★ IELTS Task 1 · Writing Handbook ★

The Map
Mastery Book

Sách hướng dẫn 6 bước · 5 pattern Map · 10 nhóm paraphrase bank · directional language + before/after comparison

📖 6 chapters 🗺️ 5 patterns 💬 10 paraphrase groups 🎯 4 CEFR bands
🧭
Chương 1

Quy trình 6 bước

Map khác hoàn toàn các chart numeric: không số liệu, mà có directional language (N/S/E/W), before/after comparison, và đặc biệt past passive ("was demolished") hoặc future passive ("is planned to") cho MP3.

1
Feature categorisation

Phân loại các features

Đếm số features. Phân loại từng feature thành 3 nhóm: changed (converted, replaced), added/removed (newly built, demolished), unchanged (remained in place).

Count featuresChanged / Added / Removed / Unchanged
2
Location drill

Luyện ngôn ngữ định vị

Mỗi feature cần direction rõ: cardinal (N/S/E/W), relative (to the north of X, adjacent to Y), section (in the centre, on the southern edge). Cardinal = compass; relative = link 2 features.

Cardinal (N/S/E/W)Relative prepositionsSection names
3
Overview selection

Chọn 2 ý overview

Overview phải nêu nature of change (urbanised, modernised, residential conversion) + extent (entirely transformed / largely retained / partly redeveloped). KHÔNG nêu feature cụ thể.

Nature + ExtentNo specific features
4
Error spotting

Phát hiện lỗi

5 lỗi đặc trưng map: wrong tense (present cho past map), missing direction, "I see" personal, bare feature name, missing comparison between maps.

Tense checkDirection checkNo personal voice
5
Sentence upgrade

Nâng band

A2 → B2: thêm passive voice + relative prepositions + complex change verbs. Vd: "a park was there" → "a park was located in the northern section, adjacent to the river".

PassiveRelative prepositionsComplex change verbs
6
Model answer

Đối chiếu mẫu

Đọc câu mẫu band target (B1/B2/C1). Tick checklist Chương 5. Đếm word count (≥150). Kiểm tra directional words ratio (≥ 5 directions per essay).

≥150 words≥5 directionsTense + voice check
🗺️
Chương 2

Pattern Atlas — 5 loại Map

3 subtype chính: two-maps (MP1, MP2, MP3) · single zone (MP4) · three periods (MP5). MP3 đặc biệt dùng future tense (proposed).

MP1

Two maps · Change

Springdale Town Centre — 2005 → 2023
B1
2005
🏚️
🌳
🏠
🏪
2023
🏢
🌳
🏠
🏬
N ↑ · S ↓ · W ← → E

Ví dụ map

2 bản đồ town centre. ~7 features. Mix changed (old houses → apartments, small shop → supermarket) + unchanged (park, river).
Skill chínhPast passive: was demolished, was converted into. Compare cặp before/after từng feature. Locate bằng cardinal + relative.
Body 1 — Changed featuresBuildings replaced / converted (apartments, supermarket)
Body 2 — Unchanged featuresPark, river, main road
Hard rule · Past passive ≥ 60% câu · Cardinal direction mỗi feature · Compare both maps cặp đôi
MP2

Two maps · Transform

Bridgeford Riverside — 2000 → 2022
B2
2000
🏭
🚢
🌊
🌳
2022
🏨
🚤
🌊
🌉
N ↑ · industrial → residential

Ví dụ map

Khu riverside transform mạnh: từ industrial (factory, docks) → residential (hotel, marina, footbridge). ~8 features.
Skill chínhVocab transformation: was completely cleared, was newly constructed, occupied the site of. Note thematic shift (industrial → leisure).
Body 1 — Major redevelopmentFactory → hotel; docks → marina + bridge
Body 2 — Retained featuresRiver, woodland, main access road
MP3

Two maps · Proposed (future)

