THANH DIEM IELTS

WRITING TASK 1 – MAP

Task 1: Complete the sentences with the given words.

Next to/ by
Facing
In the center of/ in the middle of
In front of
Behind
Between

1. The entrance is _______________ the reception desk.

2. The reception desk is _______________ the entrance.
3. The pool is _______________ of the sport’s center.
4. The gym is _______________ the swimming pool.
5. The pool is _______________ the reception and the gym.
6. The seating area is _______________ the pool.
Task 2: Complete the sentences with the given words.

right-hand side
left-hand side
on the other side
beyond
along
corner

1. The sports shop is on the _______________ as you enter the sports center.
2. To the _______________ of the entrance, there’s a café.
3. The leisure pool is _______________ of the sports center to the dance studios.
4. There is a large changing room just _______________ the café.
5. Walk _______________ the side of the sports hall and you’ll find the second dance studio in
the far _______________ of the building.
Other words to describe Location/Direction
 Directly opposite, in front of, in close proximity to, a long distance away from, surrounded by,
surround, halfway/midway between … and …, roughly/exactly in the middle of, at right
angles to, perpendicular to, parallel to.
 in the east/ on the left-hand side of, in the south-west/ on the bottom right-hand corner of, in
the south/ at the bottom of

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Task 3: Put the verbs into the correct categories.

A. Expanding B. Removing C. Adding D. Changing to ST

1. enlarged 7. planted (trees) 13. renovated 19. added

2. developed 8. opened up (facilities) 14. pulled down 20. modernized
3. redeveloped 9. converted 15. extended 21. cut down (trees)
4. demolished 10. expanded 16. made bigger 22. constructed
5. knocked down 11. replaced 17. torn down 23. built
6. removed 12. made into 18. introduced 24. erected

Task 4: Complete the sentences with a suitable present perfect form of the verbs.
1. The city used to be very green, but it (become) much more industrial.
2. A new sports center (construct) in the city center.
3. The old stadium (demolish) and replaced by a new one.
4. Many significant changes (take place) in the city in the last ten years.
5. The old town hall (knock down) and replaced by new flats.
6. There used to be a park in the north of the city, but it (replace) by a supermarket.
7. The old houses (pull down) to make way for new apartments.
8. There didn’t use to be many skyscrapers, but several (build) in the last few years.
9. In the last 15 years, the city (change) considerably, from a quiet market town into a much
busier small city.
10. The disused factory in the south of the city (turn into) a shopping mall.
Task 5: Complete the sentences with the noun form of the verb.
1. It is interesting to note that there has been a (redevelop) of the port area.
2. Another striking change is the (expand) of the university.
3. A notable change has been the (convert) of the old train station into a police station.
4. The whole city has experienced a significant (modernize) in the last 10 years.
5. An interesting development has been the (introduce) of a bike-rental scheme.
6. There didn’t use to be a cinema or shops near the port, but the last few years have seen the
(build) of new facilities in the port area.

Bridges, ports,
Buildings Trees/Forests Amenities
roads, railways…
built, constructed, erected cut down, chopped constructed, built, opened up, set up,
down erected established
renovated, reconstructed, cleared (to make
widened developed
modernized way for)
converted, transformed (into) planted reopened expanded
replaced (by), relocated (to)
extended, expanded
demolished, knocked down,
flattened

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Task 6: Use the words given to complete the sentences.

A. perpendicular to
B. surrounded by
C. in close proximity to
D. directly opposite
E. on the top right-hand
corner
F. to the south
G. halfway between
H. on the bottom right-
hand corner

A. chopped down
B. constructed
C. built (x2)
D. converted into
E. reopened
F. relocated to
G. make way for
H. replaced by

Map in 2005
1. The farm was ________ of the map.
2. The port was ________ the factory.
3. The restaurant was ________ the bus stop.
4. The factory was ________ a lot of trees.
5. The disused railway was ________ the main road.
6. The filling station was ________ of the map.
7. The restaurant was ________ the filling station and the hotel.
8. The church was located ________ of the farm.
Map in 2010
1. A warehouse was ________ near the port.
2. The bus stop was ________ a car park and ________ a new place near the church.
3. The pine trees opposite the hotel were ________ to ________ a hospital.
4. The disused railway was ________ and a new railway station was ________.
5. The farm was ________ a golf course.
6. A new road which leads to the golf course was ________.

