Practice › Task 1
IELTS Writing Task 1: Map
How to recognise it
One place at two times (changes), or two plans for a future development.
The overview
Summarise the overall change (e.g. 'the area became more residential and less green').
Plan (20 minutes)
| Paragraph | What to write |
|---|---|
| Introduction (1 sentence) | Paraphrase the place and the years. |
| Overview (2 sentences) | The biggest overall changes, e.g. more housing, fewer trees. |
| Body 1 | Changes in one part of the map (e.g. north/west), using location language. |
| Body 2 | Changes in the other part, plus what stayed the same. |
Think before you write
- What does the visual show, in what units, and over what time or in what places?
- Find the 2-3 key features (biggest, smallest, main trend, biggest change, exception).
- Write the overview sentence first in your head; it decides how you group the body paragraphs.
- Choose only the figures that support those features. Don't describe everything.
Useful language
- to the north of…
- in the south-east corner
- next to…
- opposite…
- along the river
- …was replaced by…
- …was demolished
- …was converted into…
- …was extended
- …was built
- …was constructed
- …was added
- …was planted
- …remained unchanged
- …was still there
- …stayed in the same place
Mistakes that cost bands
- Describing the two maps separately instead of the changes.
- Weak location language.
- No overview of the overall transformation.
10 practice questions
Original questions written for upband.ai in the style of the exam. Write your answer in 20 minutes, then score it.
The maps show a small coastal village in 2000 and 2025.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
- Fishing harbour in the south
- Farmland to the north
- Small shop in the centre
- Forest in the east
- Harbour converted into a marina for yachts
- Farmland replaced by a hotel and car park
- Shop still in the centre; café added next to it
- Half of the forest cleared for holiday homes
The maps show a university campus in 2010 and 2025.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
- Library in the centre
- Car park in the north
- Sports field in the west
- Two lecture halls in the east
- Library extended
- Car park replaced by student housing
- Sports field unchanged
- Third lecture hall built in the east; new café added
The maps show a town centre before and after redevelopment.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
- Main road through the centre
- Bus station in the south
- Houses in the north
- Small park in the west
- Main road made pedestrian-only
- Bus station moved to the east edge
- Houses replaced by a shopping centre
- Park enlarged with a lake
The maps show an industrial area in 1990 and 2025.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
- Factory by the river
- Railway line to the south
- Warehouses in the east
- Workers' houses in the west
- Factory converted into apartments
- Railway replaced by a cycle path
- Warehouses demolished; park created
- Houses remain
The maps show two proposed sites for a new supermarket in a town.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
- Site A: north of town, near the motorway
- Site A: on farmland
- Site A: large car park possible
- Site B: town centre, next to the train station
- Site B: on an empty car park
- Site B: close to houses and schools
The maps show a park in 2005 and 2025.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
- Large lake in the centre
- Grass area in the north
- Café near the entrance in the south
- Tennis courts in the east
- Lake reduced in size; a playground added beside it
- Grass area now has a skate park
- Café enlarged
- Tennis courts replaced by a basketball court
The maps show a hospital site in 1995 and 2025.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
- Main building in the centre
- Car park in the north
- Gardens in the south
- Small clinic in the west
- Main building extended east
- Car park turned into a multi-storey car park
- Gardens reduced; new cancer centre built
- Clinic converted into staff housing
The maps show an airport in 2000 and 2025.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
- One terminal
- One runway
- Small car park
- Farmland to the east
- Second terminal built
- Second runway on former farmland
- Car park expanded; hotel added
- Train station connected to terminals
The maps show a school in 2015 and 2025.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
- Classroom block in the north
- Playground in the centre
- Staff car park in the east
- Field in the south
- Classroom block extended
- Playground unchanged
- Car park replaced by a sports hall
- Field partly used for a vegetable garden
The maps show a riverside area of a city in 1980 and 2025.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
- Docks along the river
- Warehouses behind the docks
- One bridge
- Empty land to the west
- Docks converted into a riverside walkway with restaurants
- Warehouses turned into offices and flats
- Second (pedestrian) bridge built
- Empty land now a park