Elmwood Library District — current → proposed
B1
Now
📚
🅿️
🌳
🏪
Proposed
📚
🎨
🌳
☕
⚠ Future tense required

Ví dụ map

Khu thư viện đề xuất phát triển: car park → art gallery; shop → café. 6 features. FUTURE TENSE.
Skill chínhFuture passive: is planned to be converted, is set to become, would be retained, is proposed to remain. KHÔNG dùng past tense!
Body 1 — Proposed changesCar park is planned → art gallery; shop → café
Body 2 — To be retainedLibrary, park trees, main entrance
Hard rule · KHÔNG dùng past tense (was/were) · Dùng is planned to / is set to / would be · Note rõ "proposed" trong intro
MP4

Single zone (static)

Highfield City — 1 map, mô tả zones
B1
Highfield
🏢
🌳
🏠
🏭
Single map · descriptive only · NO changes

Ví dụ map

1 map duy nhất chia thành zones (commercial, residential, industrial, green space). KHÔNG so sánh thời gian.
Skill chínhPresent tense (timeless): is located, contains, occupies, lies. Group bằng zone type, không change.
Body 1 — Central zonesCommercial centre + adjacent residential
Body 2 — Peripheral zonesIndustrial estate + green belt
Hard rule · Present tense · KHÔNG nói "changed" · Group by function zone
MP5

Three periods

Coastview Beach Resort — 1960 → 1985 → 2015
B2
1960
🌴
🏖️
🛖
🌊
1985
🌴
🏖️
🏘️
🅿️
2015
🏨
🏖️
🏬
🏊
3 periods · time progression

Ví dụ map

3 bản đồ qua 55 năm: từ village → small resort → major tourist destination. ~6 features evolve qua 3 stages.
Skill chínhTime progression: initially established as X, subsequently developed into Y, by 2015 had become Z. Track each feature qua 3 periods.
Body 1 — 1960 → 1985 phaseInitial development: huts → houses; parking added
Body 2 — 1985 → 2015 phaseMajor commercialization: houses → hotel; shops → mall; pool added
Hard rule · 2 body paragraphs theo 2 phases · Connectives thời gian: over the next 25 years, by 2015
💬
Chương 3

Paraphrase Master Bank

10 nhóm — chia core (5 universal) và specialized (5 mới inject).

📌 Core (chung mọi map)

📍 1. Location language

Bắt buộc cho mọi map. Mix cardinal + relative + section.

Cardinal + Relative + Section All 5

A2in the north · in the south · in the east · in the centre B1to the north of · in the centre of the site · in the northwestern corner B2immediately to the north of · centrally positioned to the east of · adjacent to [Y] C1occupying the northern section · forming the southern boundary of · situated along the eastern edge

📝 2. Introduction templates

Mở bài paraphrase đề bài. Khác nhau cho 2-maps / single / proposed / 3-periods.

Intro templates All 5

A2The maps show how [place] changed between [Y1] and [Y2]. B1The maps illustrate changes to [place] between [Y1] and [Y2]. B2The maps compare the layout of [place] in [Y1] with its configuration in [Y2]. C1The maps compare the layout of [place], revealing considerable development over this period.

🔄 3. Change verbs

Khác cho past (MP1/2/5) vs future (MP3 proposed).

Past tense — MP1, MP2, MP5

A2changed to · became B1was converted into · was replaced by · was demolished · was expanded B2was transformed into · gave way to · was upgraded from X to Y · was substantially altered C1underwent conversion · was reconfigured as · was supplanted by · evolved into

Future tense — MP3 (proposed) MP3

B1is planned to be converted into · is set to become · would be replaced B2is proposed to undergo conversion · is set to be redeveloped as · will be transformed into C1is slated for conversion · will be reconfigured as · is envisaged to become

⏸ 4. Unchanged features

Note features không thay đổi.

