IELTS Writing Task 1 Map: Band 7 Template (with Sample Answer)

Map questions appear in roughly 15% of Academic Task 1 prompts. They test your ability to describe changes between two or more time periods using direction vocabulary and the passive voice. Most candidates underperform because they have not practiced the specific vocabulary maps require.

For other Task 1 question types, see line graph, bar chart, pie chart, and process diagram templates.

Band 7 map structure

Four paragraphs, 170-190 words:

Introduction — paraphrase the prompt
Overview — biggest changes overall
Body 1 — additions and removals (or one section of the map)
Body 2 — conversions and structural changes (or another section)

Step 1: Identify the changes

Before writing, list what changed:

Added: new buildings, roads, parks, facilities
Removed: demolished buildings, removed features
Replaced: what became what (e.g., factory → housing)
Expanded: existing features that grew
Reduced: existing features that shrank
Repositioned: features moved to a new location

You will use these categories to group your body paragraphs.

Step 2: Paraphrase the prompt

Original: "The maps show the changes to a town centre between 1990 and 2020."

Paraphrased: "The two maps illustrate how the central area of a town was redeveloped over a thirty-year period from 1990 to 2020."

Synonym swaps: maps → two maps, show → illustrate, changes → was redeveloped, town centre → central area of a town, between X and Y → over a thirty-year period.

Step 3: Write the overview

Capture the biggest patterns, not specific details:

"Overall, the town centre underwent substantial redevelopment, with several industrial and commercial structures replaced by residential and recreational facilities. The road network was also expanded to accommodate the new layout."

Step 4: Body paragraph 1 — additions and removals

Use passive voice when describing changes (the "agent" is implied to be planners or developers):

"In 1990, the western side of the town was dominated by a large factory and a series of warehouses. By 2020, these had been demolished and replaced by a residential complex with two apartment blocks. A new park was also constructed adjacent to the housing, occupying space that had previously been a parking lot."

Step 5: Body paragraph 2 — conversions and expansions

"On the eastern side, the original primary school remained in place but was significantly expanded, with a new sports facility added to its northern boundary. The single-lane road running through the town centre was widened into a dual carriageway, and a roundabout was introduced at the junction with the main avenue. The small shop on the corner was converted into a café."

Direction and location vocabulary

Cardinal directions:

to the north / south / east / west of [feature]
in the northern / southern / eastern / western part of [area]
the north-east corner, the south-west region

Relative positions:

adjacent to, next to, alongside
opposite, across from
between [X] and [Y]
in the centre, at the heart of
on the outskirts, at the periphery

Movement and change verbs (passive):

was built, was constructed, was erected
was demolished, was removed, was cleared
was replaced by, was converted into
was expanded, was extended, was widened
was reduced, was shrunk
was relocated, was moved

Full sample Band 7 answer

Prompt: Town centre changes between 1990 and 2020.

The two maps illustrate how the central area of a small town was redeveloped over a thirty-year period from 1990 to 2020.

Overall, the town centre underwent substantial redevelopment, with several industrial and commercial structures replaced by residential and recreational facilities. The road network was also expanded to accommodate the new layout.

In 1990, the western side of the town was dominated by a large factory and a series of warehouses. By 2020, these had been demolished and replaced by a residential complex containing two apartment blocks. A new park was also constructed adjacent to the housing, occupying space that had previously been a parking lot.

On the eastern side, the primary school remained in place but was significantly expanded, with a new sports facility added to its northern boundary. The single-lane road through the town centre was widened into a dual carriageway, and the small corner shop was converted into a café.

Word count: 175

Tense rules for maps

Past simple for changes between two past time periods: "was demolished," "was built"
Past perfect when comparing earlier states: "what had previously been a factory"
Present simple when describing the current state in a "before/now" map: "There is a new park where the factory was."

Three-map variation

If you have three maps (e.g., 1990, 2005, 2020), structure as:

Body 1: Changes between map 1 and map 2
Body 2: Changes between map 2 and map 3

This is cleaner than grouping by category.

Common map mistakes

Using active voice for changes ("They built a park" — should be "A park was built")
Forgetting cardinal directions
Listing every single change without grouping
Mixing tenses inconsistently

For broader Task 1 advice, see Top 10 IELTS Writing Mistakes That Block Band 7.