IELTS Listening- How to solve listening map or plan

IELTS listening consists of labeling a map or plan. It is an important part of IELTS listening exam as it helps in determining the comprehension of IELTS candidate.

What does it requires?

This task requires you to be proficient in your ability to form mental visual images according to the map or plan. It also checks your skill in understanding various direction words like clockwise, anticlockwise, beside and similar directing words in the given diagram.

But, some candidates are not able to score well as they are not being aware of the vocabulary and functional language used to describe locations and directions. This article will elaborate on the problems, solutions and tips and tricks to solve IELTS listening task for labeling map or a plan.

Tips to attempt IELTS listening map or plan

1. You must be aware of the vocabulary and functional language used to describe locations and directions. See section below.

2. Focusing on essential details when you get too much information. These questions require you to not only listen but to also follow a description or directions, understand the map or diagram and write short notes, all at the same time.

3. Spelling mistakes are a common problem in all IELTS listening questions, but particularly in this type of question because you have to do so many things at the same time.

4. Visualization of the map or plan. This refers to your ability to form mental visual images. You will be sitting in an exam room and the person talking will be describing a plan you have never seen before. Unless you can imagine what it looks like it is very difficult to answer these questions.

What you should do?

1. Listen to the beginning of the talk carefully because this will help you understand the context and help you follow the talk more easily.

2. Ask yourself where things are in relation to the questions. This should help you predict the answers and follow the talk.

3. Read the question carefully. Understand the map or plan and its features.

3. Think about where the person might begin their talk. What is to their direction?

4. Look at the major parts of the map or plan to help you understand and navigate your way around.

5. Predict what type of words might be the answer i.e. will it be a place, room, street, building etc.

6. Visualize the place they are describing whilst the person is talking.

7. Use signposting language like arrows or circles, to help you understand each stage of the talk.

8. Make short notes on the question paper and then transfer your answers at the end using correct spelling.

9. Note down any possible answers, but be careful with distractors. Do not get distracted by the speaker focus on the information only.

10. Focus on the sequence of answers. The answer to question 1 will come before the question 2 answer.

How to improve yourself?

Learn Vocabulary

vocabulary and phrases you should be aware of before doing the listening test:

1. at the top/at the bottom
2. on the left/on the right/on the far side
3. North/South/East/West
4. to the north/to the west
5. slightly west of
6. in the southwest/in the northeast
7. in the middle of/in the center of
8. above/below
9. inside/outside
10. opposite/in front of
11. left-hand side/ right-hand side
12. clockwise/anticlockwise
13. a little beyond
14. just past
15. before you get to
16. adjoining
17. enter via
18. runs alongside
19. besides
20. beneath
21. along the way

If you don’t understand any of these, please look them up and practice using them.

More tips

1. Use your pencil wisely. When the speaker starts the section, put your pencil on the map or plan and move it according to the instruction. This will save your vision and will maintain the focus required to solve these questions.

2. Use prediction and visualize it in a real-world scenario. Imagine yourself in a real situation, not in an exam. This will increase your focus and loosen your stress level.

3. Use common sense, the streets in a map are usually named therefore keep the focus on the names and learn them once in the time given to you before starting this task.

4. Mark A, B, C, D, and other alphabets in numerical order this will let you know which answer is going to come next. This is necessary as
sometimes the candidate forgets which question is going to be answered next.

Hope all these tips will help you in your IELTS listening exam.