our main features, 1 and 3 are closely related so we’ll write about these two together.

Here they are again:

And this is an example of what you could write:

Paragraph 3 :

The most notable change is the presence of housing in 2010 on the areas that were farmland back in 1930. New roads were constructed on this land and many residential properties built. In response to the considerable increase in population, the primary school was extended to around double the size of the previous building.

Step 6  – Write the 2nd Detail Paragraph

For the fourth and final paragraph, you do the same thing for your remaining key features. 

Here are the two we have left:

This is an example of what you could write:

Paragraph 4 :

Whilst the post office remained as a village amenity, the two shops that can be seen to the north-west of the school in 1930, no longer existed by 2010, having been replaced by houses. There also used to be an extensive property standing in its own large gardens situated to the south-east of the school. At some time between 1930 and 2010, this was extended and converted into a retirement home. This was another significant transformation for the village.

Here are the four paragraphs brought together to create our finished essay.

Finished IELTS Map Essay

map essay ielts simon

This sample IELTS map essay is well over the minimum word limit so you can see that you don’t have space to include very much detail at all. That’s why it is essential to select just a couple of main features to write about.

Now use what you’ve learnt in this lesson to practice answering other IELTS map  questions. Start slowly at first and keep practicing until you can plan and write a complete essay in around 20 minutes.

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Ielts academic writing task 1 – all lessons.

IELTS Academic Writing  –  A summary of the test including important facts, test format & assessment.

Academic Writing Task 1  – The format, the 7 question types & sample questions, assessment & marking criteria.  All the key information you need to know.

Understanding Task 1 Questions  – How to quickly and easily analyse and understand IELTS Writing Task 2 questions.

How To Plan a Task 1 Essay  –  Discover  3 reasons why you must plan, the 4 simple steps of essay planning and learn a simple 4 part essay structure.

Vocabulary for Task 1 Essays  –  Learn key vocabulary for a high-scoring essay. Word lists & a downloadable PDF.

Grammar for Task 1 Essays   – Essential grammar for Task 1 Academic essays including, verb tenses, key sentence structures, articles & prepositions.

The 7 Question Types:

Click the links below for a step-by-step lesson on each type of Task 1 question.

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Sample Writing: Describe a Map

Posted by David S. Wills | Mar 9, 2017 | Model Essays | 1

Sample Writing: Describe a Map

It’s not often that you are asked to describe a map in the IELTS Writing Task 1, but it can happen. When it does, students often panic. It is an unfamiliar task for most IELTS candidates. You don’t often see it in the past papers or practice books.

However, it’s not actually that difficult, requires almost no specialist language, and can be practiced in a very short time.

Describing a map is actually pretty easy. You only really need to know the most basic geographic features:

Then you really must know the directions :

and perhaps some combination of them, such as “north-east” or “south-west,” too.

Beyond that, you are simply describing what you see.

Example question

IELTS Describe Map

The two maps below show an island, before and after the construction of some tourist facilities. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Here is my first sample answer:

The illustration shows two images of the same island, before and after construction has taken place to build a tourist infrastructure. Prior to the construction of tourist facilities, the island was surrounded by sea on all sides, and had clusters of trees in the east and west. There was also a beach on the far west of the island. There were no buildings, and lots of open space across the land. Following construction work, the island looks very different. There are now many buildings throughout the west and central parts of the island, as well as a road and some paths leading to the accommodations. The accommodation buildings are distributed to the east and west of the reception, positioned in circle formations. There is a reception building right in the centre and a restaurant on the northern shore. To the south, there is a pier where boats can dock, and this is connected by road to the reception.

And here is another sample answer:

There are two maps showing the development of an island. The first map shows the island prior to its development, and the second shows the new tourist facilities that have been installed. Before the construction of the new tourist infrastructure, the island had no buildings. There were only trees and empty spaces. The island is surrounded on all sides by sea, and there was a beach on the far western shore. There have been various changes to the island, starting with the pier on the southern coast, which allows tourists to reach the island by boat. From there, they can follow a vehicle track to the reception, in the center of the island. Located slightly to the north of the reception is a restaurant, which sits on the northern coast. These are bordered on both sides by accommodation, in the form of huts. The huts are laid out in circular patterns and connected to the reception and restaurant by footpath. There is also a footpath now leading to the beach, which is suitable for swimming.

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David S. Wills

David S. Wills

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

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Peter wills

The map question does not show any north and south directions. So, we cannot be sure which direction is north, east, west, south. Maybe we need to use top, bottom, left, right, etc. of the map.

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IELTS Map: Model Answer

Below is an IELTS map model answer which is estimated at band score 9. This is a comparison of three maps in different time periods for the academic writing task 1. If you wish to do practice exercises for grammar for the maps below, before you read this model, please follow the link: IELTS Map Comparison Exercise .

map comparison 3 maps

Source: Map above not produced by IELTS Liz.

Model Writing Task 1: Map Comparison

The maps illustrate how Meadowside village and Fonton, which is a neighbouring town, have developed over three different time periods (1962, 1985 and the present).

Overall, Meadowside village increased in size and has become Meadowside Suburb as it merged together with Fonton. Furthermore, there have been significant changes in infrastructure, housing and facilities over the period given.

In 1962, both Meadowside and Fonton were completely separate with no roads or rail connecting them. While Fonton had a railway line running through it to the north, Meadowside, located to the west of Fonton, only had a small road from the west.

By 1985, there was a considerable growth in the size of Meadowside village and Fonton. The small road in Meadowside village had been converted into a main road and was also extended to the east to connect with Fonton. Meadowside, moreover, had also developed a housing estate in the west, a leisure complex and a supermarket in the south.

Currently, both Meadowside, which is now a suburb, and Fonton are joined. The railway line, which runs through Fonton, has been extended to the west where a train station has been built. To the north of the station, a hotel has been constructed and opposite the station, to the south, there is now a business park.

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The maps presents the development of the urbanization in Meodowside village and the nearest located town Fonton, from year 1962. Meodowside and Fonton started far apart from eachother, but have gradually been structured over time into a bigger town with linking roads, trainroad tracks, and new-built housing.

In 1962 Meodowside village was situated singularly, without any connection to Fonton. The small village had a smaller road passing through. Fonton had only a trainway track going through town.

Under the period up until 1985, there was a significant change. Looking at the middle map, Meodowside has developed to a larger village and buildings as the housing estate and a superstore were constructed in additional. The small road was built wider and another linking road was shaped between the town and village.

After the year 1985, the infrastructure changed massively. A hotel with a nearby trainstation and a business park have been reinforced. Comparing now to 1962 shows a big difference and total connection creating a town out of the the prior village and town.

172 words 32 minutes

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The map illustrates the information about the development of Meadowside and Fonton over three periods of time. Overall, it can be seen from the map that there was no development of Meadowside and Fonton in 1962. Meanwhile, in the present, there are so many facilities, including housing estate, superstore, hotel, train station and business park.

Initially, in 1962, there was no development in the landscape in the middle of area. There is only a road ran through Meadowside village and a railway in Fonton as well. Moreover, in 1985, a housing estate, superstore and leisure complex were built in Meadowside village. The road was upgraded to concrete road and connected to Fonton. Additionally, Fonton area was bigger than the 1962.

In the present, a hotel, train station and business park is built between Meadowside suburbs and Fonton. In addition, train station is connected to Fonton. Meadowside suburbs and Fonton area have merged into one major landscape.

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Three maps are shown, depicting the composition of Meadowside village and the neighbouring town of Fonton in 1962, 1985, and in the present.

Overall, one can retrace the development and growth of the two communities with first, the building of a bigger and connecting road through Meadowside village into an enlarged Fonton and second, the incorporation into one continuously populated area with new shared infrastructures.

