Map and Diagram Questions: Visual Listening Skills

Map and diagram questions appear in Sections 2 and 4. You listen to descriptions or directions and label parts of a visual. These questions test whether you can follow spatial directions and technical descriptions.

Types of Visual Questions

Maps and Plans

You might see a town map, building floor plan, or park layout. The speaker gives directions or describes locations.

Diagrams and Processes

These show how something works or how a process unfolds. You fill in labels showing parts or stages.

Key Directional Vocabulary

Learn these words and phrases. They appear repeatedly in map questions:

Position Words

• Next to, beside, adjacent to
• Opposite, facing
• Between
• In front of, behind
• To the left/right of
• At the corner of
• At the end of

Direction Words

• Head north/south/east/west
• Turn left/right
• Go straight ahead
• Walk past, go past
• Cross
• Continue until you reach
• On your left/right

Diagram Words

• Upper, lower
• Inner, outer
• Central
• Attached to, connected to
• Surrounding

Strategy for Map Questions

Before Listening

Use the preview time to study the map:

• Orient yourself: Find north, south, east, west if marked
• Notice labeled landmarks: These help you track your position
• Read the question spaces: Know what type of place you're listening for (a shop? a building? a room?)

During Listening

Follow these steps:

1. Find your starting point. The speaker usually says something like "You're standing at the entrance" or "Start at the main gate."

2. Track each direction change. When you hear "turn left" or "head north," move your finger on the map. This keeps you oriented.

3. Listen for position markers. The speaker might say "You'll see a fountain on your right." Even if the fountain isn't a question, it confirms you're in the right place.

4. Write the answer when you hear it. The speaker will describe what's at each location. Write it immediately.

Example

"Walk straight from the entrance. You'll pass a café on your left. At the end of the path, turn right. The gift shop is the first building on your left, next to the information center."

From this, you learn: gift shop is to the right after the path, first building on the left, beside information center.

Strategy for Diagram Questions

Before Listening

Study the diagram:

• Identify what it shows: Is it a machine? A building? A natural process?
• Notice any labels already provided: These give you context
• Note arrows or flow direction: This tells you the order you'll hear information

During Listening

Diagrams usually describe parts in a sequence. Listen for transition words:

• "First," "Next," "Then," "Finally"
• "At the top," "Below this," "At the bottom"
• "On the left side," "The right section"

Write the label as soon as you hear what goes in that space.

Common Traps

Trap 1: Getting Lost

If you lose your place on the map, listen for the next landmark and reorient. Don't panic. Skip the one you missed and focus on the next.

Trap 2: Mirror Images

Pay attention to "left" and "right." Your left is not the same as the speaker's left if you're facing opposite directions. Check if the speaker says "on your left" or just "on the left."

Trap 3: Similar-Sounding Locations

The speaker might mention several shops or rooms. Listen carefully to which one is being described when you hear the answer.

Practice Tip

Draw a simple map of your home or neighborhood. Ask a friend to give you directions on a voice memo. Practice following their directions on your map. This builds your directional listening skills.