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IELTS Writing Maps: Model Answer, Tips & Vocabulary

Below is an IELTS Writing Task 1 Map Model Answer with Great Tips and also Vocabulary. The IELTS Map Model Answer is Band Score 9 and helps you see the structure, key features and language. The IELTS Map question is a comparison of three maps in different time periods for the academic writing task 1. 

TIPS FOR IELTS MAPS: WRITING Task 1

Below are useful tips and techniques for writing a high band score writing task 1 map.

Types of IELTS Maps

There are a variety of maps that you can get in IELTS Writing Task 1 test:

• Changes in Towns

These types of maps focus on the expansion and layout of towns with features such as roads, buildings, land and other features of a town or city. It is most common to be given two maps, but occasionally (like in the model below) you could get three maps.

2. Changes in a Resort

This is about a holiday area which usually has different features than a town. There might be facilities such as swimming pools, nature hikes, hotels, beaches and water features. These types of tasks often compare current resorts with a future resort. However, future maps could appear as any type of map. 

3. Places with Multiple Buildings and Features

Typical examples of this type of map is a school, university or hospital.

This type of map covers an area of ground containing different buildings that serve different functions. The layout is different to a town and the facilities relate only to the function of the company/institution.

4. Floor Plans 

You could be given a floor plan which means it is the layout of a building on the inside showing all the rooms. Floor plans often show a past layout with a future plan to expand and alter rooms. Unlike the above maps, this one is about rooms and the functions of rooms. For example a room might have been a study in the past but there are plans to expand it and use it as a kitchen/diner. 

Grammar Tenses for Map Writing

Always check the date on the maps.:

• if the map is dated in the past , you must use past tense. For example, “The hospital was located to the north side of the town”
• if the map shows a future plan , you must use future forms, such as “it will be extended and will no longer be used as an office, but instead used as a reception room.”. 
• if the map is dated as “Present” or “Now”, you would use the present tense.
• If there is a comparison of dates , you must be flexible with the tenses in your sentences: “the office was located on the ground floor but in the future it will be moved to the first floor.”
• You will also notice that the passive voice is sometimes used for map reports for writing task 1.

Map KEYS and Compass Points

Sometimes your map will have a key. This is a a box of information in the map that tells you what things are called. You should pay attention to it and use that language.

Always check if the map shows north. For towns and other areas, you can always presume that north is directly up. It is important to know: north, south, east and west. Watch the video below for map vocabulary.

Structure & Paragraphing for IELTS Map Writing

Structure of Report

• Introduction – paraphrasing the description given and adding more required information
• Overview – collecting all key features into one paragraph
• Body Paragraph 1 – details of the maps
• Body Paragraph 2 – details of the maps
• Body Paragraph 3 – details of the maps (optional)

Overview: Key Features

All overviews in writing task 1 are critical to your score and are the most important paragraph. They must contain all key features. So, you need to pay attention to what changes and what stays the same. This what you highlight in your overview paragraph. The biggest mistake people make is writing only one sentence for their overview because they think it isn’t important.

Body Paragraphs

Your division of information for body paragraphs will depend on what your maps show. You might divide the information into paragraphs based in different time periods. But if you do that, you won’t be comparing. Or you could divide information based on what changes and what doesn’t. Body paragraph organisation must be logical whatever your choice.

IELTS MAP WRITING TASK 1: Model Answer 

The maps below show the changes that have taken place in Meadowside village and Fonton, a neighbouring town, since 1962.

Source: Map above not produced by IELTS Liz.

IELTS Map Comparison Model Answer

The three maps illustrate how Meadowside village and Fonton, which is a nearby town, have developed from 1962 to the present.

Overall, both Fonton and Meadowside village increased in size over the years until they eventually merged together, at which point Meadowside became a suburb. Furthermore, there have been significant changes to 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 to the north, Meadowside, located to the west of Fonton, only had a small road from the west.

By 1985, Meadowside had expanded and the small road had become a main road. A further main road had been built to connect the village to Fonton. Within Meadowside, a superstore, leisure complex and housing estate had been developed. By this time, Fonton had also grown in size. 

Currently, Meadowside is known as Meadowside Suburbs after joining with Fonton. Between both places, a hotel, station and business park have been built on either side of the railway line.

COMMENTS about MODEL ANSWER:

• It isn’t often that you will have three body paragraphs for your IELTS Writing Task 1 report. But this maps has three time periods so it makes sense to have these body paragraphs.
• Body Paragraph 1 – roads and railway
• Body Paragraph 2 – land and buildings
• There is no right or wrong way to organise information into body paragraphs. You are being marked on being logical in how you organise information. If it lacks logic, you get a lower score. Your organisation also needs to help highlight key features which means deciding key features during your planning state is important because it will influence your paragraphing.
• The length of all writing task 1 should be between 170 and 190 words. A longer report will be marked down for not selecting features and getting lost in detail. A shorter report will be marked for not having enough information. To learn about the marking criteria that the examiner will assess you on, click here: Writing Task 1 Band Scores Explained

Vocabulary for Maps Video

The map shown in this lesson was designed for teaching vocabulary – it not an IELTS map task.

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU

• How to write an introduction for writing task 1
• Overview or Conclusion?
• Diagram Model Answer
• Line Graph Model Answer
• ALL MODEL ANSWERS AND TIPS FOR WRITING TASK 1

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The diagrams given below compare the current layout of Meadowside village and its neighboring town, Fonton with those in 1962 and in 1985.

Overall, both Meadowside village and Fonton experienced numerous changes, specifically in terms of increasing land area to eventually merge together. Furthermore, there has been significant urbanization, as the housing and infrastructure facilities have greatly developed. In 1962, Meadowside village was a bare land with no railway tracks and a small road from the west, whereas Fonton, located to the east of Meadowside was a separate land with a railway track running through it. From 1962 to 1985, Meadowside village exhibited substantial development growing into a larger village with a housing estate in the west, a super store in the south, a leisure complex in the east and wider roads. Notably, during this period, Fonton’s land area increased in size and a connection between the two towns was established via road.

The growth of these two areas has continued to the current date, consequently, resulting in the land areas joining together to form one large town ultimately forming Meadowside suburbs. The railway lines that belonged to Fonton, has now been extended alongside the road to reach a station. To the north of this station, a hotel has been constructed and opposite the station, on the other side of the road, a business park is now present.

The maps depicts the layout of Meadowside village and Fonton in 1962 and what modifications have experienced from 1985 until now. Overall, the size of Meadowside village and Fonton has been largened in favour of significant alertations to infrastructure, commercial and residential facilities which have been added. In the initial period surveyed, Meadowside village and Fonton were located separately, the former in the east and the latter in the opposite side. Railway line was laid through Fonton from the north to the west. Similarly, there was small road to the east upon the village.

The given map indicates the alters which have occurred in meadowside rural a neighboring fonton from 1962 until now. As it is clear, The maps show an expanding trend and how meadowside has developed during this time. In 1962, Meadowside was a small village on the west side of the town and two local paths made connections between the village and other parts. However, it wasn’t a stable situation because Meadowside became bigger than in the past and created two roads which through the pass of the village made a connection to Fonton. Furthermore, several places were added to the meadow side in 1985. In addition, The Fonton was developed on the west side in 1985. The Meadowside village has developed and become a part of Fonton while in1962 was a small village and now is a suburb of Fonton town and these days was build a rail station, business park and a hotel near the main road.

These three maps demonstrated the layout of a village named Meadowside and its neighborhood in the respective years 1962, 1985 and present time . Basically, over the period of time this village converted into well developed suburb area with numerous changes taken place in terms of infrastructure. Initially, in year 1962 meadowside was a village with almost very empty spaces and there was not any connecting road available to its neighborhood Fonton. Although, in year 1985 a link road was built to connect both areas. Other infrastructure developments that took place was a leisure club, a targeted area for housing and a super market. Now comparing with current scenario, Meadowside is transformed into suburban area which is expanded towards Fonton. In the midst of this area a hotel, a station is built. Additionally a business park also built in front of main linking highway.

Hi, do we have to mention that the housing complex was build to the west or is it sufficient to just mention buildings that were built?

Generally, you would give locations. However, it really depends on how much information there is to relate. If there is a lot of information, you would choose how to present it differently to if there was only a bit of information. There are no fixed rules. Task 1 is a short report aimed at being around 170-190 words. Rarely does it go over 200 and if it does, it would only be around 210 words. Also, it is designed to be completed in just 20 mins. So, if you take those things into consideration, you’ll make certain choices and this is what you plan before you start writing.

Hi Liz, shouldn’t we maintain the writing task 1 structure as follows: Introduction, Overview, Detailed Paragraph 1 and Detailed Paragraph 2? But, here you have shown five paragraphs containing the whole essay. Could you help to solve my confusion?