By 1985, the previously smaller road through Meadowside village had been rebuilt into a larger road, including a new section dividing from its curved path, leading straight into the town of Fonton. Further infrastructural changes have only been made after 1985. Nowadays, a novel railway terminus is situated in the area between the two communities, that provides access to the Fonton railway.

In terms of other buildings, both communities had grown considerably by 1985, with the map illustrating a housing estate, leisure complex and superstore located within Meadowside village. Since then, this housing estate has increased further, and a hotel and business park have been built next to the new station, centered in between the once two communities. connecting the formerly beforehand separate communities.

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broo this is a 9.5 score band

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i love u lizz

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The maps depict both Meadowside village and Fonton town in their present and past appearances, dating back to 1985 and 1962.

Overall, it can be clearly seen that not only have the town and village been developed, they are also connected to each other among the considered periods. Similarly, a number of infrastructures have been developed.

In 1962, Fonton and Meadowside were ordinary towns and villages with no interconnection, but they had their own roots. In Meadowside village, there was a road expanding to the south-west of the village and north, and Fonton had a rail road running in the middle of the town. By the year 1985, for the first time, the village and the town had joined each other with the construction of a road. Furthermore, in Meadowside Village, there had been built a supermarket, a housing state, and a leisure complex to the southern part, to the western part, and to the northern part, respectively.

By present, both Meadowside village and Fonton town have been totally connected. There is a station right in the middle of town, a hotel to the north, and a business park to the south. And there is a noticeable extension of the railway to the middle of the town. Furthermore, the name of the village has been changed to Meadowside Suburs.

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The maps show the development projects taking place in both Meadowside Village and Fonton, which is a neighboring town, from 1962 to the present era. Overall, there were significant changes in both towns, Meadowside village were extended in size and has become a Surber area. There is some infrastructure, a housing estate, and a leisure complex. Meadowside Village is connected by a main road to the Fonton. In 1992, both Meadowside Village and Fonton Town were completely separated. There is a railway track in Fonton Town, which runs through its North side, and a road in Meadowside Village which runs from its west side. In 1985, some changes were made in Meadowside Village. An estate housing and a complex leisure wade made on its North side and a superstore at its south side. Moreover, Meadowside Village was extended by a main road, which connect it to Fonton Town directly. At that present time, another railway track has been made, which comes from the Western side of Fonton Town. There is also a station made there. A business park has been constructed on the opposite side of the railway station. Besides this, a hotel has been constructed here. Shortly, it can be said that these two towns are completely merged.

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The maps illustrate the developments that took place in the Meadowside village and its neighbouring town, Fonton since 1962. There are 3 maps and they show the same region across 3 different dates (1962, 1985, and current).

Overall, initially Fonton Town appears considerably larger than Meadowside village but as time passed, the meadowside village grew in size. It can be observed that Meadowside village had more changes compared to Fonton town. Currently, Meadowside village and Fonton Town are interlinked with many buildings and roads.

In 1962, Meadowside village had only one road passing through it which ran from the west to north while Fonton had a railway line from north to the east. The two did not have any interlinks between them for commute. By 1985 however, Meadowside village grew rapidly, with the road being expanded and a new section of road had been laid out to reach Fonton Town. The village had a housing estate, leisure complex, and a super-store.

Currently, Meadowside Village has transformed into Meadowside Suburbs and a new railway line has been established in Fonton Town which ends in a station situated nearly in the centre of the two localities. The Hotel lies to the north of the station compared to the business park being located in the south. The business park can be accessed from the road linking Meadowside suburbs and Fonton Town.

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The maps provide information about two neighbouring settlements, Meadowside(a village) and Fonton(a town), which have undergone development in the space of 60years. Overall, there has been development in the infrastructure, housing and transport systems in both Meadowside and Fonton, and the two areas have increased in size over the years.

Notably, there was a huge difference in both the size of Meadowside and its infrastructures between 1962 to 1985 as housing estate, leisure complex and super store were all constructed in 1985 as opposed to the lack of these facilities in 1962 in the village. In the same period, Fonton town was developed with increased size and construction of road passing from the southeast to the southwest, connecting Meadowside and Fonton together.

At the moment, both Meadowside and Fonton has been transformed with amenities such as station, business park and a hotel which serve both the suburb and the town.

Impressively, while Meadowside was merely a village up till 1985, it is now a suburb area. Also, Fonton town and Meadowside are now connected together as their sizes have increased to joining each other.

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you need to describe the map. stating the location of the buildings developed using the map axis will be better..

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Hi Liz, I hope you are doing great on your job. I just want to know that if you have released any updated article for IELTS writing recently as I believe that structure of IELTS writing is modernized by the changes of time. Thank you so much in advance for your response.

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The writing test hasn’t changed. The format is the same as it always was. The marking is the same. The techniques are the same. Nothing has changed.

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Thank you for this update

You’re welcome 🙂

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The map illustrate the change that foncton and meadowside village went through in three time periods (1962, 1985 and the present).

Overall, the two neighbors used to be separate with no road or railway connection whatsoever, the two entities managed to grow over time, first to be linked with a road and merged at the end with new different infrastructure facilities.

in 1962, Meadowside village had only one small road coming from the west of the village and heading north. Meanwhile, foncton had a railway coming from the north, passing through the city and going west.

in 1985, the only road in Meadowise village got increased with an extention linking to it’s neighboring village and going east.Furthermore, a housing estate and a leisure complex were builled north of the West-East road, and a superstore was constructed on the south side of the that road.

Currently, Meadowside village name changed to Meadowside suburbs as it merged with foncton, a new business park was constructed south to the East-west road, a new train station was build at the center of the merging neighbors with a new railroad linked to the old one, north of it, a hotel was build.

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The maps illustrate the progress occurred in Meadowside village and its neighbor, Fonton in three different time periods.

Overall, there were significant changes clearly seen in these two areas, one of which is their merging at present.

In detail, both Meadowside and Fonton were separated in 1962. The foremost was still a small village with steep road that passed from north to west. The latter, on the other hand was larger in size with rail ran through north to east.

Meanwhile, in 1985 both towns increased their land areas. There were leisure complex, superstore and housing built in Meadowside. Moreover, the steep road was converted into wider roads, one of which was extended to Fonton.

At present, Meadowside village which is now a suburb is combined with Fonton. Hotel and station has been established in the eastern side with newly built business park adjacent to the main road connected to Fonton. Alternatively, Fonton formed additional railway across west nearby suburb.

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This map illustrates how Meadowside village and Fonton , which is neighbour town, have developed over three different times (1982, 1985 and now). Now Meadowside village is grown much more than 1982, it is merge with Fonton and grown significate infrastructure, 1962, this two village were completely separated. There where no rail and Road transportation, they didn’t have any kind of communication. They was only road from west. 1985, there was growth in Meadowside village, there was Leisure Complex, Housing Estate in west. Super Store in south. Small road converted to main road and also extended to Fonton has also developed. Now, they are now connected through subways and fonton is now joined .They are more developed. Railways are built in west and run in fonton where the station are built. To north side of the station, a hotel is construction and opposite the station . There is the business park built in south.

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Hi Liz ! Thank you so much for sharing with us such a well-explained essay. I found your website veru useful. I will take IELTS exam in the coming month and I will inform my score with you.

Sincerely, Anvar

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The way you explain is extremely beautiful like you. And apologies if i am crossing my limit but your smile could make anyone’s day. Thank you for providing all the information regarding task 1 and 2. Keep smiling.

That’s a lovely comment. Thank you. I’m glad my lessons are useful 🙂

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Are you briliant teacher

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you are really very good person and Don’t forget keep always smiling 😊

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The map illustrates the meadowside village and Fonton which are the neighbouring towns, have developed over the different time periods from 1962, 1985 and the present era.

Overall, the Meadowside village developed their infrastructure which includes transportation, buildings, hotels etc and connected with the Fonton town.

