IELTS Writing Task 1: describe a map

According to some students, 'map' questions have been popular in recent IELTS exams. There are 2 types of map:

1. A map that shows a comparison (see this lesson)
2. A map that shows development of an area.

For a good example of the second type of map, have a look at this question from Cambridge IELTS book 1 (go down to page 91), or look at the same map here.

To help you think about how to describe the map, answer these questions:

1. How could you paraphrase "the map shows the development of the village"?
2. How many periods of development are shown, and which period saw the most development?
3. What is the relationship between transport and the growth of the village?
4. How could you group the information in order to write two 'specific details' paragraphs?

I'll give you my answers to these questions tomorrow, and I'll write the full essay for next week.

Comments

[Felora]

Hi Simon,

Would you please give me feed back for it?

This my introduction and summary:
The map illustrates the changes of road networks in Chorleywood village over a four time period since 19th century.

According to the map, the greatest network development in the village occurred in the latest 20th century and also most of the population were located close by to the main roads rather than central part of the village.

Thanks,
Felora

[Joshua]

Hi Simon,

My introduction and summary are:

The plat shown illustrates the growth of a village called Chorleywood near London over a period of 126 years.

Overall,the village experienced four different stages.It is noteworthy that Chorleywood village boomed significantly in the last stage after the motorway built in 1970.

(Can plat replace map?Does the phases boomed significantly have any problem?)
Regards,

Joshua

[boonyarit]

Dear Simon,

Let me ask about E-book for task 1 , after I got e-book from this site that is a great ebook . I hope you will make a great ebook again for task 1.

[Simon]

Hi Felora and Joshua,

Both of your paragraphs are good.

Joshua, I'm afraid you can't use "plat" or "boomed significantly". You can't really change the word "map". I'd write "saw significant growth" instead of "boomed".

...

Hi Boonyarit,

I'm glad you like the ebook. I'm thinking about a task 1 ebook at the moment.

Regards

Simon

[Joshua]

Hi Simon,

"Saw significant growth"is quite a good phase,actually,the phase "boomed significantly" is kind of weird and unnatural.
Can I use the phase "saw significant DECREASE/FALL/RISE" as well?

I found an useful lesson about the Punctuation Rules today.It is a Chinese website,but you can only see the english contents.I think the punctuation should be very important in the writing tests.

Regards,

Joshua

[Joshua]

Sorry I forgot to paste the address:
http://bbs.taisha.org/thread-818710-1-1.html#%23%23

Joshua

[Felora]

Thanks Simon. I feel more confident now and hope to be able to transfer what I know on the paper.

[Simon]

Hi Joshua,

Thanks for the useful link.

Yes, you can write "saw a significant decrease etc." (don't forget the article "a" because 'decrease', 'fall' and 'rise' are countable nouns. 'Growth' is usually uncountable - no article).

...

Hi Felora,

I'm glad you feel more confident now.

[Joshua]

Hi Simon,

I have seen it.Thanks for you correction.

Joshua

[Simon]

No problem

[Sisi]

Hi simon,

I have a question for the writting structure about: A map that shows development of an area.

Some IELTS teachers said that we should use 1 paragraph to describe the first(previous)map, another paragraph to show what has been changed in the 2nd map.

Can I mingle them together and use both paragraphs to illustrate the changes, I mean focus on the 2nd map and describe the change with reference to the 1st paragraph? for eg.: I wrote "in 1985, there used to be 3 buildings on the northeast campus i.e.***, but they are now all replaced by one integrated science laboratories" instead of seperating them in 2 paragraphs.

should that be ok?

Thanks for your advice!

[Simon]

Hi Sisi,

Your way is completely fine - maybe even better because you are comparing more.

[Li]

Hi Simon,

I cant open the link for the lesson in point 1 above "A map that shows a comparison (see this lesson)". It opened as a blank page. I have tried all different browsers so can you please have a look? Thanks a lot.

Li.

[Simon]

Hi Li,

Thanks for that. The link should work now.

[magic box]

Hi Simon,

can you please give me your essay describing developing area map?

[kk]

Hi Simon
is it ok if I use the map shows advancement in the area of Chorleywood village over a period of more than 100 years?

and please give your essay describing the development map

[Violet]

Hi Simon,
Would it be okay if I started this essay with "This map shows the development of Chorleywood village,which somehow kept pace with the construction of road networks.The following 20 years since 1970 witnessed a great change within the village. "
And also,I didn't see your essay about this take. Can you post it here,please?
Thanks.

[Afrin]

Sorry sir, i have tried to open this question link several times but it wasn't open.Please sir could you look it?

[senshuran]

1.How could you paraphrase "the map shows the development of the village"?
The map illustrates the changes in the development of the village.
2.How many periods of development are shown, and which period saw the most development?
We can see that there are four main periods of development and the 1970-1994 period saw the most development.
3.What is the relationship between transport and the growth of the village?
The growth of the village developed besides the transport .
4.How could you group the information in order to write two 'specific details' paragraphs?
The paragraph is divided based on the period of development, the first mainly write the first two period and the second describes the last two period.