Student worksheet

Writing Lesson

Changing neighbourhoods: describing maps and plans

By the end of the lesson I will be able to:

• describe location and change in maps.

• avoid interpretation.

• understand the Grammatical Range and Accuracy assessment criteria.

• use a range of language for describing change.

INTRODUCTION

1. Talk about the place that you live in.

1. How has this place changed over the last 50 years?

2. What things have remained the same?

3. Do you think life here is better or worse than it was 50 years ago?

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 TASK FOCUS

2. Look at the IELTS task and answer the questions below.

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The two maps show a town in 1996 and in 2016.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons
where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

1996 2016

Hotel

River River

Houses Houses

Old farm School

buildings
Houses Houses

Houses Houses

Woods

Restaurant
Houses

Windmill Fields Shops

Tennis courts
Playground
NORTH NORTH

1. Identify the changes in the maps.

2. Which changes do you think are the most important?

3. Your writing will be clearer if you put changes into groups. Write the opposite of the changes below.
The first one has been done for you.

A. Changes north of the river         Changes south of the river        

B. Changes to commercial building                                           

C. Changes to natural areas                                           

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 GET TO KNOW IELTS

3. Read the extracts from the Grammatical Range and Accuracy assessment criteria for IELTS level 5 and
6. Then read the extracts from two candidates’ descriptions of the maps, in activity 2. What level do
you think the candidates are for Grammatical Range and Accuracy?

IELTS level 6 candidates …

use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms.

IELTS level 5 candidates …

attempt complex sentences but these tend to be less accurate than simple sentences.

Candidate A

In 1996 it was a village. Now it is a small town. The area is probably richer now. There are more houses. There is
now a hotel in the north. There were old farm buildings although these are now a school.

Candidate B

Although the area was once a village, it is now a small town. There have been a number of changes, such as the
extra housing in the area. Where there was once an old farm building, there is now a school to the west of the
city. In the north, a new hotel has been constructed. Residents are probably happier because they have more
facilities than in the past.

4. Look at the candidates’ answers in activity 3 again and underline the complex sentences.

IELTS SKILLS

5. One sentence in each of the candidates’ answers in activity 3 is not relevant to the task. Identify these
sentences and explain to your partner why they are not relevant.

6. Which three of the following sentences would be relevant in a response to the task in activity 2?

1. The population of the settlement has grown.

2. Building houses close to the river could be dangerous.

3. The settlement now has facilities for its inhabitants.

4. The settlement has become less attractive.

5. Some natural features of the village have been lost.

6. These changes are typical of modern towns.

7. Which sentence from Candidate B’s answer in activity 3 summarises the changes in the maps?

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 USEFUL LANGUAGE FOR IELTS

8. Match the words to the definitions.

1. construct (verb) A. To make longer

2. cut down (phrasal verb) B. To make bigger

3. develop (verb) C. To put something in a place

4. expand (verb) D. To remove trees

5. extend (verb) E. To change one thing for another

6. demolish (verb) F. To destroy a building

7. locate (verb) G. To grow or become more advanced

8. replace (verb) H. To build

9. Look at the maps from activity 2 and complete the sentences below with words from activity 8. Change
the form of the verb if necessary. The first one has been done for you.

1. The trees have been     cut down     to make room for a new road.
2. The road has been               to the south.
3. The space used for housing has               throughout the area.
4. The old farm buildings have been               with a school.
5. The windmill has been               and there are now tennis courts where it used to be.
6. Shops have been               in the south east of the town.
7. There is now a playground               in the south east.
8. The area has been               and modernised.

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 IELTS PRACTICE

10. Look at the IELTS task below and plan your response.

You should …

• make notes on the main changes

• write down verbs you can use to describe the changes

• think of words that describe the locations of features on the map.

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The two maps show a park in 2010 and in 2016.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons
where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Milton Park – 2010 Milton Park – Present

Ice Toy
cream shop
Café Café shop
Boating lake
Pond

Path Path Woods

Picnic area
Woods

Adventure
play area
Fields

Playground
Path

Mini golf

NORTH NORTH

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11. Compare the plan you made in activity 10 with a partner. Try to find ideas in your partner’s plan that
you can also use.

12. Write your full response to the task in activity 10.

SELF-STUDY

Watch the tips in this video about Writing Task 1 and make a note of any advice that you find useful.

http://tinyurl.com/ll2539z

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