Map and diagram questions require you to match spoken directions or descriptions to a visual. They test spatial vocabulary and the ability to track movement — left, right, opposite, between, adjacent. Most errors come from losing your orientation at the start.
Examples
Weak
AvoidTrying to read the full map during the introduction and losing track of the speaker's directions.
Stronger
BetterIdentifying a fixed reference point on the map (entrance, north arrow, labelled building) before the recording starts, then tracking movement from that point as the speaker describes.
Maps always have a starting point the speaker will name. Find it in the 30-second preview, mark it with a dot, and begin your tracking from there.
How It Works
Pre-listening map preparation
- Find the entrance or starting point the speaker will likely use.
- Note which direction is "up" — north arrow or implied direction.
- Count the labels you need to match — usually 4-6 locations.
- Mark your starting point so your pen is ready.
Key spatial vocabulary
- Adjacent to / next to / beside — directly neighbouring.
- Opposite / facing / across from — directly across a path or road.
- Between X and Y — in the space separating two named places.
- At the end of / at the corner of — positional endpoint.
Tracking language
Quick rules
- Do not try to memorise the map — use your pencil to track in real time.
- If you lose your place, re-anchor to the nearest named building and continue.
- Questions are almost always in the order the speaker describes them.
Common Mistakes
Starting without a reference point
AvoidBeginning to track directions before identifying the starting point, then becoming confused after the first turn.
BetterMarking the entrance or main gate before the recording begins, then tracking from there.
Fix: Use the 30-second preview to find your anchor point — every map question has one.
Confusing "opposite" and "next to"
Avoid"The library is opposite the café" → marking the space beside the café.
Better"Opposite" means directly across a path or road — not beside or near.
Fix: Draw a small line across from the named landmark to find the "opposite" position.
Practice Lab
Self-mark each task. Retry until every answer is correct.
Score: 0/3
1. Quick pick
"The pharmacy is between the post office and the bank, on the left side of the main road." Where do you mark it?
2. Build it
Put the sentence in the correct order.
Tap a chunk to move it between the bank and answer area.
3. Sort it
Sort each item into the correct category.
adjacent to = directly beside/neighbouring
opposite = directly beside/neighbouring
opposite = directly across a path or road
between X and Y = closer to X than Y
Why It Matters
Map questions appear in Section 2 of every IELTS Listening test and are worth 4-6 marks. They are consistently the highest-error question type for candidates who do not prepare the spatial vocabulary. Anchor-point preparation and practised use of "opposite/adjacent/between" eliminates the two main failure modes.
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