“Unlock” the IELTS Writing Task 1 Map vocabulary for higher bands!

IELTS Writing Task 1 Map vocabulary

Pronunciation

Example 

Building

/ˈbɪl.dɪŋ/

In 1990, there were two separate exhibition rooms, but they were combined in 2010 to form one large building.

Housing estate

/ˈhaʊ.zɪŋ ɪˌsteɪt/

The investor decided to cut down on the number of housing estates that were being built in the North.

Stadium

/ˈsteɪ.di.əm/

The old stadium was demolished and replaced by a new one. 

Playground

/ˈpleɪ.ɡraʊnd/

To the west, exhibition room 4 was converted into a children’s indoor playground.

Parking lot 

/ˈpɑːr.kɪŋ ˌlɑːt/

Except for the expansion of the parking lot and the addition of a new cafe, the museum area had not seen many dramatic changes.

Room

ruːm/ or /rʊm/

In 1990, the exhibition room opposite the museum’s main entrance was an L-shaped structure.

Hall

/hɑːl/

The maps below show how a residence hall has changed between 2010 and today.

Garden

/ˈɡɑːr.dən/

A large garden to the left of the museum existed in 1990 and remained so in 2010. 

Entrance

/ˈen.trəns/

The entrance has also been relocated to the southwest corner of the building. 

Corner

/ˈkɔːr.nɚ/

In the upper left-hand corner of the main building, a new minor operations room has been constructed. 

Reception

/rɪˈsep.ʃən/

The entrance has also been relocated to the southwest corner of the building, next to the new reception desk and close to a new children’s play area.

Museum

/mjuːˈziː.əm/

In 2010, a new cafe replaced the cottage to the right of the museum. 

Exhibition

/ˌek.səˈbɪʃ.ən/

In 1990, there were two separate exhibition rooms, but they were combined in 2010 to form one large building.

Cafe

/kæfˈeɪ/

The maps depict the evolution of a café’s layout over a ten-year period.

Airport

/ˈer.pɔːrt/

The maps depict an airport’s current layout as well as the planned layout for its redevelopment next year.

IELTS Writing Task 1 Map vocabulary 

Pronunciation

Example

North

/nɔːrθ/

Outside the residence hall, there were two garden patches to the north and south.

South

/saʊθ/

A parking lot has taken the place of the garden patch to the south of the building.

East

/iːst/

There is currently a departure lounge to the west and an arrivals lounge to the east.

West

/west/

There is currently a departure lounge to the west and an arrivals lounge to the east.

Northeast

/ˌnɔːrθˈiːst/

Another bedroom was located to the northeast.

Northwest

/ˌnɔːrθˈwest/

Beyond the airport’s northwest boundary is a waiting room with a walkway and 8 gates to the runway. 

Southeast

/ˌsaʊθˈiːst/

A private room near the kitchen in the southeast corner of the building has an en-suite bathroom.

Southwest

/ˌsaʊθˈwest/

The entrance has also been relocated to the southwest corner of the building, next to the new reception desk and close to a new children’s play area.

Inside

/ˈɪn.saɪd/

Inside the departures lounge, the check-in counter will be moved closer to the center of the building, opposite the newly-introduced bag drop and the café, which will be relocated southwest. 

Adjacent

/əˈdʒeɪ.sənt/

Travelers can either visit the café adjacent the check-in counter or proceed directly to passport control after checking in at the departures lounge as well as security zones.

Opposite

/ˈɑː.pə.zɪt/

The main hall was directly accessible from the residence hall’s west entrance; opposite it were the kitchen and a bedroom.

Across from

/əˈkrɑːs frʌm/

Across from the children's play area will come the toilet.

IELTS Writing Task 1 Map vocabulary

Example

On the western side

While the entryway remains on the western side, it has become noticeably narrower, as has the main hall to which it leads.

In the north western corner

An ATM and a car hire in an expanded section in the north western corner.

To the south

A parking lot has taken the place of the garden patch to the south of the building.

In the center

The coffee shop was originally planned to have eight tables in the center of the building and two terraces near the entrance.

To the east

There is currently a departure lounge to the west and an arrivals lounge to the east.

IELTS Writing Task 1 Map vocabulary

Meaning

Example

Break something down

Demolish

to pull or knock down a building; to destroy something

This building had to be demolished because of the construction of an orphanage.

Remove

to get rid of something unpleasant, dirty, etc.; to make something disappear

The flower shops were completely removed. 

Cut down

to reduce the number, amount, or size of something

The investor decided to cut down on the number of houses that were being built in the North.

Clear

to remove or get rid of whatever is blocking or filling something, or to stop being blocked or full:

The trees on the western side of the building were cleared to build a fence. 

Disappear

no longer exist

The three flower shops completely disappeared when more accommodations were erected.

Vanish

to disappear or stop being present or existing, especially in a sudden, surprising way

Looking at the first map, it is clearly seen that the commercial land totally vanished over the period given.

Build something up

Build

to make something by putting bricks or other materials together

Mini apartments were built along Nguyen Trai Street.

Erect

to build a building, wall, or other structure

Mini apartments were erected along

 Nguyen Trai Street.

Add

to put something with something else to increase the number or amount or to improve the whole

There were more buildings and roads added in a rural area.

Construct

to build something or put together different parts to form something whole

In the upper left-hand corner of the main building, a new minor operations room has been constructed.

Renew

Refurbish

to make a building look new again by doing work such as painting, repairing, and cleaning

The University library is currently being refurbished.

Renovate

to repair and improve something, especially a building

They were in the process of renovating an old barn.

Modernize

to make something more modern

The investor decided to modernize the mini apartment by adding more modern facilities such as elevators and facial recognition devices.

Make something larger

Enlarge

to become bigger or to make something bigger

The high school was enlarged with 3 new blocks.

Expand

to increase something in size, number, or importance

The residential area was expanded significantly due to an increase in the number of inhabitants.

Widen

to become, or to make something greater in width

The freeway seemed to get widened when it ran towards the Northeast

Narrow something down

Shrink

to become smaller, or to make something smaller

The housing estate shrank by nearly a half in 2018.

Dwindle

to become smaller in size or amount, or fewer in number

The inhabitant community dwindled to a seventh of its former size.

Narrow

to become less wide or to make something less wide

The bypass road seemed to get narrowed when it ran toward the Southwest.

Change the location

Relocate

to move or move something or someone from one place to another

Corporations are relocating to other states.

Move

to (cause to) change position

The UTM university was moved to the extramural.

Replace

to take the place of something, or to put something or someone in the place of something or someone else

The village in the rural area replaced the farmland with more buildings and large streets.

Change the using purpose

Convert

to (cause something or someone to) change in form or character

The small house inside the gardens was converted into an orphanage.

Transform 

to change completely the appearance or character of something or someone

The riverside area has been transformed into a shopping and sports complex.

Modify

to make changes to something such as a vehicle, machine, or tool, so that it can be used for a different purpose or in a different way

The kitchen has been modified into another bedroom, bringing the total number of private rooms to five, with an additional one in the west, near the entrance.

Alter

to change something, usually slightly, or to cause the characteristics of something to change

A parking lot altered the place of the garden patch to the south of the building.