IELTS Writing Task 1 map: question, model answer and location language
Map questions compare a place at two points in time, or show a plan for the future. They test two kinds of language at once: where things are (north of, next to, opposite) and what happened to them (demolished, replaced, extended). Try the question below in 20 minutes.
Updated 2026-10-23
What a map question asks you to do
Most IELTS map questions show the same place at two times. Some show two possible sites for a new building, or a plan for future development. Whatever the version, the main features are:
- what changed: built, removed, replaced, extended, converted;
- what stayed the same;
- the overall character of the change, such as more housing, more green space or less industry.
A structure for map questions
| Paragraph | Content |
|---|---|
| Introduction | What the maps show and when |
| Overview | The general nature of the change and what stayed the same |
| Body 1 | Changes in one part of the map (for example, west of the road) |
| Body 2 | Changes in the other part |
Dividing the map by area makes your answer easy to follow, and it makes you use location language naturally.
Practice question
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The maps below show the village of Halden in 2005 and today.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
Halden is a fictional village.
Band 9 model answer
The maps compare the village of Halden in 2005 with its layout today.
Overall, the village has become considerably more residential and better served, with farmland giving way to housing and new facilities appearing beside the main road. The river and the main road, which runs from north to south, are the only features that have not changed.
The most dramatic transformation has taken place to the west of the main road. In 2005 this whole area was farmland, but it has since been developed. Its northern part is now a housing estate, while the southern part, beside the river, has become a park. A footbridge has also been built across the river from the park.
East of the road, the small row of shops and the post office in the north have been replaced by a single, larger shopping centre. Further south, the car park that once occupied most of this area has been reduced in size to make room for a medical centre, which now stands next to it on the western side.
Word count: 175
Why this answer scores highly
Task Achievement. Every change is covered and the overview gives the overall direction (more residential, more services) plus what stayed the same.
Coherence and Cohesion. The two body paragraphs are organised by area, west and east of the road, and each moves from north to south. Location phrases open sentences, so the reader always knows where they are.
Lexical Resource. Change vocabulary is precise and varied: giving way to, developed, replaced by, reduced in size to make room for. Location language is accurate: to the west of, beside the river, further south, next to it.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy. The present perfect passive (has been replaced, has been built) is used correctly for change up to now, and contrasted with the past simple for 2005.
Language for maps
| Change | Verbs (passive is common) |
|---|---|
| Added | was built, was constructed, was added, appeared, was opened |
| Removed | was demolished, was knocked down, was cleared, disappeared |
| Changed use | was converted into, was replaced by, gave way to, became |
| Size | was extended, was enlarged, was expanded, was reduced in size |
| No change | remained, was unchanged, still runs, is still located |
| Location | Examples |
|---|---|
| Compass | in the north-west, to the east of the road, in the southern part |
| Position | next to, opposite, beside, between X and Y, across from |
| Movement | further south, running from north to south, across the river |
Common mistakes on map questions
- Describing one map, then the other. The task is to compare, so describe each area as a change from then to now.
- Vague locations. "There is a park now" does not tell the examiner where. Add a location to every change.
- Wrong tense. "The farmland was replaced" (past simple) and "the farmland has been replaced" (present perfect) are both fine for a then-and-now map. "The farmland is replaced" is not.
- Forgetting what stayed the same. Unchanged features are part of the overview.
Before you hand it in
- Did you divide the map into areas and describe each change with a location?
- Does the overview describe the overall character of the change?
- Are your passives and tenses consistent?
Next, try a question with two different charts, or practise with a process diagram.
Frequently asked questions
Which tenses should I use for a map question?
For a past-and-present map, use the past simple for the old map and the present perfect or past simple passive for changes ('has been replaced', 'was demolished'). For a plan of future changes, use 'will be' or 'is going to be' with the passive.
Do I need to use compass directions?
They help, because they make locations precise. Use 'in the north-west of the village' or 'to the east of the main road'. Phrases like 'on the left' are less clear because the reader does not know which way you are facing.
What should the overview of a map answer say?
Summarise the character of the change, for example 'the village has become more residential and its services have expanded', and mention anything that stayed the same.