The first thing to note is that task 1 is not an essay. It’s really important that you realise this. Task 2 is an essay and task 1 is a report. This is why the sentence structures are similar, language is similar and structure is similar. Regarding organisation of paragraphs, IELTS is testing your ability to group information together into paragraphs. There are no set rules for how many paragraphs you might have. But logically, you can see that in a short report (and IELTS reports are short), you will need an introduction, an overview and body paragraphs (plural). It is most likely that you will only need 2 body paragraphs. Almost all task 1 will have only two. But three are sometimes needed. That is why I create these model answers. I want you to see what must stay the same and where there is flexibility. So, you are doing the right thing in spotting these differences. But just know that if I’ve done it in a model answer, then it’s safe to do. My model answers are safe to learn from and I am careful in how I create them for learning purposes.

Hi liz i hope you are doing well i had one question in your map essay you categorise it to five paragraph is that possible to do it in any writing task1 because to my knowledge most of the time we make it four and thank you for your assistance

The first thing to realise is that writing task 1 is a report, not an essay. Secondly, there are no fixed rules for the number of paragraphs. Most reports will have two body paragraphs, but occasionally you’ll get a task that requires three. It all depends on the information given in the task.

The maps show the changes that have taken place in meadowside village and a neighbouring town called Fonton since 1962. It shows meadowside village and Fonton town as two independent places in 1962 with no road or rail linking them. However, both places have now been connected by a road and a few other infrastructure have been constructed between them.

Overall, the maps show a significant growth in both places between 1962,1985 and now. The development started in 1985 with a housing estate, leisure complex and a superstore, all established in meadowside village. A road was also constructed this particular year linking meadowside village with Fonton town. Both places also expanded in terms of land mass between 1962 and 1985.

Currently, meadowside village has become a suburb and is presently called meadowside suburb, it has also further expanded and completely merged with Fonton town. Additionally, a hotel, station and bus park have been built between both places.

In conclusion, it is obvious that both meadowside village and fonton town have immensely seen major growth and development between 1962 and now.

I don’t usually comment, but I will say this: The overview is the most important paragraph in task 1. It contains all key features, not data and details. It is an general view of the main stages or main changes. You can’t have an overview and a conclusion in a report for task 1. Just the overview is required.

The map illustrates Meadowside village and Fonton and how they have developed over the years 1962, 1985 and presently.

Overall, Meadowside village has become bigger and is now Meadowside suburb as it has merged with Fonton. There are new roads connecting the two villages and new buildings have been built.

In 1962, Meadowside village and Fonton lie on either side not connected by road or rail. But it is visible that Fonton had a rail running through it from the north to the east. On the other hand, Meadowside village had a small road passing through it; it started in the north and moved to the west.

As we move to 1985, we can see that Meadowside village has been expanded and now facilitates a housing estate along with a leisure complex beside it. Across the road that runs through the village which was previously only a small road and is now a main road, we are able to notice the presence of a superstore on the south of the residential area which first appeared in 1985. It is noticeable that there is a road that passes through the village and Fonton from the west to east.

In terms of now, Meadowside is now a suburb. A new rail has emerged towards the east starting from a station located in the center of the two places. Just above the station is where the hotel is situated. Below the station, we can see the business park as well.

Hi can you please correct my mistakes and let me know if there is anything I can do to make this better. And what is a score that I can expect?

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

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.

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.

broo this is a 9.5 score band

i love u lizz

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Thank you for this update

You’re welcome 🙂

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.

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.

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.

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

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 🙂

Are you briliant teacher

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

Thanks Liz 😍💜

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.

Liz thank you so much 😊

Thanks you so much Liz mam ❤️❤️

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.

@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 🙂

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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

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.

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 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.

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.

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

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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How to Create a Mind Map for Essay Writing

Last Updated: December 1, 2023 Fact Checked

Generating Your Map

Organizing your map for writing, expert q&a.

This article was co-authored by Jake Adams . Jake Adams is an academic tutor and the owner of Simplifi EDU, a Santa Monica, California based online tutoring business offering learning resources and online tutors for academic subjects K-College, SAT & ACT prep, and college admissions applications. With over 14 years of professional tutoring experience, Jake is dedicated to providing his clients the very best online tutoring experience and access to a network of excellent undergraduate and graduate-level tutors from top colleges all over the nation. Jake holds a BS in International Business and Marketing from Pepperdine University. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 289,203 times.

If you’re a visual learner or just looking to switch up how you outline your essays, mind maps can be a game-changer. They make coming up with ideas for your essay and organizing them super easy. If you’ve never used a mind map for essay writing before, don’t worry—we break down everything you need to know to get started in the steps below.

Things You Should Know

• Get out a piece of paper and write your topic in the center. This can be a single word or sentence.
• Then, write down any words and ideas that relate to your topic. Circle them and then draw lines or arrows to connect them to the topic.
• Label each bubble idea according to where it fits into your paper. This can be a specific paragraph or a general section, like the introduction.

• Lay out the colored markers or pencils to which you have assigned meaning.
• Orient your paper so that it is in landscape position.
• If you don't have colored pencils or markers, don't worry. You can still make a mind map with just a pen or pencil!

• Circle your topic.

• Each thing you write down may give you another association. Write that down as well. For instance, writing "Impairment vs. disability" might remind you of "wheelchair ramps."
• Try to cluster related thoughts together ("wheelchair ramps"—"access to public life"), but don't worry if it doesn't always happen—you can draw a line between things you wish to connect.
• Look for connections between your unrelated thoughts and jot them into the picture.

• You might also label them "supporting argument," "evidence," "counterargument" etc.

• Include doodles if they occur to you, but again, don't get caught up in making them perfect.
• Depending on your age and essay topic, you might want to focus more on drawing pictures than writing out words.

• While there are plenty of programs available for purpose, you can also use free online mapping tools like Bubble.us, Mind42, or Coggle.

• Add details as you go. For instance, you may write some of the sources you are planning to use to the sections of your essay to which they apply.

• If you do this, you can start by drawing bubbles for the sections and continue by filling in the thoughts and associations.
• You can also organize your revised mind map into bubble for topic sentences that branch into smaller bubbles for supporting arguments and evidence.
• Once you've done this, you practically have a rough draft of your paper.

• Start each paragraph with a sentence that introduces the ideas of that paragraph, and write until you have incorporated all the information for that section.
• If you end up adding things that weren't on your map, look at your map to check that they fit, and consider penciling them in. One of the virtues of the map is that it keeps you on topic.
• Make sure you're not cramming too many points from your mind map into a single paragraph.

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre/sites/default/files/docs/learningguide-mindmapping.pdf
• ↑ https://emedia.rmit.edu.au/learninglab/content/how-create-mind-map
• ↑ https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/using-concept-maps/
• ↑ Jake Adams. Academic Tutor & Test Prep Specialist. Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.

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How to Describe an IELTS Writing Task 1 Map

Below, I’m going to walk you through the five steps to writing top-scored IELTS map essays:

• Master the basic vocabulary
• Understand the objectives of the task
• Fully describe the items on the map
• Describe the way elements of the map change (an IELTS Writing map is two part, showing how a place changes)
• Combine all of these skills into a full essay

A full walkthrough of Writing Task 1 maps, including a model essay, can be seen in Eliot’s video above. (You can watch the video now, or check it out later after reading this guide!)

IELTS Map Vocabulary

Before we look at the finer parts of how to write about an IELTS map, let’s think about the basic features of these maps and the IELTS map vocabulary used to describe them. In a nutshell, most IELTS maps will show a large location with buildings and other specific types of areas and locations. And typically, there will actually be two maps: a before and after map. With that in mind, there are three major important categories of vocabulary for describing such maps. For each of the three categories below, I’ve given a partial list of the kids of words you might use. This should give you a general idea, and I would encourage you to think up additional similar words on your own.

Words that Describe the Places

Adjectives:, words that describe the locations of places, compass words:.

• NOTE: Even if a compass does not appear on a map, you can assume that up is north, down is south, left is west, and right is east

DIRECTIONAL WORDS AND PREPOSITIONS:

• across from

Words that Describe Actions and Change

• constructed
• significant
• substantial

How to Write About an IELTS Map

How to write a map essay in IELTS involves a simple 5 step process:

1. Get Fluent in Basic IELTS Map Vocabulary

Develop your skills and knowledge for words that describe places, where places are located in relation to each other, and how places change in IELTS Writing maps. The lists I’ve provided are a great place to start.

2. Understand The Objectives

To tackle the challenge of describing a map for the exam, you must understand the objectives of the task at hand. Importantly, while 75% of your score represents your linguistic performance (coherence and cohesion, vocabulary, and grammar), 25% depends on your achievement of the task.

Earning a high band score for task 1 completion  is awarded for a “clear overview of main trends, differences, or stages.” If a clear overview cannot be achieved, you must minimally highlight the key features related to the prompt.

