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

Besides the usual Bar Charts, Line Graphs, and Tables, Maps are also common in IELTS Writing Task 1. As a result, in order to assist students in competently and fully achieving high band scores, below is a list of the most regularly used IELTS Writing Task 1 Map vocabulary that you should understand. Apply this knowledge as soon as possible in your IELTS preparation and practice, as well as in the actual IELTS Writing exam!

I. Common IELTS Writing Task 1 Map vocabulary

Below is the table of some IELTS Writing Task 1 Map vocabulary that PREP has compiled. Let’s explore together!

1. Infrastructure vocabulary

In the Map IELTS Writing Task 1 about locations, the more vocabulary you know to describe places, the higher score you can achieve. Let’s take a look at the following table of IELTS Writing Task 1 Map vocabulary about location.

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.

2. Position vocabulary

To accurately describe locations on the map, refer to some common IELTS Writing Task 1 Map vocabulary for describing positions of places below and apply them in a real IELTS Writing Task 1. Let’s take a look at the following table of IELTS Writing Task 1 Map vocabulary about position.

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.

3. Direction vocabulary

Below are essential IELTS Writing Task 1 Map vocabulary related to directions that are indispensable in IELTS Writing Task 1:

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.

4. Action and change vocabulary

Below is some IELTS Writing Task 1 Map vocabulary related to describing actions and changes:

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.

II. Notes on how to employ IELTS Writing Task 1 Map vocabulary effectively

To successfully achieve a high band score, simply having a Map vocabulary bank in IELTS Writing is not enough - you need to know how to effectively use these terms and apply them smoothly in the real exam. Here are some tips from PREP on memorizing and properly deploying Map Writing Task 1 vocabulary:

Examiners often evaluate the test taker's overall perspective and main points conveyed in the Writing essay. Therefore, to fully earn the favor of the examiners, avoid simply listing all elements described in the Map Writing Task 1.
Adopt an overview perspective, consider the bigger picture - an overall landscape rather than focusing on minor details. What you want to pay attention to is observing how those details relate to the general development of the whole situation.
Remember the main goal of your IELTS Writing - emphasize issues such as: What changes have occurred? What happened to cause the differences you've noticed?

III. Sample writing with IELTS Writing Task 1 Map vocabulary

1. Topic

The plans below show the site of an airport now and how it will look after redevelopment next year. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Sample writing with IELTS writing task 1 map vocabulary

2. Sample

The maps depict an airport's current layout as well as the planned layout for its redevelopment next year. Overall, it is clear that the airport will be expanded in terms of both space and amenities.
There is currently a departures lounge to the west and an arrivals lounge to the east. Travelers can either visit the café opposite the check-in counter or proceed directly to the passport control and security zones after checking in at the departures lounge. Awaiting room with a walkway and 8 gates to the runway beyond the airport's northern boundary. Before exiting the arrivals lounge, arriving passengers must pass through this room to reach the passport control and customs areas.
Following the airport's redevelopment, many changes are expected to be visible next year. The check-in counter will be relocated closer to the center of the departures lounge, opposite the newly introduced bag drop and the café, which will be relocated southwest. Additionally, shops will be established in the airport's midsection for travelers to visit before arriving at the Y-shaped waiting room with 18 gates and a sky train to transport passengers. Meanwhile, in an expanded section of the east wall, the arrivals lounge will include a café, an ATM, and car rental. It is also worth noting that each of the lounges will have an additional entryway.

This article has provided all the essential vocabulary for IELTS Writing Task 1 Map vocabulary that you can use in the actual exam. Additionally, please refer to the exam tips to avoid losing points due to minor mistakes. PREP wishes you effective exam preparation and success in achieving a high band score in the upcoming test!

Master Tu Pham

Founder/CEO at Prep

Founder of Prep Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of experience in teaching and test preparation, Mr. Tú has helped thousands of students achieve high scores in the IELTS exam. In addition, Mr. Tú Phạm is also a consulting expert in British Council programs and a speaker at many leading educational events, programs, and conferences.