Writing · Free lesson
IELTS map changes: say what replaced what
Practice language useful for IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 plans and maps. These original text notes describe a simple courtyard; there is no map image to interpret in this activity.
Professor Scott MendozaThe short answer
Use “The old shed was replaced by a bicycle shelter” when the shed disappeared and the shelter took its place. Add the stated location, such as “on the west side.” Do not reverse the old and new features.
Track the change and keep the location fixed.
In “X was replaced by Y,” X is the old feature and Y is the new one. The active version “Y replaced X” describes the same change. Use “remained unchanged” only when the notes support no change. Describe what is shown, without inventing a reason for the redesign.
Original courtyard layout notes
West side: old shed. East side: garden.
West side: bicycle shelter in the old shed’s place; the shed is gone. East side: the same garden, unchanged.
The old shed on the west side was replaced by a bicycle shelter.
The garden on the east side remained unchanged.
The shelter replaced the shed; the shed did not replace the shelter. Both features belong to the west-side comparison.
Check three facts
Old → new
old shed → bicycle shelter
Where / what stayed
west: replacement; east: garden unchanged
Try it now
Match the layout notes
Read all answers and explanations
Which sentence preserves the replacement?
The old shed was replaced by a bicycle shelter.The shed is old and the shelter is new. The garden stayed in place.
Where did the replacement occur?
On the west side.Both before and after notes locate the replacement on the west side. North is not specified.
Which sentence is supported about the garden?
The garden remained unchanged.The notes explicitly say the same garden stayed unchanged; they show no move or enlargement.
Put it into practice
Repair a reversed change
Keep the west-side location and fix the old-to-new relationship.
The bicycle shelter on the west side was replaced by the old shed.
See a model answer
The old shed on the west side was replaced by a bicycle shelter.
The active version is also valid: “A bicycle shelter replaced the old shed on the west side.”
A little more clarity
Common questions
A few useful details before you move on.
Must map descriptions always be passive?
No. Active and passive sentences can both express the change accurately. Choose a clear structure that keeps the facts correct.
A bicycle shelter replaced the shed. / The shed was replaced by a bicycle shelter.
Should I explain why the change happened?
Do not invent reasons. Describe the information supplied. These notes give a replacement and an unchanged garden, but no reason for either.
The shed was replaced. ≠ The shed was replaced because it was unsafe.
Take it into your day
A correct change sentence preserves the old-to-new direction and the stated location.
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The English Grammar and English Speaking Master Course develops broader grammar, sentence-building, and communication foundations. Sentence structure and passive forms help you describe changes clearly. The dedicated exam course is coming soon; the available main course is not a complete exam-preparation program.
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