With this in mind, check out the image below:

If we want to consider key features or trends, it wouldn’t be enough to say that there are rides, recreational areas, and places where goods can be purchased. This doesn’t provide any overviews; it simply lists elements. Noting patterns and overall “trends” requires looking at the bigger picture, not isolated elements. An overview might point out instead that rides and tours tend to be farther from the parking area (i.e. the roller coaster, Ferris wheel, and magic castle), and that places where visitors can rest are closer to the theme park entrance (i.e. the food court and the playground/picnic area).

But you probably won’t be given an image and simply told, “describe it.” Instead, you will be given a specific task, and you will use the information in the image to complete it. For example, for the image above, a the full task is actually to describe the key features and differences between the current layout of the theme park, and the way the theme park will look after some planned future changes.

3. Go Beyond Naming

Ultimately, your task requires more than mere description. While nouns are obviously important (for naming various structures and natural elements and their basic positions on the map), task completion involves more than listing items. Describing trends, differences, or stages requires noting the relationship among elements and between images for comparison. Remember, there’s far more to IELTS Writing Task 1 vocabulary than just the names of things.

Imagine that your task is to examine before and after illustrations of a neighborhood over the course of a century.

For this task, it is clearly not enough to name what is new.  Don’t just describe what’s there, describe the relationship between what’s there.

For example, do not simply say “there is an office complex that wasn’t there before.” What relationship does this have to the big picture?  Remember, you must be able to provide an overview .

4. Describe the Changes Between the Two Maps

But, wait! Your overview shouldn’t just mention elements and their relationship to one another. How are the elements that you’re describing relevant to the prompt? What changes have been made?  We must connect these observations to the before and after context, reflecting change:

• The cannery along the northwest side of Oak Avenue was replaced by an office complex.
• The main road is connected to side roads that are closer to the lake and river. In the second map, the road that ended near the river now goes over the river via bridge.
• There is a petrol station on the other side of the road from the Yang Office Complex, where the elementary school had been on the older map.
• The main road currently has two shops, where previously there had been just one shop. These shops sit between the more recently constructed apartment buildings and an expanded set of homes.
• The smaller elementary school on the north side of Miller’s Lake was expanded and moved to the east side of the lake.

Now that’s more like it! Always remember that the IELTS Writing Task 1 map comparison between the old and new features is very important.

5. Put These Skills Together into a Full Essay

At this point, you’ve mastered the basic vocabulary, made your descriptions of the places on the map more detailed, and learned to describe change between two maps. Of course, these are just a few of many ways you could describe the map above. Your final step is to apply all this knowledge to map essays of your own creation. Try writing your own essay about the map above, or create an essay based on our full set of IELTS Writing Task 1 practice questions . That set includes a link to the full model IELTS Writing Task 2 essay based on the map above .

Final Takeaways For Using IELTS Writing Task 1 Map Vocabulary

Main takeaways for using IELTS map vocabulary to compare and describe an IELTS map:

• Remember that the examiner is looking for an overview with main points, not an exhaustive list of elements. (Notice, for example that I didn’t precisely quantify housing units, describe exact comparative distances, or give the exact names of every location.)
• Think of the big picture. Rather than focusing on what’s there, think about how they’re related to the overall developments.
• Don’t forget your primary task – What changes have been made? What occurred, resulting in the differences you see?

Check out more helpful articles on the use of IELTS Writing Task 1 map vocabulary ( and this bonus IELTS Video! ) on preparing for the IELTS Academic Writing Task 1:

• How to Describe an IELTS Academic Pie Chart
• How to Describe an IELTS Academic Bar Chart
• How to Prepare for Academic IELTS Academic Writing Task 1

David is a Test Prep Expert for Magoosh TOEFL and IELTS. Additionally, he’s helped students with TOEIC, PET, FCE, BULATS, Eiken, SAT, ACT, GRE, and GMAT. David has a BS from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and an MA from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. His work at Magoosh has been cited in many scholarly articles , his Master’s Thesis is featured on the Reading with Pictures website, and he’s presented at the WITESOL (link to PDF) and NAFSA conferences. David has taught K-12 ESL in South Korea as well as undergraduate English and MBA-level business English at American universities. He has also trained English teachers in America, Italy, and Peru. Come join David and the Magoosh team on Youtube , Facebook , and Instagram , or connect with him via LinkedIn !

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5 responses to “How to Describe an IELTS Writing Task 1 Map”

THANKS I LOVE IT !

Perfect explanation about the format of task 1.

Dear Sir/Madam,

If we use passive voice for present change then do we have to use have been or has been. In the above explanation, can we use has been instead of have been?

“Have been” is for plural subjects, and “has been” is for singular subjects. Here’s one of the examples from above:

The western and central parts of the island have been developed into a resort.

“Western and central parts” is plural, so you use “have.” If we change this sentence so that the subject is singular, it becomes:

“The western part of the island has been developed into a resort.”

Since this example has only one part, we use the singular “has.” I hope that answers your question!

nicely explained

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How to Write an Essay Outline | Guidelines & Examples

Published on August 14, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An essay outline is a way of planning the structure of your essay before you start writing. It involves writing quick summary sentences or phrases for every point you will cover in each paragraph , giving you a picture of how your argument will unfold.

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Table of contents

Organizing your material, presentation of the outline, examples of essay outlines, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about essay outlines.

At the stage where you’re writing an essay outline, your ideas are probably still not fully formed. You should know your topic  and have already done some preliminary research to find relevant sources , but now you need to shape your ideas into a structured argument.

Creating categories

Look over any information, quotes and ideas you’ve noted down from your research and consider the central point you want to make in the essay—this will be the basis of your thesis statement . Once you have an idea of your overall argument, you can begin to organize your material in a way that serves that argument.

Try to arrange your material into categories related to different aspects of your argument. If you’re writing about a literary text, you might group your ideas into themes; in a history essay, it might be several key trends or turning points from the period you’re discussing.

Three main themes or subjects is a common structure for essays. Depending on the length of the essay, you could split the themes into three body paragraphs, or three longer sections with several paragraphs covering each theme.

As you create the outline, look critically at your categories and points: Are any of them irrelevant or redundant? Make sure every topic you cover is clearly related to your thesis statement.

Order of information

When you have your material organized into several categories, consider what order they should appear in.

Your essay will always begin and end with an introduction and conclusion , but the organization of the body is up to you.

Consider these questions to order your material:

• Is there an obvious starting point for your argument?
• Is there one subject that provides an easy transition into another?
• Do some points need to be set up by discussing other points first?

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See an example

Within each paragraph, you’ll discuss a single idea related to your overall topic or argument, using several points of evidence or analysis to do so.

In your outline, you present these points as a few short numbered sentences or phrases.They can be split into sub-points when more detail is needed.

The template below shows how you might structure an outline for a five-paragraph essay.

• Thesis statement
• First piece of evidence
• Second piece of evidence
• Summary/synthesis
• Importance of topic
• Strong closing statement

You can choose whether to write your outline in full sentences or short phrases. Be consistent in your choice; don’t randomly write some points as full sentences and others as short phrases.

Examples of outlines for different types of essays are presented below: an argumentative, expository, and literary analysis essay.

Argumentative essay outline

This outline is for a short argumentative essay evaluating the internet’s impact on education. It uses short phrases to summarize each point.

Its body is split into three paragraphs, each presenting arguments about a different aspect of the internet’s effects on education.

• Importance of the internet
• Concerns about internet use
• Thesis statement: Internet use a net positive
• Data exploring this effect
• Analysis indicating it is overstated
• Students’ reading levels over time
• Why this data is questionable
• Video media
• Interactive media
• Speed and simplicity of online research
• Questions about reliability (transitioning into next topic)
• Evidence indicating its ubiquity
• Claims that it discourages engagement with academic writing
• Evidence that Wikipedia warns students not to cite it
• Argument that it introduces students to citation
• Summary of key points
• Value of digital education for students
• Need for optimism to embrace advantages of the internet

Expository essay outline

This is the outline for an expository essay describing how the invention of the printing press affected life and politics in Europe.

The paragraphs are still summarized in short phrases here, but individual points are described with full sentences.

• Claim that the printing press marks the end of the Middle Ages.
• Provide background on the low levels of literacy before the printing press.
• Present the thesis statement: The invention of the printing press increased circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.
• Discuss the very high levels of illiteracy in medieval Europe.
• Describe how literacy and thus knowledge and education were mainly the domain of religious and political elites.
• Indicate how this discouraged political and religious change.
• Describe the invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg.
• Show the implications of the new technology for book production.
• Describe the rapid spread of the technology and the printing of the Gutenberg Bible.
• Link to the Reformation.
• Discuss the trend for translating the Bible into vernacular languages during the years following the printing press’s invention.
• Describe Luther’s own translation of the Bible during the Reformation.
• Sketch out the large-scale effects the Reformation would have on religion and politics.
• Summarize the history described.
• Stress the significance of the printing press to the events of this period.