In 1962, both the villages Fonton and Meadowside were not developed as there was no means of transportation between these two places. While Fonton had a railway line running from the north to eastern side of the village. Whereas Meadowside had a small road running from the northern part to western side of the village.

In 1985, there has been considerable changes in both the villages, especially in Meadowside village. The small road which was running from north towards the western part of the region had been converted into a highway road and the southern part of this road were merged with another road line which connects to Fonton village. Since then travelling between two villages became more convenient. Moreove in Meadowside village three important landmarks were added to their infrastructure, the Leisure complex in the western part, Housing estate in the eastern side and Super store at the southern area of the village.

At present both the villages were developed by improving the mode of transportation, as new connection railway lines were constructed from the western part of Fonton towards the centre location between two villages. To enhance the tourist economy of this area, they built a hotel behind the railway station and the business park on the opposite side of the station towards the south.

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The map compares the development of Meadowside Village and its neighboring town Fonton throughout three periodical times (1962, 1985, and present time). Overall, the size area of the village and the town have increased and both areas become one union with Meadownside become a suburb area under Fonton administration. There are also developments in infrastructures such as roads, railways, housing, and business center. In initial year, Meadowside was only a small village with a small road crossing through the village. Located in the east of the village, there was Fonton, a neighboring town with railway running through it. However, there was no road that is channeling both areas. In 1985, the size of both areas increased. The big road was built in this year, being the hub between the village and the town. There were also a development in infrastructure, as housing estate, leisure complex, and superstore were built in Meadowside village. In present time, these two areas eventually merge as one, results in Meadowside became a suburb under Fonton town. They also built some facilities in area between Fonton town and the suburbs, such as hotel and business park. The railway line which once was only running through Fonton now extends to Meadowside as a new station was built around there.

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The maps indicate the developments of a village called Meadowside and of a near town called Fonton, over a period started in 1962.

Overall, it can be seen that over the period in question the village and the town were expanded with the addition of a motorway and some facilities. Nowadays, Fonton and Meadowside are connected to each other.

In 1962 the village covered a small area and was crossed by a small street. In the following thirteen years it was improved, with the additions of a leisure complex, a housing estate and a super-store. Also Fonton was expanded and the two sites, in 1985, were connected with a motorway, which crossed both of them, from west to east.

Now, Meadowside and Fonton share only one area. To the west, there are Meadowside suburbs and to the east there is Fonton. The most noticeable additions are the hotel which is collocated between them in the north of the area, the station, built along the motorway and the business park.

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Keep up the good job ✊Your explanation is liked me 😉

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The rendered map illustrates the information about the improvments in town namely frenton in 32 years between 1990 to 2012.

Overall, it can be clearly seen from the map that there were tremendous changes after three decades in frenton. Se buldings had been improved. At the outset , school and library were only buildings which stay unchanged and in west side of high street . Trees were cut down to set up a techpark in left bottom side of town, further more , there was a bank beside the school was converted to restaurant . Hospital in the centre had been axpanded . Proceeding further , bottom playing feild with trees was demolished in order to make blocks of flates , new flats also opened alongside high street . Houses were changed to flats. There were cafe and park in east side of town which were improved into hotel and golf course . Theatre and shops were modernized in cimema as well as supermarket in last year

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Hey Liz, i just want to know that can we write things in brackets as you have done in introduction, is it accepted in ielts.

Yes, of course. It’s 100% fine and in fact very useful for Writing Task 1. However, don’t overuse them. You need to vary the way you present data. They are mainly useful for line graphs, bar charts, tables and pie charts.

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The map shows the different development for three years (1962,1985 and currently) in Meadowside village and Foton, a neighbouring town.

In general, the small road was replaced by big two main roads. One of them running through the Meadoside village and the other crossing the south-east of Foton. The two states have been together in the present and the size of the place was increased. There are more buildings were constructed during the three years.

In 1962, the village was spirited from the other. Also, there were no buildings and connecting the main road between them. The size of tow places was small. However, Foton was bigger than the village.

In 1985, Meadowside village constructed by lot of buildings such as ( i can’t see the names) On the other hand, Foton remains the same thing without any buildings except the size of the place which has been increased during the period.

In the present, the two places become bigger together and the have been untied by a big road accessing the place from the southeast to the southwest. And the other one from the north ending with the previous road. Between the main roads in. northeast there has been built a hotel and a station. So the number of entertainment buildings has been increased.

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Hi, Liz, Hope you are safe. I have a doubt about your writing task 1 practise charts.

Which tense to use for the map “an island before and after the construction of some tourist facilities”?

It would depend on the fixed date. If the before date is in the past, you use past tense. If the after date is in our current past, you use past tense. However, if it is in our future, you use the future forms. English grammar rules apply as normal to IELTS.

Thank you, Liz, but there are no dates in the question only before and after. That’s why I’m confused.

Where did you find this question? Which IELTS Cambridge book did you find it in?

Pardon, the section’s name is ” IELTS CHARTS FOR PRACTICE”.

I know the one. You use past tense for “before” and present tense of “after”.

Thank you so much, Liz. Thank you for your valuable time.

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Thanks Liz 😍💜

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Its clear now Liz . Thankyou so much for quick response and help.

I wanna ask how is this task 1 estimated at band score 9 as it has 200+ words. I read in one of your reply that band score 9 has words between 170 and 190.

Can you please elaborate?

Don’t confuse advice with rules. There is no upper limit for words. However, you should aim for between 160 and 190 words (more or less). Writing more might lead you to add more detail and also increase your chances of making more language errors. You don’t get a particular band score because you have written a particular number of words. As I am fully trained and also a native English speaker, I can get away with reaching slightly over 200, but even so, most of my model answers fall just under 190 words.

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Liz thank you so much 😊

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Thanks you so much Liz mam ❤️❤️

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Dear Liz I heard that there is a new rule of British Council that there should write a conclusion in Writing part 1? Is it true?

No. Writing task 1 is a report and you will see on the band score descriptors published by IELTS that the examiner is looking for an overview. Some people write a conclusion which is actually an overview – that is fine. It is about content and functionality. A conclusion traidtionally contains your opinions summarised – task 1 cannot contain opinions. A conclusion traditionally restates main points – task 1 cannot have repeated information. An overview is the one and only paragraph containing the key features of the task – it can be put after the introduction or at the end – some people put it at the end and call it an conclusion. That is the reason you are confused.

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@Liz, which one is the best and good for achieving the IELTS band score. 1. Introduction > Overview > Paragraph 1 > Paragraph 2. 2. Introduction with overview > Paragraph 1 > PParagraph 2 > Conclusion.

I am really so confused between above them. Please share your opinion.

See this page to learn: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/ . Use everything I have written to train yourself. That is the purpose of this site 🙂 The answer is there for you to find 🙂

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Is it a must to write a conclusion in Task 1? Many people say, that you lose marks if there is no conclusion paragraph

You are immediately penalised if you do not write a conclusion in task 2. You are also immediately penalised if you do not write an overview in task 1.

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I have heard that there should be no conclusion or overview in diagrams of writing task 1

That is completely untrue. ALL writing task 1, for the academic paper, MUST have an Overview.

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Liz is considered by me to be perfect teacher for all type of information regarding ielts. Thanks for giving ur precious time to us.🙏🙏

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Hi Liz,I just wanna know if it is a band 9 sample ?!

And as i realize from this sample , each paragraph explains about only the related map.I want to know whether we need to compare all the three maps with each other or not.

In writing task 1, you compare when necessary – it is not necessary to compare all things at all times. You task is to write a report which is about reporting features – comparison often only comes in the overview. For a diagram, it sometimes doesn’t come at all. For some bar charts (not all) it is the main feature of the report. Each task type is different.