Unchanged language MP1, MP2, MP3, MP5

A2stayed the same · did not change B1remained unchanged · was retained · stayed in place B2was preserved · retained its original position · was left intact C1remained untouched by the redevelopment · was conserved in its original configuration

↔ 5. Comparison & contrast

Liên kết giữa các maps hoặc giữa sections.

Contrast phrases All 5

A2while · but B1while X remained unchanged · whereas Y was converted B2whereas X retained its original position · in contrast to Y which was substantially altered C1despite the considerable redevelopment elsewhere · in contrast to the significant changes in the northern section

🆕 New Groups (đã inject)

🧭 6. Directional change

Diễn đạt feature di chuyển theo hướng.

Movement direction All 5

A2moved to the north · moved to the south · in the new area B1was relocated to the north · shifted southward · was moved further east B2was relocated northward to a more central position · was shifted eastward · was repositioned to a more accessible location C1underwent relocation to the northern sector · was strategically repositioned along the eastern boundary

➕ 7. Removal & Addition

Demolished, newly built, occupied site of.

Remove / Add language MP1, MP2, MP5

A2was taken away · a new X was built · X went away B1was demolished · was newly built · a new X was added · was completely removed B2was completely cleared to make way for · was newly constructed on the former site of · was levelled and replaced by C1was demolished in its entirety · was erected on land formerly occupied by · the site was cleared and redeveloped as

🔗 8. Feature pairing

Diễn đạt nhiều cặp thay đổi cùng lúc — efficient sentence structure.

Paired changes MP1, MP2, MP5

A2X became Y, and A became B B1while X was converted to Y, A was changed to B B2whereas X was converted into Y, A was simultaneously transformed into B · while X gave way to Y, A was concurrently replaced by B C1in tandem with the conversion of X to Y, A was reconfigured as B

🛣️ 9. Infrastructure vocab

Vocab kỹ thuật cho roads, bridges, paths.

Infrastructure terms All 5

A2road · bridge · path · building · car park B1road network · footbridge · pedestrian path · cycle lane · parking area B2an extensive road network · a pedestrian footbridge linking [X] and [Y] · a multi-storey car park C1a comprehensive transport infrastructure · a footbridge spanning [X] · an integrated cycle network

⏳ 10. Time progression

Cho map nhiều thời điểm (MP5) và proposed (MP3).

Time evolution MP3, MP5

A2first it was X, then Y · in the first map it was X B1initially it was X, later it became Y · in the first period there was X, in the second there was Y B2initially established as X, the site subsequently developed into Y · in its earliest configuration X, the site evolved into Y C1originally conceived as X, the area underwent successive transformations to become Y · from its inception as X, the site progressively evolved through Y to its current state Z
⚠️
Chương 4

Common Errors & Upgrades

8 lỗi đặc trưng Map.

Lỗi 1 · Wrong tense

Dùng present cho past map hoặc past cho proposed

Past map (2-period đã qua) = past passive. MP3 (proposed) = future passive. MP4 (single static) = present.

The factory is demolished and a hotel is built. (cho map 2000→2022)
The factory was demolished and a hotel was built.
Lỗi 2 · Missing direction

Mô tả feature không kèm direction

Map = spatial. Mỗi feature mention phải có direction (N/S/E/W) hoặc relative location.

The park was converted into a car park.
The park in the northern section was converted into a multi-storey car park.
Lỗi 3 · Personal voice

Dùng "I see", "we can see", "you can find"

I can see that the river is to the north.
The river lies in the northern section of the site.
Lỗi 4 · Bare feature name

"Park became apartment" — thiếu article + verb formation

Park became apartment.
The park was converted into a residential complex. / The park, located in the south, was redeveloped as housing.
Lỗi 5 · Missing comparison between maps

Tả map A xong rồi tả map B riêng biệt — không compare

Map 1: There were trees in the north. Map 2: There were houses in the north.
The trees that previously occupied the northern section were cleared, and houses were built on the same site.
Lỗi 6 · MP3: dùng past tense cho proposed