Literary analysis essay outline

The literary analysis essay outlined below discusses the role of theater in Jane Austen’s novel Mansfield Park .

The body of the essay is divided into three different themes, each of which is explored through examples from the book.

• Describe the theatricality of Austen’s works
• Outline the role theater plays in Mansfield Park
• Introduce the research question : How does Austen use theater to express the characters’ morality in Mansfield Park ?
• Discuss Austen’s depiction of the performance at the end of the first volume
• Discuss how Sir Bertram reacts to the acting scheme
• Introduce Austen’s use of stage direction–like details during dialogue
• Explore how these are deployed to show the characters’ self-absorption
• Discuss Austen’s description of Maria and Julia’s relationship as polite but affectionless
• Compare Mrs. Norris’s self-conceit as charitable despite her idleness
• Summarize the three themes: The acting scheme, stage directions, and the performance of morals
• Answer the research question
• Indicate areas for further study

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

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You will sometimes be asked to hand in an essay outline before you start writing your essay . Your supervisor wants to see that you have a clear idea of your structure so that writing will go smoothly.

Even when you do not have to hand it in, writing an essay outline is an important part of the writing process . It’s a good idea to write one (as informally as you like) to clarify your structure for yourself whenever you are working on an essay.

If you have to hand in your essay outline , you may be given specific guidelines stating whether you have to use full sentences. If you’re not sure, ask your supervisor.

When writing an essay outline for yourself, the choice is yours. Some students find it helpful to write out their ideas in full sentences, while others prefer to summarize them in short phrases.

You should try to follow your outline as you write your essay . However, if your ideas change or it becomes clear that your structure could be better, it’s okay to depart from your essay outline . Just make sure you know why you’re doing so.

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Caulfield, J. (2023, July 23). How to Write an Essay Outline | Guidelines & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved August 29, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/essay-outline/

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IELTS Writing Task 1 Maps Lesson

Introduction.

This guide on IELTS Writing Task 1 maps questions will cover:

• Different kinds of map question
• Describing specific changes
• Describing general changes
• Describing locations
• Sample answer

You will also be able to learn some new vocabulary that will help you deal with any Task 1 maps question.

In the IELTS writing test, you might be asked to describe a map in task 1. This type of question is becoming increasingly popular- in fact, it was on the exam last weekend here in Vietnam- and in my opinion, the easiest one to score high marks in if you’re prepared.

Many students, books and teachers overlook this type of question, and it is, therefore, a bit of a shock when one comes up. Therefore, if you are prepared, you will probably do better than most of the other students.

Different Kinds of Map Question

There are three main types of map questions:

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

The first kind is very rare, as it only requires you to use the present simple, and no comparisons can be made.

The second kind occasionally comes up and requires you to use present and future tenses. This kind of question is normally about the future development of a town or city. It requires the same vocabulary as the other two.

The third is the most common and will be the main focus of this post.

You will normally be shown two maps, as above and asked to select and report the main features and make comparisons where relevant. You will obviously use both present and past tenses to describe the maps and how the town has developed.

Also, as this is a man-made process, we will use the passive.

Source: Cambridge English Practice Papers.

To describe two maps, I advise my students to follow a four-paragraph structure.

Paragraph 1- Paraphrase Sentence

Paraphrase  question using synonyms.

Paragraph 2- Overview

Make two general statements about the map. You should describe the maps generally and write about the most noticeable differences between the two maps. You could ask yourself the following questions to identify general changes. Is the map more or less residential? Is there more or less countryside? Are there more or fewer trees? Were the changes dramatic or negligible? Were there any major infrastructure improvements? How have the buildings and leisure facilities changed?

Paragraph 3- Main Body 1

Three to four sentences about specific changes that have occurred.

Paragraph 4- Main Body 2

Further, three to four sentences about specific changes that have occurred.

You can group information in paragraphs 3 and 4 by time or location, depending on the question asked.

Look at the sample answer below to see how I have used this structure.

How to Describe Specific Changes

The ability to describe change is crucial to answering these questions. The various buildings and features will normally be labelled for you. You need to work on how to write about how they have changed from the past up until the present day.

Tip: You may be asked to describe your hometown in the speaking test . The vocabulary and grammar in this post should come in very useful.

Below I will list various buildings, features, and verbs we could use to describe their change.

Buildings – demolished, knocked down, flattened, replaced, renovated, built, constructed, reconstructed, developed, extended, expanded, relocated, converted and modernized.

The government demolished the industrial estate and developed a sports ground.

They removed the shops and replaced them with a skyscraper.

A port was constructed at the edge of the river.

The factory in the city centre was demolished and relocated to the city’s north.

The old warehouses were replaced with new hotels.

The factory was converted into apartments.

Trees and Forests- cleared, cut down, chopped down, removed, planted.

The forest was cut down  and replaced with a shopping centre.

The trees were cleared to make way for houses.

Roads, bridges and railways lines- constructed, built, extended, expanded and removed.

The main road was extended, and a new bridge was built over the river.

Leisure facilities- opened, set up, developed.

A skate park was set up next to the swimming pool.

A park was developed beside the forest.

How to Describe General Changes

As this is an IELTS writing task 1 question, we must write an overview, where we generally talk about the main changes between the two maps.

Below are some examples of general statements we could use to describe change in towns and cities.

• Over the period, the area witnessed dramatic changes.
• From 1995 to 2005, the city centre saw spectacular developments.
• The village changed considerably over the period.
• During the 10-year period, the industrial area was totally transformed.
• Over the past 20 years, the residential area was totally reconstructed.
• Over the period, the old docks were totally redeveloped.
• Between 1995 and 2005, the old houses were rebuilt.
• The central business district was completely modernised during the period.

Pick two or three of the most noticeable differences in the map and write a general statement for each. This will be your overview paragraph.

The more specific changes should be included in your main body paragraphs.

How to Describe Locations

You will also be expected to describe where things are maps and describe where changes have occurred.

You can use ‘to the left’ and ‘to the right’, but a better way is to use ‘north’, ‘south’, ‘east’ and ‘west’. I normally advise my students to draw the symbols on the question paper if they are not already there.

The forest to the south of the river was cut down.

A golf course was constructed to the north of the airport.

The houses in the southwest of the town were demolished.

The green fields to the city’s northwest were redeveloped as a park.

The airport in the city’s centre was relocated to the northeast of the river.

The school to the southeast was knocked down and a new one was built to the east of the forest.

Finally, you will also be expected to use prepositions of place , e.g. at/in/on/by/beside/to/off/from, to describe where things are.

Dramatic changes took place in the city centre.

To the town’s south is a golf course surrounded by trees.

A new school was built next to the swimming pool.

The old road running from north to south was replaced by a new motorway.

A marina was built on the banks of the river.

Sample Answer

Both maps display an island before and after it was developed for tourism.

The island is approximately 250 metres long, has palm trees dotted around it, is surrounded by ocean and has a beach to the west. Over the period, the island was completely transformed with the addition of a hotel and a pier; however, the eastern part of the island appears to have been left undeveloped.

The most noticeable additions are the hotel rooms. 6 buildings, surrounding some trees, have been built in the west of the island, and 9 buildings have been constructed in the centre of the island.  A reception building and a restaurant have been developed between the two accommodation areas.

A pier has also been built on the island’s south coast, allowing yachts access to the resort. Apart from the trees, the beach remains the only natural feature to remain relatively untouched; however, it appears to be used for swimming.

Do you need me to correct your essays and give you feedback on them? Check out our essay correction service .

I hope this lesson has helped you and if you have any questions, please comment below.

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Graduate Writing Center

Introductions, thesis statements, and roadmaps - graduate writing center.

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• Discipline-Specific Resources
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Introductions, Thesis Statements, and Roadmaps

• Body Paragraphs and Topic Sentences
• Literature Reviews
• Conclusions
• Executive Summaries and Abstracts
• Punctuation
• Style: Clarity and Concision
• Writing Process
• Writing a Thesis
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The first paragraph or two of any paper should be constructed with care, creating a path for both the writer and reader to follow. However, it is very common to adjust the introduction more than once over the course of drafting and revising your document. In fact, it is normal (and often very useful, or even essential!) to heavily revise your introduction after you've finished composing the paper, since that is most likely when you have the best grasp on what you've been aiming to say.

The introduction is your opportunity to efficiently establish for your reader the topic and significance of your discussion, the focused argument or claim you’ll make contained in your thesis statement, and a sense of how your presentation of information will proceed.

There are a few things to avoid in crafting good introductions. Steer clear of unnecessary length: you should be able to effectively introduce the critical elements of any project a page or less. Another pitfall to watch out for is providing excessive history or context before clearly stating your own purpose. Finally, don’t lose time stalling because you can't think of a good first line. A funny or dramatic opener for your paper (also known as “a hook”) can be a nice touch, but it is by no means a required element in a good academic paper.

