Map labelling in IELTS Listening: directions made simple
Maps and plans cost many candidates easy marks. Learn the 12 location phrases that appear again and again.
Nabila Chowdhury 13 October 2026 2 min read
Map and plan questions usually appear in Part 2. The secret is not your sense of direction: it is knowing the language.
Twelve phrases to know
opposite / across from
next to / beside
between X and Y
at the end of the path
on the corner of
to the left/right of the entrance
in the north-west corner
just past the bridge
go straight ahead
turn left at the junction
behind the main building
in front of the car park
Before the recording starts
Find the "You are here" point and the compass. Notice which places are already labelled: the speaker will use them as reference points.
Then follow the speaker with your finger on the map. If you lose your place, listen for the next labelled building.
Put this into practice
Practise the question type on its own, with instant marking.