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SUGGESTED LANGUAGE
 Write the introduction = paraphrased question
The picture/ diagram + demonstrate/illustrate/exhibit + the changes to/ the transformation of/the
development of + (PLACE) + with the introduction of (XYZ)/ with the advent of (XYZ).
 Write the overview: Nêu ý tổng quát, những điểm khác biệt nổi bật, vẫn dùng các cụm như It is clear
that…, It can be seen that… Có thể viết theo 2 coach:
In general, X has undergone remarkable/significant + changes/developments.
In general, Remarkable/significant + changes/developments + have taken place in X.
 Over the 20 year period the area has witnessed big changes especially to the farmland areas
which were redeveloped.
 From 1990 to 2010 a new housing estate was constructed where a school once stood.
 The forest and green spaces have been profoundly affected over the two decades and were
replaced by housing.
 In the period from 1990 onward, the leisure facilities were completely renovated.
 The city centre has seen dramatic changes over the years.
 In the years after 1990 the city centre was extensively modernised.
 The town used to be very green but it has become much more industrialised in the last 15 years.
 A new stadium has been built and more sports faciities have been opened up over the years.
 Write the details: Noh thông tin lại thành 2 nhóm để tách làm 2 đoạn cho dễ theo dõi.
 The offices were demolished and the surrounding area was redeveloped with a new leisure
centre opening up.
 The shopping centre was extended and the parking area was enlarged to accommodate more cars
 The trees were cut down and a new office block was erected.
 A railway was constructed with the introduction of a new train station.
 The industrial area was modernised and made biggerwith lots of new factories being built
 The local government had the sports facilities renovatedand the small park was made into a
children’s playground
 The park was replaced with a new housing complex.
 Location: to the north of, to the east of, in the west, to the south of, north west of
 The forest to the south of the river was cut down.
 A golf course was constructed to the north of the airport.
 The houses in the South West of the town were demolished.
 The green fields to the North West of the city were redeveloped as a park.
 Prepositions: on, next to, near, from north to south, from east to west, by, across from, nearby,
between, beside, over, along
 The trees to the north of the river were cut down and a new office block was built.
 A railway was constructed to the east of the housing estate with the introduction of a new train
station.
 The forest to the west of the park was cut down and a new housing complex was constructed.
 The industrial area to the south west of the station was expanded.
 Houses were constructed/erected next to the primary school.
 The forest near the river was cut down. A new railway running from north to south was built.
 The footpath by the river was expanded. Parking facilities were added in the city centre.
 The school across from the park was extended and new sports facilities were built.
Tenses: When describing change, the present perfect and the present perfect passive is often used.
Time phrases are also used such as: over the 20 year period , from 1990 to 2000, over the years, in the
last 10 years, in the years after 1990 and so on  has witnessed big changes / has become more
industrialised / has been built / has been modernised
 Không cố paraphrase: Housing area = residential area, Be located = be situate = lie = be;
Nhưng town center khác city center  the center of the town, hoặc road khác street.

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MIÊU TẢ BIỂU ĐỒ ĐƠN

Below is the map of the city of Brandfield. City planners have decided to build a new
shopping mall for the area, and two sites, S1 and S2 have been proposed.

Bước 1: Phân tích đề

 Làm rõ sự khác biệt giữa 2 vị trí được đề xuất để xây dựng một trung tâm mua sắm.
 Không có mốc thời gian cụ thể  Hiện tại đơn
 Các cách paraphrase với bài trên: site  spot/location, shopping mall  shopping center/
shopping complex, housing estate  residential area, city center  downtown, industrial
estate  industrial zone, railway  train line.
Bước 2: Viết mở bài

The picture illustrates two proposed locations for a new shopping complex in the city
of Brandfield.
The map describes
two possible spots at which a new shopping center would be
The graph demonstrates
constructed.
The plan

Bước 3: Viết Overview

Cách tiếp cận đơn giản giản nhất là nêu ra địa điểm của 2 khu vực:
Overall, it can be clearly seen that the two sites under consideration are in the north and the
south east of the town.
Cách tiếp cận khác: chỉ ra điểm khác nhau quan trọng và nổi bật giữa 2 khu vực
 Overall, the most notable difference between the two sites is that the first site (S1) is near
the residential area, while the second site (S2) is a short distance from the industrial zone.
 As can be seen from the plan, both sites are close to the train line and the main road.
However, S1 is the only site which is located near the river.