Introductions, Thesis Statements, and Roadmaps Links

• Short video (5:47): " Writing an Introduction to a Paper ," GWC
• Handout (printable):  " Introductions ," University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Writing Center
• Handout (printable): " Thesis Statements ," University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Writing Center
• NPS-specific one-page (printable)  S ample Thesis Chapter Introduction with Roadmap , from "Venezuela: A Revolution on Standby," Luis Calvo
• Short video (3:39):  " Writing Ninjas: How to Write a Strong Thesis Statement "
• Video (5:06): " Thesis Statements ," Purdue OWL

Writing Topics A–Z

This index links to the most relevant page for each item. Please email us at [email protected] if we're missing something!

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Essay Mapping Tool

Instructions.

Effective writing at university is a process:

Analyse the task → Gather content → Plan → Draft → Edit

This tool may help you to bridge from planning to drafting by helping you arrange your sentences in a logical order. It also provides tips for each component of an essay – the introduction, body, and conclusion. It can be used to improve your understanding of essay writing in general or as a planning tool for one of your university assignments.

Because this tool is for your personal use only, you may decide to write in bullet points, but we recommend full sentences. Once you have filled in each section, a complete essay overview will be generated which can be printed.

1. Introduction

Three paragraphs planning spaces have been provided for you. You can add or delete as necessary.

The purpose of the body is to logically develop the points made in your thesis and outline statements. There are no rules about the number of paragraphs required in assignment, but in general, you are advised to develop one idea per paragraph. This is done with a clear and coherent structure which introduces the topic in a topic sentence, defines or clarifies which aspect of the topic you are going to discuss, develops and supports your discussion and (optionally) concludes your discussion.

A topic sentence generally has two parts. You may refer to the overall essay topic and also introduce the specific aspect you plan to discuss in this paragraph. This is referred to as topic + controlling idea . You can also use a topic sentence to link to or contrast with the previous paragraph. This is an effective strategy to use with the second body paragraph onwards. You may choose to conclude the paragraph with a summary sentence; however, you are advised not to overuse this type of sentence as it may seem repetitious.

Cohesion and coherence refer to how effectively sentences are connected and how smoothly the writing flows. This is not simply achieved by following a logical paragraph structure, but also by using linking words (e.g. however/furthermore/consequently ) and referring words (e.g. this/that/these/those )

When you develop your argument, remember to use a range of support. You can use examples, logical reasoning, speculation, statistics and citations

Paragraph 1

Write the topic and controlling idea (one sentence).

Support your controlling idea using evidence, examples, elaboration or explanations. Do not go off topic. Do use in-text references.

Sum up the paragraph and link to your thesis OR link to the next paragraph (one sentence).

Paragraph 2

Paragraph 3, 3. conclusion.

The purpose of the conclusion is to summarize the key points you have discussed; however, it often contains a paraphrase of the thesis statement. This helps link the whole essay together. A conclusion may also contain a statement which links the essay to the broader topic or suggests a future action.

You can begin with the phrase ' In conclusion, ' but there are other phrases you could consider: In summary/This assignment has…/In this essay, I have… . Avoid Finally/Briefly/

Remember to reference any sources you have used. Refer to CDU Library for more information on referencing.

Introduction

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Sample Writing: Describe a Map

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

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

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.

About The Author

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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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 with Mark Teacher

How to write ielts task 1 academic ‘map diagrams’.

There are 3 main types of diagrams in Writing Task 1 Academic: a.) Dynamic graphs   b.) Static graphs    c.) Diagrams   (Maps, Processes ) <–  we’re talking about maps

In this post I will show you how to write about  Map Diagrams. 

Already know how to write about Maps in IELTS? Send me your essays for in-depth feedback in 72 hours. 

Fortunately, the essay structure for every type of Task 1 is basically the same. 

Structure: Task 1 – Academic 4 paragraphs 1.) Summary / Introduction 2.) Overview 3.) Body 1 4.) Body 2

What are Map Diagrams?

Map Diagrams can be a few different things.

Map diagrams can be 1 or 2 images of indoor spaces, such as offices:

They can also be the exterior layout of a building, such as a shopping centre, road network, or even an entire town. 

Map diagrams always show  changes to a place. These can be finished changes.  You can see  finished changes in the tasks above and below:

However, IELTS Task 1 Writing map diagrams can be about potential future changes to a place. For example:

Another example of proposed future changes :

In this blog post we will look at how to approach all kinds of IELTS Writing Task 1 map diagrams, paragraph-by-paragraph.

1.) Map Diagram Introduction / Summary

The introduction paragraph in Task 1 only needs to be 1 or 2 sentences. Like all IELTS Writing Task 1 essays, your introduction should present the main purpose of the graph to the reader in your own words. This means paraphrasing the official IELTS diagram description if you can.

Obviously, a diagram is very different from a graph, so we will need quite different language. However, similarly to Dynamic Graphs,  map diagrams also feature changes .

You should change your grammar depending on if the changes have already happened , or if they are expected to happen in the future.

Here is a language table to help you make some summaries / introduction paragraphs in your own IELTS Task 1 Writing essays.

• The images illustrate + the changes that have been made to the floor plan of an office building between 2005 and the present. 
• The pair of diagrams depict + the differences between an office floor plan in 2005 and now.

• The two diagrams depict + the town centre of Islip now and the suggested – planned – proposed changes.
• The images illustrate + Islip town centre as it is now and the proposed / suggested – planned developments for it in the future.

You try! – Write an introduction sentence for this map diagram task. Use the table above to help you. 

The plans show the site of an airport now and how it will look after redevelopment next year.

• The images show … the layout of an airport now and the proposed changes to it after a development project. 
• The two diagrams depict … an airport site in the present and the suggest redevelopments to it in the future.

2.) Map Diagram Overview

The purpose of the overview paragraph is to give a short summary of the main features. In Map Diagrams, the main features can include: 

• New structures / areas
• Moved structures / areas
• Expanded structures / areas
• Reduced or removed structures / areas

There are two approaches you can take to Map Diagram overviews – or you can combine them together. You can describe the main features with adjectives (larger / smaller / more spacious / more developed) or you can generally describe the ​​ literal physical changes (number of rooms, names of new areas and structures. 

To describe generally I try to avoid giving specific locations (north / east etc.). I save these for Body 1 and Body 2. To generalise, I also give the group names of things and places, such as, ‘new housing’, ‘office equipment’, and ‘new transport facilities’, if I can.

Here are some examples of Map Diagram overviews using the tasks you saw earlier:

Main Features : 

• New: sofa and coffee table | coffee machine, water cooler 
• Bigger / Smaller: main room bigger, combined 
• Moved : armchairs, noticeboard 
• Removed: small office room on left gone  
• Other: top left room the same

a. Overall, we can see that the office now features fewer rooms and is more open-plan compared to the past . Some furniture has been rearranged, while some new office equipment and appliances have also been added.

b. Overall, we can see that the updated office plan contains a larger shared area with some new or rearranged furniture , while some other changes to the position of office equipment have been made.

Main Features: 

• New: dual carriageway | bus station, shopping centre, car park, new housing 
• Bigger / Smaller: x
• Removed: shops on north side of main road 
• Other: main road > pedestrian zone

a. Overall, we can see that a wide range of new developments are planned for Islip town centre, such as more extensive road networks and new housing projects . The suggested changes also include a pedestrianised area and improved traffic access via a bus station and a car park .

b. Overall, we can see that a considerable transformation has been planned for the town centre, including a new ring road and a pedestrian area , as well as a wide range of new transport facilities and even new housing.

You try! – Write an overview paragraph for this map diagram task. Use the table above to help you. The main features have been highlighted for you. 

Main Features:  

• New: gates +10 | sky train | ATM, car hire, cafe in arrivals, bag drop and shops in departures
• Bigger / Smaller: new doors +2 (4 total)
• Moved: cafe and check-in in departures
• Removed: walkway to gates
• Other: security, passport control customs all the same

a. Overall, we can see that … the plans for the airport’s redevelopment include significant expansion in the number of gates, passenger amenities and transport options.

My Maps eBook unlocks all the secrets to writing correct, advanced and high-band overviews. Click here to get this 19-page guide or click the picture. 

3.) Body Paragraphs

Next are the Body paragraphs of your Task 1 report. You can write 2 or 3 Body paragraphs. 

Body paragraphs describe the main features of the diagram in detail, including their location (either specifically or in relation to other structures or natural areas on the map). You can also write in detail about any old structures that have been replaced or moved. 

In terms of grammar, we are never told who has made or will make the changes on the diagram, so Map Diagrams often require the passive voice. 

Here is a language and grammar table you can use to write body paragraphs. Again, the grammar changes if you are talking about finished changes or future changes . 

