MAP

TR: Summarise main features + make comparison

CC: balance 2 bodies, features in order - linked
LX: flexibly use phrases (verb - noun), paraphrase features, name the features unlabelled
GR: understand the structure and use it naturally

Note:
1. Tense
2. Direction
3. Key features:
- changed features (make comparison): feature in former time - that in latter time (how it changes) - position
- unchanged feature (summary): remaining feature - position in general
4. Key structures (personal template)

Example:
1. The most important of which
2. And
3. While/ whereas
4. The…also saw/ witnessed a number of/ significant changes, with A being turned into B, and C being converted into D
5. …,which was accompanied by…
6. …was constructed…, replacing …
7. There used to be a…, but it was redeveloped into… (removed to make way for…)
8. catering for
Essay Structure:
Opening: Paraphrase topic.
Overall: give the general information/ changes in the map
Body: B1: the first group of features
B2: the other group of features
 HOW TO BRAINSTORM IDEAS

1. Opening

2. Overall: Show some prominent features changed in specific areas in the map.
1. Body: Follow the specific areas, choose features along with their locations on the map to describe.

LANGUAGE TO DESCRIBE MAPS

PREPOSITION
In front of The railway line is in front of three apartment blocks.
opposite One apartment building is opposite the lake.
 Next to, Adjacent to, near by, The car park is next to a house.
near, beside
To/in the left/right of The car park is to the right of a house.
Between … and A skyscraper had been built between the golf course and a warehouse.
The middle of The river runs through the middle of the town.
alongside The railway runs alongside the coast.
Pass by A new road passes by the supermarket.
Run/pass through A river runs through the middle of the town.
A river passes through the city center.
Along There had been a lot of houses constructed along the main road
Across Across from the post office, a travel agency was built.
10 miles from S1 is 5 kilometers from a golf course along the main road
10 miles to the right of
10 miles north of
 DIRECTION
Compass: the
✓ West, East, South, North (Noun)
✓ Western, eastern, southern,
northern (Adj)
✓ Northwest, Northeast, Southwest,
Northeast

e.g. In the North/ In the Northern

area/ In the Northwest

● In the northwest corner
● In the right/left hand corner
● In the middle/ In the heart of
● In the northwest corner of/ area of
the city
● In the heart of the city
● The school was located/ situated in the northwest corner of the
city
● There is a ferry in the south east cast Templeton
● In the north of the town, there is now an airport

● To the south of the lake ● There was an airport to the south of the lake
● To the south of the river ● It was located to the south of the main road
 ● To the east of the river, there is a factory, a school and a
railway station

● The north-west of ● The north-west of the town used to be an area with trees.

● On the right/left side ● There is a ferry port on the west side of the town
● on the other side of the town ● A completely new covered market has also been built on the
other side of town

● From west to east ● A railway runs from the west to the east of the town

● Others ● Had to move a little to the east, still remained close to the main
road

LOCATION
● Is situated in/ between … and ….
● Is situated/located/sited/positioned around/above/below/inside/next to
● Is situated/located/sited/positioned around + to the right of/ to the north of

NOUNS TO DESCRIBE FACILITIES

● Residential area/blocks/ Residential housing/ Housing area/ Housing estate
● Industrial area/ Industrial estate
● Commercial area
● Skyscraper
● Warehouse
● Parking lot
● Woodland
● Intersection (between the main road and the railway)
● T-junction
● roundabout
● Coast/ the bank of the river
● Traffic-free zone/ pedestrian/ no traffic zone (…. Has been pedestrianized)
● Countryside vs City center
● Golf course and park
● More options for shopping (shops. Shopping malls, shopping centers) and leisure activities (cinema, gymnastics, restaurant),
entertainment/recreational facilities (such as cinemas, bars, clubs, theaters)

HOW TO WRITE A FULL ESSAY

INTRODUCTION

information/ data about + the changes/ growth in/ of a town called …. over
the period from … to …over a …-year period from. .. to…..
The map/ picture +
the developments that occurred/happened in a town called …. over the
shows/compares/
period from … to … over a …-year period from. .. to…..
illustrates/ describes
how a town called …. has changed/ transformed/ developed from … to..
over a …-year period from. .. to…..
 OVERVIEW: Overall/ In general, ….

