How it's scored
Task achievement rewards an overview of the main changes and accurate detail; coherence rewards a spatial organisation the reader can follow. Grammatical range comes from the verbs of change and the tenses the two dates require.
Strategy & template
- 1Find the compass and the key, then list what was added, removed, moved, enlarged or converted between the two dates.
- 2Overview: the two or three biggest changes and the overall character (more residential, more developed, greener).
- 3Body: one paragraph per part of the map (north and centre, then south and east), describing what each area looked like before and after.
- 4Location language: in the north-west corner, along the coast, to the east of, opposite, adjacent to, was replaced by, was extended, was converted into.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Describing the first map fully and then the second, which repeats everything.
- Wrong tense: past to present-perfect for past-to-now maps, future forms for a planned map.
- Vague position words (near, there) instead of compass and relative position.
Frequently asked questions
How should I organise a two-map answer?
By area of the map, not by date. Describe the northern half before and after, then the southern half, so each paragraph compares directly.
What tense do I use for a future map?
Future forms or the present for plans: a new road will be built, the car park is to be converted. For two past dates use the past simple and present perfect.
Practise Writing Task 1: Map
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