Two maps show the same place years apart. You can see a new road, a missing field, relocated buildings, and an enlarged car park—but your report starts turning into a tour of every corner.
A strong map response groups changes by meaning. First decide how the place transformed; then choose details that prove that overview.
Do not describe Map A and then Map B. Compare the same feature across time and group it with related changes.
Sort every feature into a change family
| Change family | What to mark | Useful language |
|---|---|---|
| Added | New roads, buildings, facilities, or green space | was constructed; was introduced |
| Removed | Features that disappear | was removed; gave way to |
| Converted | One use becomes another | was converted into; was replaced by |
| Relocated | A feature moves position | was moved from X to Y |
| Expanded or reduced | A feature changes size | was enlarged; was reduced |
| Unchanged | Important anchors that remain | remained in place; was retained |
Use the MAPS planning method
- M — Mark: label each important feature with a change family.
- A — Assess: decide the overall direction: more urban, accessible, residential, commercial, or recreational.
- P — Pair: group related changes by area or purpose.
- S — Select: choose the most important unchanged anchor and enough details to prove the overview.
Write an overview from transformation, not inventory
Imagine a rural site in 2000 and 2025. Farmland is replaced by homes, a footpath becomes a road, and a small shop remains beside the entrance.
A listing overview says: “There were several changes, including houses and a road.” A stronger overview says: “Overall, the area became substantially more residential and accessible, as farmland was replaced by housing and the internal path was upgraded, while the entrance shop remained unchanged.”
The stronger version gives a dominant change, supporting transformation, and stable anchor.
Choose a body-paragraph split
| Map pattern | Body 1 | Body 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Clear left/right layout | Western or northern changes | Eastern or southern changes |
| Strong functional shift | Residential and access changes | Commercial, public, or green-space changes |
| Central redevelopment | Changes around the centre | Changes around the perimeter |
| Before/after with few features | Major removals and conversions | Additions, expansions, and unchanged anchors |
Choose the split that reduces jumping around. A reader should be able to follow one area or change family at a time.
Select the tense from the dates
| Map timing | Main tense | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Two completed past dates | Past simple or past passive | The warehouse was replaced by apartments. |
| Present and future plan | Present for now; future or planned passive for proposal | A bridge is planned to connect the two banks. |
| No date, current layouts | Present simple | The library stands east of the park. |
Do not switch tense because a sentence “sounds better.” Let the map dates control the timeline.
Run the map checklist
- Have I identified the dominant transformation?
- Does the overview include a major change and, when useful, an unchanged anchor?
- Have I compared features across maps instead of describing each map separately?
- Are body paragraphs grouped by area or purpose?
- Are locations and directions accurate?
- Do the tenses match the dates?
- Have I avoided reasons or opinions not shown?
Final action: map the changes in three minutes
Open the IELTS Ai Pro Writing practice area, choose one map task, and label the change families before drafting. Check the result with the Task 1 overview guide and protect your timing with the 20-minute workflow. When you switch to Task 2, use the two-part-question coverage grid.
Task format was checked on 26 July 2026 against official IELTS Academic Writing information and the public IDP Task 1 maps guide.