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Hello Mam…some IELTS coaching institutes say that we should write overall in task 1 academci at last instead of after introduction because it also also like a conclusion and we write conclusion always at last…is it okay with this?

There are no fixed rules about this in IELTS. You can choose the position of the overview. However, remember that this is not an essay – it is a report.

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This task contain much more words than 150 …i think we are suppose to write upto Maximum 180 word… .

Your task is to write over 150 words. A high band score task 1 will usually have between 170 and 190 words. On the whole, it is best to avoid 200 words plus in order to reduce the density of errors and show the ability to select information.

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Dear Liz can we write “Meadowside village has been increased in size” But you have written “Meadowside village increased i size” we can still see that the village has increased.But why didn’t you write it in present perfect passive.Please clarify

Meadowside village increased in size” is correct. You would not choose a passive voice for that statement.

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I just watched your Map video Liz, in that you told that we should use the key ( Housing area), (town center) to change into small letters but in this model band 9 sample response it isn’t changed into small letters (meadows and fonton). Pls kindly clarify my doubt. Thanks to YOU

You need to listen much more carefully to my video lessons. I did not say you remove ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. I said you must adapt the headings or labels to make them grammatically correct when you write them in a sentence. The word “Tennis” is usually given with a capital letter in a bar chart, but we do not use a capital letter with that word in an English sentence. The word “Food” might have a capital letter in a graph, but we don’t use it with a capital letter in an English sentence. You need to look at your map or chart and decide which headings must have the capital letter changed to make it grammatically correct in a sentence. Do you understand now?

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Hotel has been constructed or hotel has constructed . What is duffernce between both sentences. Is it same meaning? Plz help me 🙏

The first is passive voice. You need to learn when to use it and when to use active voice.

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The difference is bellow: someone has constructed the hotel the hotel has been constructed by someone

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Writing task 1 I do not feel like writing properl.So learn me

This website is for people learning IELTS skills for a high score. It is not for people struggling with English. If your English level is not strong, you will need to improve your English before you think about IELTS.

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Hlw, in this task there are more than 4 paragraphs but in your video you told that there will be 4 paragraphs .. is it fine to write more paragraphs?? I am so confused now

The most common is 4. There is no fixed rule about the number of paragraphs for IELTS writing – only advice. It also depends on the task you are given and the information in the map or graph.

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How to Write Map Essay in IELTS Writing Task 1

In this blog post, we’ll be looking at the Map questions which are likely to show up in your Academic IELTS Writing Task 1. 

In the Map Question type, you could be asked to describe: 

  • One map in the present day.
  • Or Describe two maps - one in the present and one in the future.
  • Or Describe two maps - one in the past and one in the present.

Out of these three main types, the third one, where you have to compare the map of the past to the one of the present, is the most common and will be the main focus of this blog post. 

Describe two maps - One in the past and One in the present.

So, you’ll basically be looking at two maps of the same place but one will be of the past and one of the present. You will have to describe the main features and differences between the two maps. As you’ll be talking about two different times, past and present, it becomes very important that you use proper tenses. To describe the map of the past, you’ll be using the simple past tense whereas to report the present-day map you’ll be using the present perfect tense. Why present perfect? Because, even though the changes started in the past, they continue to the present day, and they exist in the current time. Right! Makes sense? Now let’s discuss a sample map question. 

Sample Map Question - Refer to the main image 

The two maps in the image are of hotel Paramount, one is of the year 1990, when the hotel was constructed and the other is of the current year, i.e. 2020. In the question, you are asked to write a summary that describes the various changes that have taken place at the hotel from 1990 to 2020. Now, to describe the different changes you would have to first analyze and identify all those changes. Right? So, the first step in writing a map summary would be analyzing and identifying the changes. Take a couple of minutes to observe the changes from the past up until the present day. 

 Let’s first list down all the changes between the two maps of the hotel Paramount. 

  • The number of houses has increased which means the population has increased over all these years.
  • The farmland has been reduced to half to make a place for a restaurant.
  • A huge patch of forest has been cleared to build a swimming pool and children’s play area.
  • Car-parking space has also been increased.
  • Also, the single-lane road has been widened to a double-lane one.

There you go! These are the major changes at the hotel from 1992 to 2020. 

Sample Map Answer: Step-by-step instructions to write high-band answer

Now, you have to elaborate on these points in your map summary. Once you have analyzed and identified the different changes between the two maps, you can start writing the response. To give a proper structure to your response you can divide the content into four paragraphs:

  • Introduction 
  • Overview 
  • Paragraph 1 
  • Paragraph 2

Let’s begin with the Introduction. 

Introduction:

Begin your map summary with an introduction which is meant to introduce the topic to the examiner.  You just need to tell what the maps show, for this, you can simply paraphrase the question stated in your own words using synonyms. For our sample question, the introduction could be something like, 

The two maps illustrate significant changes that have occurred at hotel Paramount, over a 30-year period, from 1990 to 2020. The main features in the maps (farmland, forest, restaurant, swimming pool, and kid’s zone) are presented using different colors. 

Here, paraphrasing is done by replacing the words, “diagrams” with “maps”, “show” with “illustrate”, and “taken place” with “occurred”. The adjective “significant” has been added before the noun “changes” because we do see a lot of changes. Besides this, the phrase “over a 30-year period” has also been added which simply expresses the duration between the two years. So, our introduction says the same thing as the topic statement but in a different way. Let’s move ahead to the overview. 

Overview : 

In the overview, give a general description of the maps and write about the most noticeable differences between the two maps.   If you look at the two maps, there are two major changes. One, the hotel has expanded substantially, it has increased its Infrastructure and amenities. Two, the green area has been reduced to a great extent. So, in the overview, you can make these two general statements about the maps. Here it is! 

Overall, the hotel has expanded substantially in the 30-year period by adding three new amenities, a restaurant, a swimming pool, and a children’s play area. However, this expansion has also resulted in a large-scale reduction of forest cover and agricultural land in the area.  

If you noticed instead of the word “farmland”, “agricultural land” is used, the point is to use as many synonyms as you can to show off your vocabulary range. This could really help boost your score. After the introduction and the overview, it’s time to write the 2 body paragraphs, where we discuss both maps in detail. 

Body Paragraph 1: 

Body Paragraph 1 is where you describe the first map in detail. Since the map is of the year 1990, we’ll use the simple past tense to describe it. All you have to do is simply describe the location of each place on the map, which was located where. That’s all! For instance, if we look at the farmland, to its west there was a residential area and to its south, there was a forest and beside the forest, there was a parking area. Just like this, you have to describe the entire map. So, it goes something like this: 

In 1990, the hotel was built next to farmland close to a single-lane main road. To the west of the farmland, there was a residential area that included a few houses and to the south was a vast woodland (which is a synonym for forest). The hotel also built a car parking area alongside the forest land. 

Not that difficult, right? Just focus on describing the location of each place on the map. 

Body Paragraph 2: 

Body Paragraph 2 is where you describe the second map in detail. Since the second map is of the present year, we’ll be using the present tense, more specifically, the present perfect tense. Here you have to describe all the changes that have taken place till today. Remember the list of changes we made? it’ll come in handy here. So, here’s your second body paragraph. 

By now, 2020, the hotel has extended dramatically. It has cleared most of the forests to increase the parking area. Also, a part of the forest has been supplanted(meaning replaced) by a swimming pool and a play area for children. Furthermore, the farmland has been reduced to half in order to make way for a small restaurant. Besides, the main road has also been widened to a double-lane road.  

You can see all the changes that have been described really well. With this our map description is complete and here is the full response. It's over 150 words which is the minimum word limit. 

4 important points to keep in mind to score high in the map task

Now let me take you through 4 important points or parameters that you need to keep in mind to score high in the map task. 

Task Achievement: 

Cover all the parts of the question, which is also known as Task Achievement. The examiner expects you to write a clear introduction, an overview, and a description of the specific features of the maps, just like this sample answer does.

