A map is a before and after
In some Task 1 questions you get two maps of the same place: one from an earlier time and one from a later time. This scares people, but it is actually simple. A map has no numbers, so there is nothing to count. Your job is to describe how the place changed. Think of it as a before and after photo. What is new? What is gone? What is different? And what is still the same? Answer those and you have your report.
What to describe in a map
✓What was BUILT: new houses, a road, a car park, a hotel.
✓What was REMOVED: an old factory, some trees, a farm that is now gone.
✓What was REPLACED or CHANGED: a shop that became a restaurant, fields that became flats.
✓What was EXPANDED: a small airport that grew, a road that was made wider.
✓What STAYED THE SAME: the river, the church, the main road. Most people forget this, so say it.
✓WHERE each thing is: use location words so the reader can picture the map.
9 phrases for describing a map
1was constructed / was built
Something new was made in that place.
Example: A new hospital was built to the north of the river.
2was demolished / was knocked down
An old building was taken down and removed.
Example: The old factory was demolished to make room for houses.
3was replaced by
One thing was removed and a new thing was put in its place.
Example: The car park was replaced by a small park.
4was converted into
A building stayed but its use changed.
Example: The school was converted into a hotel.
5was extended / was expanded
Something got bigger or was made wider.
Example: The airport was expanded to the east.
6to the north of
Above a place on the map (also south, east, west).
Example: The forest lies to the north of the town.
7in the centre of
In the middle of the area.
Example: A market square sits in the centre of the old town.
8on the outskirts
At the edge of a town, away from the middle.
Example: New flats were built on the outskirts of the city.
9opposite / next to
Facing something, or right beside it.
Example: The library stands opposite the station, next to the bank.
3 fixes that make a map answer stronger
Fix 1: Be specific, not vague
✕The area changed a lot over the years.
✓The open fields to the south were replaced by a housing estate.
'It changed a lot' tells the reader nothing. Name the exact change and say where it happened, using a location word.
Fix 2: Say what stayed the same
✕You only list the new buildings and forget the rest.
✓While much of the town was redeveloped, the river and the old church remained unchanged.
The things that did NOT change are part of the picture too. Noting them shows control and is an easy point most people miss.
Fix 3: Use the passive for changes
✕They demolished the factory and they built a supermarket.
✓The factory was demolished and a supermarket was built in its place.
We do not know who did the work, so use the passive: 'was demolished', 'was built', 'was converted into'. It sounds natural for a map.
Read next
Keep going with the series: how to describe a process diagram and how to write a strong overview.
Practice a map with instant feedback
The best way to learn maps is to write one and see what you missed. Did you give a clear overview? Did you use location words? Did you remember what stayed the same? Write your map answer in VoyaLang and get clear feedback on each part, plus a stronger version to learn from. Create a free account and check your next one in about a minute.
