How to Solve Plan, Map, Diagram labelling Type of Questions | Listening for IELTS PDF Download

How to Answer Plan/Map/Diagram Labelling Questions

1. Read the Information

• This will always be the first step in any listening activity. Why? You do not want to listen blindly and hear key words for the first time. Instead, you should be preparing yourself and reading the information before the listening prompt is played. Generally, you will have about 20 seconds to do this, along with Steps 2 and 3. 
• Reading the information will also allow you to become familiar with the topic, which is particularly helpful for the more abstract and educational topics (Sections 3 and 4). Keep in mind that this section will usually not feature questions, but rather, information and key words.

2. Underline Key Words 

• With time and practice, you can combine Steps 1 and 2. Thus, this step can be done while you are reading the questions or afterwards. We suggest trying to combine the first two steps, as you will only have around 20 seconds to read the information prior to listening to the prompts. For the Plan/Map/Diagram Labelling question type, this step will be minimal, because there will not be many words. 
• For this reason, it will be best to focus your attention to the next step as soon as you are finished with this step. However, you should be sure to familiarize yourself with the location of the various places and labels.

3. Pay Attention to Directions

• In addition to key words in the questions, you will need to pay attention to the directions of your map, plan, or diagram. The first thing you should do for this step is to write out a mini-compass around your map, plan, or diagram. Why? You will be listening to directions in a language that is not your own, and you will be helping yourself out by just familiarizing yourself with the directions and getting into the habit of understanding them. 
• Try writing out the direction words in the following way, which we will detail in our example:
• Additionally, you should pay attention to direction words that are used when discussing images and maps. This will help you answer the questions quicker and keep up with the pace of the speaker. You should pay attention to these words, which will help you write the correct type of answer. We have included some of the most common words below that you should look out for and study beforehand. 

There are also some other options that you may hear, such as:

• On the far side: This means that it is on the opposite side of something. This will usually be spoken right after a clue is given regarding the opposite side, meaning that you will have to switch sides immediately in order to keep up with the speaker’s pace.
• In the Southwest/Northwest/Southeast/Northeast: This is simply a mix between two directions, and can be present in examples with maps.
• In the middle of/In the center of: This is simply in the center (or middle) of the diagram or map. This can also be the center of something explicitly stated in the example (ex: in the middle of the library).
• Inside/Outside: This is usually used in a map, and will designate the area in which something is located. It will be either outside or inside of something.
• Opposite/In front of: Similar to the ‘on the far side’ option, this can either be on the opposite of something or in front of something.
• Clockwise/Anticlockwise: This is helpful to understand, and is quite common on the exam! Think of how a clock moves (to the right)--that is clockwise. The opposite direction (to the left) would be anticlockwise. This is usually included in the beginning of a listening prompt, and candidates must follow it correctly in order to get the remaining questions correct. So make sure to remember the difference between these two words!
• A bit beyond: This is a common phrase for maps. Usually, it will come right after a landmark and then right before another. For example, “The grocery store is a bit beyond the library.” In this case, this means that the library would be just a bit farther than the grocery store.
• Right past: This is another common phrase for maps. Similar to the ‘a bit beyond’ phrase, this will come right after a landmark and then right before another. For example, ‘The police station is right past the shopping center.” In this case, right past signifies something that is close by.
• Before: This will be spoken when something occurs prior to something else. For example, ‘The children’s center is before the history museum”. In order to understand the direction, you will need to pay attention to the prior directions and follow the path of the speaker. For this reason, this will usually not be one of the first directions spoken.
• After: This will be spoken when something follows something else. For example, ‘The children’s center is after the history museum”. In order to understand the direction, you will need to pay attention to the prior directions and follow the path of the speaker. For this reason, this will not usually be one of the first directions spoken.
• Adjoining: This is a common word used in diagrams and plans, and signifies that something is connected to something else.
• Enter through/via: This is usually included in maps, and shows how one can go into another area of the map. For example, “After entering through the kitchen, you will go through the lobby.”
• Runs through: This phrase is common for maps and plans, and signifies that something goes through something else. For example, “The river runs through the park.”, which means that it goes through and is inside the park.
• Runs alongside: This phrase is common for maps and plans, and signifies that something is located along something else, but not inside. For example, “The river runs alongside the park.”, which means that it is not inside, but on the outside, following the length of the park.

It would be best to review these phrases in order to master the different types of phrases used during this question type

Recap

Here are some brief tips to remember when approaching this question type:

Do

• Utilize the 20 seconds you will have prior to hearing the listening prompt and read the information first, underline your key words, and actively listen for those key words and direction words during the prompt. 
• Remember that the answers will come in order. This means that you should use your visual aid and write minimal notes to help you follow along the correct path while listening as actively as you can! Doing so will help you pick up where you left off if you miss something, and it will help you understand the speaker’s directions.
• Find a note-taking technique that works for you. Feel free to experiment during your practice sessions and try writing in the visual aid or close to the gaps. Make it easy to reference afterwards if necessary.
• Study up on your direction words along with their meanings. You do not want to lose points for writing down the incorrect answer based on an incorrect understanding of these words.

Don’t

• Waste your time before and after the listening prompt is played. Think of these 30 minutes of the listening exam as ‘game time’, and actively listen or read the questions as much as you can! 
• Focus on only one aspect of the process. In other words, don’t just listen, don’t just read, and don’t just answer. You will need to combine these three tasks in order to have enough time in this section. In other words: make sure to multitask. 
• Get confused over the direction words! Misunderstanding something as simple as “just beyond” could confuse you and impact your later answers.
• Leave anything blank! Even if the exam is difficult, choose your best guess in order to maximize your chances of scoring high.