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A CATHOLIC COLLEGE OF HIGHER EDUCATION

An IELTS Map in Writing Task 1 is a prompt where you're presented with one or more maps depicting the same location at different points in time. Your task is to analyze and compare these maps, highlighting the key changes that have occurred.

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Here's a breakdown of what to expect in an IELTS Map task:

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Map Features:

• Number of Maps: You'll typically get 2 maps showing the same location at different times (past, present,future).

• Focus: The maps might showcase changes in urban development, infrastructure, land use, etc.

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Task Requirements:

• Identify Key Changes: Focus on the most significant alterations between the maps.

• Compare and Contrast: Highlight how the location has transformed over time.

• Organize Your Writing: Structure your essay with an introduction, overview, and detailed descriptions of changes.

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*Do not describe everything, rather, describe changes between old and new.

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Grammar for Describing IELTS Maps:

• Tense: Use the past tense for earlier maps and the present tense for the most recent one.

• Comparison Vocabulary: Employ words like "increased," "developed," "replaced," to highlight changes.

• Transition Words: Use connectives like "however," "in contrast," to show differences between maps.

• Prepositional Phrases: Utilize phrases like "in the north-west corner," "to the east of the river," to describe locations on the map.

 

Tips:

• Read the Instructions Carefully: Understand what the prompt asks you to focus on.

• Overview Paragraph: Briefly summarize the overall changes in your introduction.

• Focus on Details: Provide specific examples from the maps to give descriptions using adjectives. Always use prepositions of location, and the correct tenses.

• Maintain Formal Style: Use appropriate vocabulary and avoid informal language.

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Click here for the IELTS Map Cheat Sheets, and here for the IELTS Summary Sheets.