Here are the Body 1 and Body 2 paragraphs of the example map diagrams from before, staring with the f inished changes map diagram : 

Introduction: The images illustrate the changes that have been made to the floor plan of an office building between 2005 and the present. 

Overview: Overall, we can see that the office now features fewer rooms and is more open-plan compared to the past. Some furniture has been rearranged, while some new office equipment and appliances have also been added. 

Body 1: (Biggest change) One of the key changes involves the removal of two small rooms on the western and north eastern sides of the office. It appears that the desks, chairs and cabinets have been removed from both small rooms, and now sit in the north eastern corner of the office to create a larger meeting area. 

Body 2: (Big change – last paragraph already long enough) As a result, the main room by the entrance has expanded into an open area with a new sofa and table, while the armchairs and noticeboard have been relocated from the eastern to the western side beside the new furniture. A new water cooler and coffee machine seem to service this new area as well. 

Body 3: (Exception / Contrast) Lastly, however, the corner office in the north-western corner of the office remains virtually unchanged from any of the rearrangements, remaining in its 2005 layout.

Here is the full example essay of the  future changes map diagram:

Introduction: The images illustrate Islip town centre as it is now and the proposed developments for it in the future.  

Overview: Overall, we can see that … a considerable transformation has been planned for the town centre, including a new ring road and a pedestrian area, as well as a wide range of new transport facilities and even new housing.

Body 1: Starting with the most obvious development, a new dual carriageway is planned to circle around the northern and southern edges of Islip town centre. This is seemingly intended to replace the main road running through the town centre, which in turn is set to be turned into a pedestrianised area.

Body 2: Focusing more on the city centre itself, a raft of new facilities are intended. While the current row of shops will remain, a new bus station, shopping centre and car park are going to be built on the north side of the old main road. In addition, new housing will also be built on the eastern side of town, with another housing project planned beside the park in the southeastern part of town.  

You try! – Write the body paragraphs for this map diagram task. Use the examples above to help you.

• New: gates +10 | sky train | ATM, car hire, cafe in arrivals, bag drop and shops in departures 
• Bigger / Smaller: new doors +2 (4 total) 
• Moved : cafe and check-in in departures 
• Removed: walkway to gates  
• Other: security, passport control customs all the same 

Introduction: The images show the layout of an airport now and the proposed changes to it after a development project. 

Overview: Overall, we can see that after its development, the airport will host considerably more gates, as well as more food and travel amenities for both arriving and departing passengers. 

Body 1: Beginning with the most notable proposal, the number of gates in the airport is set to receive a substantial increase, from 8 at present, to 18 after renovations are completed. To seemingly accommodate an expected increase in passengers, the walkway to the gates will be replaced by a new skytrain, and the amount of doors at the entrance will be doubled from 2 to 4 across departures and arrivals.  

Body 2: In addition, before security, customs and passport control, which will remain in the same place, the amount of facilities will increase significantly. This will include a new cafe in arrivals, as well as an ATM and a care hire kiosk. A bag drop is also set to be added at departures, with new shops planned for departing passengers after they have gone through security and passport control.

There you go! A high-band approach, several examples and a reliable framework for you to use in your own IELTS Writing test. 

Questions? Write them in a comments below. 

Want to show me what you’ve learnt from this guide? Send me your IELTS Writing Task 1 Essays for detailed feedback: 

If you still want more guidance and advice about IELTS Maps, I highly recommend my IELTS Maps eBook. It’s full of high-band grammar and vocabulary structures that you can’t find on my website, custom-made maps to help you tackle the most common types of maps in IELTS and much more! Click here or the picture to see more about this download PDF.

<– Back to Task 1 Academic example essays and lessons.

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IELTS Map Essay Decoded

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Updated on 13 April, 2023

Mrinal Mandal

Study abroad expert.

We understand you may not love looking at maps, especially in today’s day and age! However, they are unavoidable if you plan to clear the International English Language Testing System ( IELTS ) test. Fret not!  IELTS map  questions are amongst the easiest in the test. You do not have to analyze any numbers; you only have to compare some maps. The maps show an area or location at different points of time, i.e., present, past, or even future developments. You have to write about the changes within these maps, explaining them in detail. 

There are a few steps for writing an  IELTS task 1 map  essay to help you score high. They include: 

• Question evaluation
• Identifying key aspects
• Writing a crisp introduction
• Coming up with the overview
• Writing the paragraphs with all vital details 

The first two steps are important in this scenario. Never underestimate the importance of proper planning before starting your essay. You will understand the reasons after going through the tips below.

Table of Contents

Ielts map essay- ideal structure.

• First Step- Question Evaluation

Second Step- Identifying the Key Aspects

Download e-books for ielts preparation.

• The Introduction:
• The Overview:
• Writing Para 3

Writing Para 4

Putting it all together, popular study abroad destinations.

The  IELTS writing task 1 map  essay should have this structure: 

• Introduction- First Paragraph
• Overview- Second Paragraph
• Main Feature 1- Third Paragraph
• Main Feature 2- Fourth Paragraph

A Sample Question & Tip to Crack the Map Essay

Suppose there is a question which states: 

The maps below display the village of Burlington in the years 1950 and 2020. 

Summarize the information through selection and reporting of key features, and make comparisons wherever necessary . 

First Step- Question Evaluation 

The format of the question is unchanged for Academic Task 1. You should first analyze the question carefully. Every question contains the first sentence that describes the map you are viewing. Then there are the instructions for you and the final map or chart. 

The second sentence is where you learn what you have to do. In this case, you will have to choose the main features of the maps, report or write about them and compare the main features if required. All tasks revolve around the map’s key features. You need not write about or focus on every little thing. You only have to choose 2-3 central elements, and you will get sufficient writing material. 

First, you should begin with the initial map that dates back to 1950. Look at the past and then look at the present (2020) map for identifying changes. Here are some things that you can check out: 

• What are the timelines - The map shows the  Burlington  village of 1950 and again in 2020. Hence, it indicates the past and present. You will thus know that you should use the past tense in the essay without using any future tenses. 
• Main differences - What are the features on the map from 1950 that have completely vanished? What are the new additions or features replacing these features in the 2020 map? Are there any other new additions to the map of 2020? 
• Similarities - What are the features of both maps which are identical even after all these years? There will always be some features that stay the same.
• Direction -related terms- You can consider using words like  south ,  north ,  west  , and  east  (but obviously) along with  north-east ,  south-east ,  north-west , and  south-west  amongst other variations. 

You can thus find several features that have vanished like older dispensaries, shops, farmland, and even the church building, which has grown, and the big central square building has turned into a home for seniors.

Many maps have numerous changes and that too of a complex nature. Remember that you will not have time to write about all the changes that you see. Select 2-3 main changes before getting started! Now, suppose that you identify four of the main changes for our essay. These can be the following: 

• The farmland has vanished, and construction has taken place. 
• The big central square house has become a home for seniors. 
• The shops and dispensaries have disappeared. 
• The church building has expanded.

These features will be the foundation for your IELTS map essay in at least 150 words. You will get only 20 minutes to complete Task 1. Remember that you cannot include all the details. It is possible to talk about important things while staying crisp and concise. 

Recommended Reads:

Writing Your Essay 

The structure that you will follow, as mentioned, is the following: 

• Introduction- Para 1
• Overview- Para 2
• One main feature- Para 3
• Another feature- Para 4 

For the essay topic that you are doing now, you can write about two features in Para 3 and two in Para 4. 

The Introduction: 

The introduction will only need a simple paraphrasing of the question, i.e. stating the same premise differently. You can make use of synonyms and also change the structure of the main sentences. 

The original question was-  The maps below display the village of Burlington in the years 1950 and 2020. 

For instance, you can write your introduction in this manner- 

These two maps illustrate how the Burlington village, nestled on the foothills of the Enyan Mountains, transformed over 70 years from 1950 to 2020. 

And you are done writing your introduction! 

The Overview: 

The second paragraph will talk about the general transformations that you witness. The concrete details are suitable for the upcoming paras. Just keep it simple without any elaborate words or terms. 

A sample overview can be the following- 

The village developed rapidly over 70 years, with growing urbanization, and gradually transformed to a predominantly residential and commercial zone from a rural settlement earlier. 

Try and keep the overview to a single sentence. See, it is that simple! 

Writing Para 3 

Now we get down to the actual writing bit since the third and fourth paragraphs are where you write in more detail. The third paragraph should have ample proof of the first two changes that you noticed. 

What were the first two changes listed earlier? They are the total disappearance of farmland and construction over it and a home for seniors in place of the big house in the central square. 

Here is an example that you can follow- 

The drastic change of the village in 2020 is visible from the transformation of rural farmlands into urban housing settlements. Periodic construction saw the development of homes, roads, and other public infrastructure over the same. Community needs also led to the transformation of a large residential property in the central square. It is now a home for senior citizens without kith and kin. 

