Lesson 43 – Completing sentences

Today’s exercise in the spotlight is labelling maps and plans.

Let’s begin with some tips and advice

 

1. You can be quite prepared for this exercise if you take some time to analyse the map or plan first.
2. Look at what is already labelled or given in the plan/map and see if there are any patterns or logical conclusions that you can draw.
3. Match the words and labels on the plan/map with the ones that you have to find and see how these relate to each other.
4. Find a starting point (this my be obvious from what has gone before or it may be indicated in the rubric or on the map/plan).
5. Think about the direction words and phrases that you may need to use (left, right, straight on etc.. – you may have to listen for these).
6. Think also about location words you might need (on the corner, opposite, between, at the top, bottom etc.).
7. Think about ‘organising’ words that you may need to listen for such as ‘next’, ‘after that’, ‘now’, ‘then’ etc…
8. If the question has a list of words then try to predict where these words might fit into the plan/map using what you have been given. You can then listen to confirm or reject your prediction.
9. Remember when your listening is ‘active’ i.e: channelled into something specific, it is more effective.
10. These exercises should be straightforward as you have so much information in front of you but you still need to make sure that you are familiar with everything that is there before you begin to listen.

 

Key skills to develop:

 

Practise

 

• Try listening to instructions – look online for ‘how to’ videos and podcasts and see how much you can follow.

 

• If you are able to get some GPS directions on your smart-phone – or see if there is anything online.

 

• Here’s one to try on Gapfillers – Georgian Dublin

 

Don’t forget, if there is anything you don’t understand or can’t find send a message via Contact us

 

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Now try some listening

 

Here are some IELTS map/plan exercises to complete.

 

A preparation exercise

Preparation exercise 2

 

A Directions exercise from the BBC

Here is the information and map

Here is the MP3 to download (North Yorkshire : Whitby walk )

 

Don’t forget, if there is anything you don’t understand or can’t find send a message via Contact us

Now you’re done!

Good luck and let’s make great progress with IELTS!