1. The 1st sentence: indicates the change of the whole map(s)

✓ The town of….. has become a much more modern city over the 50-year timescale.
✓ The town of ….. has been industrialized/ modernized/ urbanized to become a far more modern city over the
50-year timescale.
2. The 2nd sentence: another interesting point
2.1. Generalize the trends of transformation:
o The town became more developed, cutting out some of the natural beauty while extending the residential
area and providing more options for shopping and leisure activities
2.2. Comment on transport system
o The village grew as the transport infrastructure was improved.
o Four periods of development are shown on the map, and each of the populated areas is near to the
main roads, the railway or the motorway.
2.3. mention the most significant change
o There will be a completely new entrance and more space for exhibitions.
2.4. mention the number of changes
o The island has changed considerably with the introduction of tourism, and six new features can be
seen in the second diagram
 BODY

9 VERB CATEGORIES

NO. FUNCTION VERBS NOUNS

● industrialize/ modernize/ urbanize ● the
urbanization/
industrialization + of + Noun
● transform
● the
transformation + of + Noun
General statement
1
about changes
● take place, occur, become, change,
make way for (active form)

The original village has been

industrialized to become a modern
tourist attraction with far more facilities.
● was enlarged/ expanded/ extended/ ● the
lengthened expansion/extension of +
2 Make bigger Noun
● became bigger (active form)

The car park was expanded

3 Make smaller ● was narrowed/ shortened
 ● became smaller (active form)

The school was narrowed

● was removed/ demolished, was ● the
knocked down (applied for houses) disappearance/ removal/
elimination/
● was cut down/ chopped down/ pulled
down (applied for trees) ● demolition of
+ Noun
4 Take away ● disappear (active form)

All the trees to the north of the

● the
river were cut down/
disappearance of + Noun
chopped down

● was built/ constructed/ erected/ ● The

introduced/added emergence/ birth/
appearance/ presence/

● existence/ the
5 Add something new ● appear (not passive)
appearance of + Noun
Skyscrapers were
● mushroom/
built/constructed/erected to the south of
construction / erection of +
the river
Noun

6 Change into something ● convert into/make into/ make way for ● the
 (active form) conversion of …. into…/ the
replacement/redevelopment
● was redeveloped/ replaced by
of + Noun
● changed into/ turned into (active
form)
else The airport was demolished to
make way for a new hospital
p/s: vật bị thay thế: passive
form
vật được dùng để thay thế:
active form
● still remained/ existed

● no changes will be made to the main

7 Remain entrance and original car park.

The airport still remained/ existed close

to the river
● was moved/ relocated to the south

● the plan is to move

8 Move
The stadium was relocated to
the south
9 Others Furthermore, the plan is to join combination of
the two original buildings
 together, creating a shorter
path that links the buildings
only.
- integrate

integration

NOTE: Take place, occur, become, change, make way for, appear/disappear CAN NOT be used in passive form.

For example:

● A number of important changes have taken place in the last decade.

● The city has become much more modern.
● The cinema was knocked down to down to make way for a new shopping center

COMBO IMPORTANT STRUCTURES:

1. The most important of which

2. And
3. While/ whereas
4. The…also saw/ witnessed a number of/ significant changes, with A being turned into B, and C being converted into
D
5. …,which was accompanied by…
 6. …was constructed…, replacing …
7. There used to be a…, but it was redeveloped into… (removed to make way for…)
8. catering for

The maps below show how the town of Harborne changes from 1936 to 2007 (1). Summarise the information by selecting
and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The pictures illustrate the changes that took place between 1936 and 2007 in a town called Harborne.

Overall, the town underwent a number of dramatic changes, the most important of which is the development of population and
the rearrangement of the majority of constructions in the town./ Overall, the town of Harborne had been urbanised to become a
far more modern town over the 71-year timescale by extending the residential area and providing more options for shopping
and leisure activities.
In the north-west, most of the trees were cut down, and in the south-west, the bicycle track was converted into a roadway. In
the centre of the town, the post office, bank and library remain while, in the northern section, the candy shop and butchers shop
were converted into a supermarket. A shopping centre was introduced in the center of the downtown, replacing most of the open
space there. Moreover, there used to be a flower shop in the southern part, but it was then redeveloped into a travel agent.

In the north-east of the downtown area, the river was turned into a lake, which was accompanied by a large residential area being
built on its shore. Meanwhile, the south-east of the town also witnessed significant alterations, with the government offices
being transformed into a museum and the farmland becoming a golf course.

- Order of features: repeated

- Not flexibly use verb - noun to explain the transformation => Gr + Lx
- Unbalanced bodies
The maps show the town of Gotham in 1995 and present. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The pictures illustrate how the town of Gotham has changed dating back to 1995.

Overall, the town has undergone a number of dramatic changes, the most important of which are the expansion of housing
areas, the disappearance of the green areas and the development of amenities catering for recreational needs.

According to the maps, the north-west of the town sees a number of changes, with extension of the accommodation area and
the replacement of the sports centre by a restaurant complex. Additionally, the hotel in the middle of the map has been
upgraded into two-storey buildings, while the public park near the hotel has been replaced by holiday homes and a parking lot.
Sport avenues/ fields comprising a golf course and a tennis course have been erected, replacing the farmland in the north-eastern
part of the area.
There used to be a fish market in the south-east of the town, but it has been redeveloped into an apartment complex, which was
accompanied by the demolition of the pier where morning fish boats used to dock. To the east of the new apartment area,
the coffee shop is moved eastwards, and a small road running parallel with the main road is constructed to allow access to
this shop. Finally, the southern beach is open for people alike to relax, with the availability of yachts.