In IELTS Writing Task 1, the map of geographical changes is one of the four complex graph types you may encounter. So, what exactly is a map of geographical changes?
Essentially, this type of map illustrates how a particular place has changed over different time periods, especially when there is a large time span involved. For instance, a small fishing village might transform into a bustling industrial city over the course of 100 years. The task typically requires you to compare maps from different periods, where the landscape, architecture, or building structures might have undergone significant changes.
How to approach a map of geographical changes
Your response to this kind of task usually consists of two key elements:
1.Describing the changes: This is the core of your task—describing the specific changes that have occurred in the place over different periods.
2.Positional descriptions: It’s crucial to describe the changes in a logical order, following the geographical layout of the map.
Common verbs for describing changes
Here are a few common verbs and phrases that can be useful when describing changes:
-Change: A general word for any alteration.
-Convert: For changes from one function to another.
-Transform: For more substantial or complete changes.
-Turn into: Another way to say “become.”
-Be replaced by: When something is removed and substituted with something else.
For example:
"In 1860, it was a small forest by the river, but it has now been transformed into a large farming area with a lot of cattle and sheep."
Another example:
"The original harbour area has been turned into several housing development districts over the eighty-year period."
Four types of changes
In summary, geographical changes can generally be grouped into four categories:
1.Addition: New features or structures have appeared.
2.Reduction: Features that were once present are now gone.
3.No change: Some elements remain the same.
4.Transformation: One feature has changed into another.
For example:
-Addition:"The size of A has been enlarged."
-Reduction:"A disappeared" or"The size of A has been reduced."
-Transformation:"A has been transformed into B."
Positional descriptions
When describing positions on the map, you can use the following phrases:
-A is in the east of B: A is located directly to the east of B (touching).
-A is to the north of B: A is located to the north of B (but not directly adjacent).
-A is in/at the northeastern corner of B: A is positioned in the northeast corner of B.
-A is two kilometres to the east of B: A is located two kilometres east of B.
-A is next to/close to/near B: A is positioned adjacent to or near B.
-A is opposite B: A is positioned directly across from B.
Practice
Let’s walk through an example of a map showing the changes to a town square between 1980 and the present day. Here’s what we can observe:
1.Car Park: In 1980, the centre of the square was a car park, but it has now been redeveloped into a public square with a fountain and a statue in the centre.
2.Garden: The garden on the west side has been converted into a city library.
3.Pine Forest: The pine forest in the northeast corner has been reduced in size, shrinking from four patches to just one.
4.Unchanged Areas: The post office and the town hall in the southeast corner have remained in the same positions.
These changes can be described using the following verbs:
-Replaced: The car park has been replaced by a public square with a fountain.
-Transformed: The garden has been transformed into a library.
-Reduced: The pine forest has been reduced in size.
Conclusion
To tackle a map of geographical changes, it’s essential to use descriptive language effectively, combining details about changes with accurate positional descriptions. By clearly outlining the key changes over time, you can convey the most significant features of the map. Hopefully, today’s lesson has equipped you with the tools to handle these tasks with confidence!
No comments:
Post a Comment