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Bước 4: Viết 2 đoạn Detail
 Detail 1: Miêu tả Site 1
S1 nằm ở phía bắc trung tâm thành phố và phía nam khu dân cư. Do đó, nếu trung tâm mua
sắm được xây ở đây, dân cư sống gần đó có thể dễ dàng tiếp cận với nó. Giữa S1 và trung tâm
thành phố là 1 tuyến đường sắt chạy theo hướng Tây Bắc – Đông Nam. S1 cũng rất gần với
con sông và tuyến đường bộ.
 S1 is to the north of the city center and to the south east of the housing estate. This will
provide easy access for people who live in the residential area if the shopping mall is built there.
There is a railway line between S1 and the downtown which runs from the north west of the city
to the sout east. S1 is also fairly close to the river and the main road, which run through the
town.
 Detail 2: Miêu tả Site 2
S2 nằm ở phía đông nam trung tâm thành phố và ở phía nam khu công nghiệp. Nó cũng tương
đối gần đường ray và đường bộ nhưng lại cách khá xa con sông. Cả 2 khu vực S2 và S1 đều
nằm về phía Đông, cách khá xa sân gôn và công viên.
 S2 is located to the south east of the city center and to the south of the industrial estate. It is
also in close proximity to the railway and the main street. However, there is a considerable
distance between S2 and the river. Both S2 and S1 are located quite far away to the east of the
golf course and park.

MIÊU TẢ BIỂU ĐỒ KÉP

The maps below show the center of a small town called Islip from 2005 to 2010.

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Bước 1: Phân tích đề
 Thời gian: 2 mốc cụ thể  Quá khứ đơn
 Không gian: Tất cả các đối tượng đều được ghi tên. Riêng “dual carriageway” là tuyến
đường cao tốc có phần đất nhỏ hoặc giải phân cách ở giữa để ngăn cách 2 làn đường
ngược chiều nhau.
 Paraphrase các đối tượng: countryside  rural area, dual carriageway (UK)  divided
highway (US), bus station  bus stop, shopping center  shopping mall, housing 
accommodation/ residential area, pedestrians only  pedestrian precinct.
Bước 2: Viết mở bài
The pictures illustrate how a small town of Islip changed after from 2005 to 2010.
The maps describe some developments between 2005 to 2010.
The graphs demonstrate a number of changes which took place in during a 10-year period
The plans Islip town starting from 2005.
a small town of Islip before and after the
constructions of several facilities
Bước 3: Viết Overview
Đưa ra nhận xét chung về MỨC ĐỘ và XU HƯỚNG của sự thay đổi (Thay đổi lớn không?
Thay đổi đến từ đâu? Phục vụ mục đích gì?)
 Overall, the town was totally transformed in a number of different ways.
 As can be seen from the pictures, the town witnessed dramatic changes.
 Overall, the town has been completely transformed after the constructions of several
facilities.
Bước 4: Viết 2 đoạn Detail
Detail 1: Miêu tả vào thời điểm trước khi có những sự thay đổi
Lấy tuyến đường chính làm mốc, miêu tả thị trấn Islip: Tuyến đường chính chạy theo hướng Đông – Tây
và được trải dài bởi cửa hàng; Phía Bắc của tuyến đường là một vùng đồng quê; Phía Nam của tuyến
đường là hai khu nhà ở, có một ngôi trường ở phía Tây và một công viên ở phía Đông của hai khu vực
nhà này. Ngôi trường và công viên đều được kết nối với tuyến đường chính bằng các tuyến đường phụ.
 A main road ran from east to west and was lined with shops. The northern side of the main
road was a rural area. There were two housing areas to the south of this road. A school was
located to the west of these areas. There was also a park to the east of the accommodation.
Both the school and the park were connected to the main road by minor roads.
Detail 2: Miêu tả những sự thay đổi
Nên phân loại thông tin để khiển khai khoa học hơn: Nếu có main road thì nên chia làm 2 phần ranh giới
là tuyến đường chính đó và miêu tả lần lượt từng phần): Sự thay đổi đáng kể nhất là sự xuất hiện của
tuyến đường cao tốc (dual carriageway) và tuyến đường chính đã trở thành phố đi bộ. Các công trình
khác đều được xây dựng xung quanh khu phố này; Ở phía Bắc của khu phố đi bộ, dãy cửa hàng đã
được đập bỏ hoàn toàn; Một bến xe buýt và một bãi đỗ xe được xây dựng. Ở giữa hai khu này là một
trung tâm mua sắm; Một khu nhà ở mới cũng được xây. Cư dân có thể đi vào khu này nhờ một con
đường nhỏ nối với tuyến đường cao tốc; Ở phía Nam khu phố đi bộ, có thêm nhiều nhà được xây. Công
viên được thu hẹp lại để nhường chỗ cho điều này.
 The most notable change was the construction of a dual carriageway surrounding the town.
The main road was converted into a pedestrian precinct, and the shops on the north side of it
were demolished. A bus stop and a car park were built and in the middle of these areas, a
shopping mall was established. There was also a new housing area which can be accessed via
a minor road connecting this area with the divided highway. More accommodations were also
built on the south side of the pedestrian zone and the park was made smaller to make way for
this development.

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