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Map Change Visual
Before/after map showing various changes.
Click to zoom
Compare the two maps to spot additions, expansions, replacements, and unchanged areas.
Student can describe spatial changes, locations, and developments in before-and-after maps.
Explanation of how to read and describe maps.
IELTS Writing Task 1 often asks you to describe a map, usually showing the same location at two different points in time (e.g., 2000 vs. 2020).
To score a Band 7.0+, you must act like a city planner explaining what was there, what is there now, and where it is located.
Pro tip: Before writing, spend 2 minutes circling the major differences between the two maps. This will form your main overview!
Before/after map showing various changes.
Compare the two maps to spot additions, expansions, replacements, and unchanged areas.
Key vocabulary for spatial relationships.
Next to something. A new café was built adjacent to the station.
Facing something across a space. The bank is opposite the school.
Outside or above the border. The mountains are to the north of the city.
Inside the border. The park is located in the north of the town.
Following a line. New trees were planted along the riverbank.
In the middle. A fountain was constructed in the centre of the square.
Match map areas to their specific change types.
Terms
Definitions
Practice using spatial phrases and change verbs.
The two maps illustrate the main changes that took place in the coastal town of Seaview between 1990 and 2020. Overall, the town experienced significant modernization, with the most noticeable change being the construction of a new residential area of the river. In 1990, there was a large industrial zone located in the corner of the map. By 2020, these factories had been and replaced by a modern shopping complex. Furthermore, the small harbor situated of the town center was significantly expanded to accommodate more boats. The woodland area, which originally stood the school, was cleared to make way for a new sports center. Finally, a new bridge was across the river, improving access between the eastern and western districts.
Guided practice for writing a map overview.
Identify the biggest overall trend in the maps.
Finding an unchanged feature provides great contrast.
Combine the development and the unchanged feature into one complex sentence.