Do what they expect – cover all the parts and you’ll get a higher score in the Task achievement category. 

Coherence and Cohesion:

Write a Well-structured and logical response, which is also known as Coherence and Cohesion. The examiner expects you to write a response that is well-organized and understandable.

If we look at the model answer it has been structured well-using paragraphs and it has a clear progression as the topic is first introduced, then the general features are identified, and further, it clearly compares the first map with the second. This is why using an outline is so important, it gives your writing a natural and logical flow. Also, linking words such as Overall, However, Furthermore, and Besides, have also been used to connect different ideas. Paragraphing, linking words, and following a proper outline help you in writing a well-structured and logical response. 

Lexical Resource:

Use a wide range of appropriate vocabulary. You will need to use specific vocabulary in this task to express where things were positioned in the past and how things have changed or remained the same presently.

In body paragraph 1, notice the words, “next to”, “close to”, “to the west”, “to the north”, “and alongside”, all these words and phrases help in describing the locations of things on the map in 1990. As body paragraph 2 describes changes, so change specific vocabulary has been used – the hotel has extended , rising population, cleared forest, increased parking area, supplanted a swimming pool and a play area, farmland has been reduced to half, the road has been widened – all these words represent change. So, I would say start familiarising yourself with such a location and change specific vocabulary to get a higher band score. Plus make sure you use a wide range of words, don’t use the same words repeatedly. 

Grammatical Range and Accuracy:

And finally, use a wide range of grammatical structures correctly because the examiner looks at your Grammatical Range and how accurately you have used grammar while writing the summary.  For the map task, you need to pay special attention to tenses as well as to active and passive voice.

“The farmland has been reduced to half”, and “the main road has also been widened”, that’s written in passive form because we don’t know who reduced the farmland or who widened the road. Right! Along with this, you should use a mix of simple, compound, and complex sentences. The more you are able to use complex grammatical structures the better your score will be, of course, if they are accurate. So, keep these 4 things in your mind and you’ll definitely score high in the map task. 

If you want to know more about the writing section of IELTS then read more about IELTS Writing Task 1 and IELTS Writing Task 2 in this blog. That’s all for this post! And in case you are preparing for IELTS and need any further assistance we are always there for you. 

Visit our website: www.yunolearning.com and take a look at the courses we offer. You can book the one you like by clicking on the “Enroll Now” button and start IELTS preparation with one of our expert trainers from the comfort of your home. For any query give us a call at 098739 98199 or drop a message at [email protected] .

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  • Ielts Task 1 Map

IELTS Task 1 Map

In an IELTS task 1 map you often have to compare a map from the past with one from the present. 

This writing task 1 sample map shows you an example of one of these types of question with a model answer. 

Organisation: Each Map in Turn

You have several choices of how to organise an IELTS task 1 map such as this. 

You could choose the various features in turn, such as the fishing port and market in the past, then note how these have now gone, with the market replaced by apartments.

Or you could describe everything in the first map, then everything in the second map. This is how this sample answer is organised.

Either way, make sure you describe all the key features  in the IELTS task 1 map and don't miss any. 

Hopefully the tenses to use will be obvious. You need to use past tenses for the first IELTS task 1 map in 1995 and present tenses for the present day one. 

IELTS Task 1 Map Sample

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The map below shows the development of the village of Ryemouth between 1995 and present.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

IELTS Task 1 Map Sample

Sample Answer

The map shows how a village called Ryemouth has developed over the last twenty-five years. There have been several changes, the most noticeable being the increases in accommodation, the elimination of the fishing industry, and the introduction of sports facilities. 

In 1995, to the south of the village where the sea is there was previously a fishing industry, with a fishing port and quite a large fish market as well. Next to this was a small cafe. On the other side of the road running by the sea stood a line of five shops and a hotel, while situated in the north east part of the village was farmland and a park with trees. The main housing of the village was located in the north west around a main road that runs from the coastal road, with twelve houses, four of them encircled by a smaller side-street.

Turning to the present day map, it can be seen that the fishing facilities have all gone, being replaced by four apartments, and the shops have become restaurants. The cafe remains, as does the hotel, albeit with parking facilities which it did not have before. Having been converted into a golf course, the farmland has now gone, while the forest park has been removed to make way for tennis courts. Although the old houses remain, new ones have been built, along with a new road with two new houses beside it.  

(240 Words)

This IELTS task 1 map would receive a high score. 

The map has a clear overall progression and organisation as it is introduced, the main features are identified, then it clearly compares the first map with the second. 

There is a mix of vocabulary , with the right language of location used to say where things were positioned and the language of comparison and contrast used to good effect to show how things differed or remained the same.

There is a good range of accurate complex sentences and structures to ensure a higher score for grammatical range and accuracy.

Some examples of these are:

  • ...the village where the sea is
  • On the other side of the road running by the sea stood a...
  • ...hotel, while situated in
  • ...it can be seen that 
  • ...gone, being replaced by
  • ...albeit with parking facilities which it did not have before
  • Having been converted
  • Although the old houses

<<< Previous Sample

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More on IELTS Maps:

Ielts map writing task 1 sample: describing changes to a town.

Sometimes may be asked to describe an IELTS map in task 1 of the IELTS Test. This is a map of Brandfield with two proposed sites for a shopping mall. There is a model answer.

map essay ielts simon

IELTS Map Writing: Using the language of location

This IELTS map writing sample answer is about an island, before and after the construction of some tourist facilities, and it demonstrates language of location.

IELTS Map Practice: Learn and practice the language of location

This IELTS map practice exercise improves your skills in the language of location for maps. Choose the correct word to fit in the gap.

map essay ielts simon

IELTS Map Sample: Organising the map by features / items

In this IELTS map sample for writing task 1 you have to describe the differences presented in a plan of a park.

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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Map Diagram – Lessons, Tips and Strategies

Ruben Smith

Updated On Dec 15, 2021

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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Map Diagram – Lessons, Tips and Strategies

Limited-Time Offer : Access a FREE 10-Day IELTS Study Plan!

Understanding IELTS Map Diagram questions

In the IELTS map questions, the maps will mostly be about the same location at different times, which could be past, present, or future. So, you’ll have to write and describe the required changes you see between the maps. Many of the test takers confuse between map diagram questions and process diagram questions. But both are very different from each other. However, the IELTS map questions are the one of the easiest questions to answer where the test taker needs to compare 2 or 3 maps. Very rarely, there might be a single map. Sometimes the information presented in the map diagram questions are not as difficult as it may seem. So, do not panic if you get a map diagram question in IELTS Writing Task 1. 

Strategies to Answer IELTS Map Diagram Questions

Follow the below-mentioned strategies while answering IELTS Writing Task 1: Map Diagram Questions. 

  • Analyze the question and plan your answer accordingly 
  • Recognize the key features in the map and summarize the information and make comparisons where ever necessary 
  • Check whether the maps are from past, or present, or future situations. 
  • Use synonyms and paraphrase the question for an effective introduction 
  • Make sure to describe the general changes in the overview paragraph with appropriate words and correct verb tenses
  • Include detailed information along with supporting points in the following paragraphs 
  • Conclude the essay with a well-structured conclusion by summarizing the main points. 

Tips for Answering IELTS Map Diagram Questions

Below are some of the tips to consider while answering IELTS Writing Task 1: Map Diagram Questions 

  • Go through the instructions thoroughly and then read the map diagram questions. 
  • Make notes while analyzing the maps. You can circle, underline, number, or highlight the key points you think may be relevant. 
  • Remember, the more you plan what you’re going to write, the easier it will be to write about it. 
  • In this way, you may have some time to work on grammatical errors and spelling mistakes.
  • Make sure your report doesn’t exceed more than 150 words; otherwise, it will be considered invalid. 
  • Your report should be grammatically correct with the proper tenses.
  • Maintain the coherence of your essay 
  • Ensure that you complete your essay within 15 minutes, for which you need a lot of practice. 