Similarly, you have to recap the third and fourth things that you noticed. These are the following: 

• Vanishing dispensaries and shops
• Expansion of the church building 

Here is an illustrative example- 

While the village had at least four dispensaries and ten shops earlier, they vanished by 2020. New residential houses stand in place of these establishments, which existed in 1950. The church building still stands at the intersection of the West and North streets in the village. From its original size in 1950, it has been extended by almost two times in 2020, covering the entire south-eastern portion, which was empty land earlier. It is another landmark for the village. 

Now that the steps are complete, how will it look like one single essay? Here’s finding out- 

Essay: 

Well, this sample essay has exceeded the word limit of 150 and lists the main changes without going over the top. It is only a sample, and you will find plenty of other examples online. Remember to follow the points mentioned above and practice as much as you can ahead of appearing for the IELTS test.

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From Criteria to Conclusion: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing an Evaluation Essay

How to Write an Evaluation Essay

Have you ever written a movie review on IMBD? Or maybe you have recently left your opinion under a viral TikTok video? If you have done anything from these above, you have practically tried writing an evaluation piece. The only main difference is that in terms of evaluation essay examples, the writing is much longer and more elaborate. It also usually follows a more formal writing style and format. However, as a separate essay type, it has its own structural nuances and thus may be a bit tricky to complete on the first try. No worries though, because in this article you will find all the important details about how to create an outline and write an evaluation essay as well as which aspects you should pay attention to during the work process. 

What is An Evaluation Essay?

An evaluation essay is a form of writing where the author assesses a particular subject, event, or phenomenon based on a set of criteria. The aim is to provide an unbiased and well-reasoned judgment of the topic in question. Unlike a review, which may be more subjective, an evaluation essay requires the writer to provide evidence and reasoning to support their assessments. You’re not just telling your friend, “This movie was awesome!” Instead, you’re breaking down the elements that made it awesome (or not so awesome) and helping them see why your judgment makes sense. The purpose is to inform the reader, helping them understand the value, significance, or quality of the subject matter.

So, what exactly makes an evaluation essay? There are four key components: criteria, judgments, evidence, counterarguments, and credibility. 

Key Components of the Essay

This is where you set the bar for what you’re evaluating. Let’s say you’re reviewing an app. Your criteria might include things like the user interface, how well it functions, and whether it’s worth the price. These are the specific aspects you’ll focus on to assess the app. The more clearly you define your criteria, the easier it is for your readers to get where you’re coming from.

Once you’ve laid out your criteria, it’s time to make your call. This is your actual evaluation based on the criteria you’ve set. For example, if you’re evaluating a coffee shop, you might judge it based on the quality of the coffee, the vibe of the place, and the service. But don’t just stop at your judgment—explain why you’re making that call (which scoring you gave for each of the aspects, for example).

Here’s where you back up your judgment with some solid proof. It’s not enough to say, “The coffee was amazing.” What made it amazing? Was it the rich flavor, the perfect temperature, or the barista’s skill? Providing specific examples or facts makes your argument stronger and your evaluation more convincing.

• Counterarguments

A good evaluation essay also takes into account other perspectives. Maybe the coffee was great, but the service was slow. By acknowledging potential counterarguments, you show that you’ve thought critically about your evaluation. It makes your essay more credible and shows that you’re not just being one-sided.

• Credibility

Speaking of credibility, this comes from using reliable sources, presenting your argument fairly, and being upfront about any limitations in your evaluation. In the example of the coffee shop, it helps if you’ve visited a variety of similar places or have a decent understanding of what makes a good cup of coffee. This shows your readers that you know what you’re talking about and that your evaluation is grounded in real experience, not just a one-time visit.

So, to sum it up, the main point of a good evaluation essay is to give a thoughtful, well-supported opinion. You’re guiding your readers through your thought process, showing them how you arrived at your conclusion, and making sure they understand your perspective. 

Creating an Evaluation Essay Outline: What You Should Know

The outline is important in any type of writing. However, it plays an even a larger role when it comes to presenting a thought-out and precise evaluation that will in the end support your own opinion on the matter. Here’s what your outline should typically include:

• Hook: Start with a compelling opening sentence to win over the reader’s attention.
• Background Information: Provide some context about the subject you’re evaluating.
• Thesis Statement: Clearly state your evaluation, summarizing the main criteria you will use to assess the subject.
• Criteria: Each paragraph should focus on one criterion you’re using for evaluation.
• Evidence: Support each criterion with evidence or examples.
• Judgment: Explain how the evidence supports your evaluation for each criterion.
• Restate Thesis: Summarize your main points and restate your evaluation.
• Final Thoughts: Offer any concluding remarks or suggestions for further consideration.

Writing an Evaluation Essay Step-by-Step

Now, we’ve covered the basics: the structure and main characteristics of the evaluation essay as a type of writing. The logical question is, how you should go about writing the essay so as not to lose the train of thought and present all the facts. Below you will see exactly how to do that.

Describe the Evaluation Criteria

First things first, what you need to do is establish the criteria by which you’ll be evaluating your subject. These criteria are the specific angles you’ll use to analyze the different aspects of whatever you’re evaluating. Let’s get back to the example of the essay about a coffee shop. Your criteria, in such a case, might include the quality of the coffee, the atmosphere, the service, and the overall value for money. These will serve as the foundation for your judgments, so take the time to brainstorm and define them clearly before you begin writing.

Write a Plan

With your criteria in hand, the next step is to create the outline that was previously mentioned. This sort of a “map” will keep you on track and help make sure that your essay flows logically from one point to the next. Start by outlining the main ideas you’ll cover in each body paragraph, each corresponding to one of the criteria you’ve established. Think about the order in which you want to present your arguments and how you’ll transition between them. 

Write the Evaluation Essay

Now that you’ve got your plan, it’s time to get writing! Start with a strong introduction that grabs your reader’s attention and clearly states the purpose of your evaluation. Then, move into the body paragraphs. Follow the structure discussed earlier: introduce the subject, make your judgment, apply your criteria, and provide evidence to support your opinion. Be sure to make your reasons clear and compelling, and guide your reader smoothly from one point to the next.

Write the Conclusion

Finally, you can put an end to your writing by summarizing the main points of your essay and restating your overall judgment. Reflect on the significance of your evaluation and its broader implications—what does your assessment say about the subject as a whole? Leave your readers with something to dwell upon. It might be a thought-provoking question, a call to action, or a final insight that ties all the parts of your essay together.

Review the Finished Essay

Before you hit submit, take some time to review and revise your essay. Check for any grammatical errors, typos, or awkward sentences that could distract from your argument. Make sure your essay flows smoothly from start to finish, and that your ideas are well-supported by evidence. Don’t forget to double-check that you’ve covered all the evaluation criteria you set out in the beginning. Once you’re confident that your essay is complete, give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back—you’ve just written a thorough and thoughtful evaluation essay!

What to Pay Attention to to Reach The Higher Grade

Even when you’ve chosen your topic, developed your ideas, and laid out the structure of your evaluation essay, there’s always that lingering question: “Have I covered everything?” Understanding what professors look for when grading your evaluation essay can help you feel more confident about your work and make sure you’re not missing anything important. So, if you want to reach that higher grade, check out the criteria below that is most of the times considered when grading your papers.

• Clarity and Coherence

Why It’s Important: Clarity and coherence are the foundation of effective communication in writing. If your essay is well-organized and easy to follow, your professor will be able to understand your arguments without getting lost in confusing phrasing or jumbled ideas. 

What to Check: When reviewing your essay, make sure your ideas are laid out in a logical order. Each paragraph should build on the last, and transitions between sections should be smooth and natural.

• Thesis Statement

Why It’s Important: The thesis statement is the heart of your evaluation essay. It presents your overall judgment or evaluation of the subject and sets the tone for the entire piece. Professors look for a clear and concise thesis because it shows that you have a focused argument and understand the purpose of your essay.

What to Check: Make sure your thesis statement is prominently stated in your introduction and that it clearly conveys your main evaluation. 

• Use of Evidence

Why It’s Important: Evidence is what makes your evaluation credible. Professors expect you to back up your judgments with relevant examples, facts, and arguments that demonstrate critical thinking skills. Without strong evidence, your essay might come off as opinionated rather than well-reasoned.

What to Check: Review each of your main points to ensure they are supported by concrete evidence. 

• Depth of Analysis

Why It’s Important: Depth of analysis separates a basic evaluation from an insightful one. Professors want to see that you’ve engaged deeply with the subject, exploring its complexities and nuances rather than just scratching the surface. 

What to Check : Ask yourself if you’ve provided a thorough analysis. Look for areas where you can explore underlying themes, implications, or connections.

• Critical Thinking Skills

Why It’s Important: Critical thinking is a key skill that professors try to cultivate in students. They want to see that you’ve thought acutely about the subject, considered alternative viewpoints, and addressed potential counterarguments.

