Section 5 / Lesson 1 - Maps (Describing Change)
Section 5 will look at the final common way that information will be given to you in IELTS Writing Task One, a map. This type of question asks you to describe the changes made to an area between two different times shown in two maps. In this first class, we will look at the language you need to use to describe these changes.
The Question Type
This example question shows two different maps that depict a town in 2008 and the same town in the present day. Your task is to analyse, organise and describe the changes in 150 words.
When writing your answer, try to think about describing the changes themselves, not the map.
e.g."More trees were planted" not "More trees are shown on the second map"
Useful language
We will look at five different types of change which you may want to detail between two maps: adding, removing, moving, expanding, and replacing.
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Where possible you should use a word that collocates with the type of change that was made. For instance, if your subject is a building, you are going to use a different word than if your subject is a tree. If none fit, you can use the generic words at the end.
Addition
The most common change is that something new will be added to the area in the time between the two maps. To show these changes, use a range of these verbs:
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For Buildings: to construct, to build, to put up
e.g. A house was constructed to the east of the other two houses.
For Facilities: to open, to add, to introduce
e.g. A shop was opened in the village.
For plants: to plant, to grow, to cultivate
e.g. More forest was planted behind the village.
General: to add, to make, to create
e.g. A new road was created to join the houses to the park
(note: build would be a better choice)
Removal
Less commonly, something many have been taken away from the area. This is usually to make space to build something new. To show these changes, use a range of these verbs:
For Buildings: to deconstruct, to knock down, to pull down
e.g. Five houses were knocked in the village.
For Facilities: to shut, to close
e.g. The shop in the village was closed.
For plants: to cut down, to chop down, to fell
e.g. The trees were cut down.
General: to remove, to take away, get rid of
e.g. The fountain in the park was removed.
(note: a fountain isn't a building, facility or tree so removed works well here)
Replace
Describing something that has been replaced can be difficult. We only use these words if the original building or infrastructure remains and has been used for a new purpose. If it has been knocked down and something different has been built, use two verbs (i.e. show that it was removed and then say what was built).
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For Buildings: to renovate, to convert, to make into,
e.g. The old house has been converted into an amusement park.
For Facilities: to use as
e.g. The old shop is now used as a storage facility.
For plants: You can't repurpose a tree. You cut them down and then build something on the same land.
Expand
Many times, the old building is still there, but more has been added. Rather than describing each of new addition to the structure, we can use these verbs:
For Buildings: to develop
e.g. The mall was developed which allowed them to add many new shops.
For Facilities and plants: we typically use generic verbs for expansion.
General: to expand, to extend, to enlarge, to make bigger
e.g. The mall was extended.
Move
Finally, every so often you will see that the same type of building or facility has been moved to a new location in the area.
For Buildings: to reconstruct, to rebuild
e.g. The mall was reconstructed on the other side of the town
For Facilities: to reopen
e.g. The shop was reopened in the other village.
For plants: to replant, to regrow
e.g. The trees were replanted further away from the road.
General: to move, to relocate
e.g. The fountain was relocated on the other side of the park.
Table of Language
You do not need to use all of these verbs, but practice and get comfortable using at least ten verbs that you have not used before to increase the range of vocabulary shown in your answer.