Sample Practice

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

Plan A below shows a health centre in 2005.

Plan B shows the same place in the present day.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and making comparisons where relevant.

Write atleast 150 words

Sample Answer

What is the scoring for writing task 1.

The writing task 1 makes up to 33% of the score. 

How long should the content be?

The content should be a minimum of 150 words. However, keep an eye on the instructions part if it differs from the basic requirement. 

How much time will I get to complete the map diagram?

You will get not more than 20 minutes to complete the map diagram. 

Here are the 10 examples for the IELTS Map Diagram:

Also check: 

  • IELTS Writing Task 1 Bar chart
  • IELTS Writing task 1 tips
  • Tips to Improve IELTS Writing Skills
  • IELTS Writing recent actual test
  • IELTS Writing Answer sheet
  • IELTS map vocabulary
  • IELTS Writing Task 1 Connectors

Practice IELTS Writing Task 1 based on report types

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Ruben Smith

Ruben Smith

Ruben is a specialist and enthusiast in Linguistics. He speaks French, Spanish and German apart from English. He is a pronunciation expert and has even co-authored some books on the same. In the course of his research, he found the English language gap in non-native speakers. That’s when he decided to train students in English. He joined IELTSMaterial a few years ago and has written over 100+ articles. His articles are written in simple language but with strong attention to detail. His ideas are original and easy to understand. He has also researched on many tips that could help students score a band 9 with ease. These tips can be found across the website.

Explore other sample Map Diagrams

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Example 9 : Chorleywood is a village near London whose population has increased steadily – Map

Janice Thompson

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Topic:  The development of cutting tools in the stone age – Diagram

Nikita Batra

Paradise Island Map – IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Answers

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Gloria njobvu

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This is really helping me , thank you

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Navreet Kaur

Posted on Jul 26, 2022

Help me …to practice more and more for writing module

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IELTS Writing Task 1 by Simon [PDF] Free

9IELTS

Are you someone who wants to self-study  IELTS writing task 1  at home, but you do not know where to start and how to study? Even, Task 1 makes many people more confused than Task 2 because the problem has too many figures and detailed images, while the score only accounts for half of Task 2. To solve the above issues, please Learn about the IELTS Writing Task 1 collection with  9IELTS  from former examiner Simon.

Perhaps Mr. Simon Corcoran, former IELTS examiner and owner of the famous IELTS experience-sharing blog ielts-simon.com is no stranger to IELTS warriors anymore, right? With a simple but highly effective method, Mr. Simon is considered one of the most trusted IELTS preparation experts today!

IELTS Writing Task 1 by Simon  is an ideal product, including samples for all types of Writing Task 1 graphs. This is an extremely useful and highly normative treasure trove of knowledge worth any effort IELTS learners refer to.

IELTS Writing Task 1 by Simon Review

Book contents.

This IELTS self-study material is dedicated to those who are studying for Task 1 with topics extracted from famous sets and actual test questions, accompanied by sample articles in all types of articles, including Line graph (Line Chart), Bar chart, Pie chart, Table, Map, and Process.

Articles with excellent or advanced phrases are printed in blue, making it easy for learners to take notes and re-apply those phrases in their writing. In addition, a detailed Vietnamese translation is also placed on the right side, helping learners understand the meaning of new words and the logic and coherence of the article through a comparison between interpretations achieved in English and Vietnamese.

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Target Readers

IELTS Writing Task 1 by Simon  is a valuable reference sample source for those practising writing and need a standard to evaluate whether your writing is good, thereby improving further. In addition, the book is also especially effective for those who write well (about 5.5 – 6.0 according to the IELTS Writing band score) and who are looking for a simple but effective writing style.

Pros & Cons

IELTS Writing Task 1 by Simon  is very scientifically designed, with the types of articles appearing in levels from primary to advanced. This is a reliable address for  IELTS  preparation students when they are stuck in ideas because Mr. Simon’s sample articles are always coherent, clear, skillful use of vocabulary and diverse grammar will help students it’s easier for you to self-study  IELTS Writing  at home.

Another great point in  IELTS Writing Task 1 by Simon  is that the sample articles are pretty diverse and wealthy to help students familiarize themselves with more common test types.

However,  IELTS Writing Task 1 by Simon  is written entirely in English so it can be difficult for beginners, readers who want to use the book must be very persistent to achieve the expected results. In addition, the book does not have many visual illustrations, mainly words and words, so if you are not determined, it will be easy to get discouraged and give up halfway.

IELTS Writing Task 1 by Simon   Study Guide

Those who have lost their English roots should focus on improving their knowledge first or look for more basic books suitable for their learning purposes because this book is ideal for those who already understand English with more available background!

In addition, you should only refer to the word usage and how to develop ideas in  IELTS Writing Task 1 by Simon , not memorize sample articles, this will limit your knowledge and hinder your writing ability.

However, like many other books, readers should only use this book as a supplementary reference when self-studying for IELTS, avoiding the mentality of completely relying on books. In addition to carefully reading the book’s contents, you also need to combine updating modern exam trends and consulting other famous IELTS materials on the market to have a perfect IELTS preparation experience. Ultimately, practice is the key to success.

IELTS Writing Task 1 by Simon  strongly focuses on logical thinking and how to implement neat and coherent article ideas, so this will not be the right place for those who prefer long and complicated indirect writing.

Download IELTS Writing Task 1 by Simon   Free

Please visit the link below to download the  IELTS Writing Task 1 by Simon  book and start practising immediately! Above are suitable materials for IELTS preparation from Mr. Simon, who hopes to help you in the preparation process. Good luck with your studies.

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Why Pauline Kael’s fight over ‘Citizen Kane’ still matters, whichever side you’re on

Ultimate Hollywood Bookshelf essay illustration for Pauline Kael's book "Raising Kane" or "The Citizen Kane Book"

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Did Orson Welles get too much glory for “Citizen Kane”? Absolutely, New Yorker film critic Pauline Kael insists in this novella-length fire-starter about the making of the greatest movie of all time. (We can save that skirmish for another day.) As Charles Foster Kane, a sendup of newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, Welles embodied the image of a vainglorious Great Man. But Welles’ success, according to Kael, meant he also needed to be taken down a peg.

The Ultimate Hollywood Bookshelf

The Ultimate Hollywood Bookshelf

“Raising Kane” ranks No. 40 on our list of the best Hollywood books of all time.

“Orson Welles wasn’t around when ‘Citizen Kane’ was written,” Kael chided. The 25-year-old prodigy was busy doing radio plays with the Mercury Theatre and promoting his forthcoming film debut with a studio that wanted only one name — by Orson Welles! — on the posters. RKO’s advertising campaign lauded “Citizen Kane” as the creation of “a one-man band.” Meanwhile, the actual author of the masterpiece — the movie’s co-screenwriter, Herman J. Mankiewicz — was tucked away in a rest home in Victorville, dictating the script to his secretary.

"Raising Kane" by Pauline Kael

Kael’s Mankiewicz was a pitiable figure, a self-destructive alcoholic nursing a broken leg and an injured ego. She hoisted him up as one of Hollywood’s unheralded heroes, a brilliant quipster who quietly contributed his wit to everything from “Duck Soup” to “The Wizard of Oz.” Mankiewicz’s work often went unacknowledged, but he’d helped give the 1930s comedies the rat-a-tat rhythm of he and his friends ping-ponging jokes around the Algonquin Round Table. Much of the New York literary clique followed Mankiewicz to California when the industry shifted from silents to sound and filmmakers suddenly needed to hand their beautiful faces brilliant things to say. Together, this band of bohemians molded the modern movie business into what Kael hails as “wisecracking, fast-talking, cynical-sentimental entertainment.”

