IELTS Listening Map Vocabularies

Direction Words

Word	Meaning
Adjacent to	Means directly next to or adjoining.
Perpendicular to	At a 90-degree angle to another line or path.
Parallel to	Running alongside something but never meeting it.
On the verge of	Positioned on the edge or very near to something.
Encircling	Surrounding or forming a circle around something.
Radiating from	Spreading outwards from a central point.
Converging towards	Coming together or meeting at a particular point.
Intersecting at	Where two lines or paths cross each other.
Periphery of	Refers to the outer edge or boundary of an area.
Bordering on	Directly alongside or touching the boundary of something.
Situated on the fringe of	Located on the outer edge of an area.
Stretching towards	Extending in a certain direction without fully reaching it.
In proximity to	Near or close to something.
Skirting around	Moving along the edge or border of something.
Offset from	Positioned away from or not aligned with something else.
Branching off	When a smaller road or path splits from a main route.
Flanking	Positioned on the side of something, typically one of two sides.
Surrounding	All around a particular area or point.
Cutting across	Taking a shorter route through something, often diagonally.
At the intersection of	Refers to the point where two roads or paths meet or cross.

Terms and Meanings

Directional and Positional Terms

Term	Meaning
Penultimate	Second to last in a series.
Apex	The highest point of something.
Zenith	The highest point; metaphorical peak.
Proximal	Close to a point of reference.
Distal	Farther from a point of reference.
Quadrant	One of four sections of something.
Contour	Outline representing shape or boundary.
Vertex	Corner where lines meet.
Cornice	Decorative molding at a building's edge.
Buttress	Support built against a wall.

Architectural and Structural Features

Term	Meaning
Cornice	A decorative molding at the edge of a roof or ceiling.
Buttress	A structure built against a wall for support.
Folly	A decorative structure built mainly for appearance.
Gazebo	A freestanding, open-sided outdoor structure.
Parapet	A low wall along the edge of a roof, bridge, or balcony.
Colonnade	A row of evenly spaced columns supporting a roof.
Gable	Triangular part of a wall under a pitched roof.
Palisade	A defensive fence made of wooden stakes.
Terrace	A flat area created on a slope for farming or buildings.
Balustrade	A railing supported by small posts, found on balconies and terraces.

Land and Terrain Features

Term	Meaning
Promontory	A high point of land extending into water.
Crest	The top of a hill or wave.
Bluff	A steep cliff or high bank.
Plateau	An area of elevated flat land.
Escarpment	A steep slope or cliff caused by erosion or faults.
Ridge	A long, narrow hilltop or mountain range.
Swale	A low or marshy dip in the ground.
Meander	A winding bend in a river or road.
Tundra	Treeless arctic land with frozen soil.
Promenade	A public place to walk, often along the sea.

Transportation and Access Features

Term	Meaning
Switchback	A zigzag road or trail on a steep slope.
Turnpike	A toll road requiring payment to use.
Trestle	A supporting framework for bridges or elevated roads.
Causeway	A raised road across wet ground or water.
Esplanade	A long open walking area, often near water.
Spur road	A short road branching from a main one.
Cutting	A road or rail passage dug into elevated ground.
Underpass	A tunnel under a road or railway for traffic or pedestrians.
Switchyard	A large railway area where trains are sorted or stored.
Overpass	A bridge over a road or railway.

Urban and Industrial Areas

Term	Meaning
Conurbation	A large area formed by merging cities and suburbs.
Exurbia	Outskirts beyond the suburbs, often residential.
Gridiron	A layout of streets forming a grid.
Brownfield	Previously used industrial land, often for redevelopment.
Greenbelt	Protected open land around a city where building is restricted.
Cul-de-sac	A street with a closed end.
Façade	The decorative front of a building.
Ziggurat	A stepped pyramid tower from Mesopotamian architecture.
Sprawl	Uncontrolled urban expansion.
Enclave	A region surrounded by another, often culturally distinct.

Water and Coastal Features

Term	Meaning
Isthmus	A narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas.
Lagoon	A shallow water body separated from the sea.
Archipelago	A group or chain of islands.
Breakwater	A structure built to protect a shore from waves.
Shoal	A shallow area in a body of water.
Cataract	A large and powerful waterfall.
Bight	A wide bay formed by a bend in the coastline.
Tidal basin	A dock that fills and empties with the tide.
Estuary	The area where a river meets the sea.
Levee	An embankment built to prevent flooding.

Vegetation and Nature

Term	Meaning
Arboretum	A botanical garden specializing in trees.
Coppice	A wooded area where trees are cut back to regrow.
Hedgerow	A boundary formed by bushes or shrubs.
Orchard	A plantation of fruit trees.
Grove	A small group of trees.
Glade	An open space in a forest.
Heath	Open land with poor soil and low shrubs.
Dell	A small wooded valley.
Fen	A low, marshy, often flooded area.
Thicket	A dense group of bushes or small trees.

Other Functional and Administrative Terms

Term	Meaning
Consulate	Office where a consul works, usually abroad.
Embassy	Official residence or workplace of an ambassador.
Garrison	Military troops stationed in a particular place.
Mint	A place where coins are manufactured.
Depot	A storage place for goods or equipment.
Caravanserai	A roadside inn for travelers, especially in the desert.
Tollbooth	A booth where drivers pay to use a road or bridge.
Prefecture	An administrative district governed by a prefect.
Synagogue	A Jewish place of worship.
Zoning	Planning that separates areas for different uses.

