Is this page a separate official IELTS task?

No. This is a WeLearn teaching route for practising one specific skill within IELTS Academic Writing Task 1.

How can this practice be used in a complete response?

Train the skill, review the explanation and then transfer it to a complete Task 1 response of at least 150 words.

🗺️ Sub-skill 6 — Maps

Describe maps

Maps compare a place before and after a change. You need location and change vocabulary. Select a change and write a sentence to describe it.

Official format versus WeLearn strategy

Official format: IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 may present maps as visual information. Maps are a practice route for that input, not a separate official task.

WeLearn strategy: We isolate maps because they require location, transformation and time-comparison language.

Answer review

Review focus: Locate spatial changes and compare the initial and final states.

Explained answer: A strong response describes visible changes, uses spatial prepositions and does not infer benefits or reasons that are not shown.

IELTS Academic source IELTS samples Write the overview Build Body 1 Build Body 2 Describe processes

Task 1 visual types

Identify the visual before practising a sub-skill.

The response structure changes with the input: a line graph requires trend language, a table requires grouping, a process requires sequencing and a map requires spatial transformation. This guide connects the official IELTS format with the WeLearn teaching strategy.

Line graph

Changes over time

Overview: Look for the dominant trend, line crossing, peak, fall or convergence.

Body: Group the timeline into meaningful periods: start, rapid change, stability or finish.

rose steadily, peaked at, declined gradually, overtook, remained stable

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Bar chart

Comparisons between categories

Overview: Look for the highest or lowest category and the clearest contrast.

Body: Group similar categories instead of describing every bar separately.

higher than, whereas, considerably lower, the largest proportion

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Pie charts

Parts of a whole

Overview: Look for the dominant segment and distribution changes when two charts are shown.

Body: Compare large and small proportions without listing every slice.

accounted for, made up, represented, the smallest share

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Table

Dense row-and-column data

Overview: Look for extremes, row or column patterns and categories that form groups.

Body: Turn the table into two logical groups before writing.

the figure for, respectively, by contrast, across all categories

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Process diagram

Production stages or a cycle

Overview: Mention the number of stages and whether the process is linear or cyclical.

Body: Use the passive voice and chronological order; do not invent reasons.

is collected, is heated, after this, subsequently, finally

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Map

Spatial changes over time

Overview: Look for overall development, replacements, expansion or reduction.

Body: Organise the response by zones or by before-and-after changes.

was replaced by, was converted into, to the north of, adjacent to

Practise this visual type →

Mixed chart

Two connected visuals

Overview: Find the relationship between the visuals instead of treating them as separate tasks.

Body: Use one paragraph per visual or group them around a shared relationship.

while, in relation to, this corresponded with, a similar pattern

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Location

to the north ofto the south ofto the east ofto the west ofadjacent tooppositebetween X and Yin the centre ofon the western/eastern side

Change

was replaced bywas demolishedwas builtwas extendedwas converted intowas widenedwas cleareda new X was constructed

1/5

IELTS-style visual reference

Town centre changes, 1990-2020

Before

After

Click an element to practise that sentence.

Complete model paragraph

Comparing the two maps, the town centre underwent substantial redevelopment between 1990 and 2020. The park and factory in the northern half were replaced by a housing estate and a school respectively, while the small road across the centre was widened into a dual carriageway. In the south-east, the car park was converted into a shopping centre.

WeLearn progressive engine

Practise map writing by level

Identify a visible change first, then organise spatial evidence and build a cautious map overview.

Exercise 1 of 4Level 1

“A park becomes a housing estate in the north-west. Which sentence reports the visible change?”