Decades later, David Fincher’s biopic “Mank” would back up Kael’s sympathetic sketch of Mankiewicz as the forgotten man. But pretty much everyone else considers her essay a hit job, a ferocious attack on a cinematic Goliath. “Raising Kane” took down Welles as handily as if she’d slipped a grenade in her slingshot. After the piece’s publication, Welles’ reputation tumbled — although the height from which he fell was his own fault. “Cinema is the work of one single person,” Kael quotes Welles as boasting, adding that he’d also bragged of making an easy transition from theater to film, as “there was nothing about camerawork that any intelligent man couldn’t learn in half a day.”

Such hubris put Welles in Kael’s crosshairs. (On his slighting of cinematographer Gregg Toland, she snarked, “Welles, like Hearst, and like most very big men, is capable of some very small gestures.”) Yet Kael’s real target was Village Voice film critic Andrew Sarris , her longtime rival who had staked his reputation on the auteur theory — the exaltation of the director über alles . To pull off her thesis, she refused to interview anyone who might have disagreed with her, including Welles himself. Anyone reading “Raising Kane” for the first time should remember that it’s merely one side in an intellectual tug-of-war.

Subsequent counter-essays flung darts at Kael’s biased research. (“How the hell do you call out a lady movie critic at dawn?” Welles groaned in a letter quoted in Peter Bogdanovich’s rebuttal, “The Kane Mutiny.”) But “Raising Kane’s” value transcends the question of whether Kael was correct. (She kinda was, she kinda wasn’t.) What matters is she started a fight that forced all film fans to consider, and defend, their definition of a great director: Is it a big boss enforcing their will upon a set, or a humble collaborator who brings out the best in their team?

For the peacemakers, it’s possible to twist “Raising Kane” into a defense of Welles’ later career, often waved off as not living up to the promise of his first film. If the boy genius puffed himself up too much, then it’s a kindness to forgive him for not measuring up to artificially inflated expectations. And despite the outrage, it’s clear that Kael admired “Citizen Kane” and the man who marshaled it into existence. “Orson Welles brought forth a miracle,” she wrote. Bless his heart.

Nicholson is a film critic and the host of the podcast “Unspooled.” Her first book, “Tom Cruise: Anatomy of an Actor” was published by Cahiers du Cinema, and her second, “Extra Girls,” will be published by Simon & Schuster.

More to Read

Ultimate Hollywood Bookshelf essay illustration for Julia Phillips' book "You’ll Never Eat Lunch in This Town Again"

Hollywood’s bravest and most foolhardy memoir wasn’t written by a movie star

April 8, 2024

Ultimate Hollywood Bookshelf essay illustration for Donald Bogle's book "Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies, and Bucks: An Interpretive History of Blacks in American Films"

The book that documented, and shaped, the course of Black Hollywood history

Ultimate Hollywood Bookshelf illustration for "Easy Riders, Raging Bulls" by Peter Biskind

An addictively readable history of the Hollywood Renaissance, with one glaring omission

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The Ultimate Hollywood Bookshelf

The 50 best Hollywood books of all time

Ultimate Hollywood Bookshelf essay illustration for “Final Cut: Art, Money, and Ego in the Making of Heaven’s Gate, the Film That Sank United Artists”

The story of epochal flop ‘Heaven’s Gate’ isn’t a disaster yarn. It’s a cautionary tale

Simone Gorrindo

A journalist grapples with her new identity as an Army wife

Illustration for The Ultimate Hollywood Bookshelf

We chose the best Hollywood books of all time. What’s on your list?

Watching the Total Eclipse Across North America

map essay ielts simon

By The New York Times

Today, in one of the greatest one-day migrations in history, humans flocked by the millions to a swath of North America that was briefly cast in a shadow of darkness and wonder. They crowded into airplanes, buses and trains, braved traffic jams, and slept in overpriced hotels, in tents and in their cars. For a cosmic moment, they were connected across the millennia with every other person who has ever experienced an eclipse, witnessing the light die and then be reborn as a dazzling ring. — Dennis Overbye

2:07 p.m. ET

Photographs by Meghan Dhaliwal

On the Pacific Coast in Sinaloa State, the city of Mazatlán opened its baseball stadium to eclipse viewers. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador also viewed the eclipse from Mazatlán.

map essay ielts simon

2:14 p.m. ET

Photographs by Marian Carrasquero

This part of central Mexico experienced the greatest duration of the eclipse — four minutes and 28 seconds. Thousands of residents and visitors viewed the event from the baseball field at Hidalgo de Dolores Elementary School.

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Nazas, with 14,000 people, is not known for tourism. Residents began renting out their homes after area hotels reached capacity.

map essay ielts simon

Photographs by Luis Antonio Rojas

Cuatro Ciénegas

Amid a vast landscape of gypsum dune fields — formed over millions of years — spectators viewed the eclipse.

map essay ielts simon

2:27 p.m. ET

Photographs by Todd Heisler

The border city of Eagle Pass has recently been inundated with hundreds of migrants arriving daily. Now, hundreds of people coming to view the eclipse have also arrived in the city.

map essay ielts simon

“We want people to see that Eagle Pass is more than just a destination for migrants,” Federico Garza, the police chief, said. The city held a three-day music festival that began on Saturday.

map essay ielts simon

2:36 p.m. ET

Photographs by Eli Durst

Vampire Weekend performed at Austin’s Moody Amphitheater, an experience for music and science lovers alike. Thousands of fans danced energetically while taking breaks to stare up at the sky with their eclipse-viewing glasses.

map essay ielts simon

2:40 p.m. ET

Photographs by Shelby Tauber

Crowds set up their picnic blankets alongside the Trinity River, which runs through Dallas, one of the largest cities to experience the total eclipse.

map essay ielts simon

2:50 p.m. ET

Photographs by Alex Kent

Russellville

More than 100 couples were married in a giant ceremony just minutes before the eclipse, during the Total Eclipse of the Heart festival.

map essay ielts simon

The day began with hot air balloon rides, and couples shared their first dance during the eclipse to the song, “Here Comes the Sun,” performed live by the Liverpool Legends, a Beatles cover band.

map essay ielts simon

2:52 p.m. ET

Photographs by Terra Fondriest

This rural Ozark mountain town, with a population of 130, hosted thousands of visitors. Many locals planned to hunker down at home with friends and family, avoiding the crowds in town.

map essay ielts simon

2:59 p.m. ET

Photographs by Andrea Morales

Murphysboro

This part of Southern Illinois was one the most popular spots in the Midwest to view the 2017 eclipse. This year, the Illinois Department of Transportation was expecting crowds of more than 100,000.

map essay ielts simon

3:05 p.m. ET

Photographs by Maansi Srivastava

Indianapolis

At the Indianapolis Zoo, researchers, animal keepers and volunteers studied the animals’ response to the eclipse.

map essay ielts simon

Photographs by Jamie Kelter Davis

At Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, one of the country’s best-known drag-racing tracks, spectators camped out for an event that included a concert and, as the eclipse began, two cars racing down the dragstrip.

map essay ielts simon

3:12 p.m. ET

Photographs by Maddie Hordinski

South Bass, a Lake Erie island, is home to the village of Put-in-Bay and its 200 or so full-time residents. Spectators traveling by ferry overwhelmed the tiny island.

map essay ielts simon

3:13 p.m. ET

Photographs by John Taggart

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame streamed a live eclipse soundtrack through the city’s Rock Boxes — speakers that are placed throughout downtown Cleveland — including music by David Bowie, Pink Floyd, Sun Ra and Taylor Swift.

map essay ielts simon

3:18 p.m. ET

Photographs by Lauren Petracca

On Monday morning, hundreds of passengers boarded a World War II-era train on the Arcade & Attica Railroad. The train carried them on a scenic ride to a depot where passengers watched the spectacle unfold.

map essay ielts simon

Photographs by Jalen Wright

Eclipse Fest, an event with games, entertainment and food, welcomed residents and visitors to Buffalo State University’s Coyer Field.

map essay ielts simon

Photographs by Ashley Gilbertson

Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls, one of the best known natural wonders, was a popular place for eclipse viewers, with a soundtrack of millions of gallons of water roaring over the falls.

map essay ielts simon

3:22 p.m. ET

Photographs by Adrienne Grunwald

Before the first pitch was thrown at a minor league game between the Syracuse Mets and the Worcester Red Sox, fans were treated to live entertainment, along with a — very cloudy — viewing of the eclipse.

map essay ielts simon

New England

3:26 p.m. ET

Photographs by Cassandra Klos

Burlington, Vt.