What to Check : As you review your essay, look for places where you’ve considered other perspectives or acknowledged possible criticisms of your evaluation. 

• Use of Language and Style

Why It’s Important: Good writing means you know how to say what you want to say. Most educators look for essays that are well-written, with clear, concise, and engaging language. 

What to Check: Proofread your essay carefully for any errors in grammar, punctuation, or spelling. Beyond technical correctness, try to write in an engaging and appropriate tone of voice and writing style

• Originality and Insight

Why It’s Important: Originality shows that you’re bringing something new to the table, rather than just repeating what others have said. Professors appreciate essays that offer fresh perspectives or innovative interpretations because they demonstrate creativity and deep engagement with the subject.

What to Check: Reflect on your essay and ask yourself if you’ve added any original insights or perspectives. Are you saying something new or looking at the subject in a way that others might not have considered? 

• Compliance with Instructions

Why It’s Important: Following the assignment guidelines is non-negotiable. Your lecturer provides specific instructions for a reason, and failing to comply with them can result in a lower grade, no matter how well-written your essay is.

What to Check : Double-check the assignment guidelines to ensure you’ve met all the requirements. This includes word count, formatting, and any specific instructions related to the content or structure of your essay.  

Writing an evaluation essay, aim to construct a well-reasoned, thoughtful analysis that guides your reader through your perspective with clarity and insight. Your main goal is to craft an essay that informs yet at the same tine challenges your reader to see the subject in a new light. With the right approach, you can create a compelling piece that stands out and meets the high standards your professors are looking for.

How should I start an evaluation essay?

Start with a hook to grab the reader’s attention, followed by some background information on the subject, and end with a clear thesis statement that outlines your evaluation.

What are the 5 key features of an evaluation essay?

The five key features include a clear thesis statement, well-defined criteria for evaluation, solid evidence to support the evaluation, balanced analysis, and a strong conclusion.

How to write an evaluation report?

 An evaluation report follows a similar structure to an evaluation essay but is often more detailed and may include additional sections like methodology, findings, and recommendations. Start with an introduction, followed by a detailed evaluation, and end with conclusions and recommendations.

How to end an evaluation essay?

The best way is to end by summarizing your main points and restating your thesis in light of the evidence you’ve provided. You can also offer final thoughts or suggestions for further consideration.

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How to Outline an Essay

How to an essay generator.

The Purpose of Writing an Essay

An essay writing has 4 main purposes, these are:

• To inform  – An essay provides information to the readers.
• To persuade  – An essay makes the reader to take actions.
• To explain  – An essay helps the readers to understand a process.
• To entertain  – An essay also provides an emotional experience to the readers.

What Does It Mean to Outline an Essay?

It simply means that an essay must have or follows an outline to properly arrange the ideas and or topics of an essay. Outlining an essay also guides the writer logically to create a clear, well-structured and well-written essay.

Creating the Outline of the Essay

There are different outlines of essays, but most analytical, interpretive, or persuasive writing follow the same outline. Use the outline below to create your own.

• Introduction – Part 1: Write an attention-grabbing sentence.
• Introduction – Part 2: Give your thesis statement. The thesis statement is the main idea of your essay.
• Supporting evidence for the first idea.
• Additional supporting evidence for the first idea.
• Another supporting evidence for the first idea.
• Supporting evidence for the second idea.
• Additional supporting evidence for the second idea.
• Another supporting evidence for the second idea.
• Supporting evidence for the third idea.
• Additional supporting evidence for the third idea.
• Another supporting evidence for the third idea.

Tip: Provide only at least three main ideas or topic in your essay to avoid overwhelming your readers with too much information.

• Conclusion – Part 1: Repeat your thesis statement with a different approach.
• Conclusion – Part 2: Summarize your whole essay and provide an insightful message to close your essay.

The Guidelines for an Essay Outline

The following are the basic guidelines of outlining an essay.

• Introduction – The first part of the essay.
• Body – The main context of an essay.
• Conclusion – The summary writing of overall ideas or topics.
• The body or the main part of the essay should have a heading and a subheading to highlight important ideas or topics.
• The main ideas or topics of the essay must have a supporting details or evidence to support the ideas or topics of the essay.
• The thesis statement must always be present in the introduction and must be repeated in the essay conclusion part.

Does an Essay Outline Needs a Conclusion?

While the answer to this question is pretty obvious, it is still important to highlight this question. Since most of the people still have doubts as to whether they include the conclusion of an essay in the outline or not.

The short answer is yes.

As a matter of fact, the conclusion, as well as the other main part of an essay —the introduction and the body is very important to include in the outline. These main parts complete the whole essay and thus necessary to be included in the outline of the essay.

If you still have a hard time on how to write a conclusion for an essay, click the link provided.

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How to use AI tools like ChatGPT to enhance essay writing skills

AI tools like ChatGPT are revolutionising how learners approach essay writing. When used correctly, these tools can save time and enhance creativity. However, improper use can lead to generic and unengaging essays. It can also rob the learner of a chance to practice their creative writing skills – a skill required for the final Grade 12 exam.

As an English teacher with a son in Grade 12, I know all too well that learners often abuse this new technology by asking it to write their whole essay. We can’t stop learners from using the technology, so it is our job as parents, teachers, and tutors to guide them on using AI effectively and ethically.

Common mistakes when using AI for essays

When using AI for their essays, most learners make a few common mistakes. Let’s look at how to avoid them to craft a unique and ethical piece of writing. For example: The following topic prompt (that could be an essay or speech topic) is our starting point.

Mistake: Most students simply type the whole topic into ChatGPT and ask the smart technology to write a 600-word essay. ChatGPT will most likely generate a generic, superficial extract filled with Americanisms (spelling with ‘z’), a lack of pronouns and no personalisation.

Suggestion: Take the generic extract generated by ChatGPT and help the learner make it their own. Here's how:

• Take each paragraph and edit it by adding relevant pronouns and appropriate adjectives or adverbs.
• Personalise it by including relevant details and specific examples unique to the learner. This will require creative thinking and result in the learner’s “voice” coming through when the text is read.
• Ensure they correct spelling and syntax errors, which will help them practice their grammar skills.

Let’s look at the result:

Practical strategies for using AI in essay writing

Personalising a piece of generic content created by AI is just one of the ways in which learners can use AI to streamline the writing process. Here are a few practical strategies for using AI in essay writing:

Use AI to brainstorm like a boss

If your learner is stuck on a topic for their essay, AI can be their brainstorming buddy and give them additional motivation. Feed in relevant keywords and watch it generate ideas and outlines to fit any topic. This jumpstart can ignite your learner’s creativity and get those mental juices flowing.

Read more: Do’s and don’ts of online learning

Break the topic down into different parts

Another approach to using these tools is to break a topic down by generating a result paragraph by paragraph. This will require some effort on the part of the learner as they would need to analyse the given topic and insert prompts for the various parts of the essay (introduction, body, and conclusion). Let’s look at an example of an AI prompt learners can use:

Acting as a Grade 12 student nearing the end of her schooling career, write a concluding paragraph of no more than 50 words in a reflective style of travelling along a path that diverges.

Also read: Picking the right path: Career choices after matric

Enrich essays with AI-powered intertextuality

Referencing different contexts, like a poem, song, or movie, can add depth and thoughtfulness to your learner’s content. By analysing essay themes and vast databases, AI can recommend relevant and unexpected references, saving learners time and sparking fresh connections that deepen their text analysis.

Use AI to research on autopilot

AI tools can also be used as super-efficient research assistants that scour the web for relevant sources. Many AI tools can find relevant scholarly articles, journals, and data to support your learner’s arguments, saving them hours of library drudgery. Ensure your learner double-checks that the sources are credible, as many AI tools cite incorrect or fabricated sources.

Use AI as a structure sensei for essay writing

If your learner has finished writing their essay, have them copy and paste the final product into an AI tool and ask it to analyse the essay to see if it follows a proper essay structure (introduction, body, and conclusion). The AI can analyse the text to ensure the essay flows logically and persuasively. This technique will help your learner look critically at their own written work to see where it can be improved – a helpful skill to have come exam time.

In conclusion, AI tools can be a powerful addition to your students' writing toolkit. By leveraging AI generators like ChatGPT, they can save time and explore creative avenues for their writing. However, to ensure responsible and effective use, educators and parents play a crucial role in guiding students to develop critical thinking and ethical application of these tools. This way, we can empower Generation Z and Alpha to become independent thinkers who can not only utilise AI but also critically analyse the information it provides.

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Persuasion Map

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The Persuasion Map is an interactive graphic organizer that enables students to map out their arguments for a persuasive essay or debate. Students begin by determining their goal or thesis. They then identify three reasons to support their argument, and three facts or examples to validate each reason. The map graphic in the upper right-hand corner allows students to move around the map, instead of having to work in a linear fashion. The finished map can be saved, e-mailed, or printed.

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