Proposed map = future, KHÔNG dùng past

The car park was converted into an art gallery. (cho proposed map)
The car park is planned to be converted into an art gallery. / The car park is set to become an art gallery.
Lỗi 7 · MP4: dùng past hoặc change verbs cho single map

Single zone map KHÔNG có changes

The residential area changed into commercial zone.
The residential area is located in the western section, adjacent to the commercial zone.
Lỗi 8 · Overview chứa feature cụ thể

Overview phải nêu nature + extent chung, không feature

Overall, the factory was demolished and a hotel was built.
Overall, the area underwent considerable redevelopment, transforming from an industrial zone into a leisure and residential district while retaining its natural features.
✅
Chương 5

Self-Check Checklist

Tick từng mục. CRITICAL · HIGH · MEDIUM.

📋 Introduction & Overview

CRITICALParaphrase đề bài
CRITICAL"Overall" mở overview
CRITICALOverview nêu: nature of change + extent
HIGHOverview KHÔNG nhắc feature cụ thể

🗺️ Body Paragraphs — Map-specific

CRITICALMỗi feature có direction (N/S/E/W) hoặc relative location
"in the northern section", "to the east of the river"
CRITICALTense đúng theo pattern
MP1/2/5: past passive · MP3: future passive · MP4: present
CRITICALSo sánh between maps (cho 2-maps / 3-period)
KHÔNG tả từng map riêng biệt.
CRITICALKHÔNG dùng "I see", "we can see"
HIGH≥ 5 directional words trong toàn bài
HIGHGroup features theo logic (changed vs unchanged hoặc theo zone)
HIGHPassive voice ≥ 60% câu body
MEDCó ≥ 1 cụm comparison/contrast per body

🔧 Grammar & Mechanics

CRITICALTense nhất quán
HIGHArticles đúng (the river, a hotel, the northern section)
HIGHPrepositions đúng (in vs at vs along vs to the north of)
MEDCó ≥ 1 câu phức (relative clause hoặc participial)

📝 Format & Length

CRITICALWord count ≥ 150
HIGH4 đoạn: Intro · Overview · Body 1 · Body 2
MEDKHÔNG "In conclusion"
🎯
Phụ lục

Practice Prompts

5 bài tập tương ứng 5 pattern Map.

Bài 1 · MP1 · B1

Two maps · Change — Springdale Town Centre 2005 vs 2023

150–170 từ. Focus:

  1. Past passive: was demolished, was converted into
  2. Body 1 = changed; Body 2 = unchanged
  3. Bank 6 (directional) + Bank 8 (feature pairing): while X..., Y simultaneously...
Bài 2 · MP2 · B2

Two maps · Transform — Bridgeford Riverside 2000 vs 2022

160–180 từ. Focus:

  1. Bank 7 (removal/addition): was completely cleared, was newly constructed
  2. Bank 9 (infrastructure): footbridge linking, road network
  3. Nature: industrial → leisure transformation
Bài 3 · MP3 · B1

Two maps · Proposed — Elmwood Library District

150–170 từ. Focus:

  1. FUTURE PASSIVE: is planned to, is set to become, would be
  2. KHÔNG dùng past tense (was/were)
  3. Intro phải có từ "proposed" / "planned"
Bài 4 · MP4 · B1

Single zone — Highfield City

150–170 từ. Focus:

  1. PRESENT TENSE — KHÔNG dùng past / change verbs
  2. Group theo zone type (commercial / residential / industrial / green)
  3. Locational language: is located, occupies, lies adjacent to
Bài 5 · MP5 · B2

Three periods — Coastview Beach Resort 1960/1985/2015

160–180 từ. Focus:

  1. Bank 10 (time progression): initially established as X, subsequently developed into Y
  2. Body 1 = 1960→1985 phase; Body 2 = 1985→2015 phase
  3. Thematic arc: village → resort → tourist destination

IELTS Task 1 — Map Mastery Book · 2026
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