IELTS Listening · Ch 10
Plan / Map Labeling
Orientation language · cardinal directions · relative position
Topic & Why It Matters
Plan and map labeling questions ask you to match places, rooms, facilities, or route points to letters on a printed plan. They are common in Part 2, where one speaker gives a tour, explains a public site, or describes changes to a building or campus.
This question type matters because the answers depend on spatial tracking rather than isolated vocabulary. Candidates often understand every word but still lose marks when they start from the wrong entrance, ignore a correction, or mix up left and right after the route turns.
Knowledge Points
Map labels test movement, not memory
You do not need to memorise the whole map. You need to follow the speaker's route from a fixed starting point and attach each described place to the correct letter.
The starting point controls everything
Before the audio starts, locate the entrance, the 'You are here' mark, the north arrow, and any named paths. A correct start prevents a chain of wrong labels.
Orientation language comes in clusters
Speakers combine direction, landmark, and relative position: 'go past the cafe, turn left, and it is opposite the lake.' Listen for the full cluster, not one word.
North is not always 'up' in the speaker's view
Use the printed north arrow if one is shown. If the guide says 'to the west of the gardens,' match west on the plan, even if the route feels visually different.
Relative position words decide close options
Near, beside, behind, opposite, between, and at the end of can separate letters that sit close together. These small prepositions often carry the answer.
Distractors use abandoned routes
A speaker may mention a place and then reject it: 'The cafe used to be by the lake, but it has moved near the entrance.' The final location is the answer.
Answers usually follow route order
Map tasks often move along a path. If you lose one label, leave it and keep following the route; the next landmark can help you recover.
Step-by-Step Strategy
1
Preview the whole plan
Find the entrance, compass direction, named paths, water features, buildings, and numbered questions. Build a mental route before the audio begins.
2
Mark the fixed anchors
Underline features that are printed, not answer options. Anchors such as cafe, lake, bridge, and information desk help you re-locate after a missed phrase.
3
Predict movement language
Expect phrases such as go straight ahead, turn left, on your right, beyond, opposite, at the far end, and next to. These are more useful than individual nouns.
4
Follow with your pencil
Move along the plan as the speaker talks. Do not stare at the answer list; keep your eyes on the route and glance at letters only when a location is described.
5
Wait for the locator phrase
If a place is introduced before its position, hold the name in memory until you hear the exact location phrase.
6
Treat corrections as overrides
If the speaker says 'not the old site' or 'it has moved,' cross out the first location mentally and use the corrected one.
7
Use later landmarks to repair gaps
If you miss one answer, keep tracking the route. The next confirmed landmark often tells you which nearby letter the missed answer had to be.
Common Pitfalls
| Mistake | Corrective Rule |
|---|---|
| Starting from the wrong entrance | Locate the exact starting point before listening; one wrong start can shift every answer. |
| Matching the first mentioned place | Wait until the speaker gives the location, especially after 'used to be,' 'not,' or 'instead.' |
| Ignoring the compass | Use the printed north arrow for north, south, east, and west references. |
| Confusing left and right after a turn | Track the speaker's route direction with your pencil so left and right stay relative to movement. |
| Choosing a nearby letter too early | Check the full relation: beside, opposite, behind, between, at the end, or across from. |
Vocabulary Bank
| Expression / Direction | Usage Note |
|---|---|
| go straight ahead | Continue along the same path |
| turn left / turn right | Change direction at a junction or landmark |
| on your left / on your right | Position relative to the route you are walking |
| just before | Located slightly earlier than a landmark on the route |
| just beyond / past | Located after a landmark |
| opposite | Across from another feature |
| next to / beside | Immediately adjacent to another place |
| between | Located in the space separating two features |
| at the far end of | At the distant end from the current viewpoint or entrance |
| in the north-west corner | Compass-based position on the plan |
| across the bridge | Cross a feature before locating the answer |
| follow the path round | The route curves; do not assume a straight line |
| the old site was | Often introduces a distractor, not the answer |
| it has been moved to | Correction phrase; the new location is likely correct |
| you will come to | Signals the next landmark in route order |
| set back from the path | Not directly on the path; slightly behind another feature |
Practice Question
Instructions: Listen to the guide and match each facility to the correct letter, A-H. Choose five answers only.
Practice Audio Script - Brookfield Park
■ Guide (male)In the real test you hear this once. Play first and attempt the exercise, then read the script to verify.
Model Answer
| Item | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cafe | A | The guide first mentions the old lake location, but then says the cafe has moved. The corrected location is immediately to the right of the main entrance. |
| 2. Bike hire point | C | After the information desk, the listener takes the left-hand path. The bike hire point is on the left and opposite the children's playground, which matches C. |
| 3. Picnic area | E | The open grass space near the playground is rejected. The correct picnic tables are beyond the bridge and between the lake and the rose garden. |
| 4. Outdoor theatre | F | The speaker moves from the rose garden, follows the curved path west, and says the theatre is at the far end. It is also set back behind trees, confirming F. |
| 5. Bird hide | H | The bird hide is in the north-east corner and reached by a narrow path behind the wetland. The viewing platform by the lake is explicitly presented as a distractor. |
Self-Check
Answer these from memory before looking back. If you cannot answer all three, re-read the relevant section.
- Why must you identify the starting point before the recording begins?
- Which phrase tells you that the old cafe location is a distractor?
- How do 'opposite,' 'between,' and 'behind' help you choose between nearby letters?
Answers: (1) It fixes the route and prevents every later left, right, and landmark from shifting. (2) "Used to be beside the lake, but it has moved" tells you the old site is not the answer. (3) They define exact spatial relationships, which separates close map letters that share the same general area.