Complex Landmarks and Structures

Term	Meaning
Esplanade	A long, open, level area, typically beside the sea
Promenade	A paved public walk, typically along a waterfront
Viaduct	A long bridge-like structure over a valley or low ground
Aqueduct	A bridge-like structure that carries water across gaps
Obelisk	A tall, four-sided stone pillar tapering to a point
Atrium	An open-roofed central area in a building
Rotunda	A round building, often with a dome
Pagoda	A multi-tiered religious tower, common in East Asia
Quay	A stone or concrete platform for loading/unloading ships
Citadel	A fortress protecting or dominating a city

Mistaken or Overlooked Water Features

Term	Meaning
Tributary	A stream or river that flows into a larger river
Estuary	The tidal mouth of a river
Delta	Landform at a river’s mouth splitting into channels
Spit	A narrow landform projecting into water
Fjord	A deep, narrow inlet formed by glaciers
Mooring	A place where boats are anchored
Levee	A wall that blocks water from flooding land
Weir	A small dam built to control water flow

Uncommon Transportation Terms

Term	Meaning
Causeway	A raised road across low or wet ground
Bypass	A road passing around a town or its center to reduce traffic
Embankment	A mound of earth or stone to hold back water or support roads/railways
Slip road	A road that connects or leaves a motorway or highway
Underpass	A road or path passing beneath another road, railway, or pedestrian area
Flyover	An elevated road that crosses over another road
Overpass	A bridge carrying a road over another
Tramline	A set of rails for trams to run through a city

Infrastructure and Urban Features

Term	Meaning
Cul-de-sac	A dead-end street with a circular turnaround
Boulevard	A wide street in a city, typically lined with trees
Mezzanine	An intermediate floor between main floors of a building
Annex	A building added to or associated with a main building
Stoa	An ancient Greek covered walkway, often used for public gatherings
Arcade	A covered passageway with arches along one or both sides
Bastion	A projecting part of a fortification, seen in city walls
Plaza	A public square or open space in a city
Quadrant	One of four sections into which an area is divided
Spire	A conical or pyramidal structure on top of a building, especially a church

Geographic and Natural Terminology

Term	Meaning
Knoll	A small, rounded hill or mound
Butte	A flat-topped hill with steep sides, often found in deserts
Ravine	A deep, narrow gorge with steep sides
Bluff	A steep face of rock or earth, often forming a cliff
Cove	A small, sheltered bay or coastal inlet
Cairn	A pile of stones used as a marker or monument
Isthmus	A narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas
Scree	Loose stones or debris on a mountain slope
Foreshore	The area of shore between the high and low tide marks
Cordon	A line or barrier surrounding a specific area

Administrative and Functional Features

Term	Meaning
Embassy	The official residence or offices of an ambassador
Consulate	The place or building in which a consul's duties are carried out
Depot	A place for the storage of equipment or goods
Customs house	A building where customs duties are collected
Prefecture	An administrative district in certain countries
Fortification	A defensive wall or other structure built to protect a place from attack
Barracks	A building used to house soldiers
Quarantine station	A place where people or animals are isolated for health reasons
Sanatorium	A medical facility for the treatment of long-term illnesses
Exclave	A portion of a state geographically separated from the main part

Map Term Confusions

Term	Common Confusion or Misinterpretation
Northwest	Often confused with "northeast" or "west".
Northeast	Mistaken for "northwest" or "east".
Southwest	Misinterpreted as "southeast".
Southeast	Often confused with "southwest".
Due North	Refers to an exact position, commonly misused for general "north" direction.
Due East	Specifically refers to the exact "east" direction.
Upward	Can be confusing as it may not always mean "north".
Downward	Can be interpreted as "south" but often refers to the lower position on a map.
Adjacent to	Often confused with "near" or "beside".
Opposite	Commonly mistaken with "next to".
Parallel to	Mistaken for "beside", though it refers to two objects running in the same direction.
Perpendicular to	Confused with "at an angle" or "across".
At the junction of	Misunderstood as "near" or "next to", but it means where two things meet.
Corner of	Can cause confusion, especially if describing a street corner or building corner.
Edge of	Misinterpreted as a "side" or "border".
Centre of	Confused with "middle", though they can sometimes imply different areas.
On the left-hand side of	May be misunderstood depending on the perspective used.
On the right-hand side of	Same as above, prone to misinterpretation.
Intersecting	Mistaken as simply "crossing over", but it involves two paths meeting at a point.
Bordering	Misinterpreted as "nearby" instead of right on the edge.
Skirting	Often misunderstood as completely "avoiding" rather than closely going around.
Flanking	Misread as being "adjacent", though it implies something on both sides.
Encircling	Confused with simply "surrounding", though it involves a complete loop around.
Diagonally opposite	Hard to visualize and often mistaken for "directly opposite".
Running alongside	Can be confused with "parallel to" or simply "next to".
In front of	Sometimes confused with "opposite" or "near".
Behind	Misunderstood as being "close to" instead of directly at the back.
Alongside	Easily mistaken for "next to", but it involves a longer stretch next to something.
Next to	Confused with "near" or "adjacent", though it's often used in proximity references.
Through the middle of	Misread as "across" or "over", though it means cutting through a central point.

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