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Listening Map!
Agenda:
1. Two types of maps
a) Leading map
b) Descriptive
2. Important language
3. Practice
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5 sets of IELTS Listening map vocabulary with maps, plans and
sample sentences to help you learn.
To do well in map and plan questions, you need to understand the language of location, especially
prepositions of place, and direction.
Here are definitions of these two types of vocabulary to make sure that you understand the
difference between them, and a few examples of each type.
Location – where something is in relation to another object or place.
Direction – the position towards which someone moves or faces.
Common vocabulary of location:
near, in front of, next to, beside, across from, between
Common vocabulary of direction:
turn right, turn left, go straight on, travel northwest, go past
Below, you’ll find lists of vocabulary commonly used in map and plan questions, along with sample
sentences to show the words and phrases used in context. Each set of sentences describes or gives
directions on a map or plan to give you some practice at visualising the information as you'll have to
do in your test.
We’ll start with some simple prepositions of place.
IELTS Listening Map Vocabulary – Set 1
facing
in the middle / centre of
behind
between
next to / by
in front of
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Source: Cambridge English past paper
The entrance is in front of the reception desk.
The reception desk is facing the entrance.
The pool is in the centre of / in the middle of the sport’s centre.
The gym is behind the swimming pool.
The pool is between the reception and the gym.
The seating area is next to / by the pool.
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IELTS Listening Map Vocabulary – Set 2
left-hand side
right-hand side
turn right
to your right
pass through
on the other side
beyond
along
corner
go straight
beside
Source: Cambridge English past paper
The sports shop is on the left-hand side as you enter the sports centre.
To the right-hand side of the entrance, there’s a café.
Pass through the entrance, turn right and the café is immediately in front of you.
The leisure pool is on the other side of the sports centre to the dance studios.
There is a large changing room just beyond the café.
Walk along the side of the sports hall and you’ll find the second dance studio in the far corner of the
building
Go straight along the corridor beside the sports hall and to your right, you’ll see two dance
studios.
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IELTS Listening Map Vocabulary – Set 3
Maps nearly always have compass points shown. You need to know the 8 points of the compass as
these are often used in the recording to describe position. The 8 points are:
north
south
east
west
northeast
northwest
southeast
southwest
There are several different ways you might hear them used.
to the north / to the south …
in the northeast / in the southwest …
north side / east side / west side / south side
heading east
slightly west of
just southeast of
Other vocabulary:
near
first / second turning
on the left
straight ahead
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Source: Cambridge English past paper
The houses immediately to the north and south of the Post Office are
The bridge is just beyond the final row of houses heading north.
After crossing the bridge, take the second turning on the left and you’ll see the retirement
home straight ahead.
The retirement home is just southeast of the primary school.
The post office is to the northwest of the retirement home.
The village of Stokeford is slightly east of the River Stoke.
There is a housing estate to the west side of the retirement home.
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IELTS Listening Map Vocabulary – Set 4
opposite
across the road
same side
before you get to
junction
dead end
leads off
Source: Cambridge English past paper
The chemist is opposite a supermarket.
They are going to build new houses across the road from the school at point G.
There is a supermarket on the same side of the road as the library.
Walk west along High Street and you’ll pass the library before you get to the junction with Station
Road.
The bank is on a dead end road that leads off the High Street.
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IELTS Listening Map Vocabulary – Set 5
bend
just past
alongside
adjoining
carry straight on
Source: Cambridge English past paper
The school is situated on a bend in the dual carriageway.
The bus station is on the right just past the shopping centre.
The town centre has a pedestrian walkway running alongside a row of adjoining shops.
After passing the school on your right, carry straight on and you’ll see the park on your left around
the next bend.