Eclipse enthusiasts came in droves to Burlington, on the shores of Lake Champlain. Hotels sold out as travelers came for watch parties, performances and family-friendly activities.

map essay ielts simon

3:32 p.m. ET

Photographs by Ashley L. Conti

Houlton, Maine

This small city on the border with Canada was among the last towns in the U.S. to experience the eclipse. Visitors were treated to clear skies in this normally cloudy part of the country.

map essay ielts simon

Photographs by Renaud Phillipe

With 1.7 million residents, Montreal is the most populous city on the path of totality. Montrealers and visitors gathered in the city’s numerous parks to watch the eclipse.

map essay ielts simon

3:33 p.m. ET

Photographs by Chris Donovan

Fredericton, New Brunswick

The small capital city of the coastal province of New Brunswick is a picturesque university town known for its network of walking and cycling trails. The city hosted EclipseFest, which featured performances, food and science exhibits

map essay ielts simon

3:40 p.m. ET

Photographs by Ian Willms

Gander, Newfoundland

On Sept. 11, 2001, residents of Gander opened their homes to thousands of passengers who were grounded after the World Trade Center was attacked. On Monday, they displayed their hospitality for a different kind of event.

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COMMENTS

  1. IELTS Writing Task 1: maps essay

    Here's my full essay for this map question: The diagrams illustrate some changes to a small island which has been developed for tourism. It is clear that the island has changed considerably with the introduction of tourism, and six new features can be seen in the second diagram. The main developments are that the island is accessible and visitors have somewhere to stay. Looking at the maps in ...

  2. IELTS Writing Task 1: 'maps' answer

    Here's the map task that we've been looking at, with my band 9 sample answer below it. (Cambridge IELTS 13) The maps illustrate some changes that were made to a city hospital's transport infrastructure between the years 2007 and 2010. It is noticeable that three main modifications were made to the hospital's vehicle access. These involved the building of a new bus station, new roundabouts ...

  3. How to Describe Maps for IELTS Writing Task 1

    In that regard, it is quite different from task 2. Maps are used in IELTS because they require you to describe the physical layout of a location in addition to showing changes over time. Normally, you will be given two maps of the same area and you will be asked to explain what changes have occurred. It is really important to know this because ...

  4. IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Map With Model Answer

    Some IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 questions present a map, which you'll need to describe and explain. To give you a better idea of how to approach this Task 1 question type, we'll show you a practice question with a model band 9 essay.. To see why this essay is band 9, see our Band 9 essay with scorer commentary, and check out the official IELTS rubric for Task 1 (PDF).

  5. IELTS Map

    You are required to write about the changes you see between the maps. There are 5 steps to writing a high-scoring IELTS map essay: 1) Analyse the question. 2) Identify the main features. 3) Write an introduction. 4) Write an overview. 5) Write the details paragraphs. I must emphasise the importance of steps 1 and 2.

  6. Sample Writing: Describe a Map

    And here is another sample answer: There are two maps showing the development of an island. The first map shows the island prior to its development, and the second shows the new tourist facilities that have been installed. Before the construction of the new tourist infrastructure, the island had no buildings.

  7. IELTS Map: Model Answer

    IELTS Map: Model Answer. Below is an IELTS map model answer which is estimated at band score 9. This is a comparison of three maps in different time periods for the academic writing task 1. If you wish to do practice exercises for grammar for the maps below, before you read this model, please follow the link: IELTS Map Comparison Exercise.

  8. IELTS Writing Task 1 (Academic)

    IELTS Writing Task 1 (academic) Tips and techniques. 1. Describing line graphs. 2. Avoid these mistakes. 3. First impressions / outline. 4.

  9. How to Write Map Essay in IELTS Writing Task 1

    Body Paragraph 1: Body Paragraph 1 is where you describe the first map in detail. Since the map is of the year 1990, we'll use the simple past tense to describe it. All you have to do is simply describe the location of each place on the map, which was located where. That's all!

  10. IELTS Task 1 Map: Describing each map in turn and using tenses

    Comments. This IELTS task 1 map would receive a high score. The map has a clear overall progression and organisation as it is introduced, the main features are identified, then it clearly compares the first map with the second.. There is a mix of vocabulary, with the right language of location used to say where things were positioned and the language of comparison and contrast used to good ...

  11. IELTS Academic Writing Task 1

    This section presents a list of common IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 - Map questions. If you want to prepare for the IELTS Writing Test, these questions are a must study. Question 1. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

  12. IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Map Diagram

    Conclude the essay with a well-structured conclusion by summarizing the main points. Tips for Answering IELTS Map Diagram Questions. Below are some of the tips to consider while answering IELTS Writing Task 1: Map Diagram Questions Go through the instructions thoroughly and then read the map diagram questions. Make notes while analyzing the maps.

  13. Ielts Simon

    My name is Simon Corcoran, and this is my mission as an IELTS teacher: I aim to provide the best information about the IELTS test, from an ex-examiner's perspective. Having been an examiner, I ...

  14. IELTS Writing Task 1 by Simon [PDF] Free

    Target Readers. IELTS Writing Task 1 by Simon is a valuable reference sample source for those practising writing and need a standard to evaluate whether your writing is good, thereby improving further.In addition, the book is also especially effective for those who write well (about 5.5 - 6.0 according to the IELTS Writing band score) and who are looking for a simple but effective writing style.

  15. IELTS Cambridge 17 Task 1 Essay: Map of an Industrial Area (Norbiton)

    Analysis. 1. The above maps detail Norbiton in the present day and plans for future development. 2. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the town will become less industrial and more residential with the construction of facilities for housing, education, shopping, and medical care. 3.

  16. Daily IELTS Lessons

    General Writing Task 1: 'Returning a product' answer. Mar 22, 2024| 2 Comments. Here's my band 9 answer for the 'returning a product' letter task. IELTS Speaking Part 1: 'Travel habits' topic. Mar 21, 2024| 2 Comments. In this lesson you'll see how I deal with a question that I had already answered.

  17. Model essays Archives

    Here's a good example of a "completely disagree" essay at band 9 level. IELTS Writing Task 2: 'Old people's health' essay. Feb 19, 2024| 2 Comments. You can now read my model answer for the 'old people's health' task. Have a look at the useful vocabulary list too. IELTS Writing Task 2: 'Choices' essay. Jan 1, 2024| 14 ...

  18. IELTS Writing Task 2: A 'balanced opinion' essay

    What is the difference between a 'balanced opinion' essay and a 'discussion' essay? If you're not sure, this lesson should help.

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  20. Linguistics news from around the globe: Hot topic links

    2023 Yvonne Becker Essay Prize Current Term Info Overview; Spring 2024 General Interest Courses ... Maps + directions; Library; Academic Calendar; Road Report; Give to SFU; Emergency Information; Connect with us Facebook Twitter YouTube. Contact us; Simon Fraser University 8888 University Drive Burnaby, B.C. Canada V5A 1S6.

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