IELTS Writing Task 1 (Academic), where floor plans, maps, and diagrams are increasingly common.The use of directional language—“below,” “under,” and “in front of”—touches on a subtle but important point in maintaining clarity, accuracy, and formality in spatial description.
🔍 THE CORE ISSUE: Spatial vs. Visual/Graphical Orientation
In floor plan tasks such as the one you’ve shown, the diagram is typically presented from a bird’s-eye view—a top-down perspective. In such contexts, using terms like “under” or “below” may suggest a vertical relationship, implying that one area is physically beneath another (e.g., on a different floor or level), which is not the case here.
In contrast, the word “in front of” describes horizontal positioning, which is what’s being depicted in such diagrams.
🧭 ANALYSIS OF YOUR DIAGRAM
Let us consider your example:
- The Media area is drawn at the top of the diagram.
- The Stage is directly beneath it (graphically).
- However, “beneath” or “under” in spatial language may suggest that the stage is located below the Media room vertically, such as in a basement.
Therefore, saying:
“The stage is under the Media room”
could be misleading. It may be interpreted to mean the stage is on a different physical level—which we do not intend in IELTS map tasks.
✅ RECOMMENDED LANGUAGE
The correct, IELTS-appropriate expression would be:
“The stage is in front of the Media room.”
Why?
- Because “in front of” indicates a position relative to the facing direction or layout orientation of the space, and it avoids vertical implications.
Similarly:
- “The auditorium is in front of the stage.”
- “The ticket office is to the left of the main entrance.”
- “The storage room is to the left of the Media room.”
These terms—in front of, behind, next to, opposite, to the left/right of—are safe and precise for describing layouts from a top-down viewpoint.
❌ Terms to Avoid in Top-Down Floor Plan Tasks
- Under / Below / Over / Above → These suggest vertical levels unless you are describing multi-storey buildings or physical overlaps.
- Down / Up → These are directional in a graphical sense but often lack precision in spatial tasks.
📌 Summary
| Term | Appropriate in Floor Plans? | Explanation |
| In front of | ✅ Yes | Indicates horizontal position from top-down view |
| Behind | ✅ Yes | Describes what is horizontally to the rear |
| Next to | ✅ Yes | Good for side-by-side placements |
| Under/Below | ❌ No (unless vertical levels are involved) | Suggests physical layering or levels |
| Above/Over | ❌ No (same reason as above) | Implies vertical relationship |
| To the left/right of | ✅ Yes | Good for lateral relationships |
Model Answer
The two floor plans show how a theatre changed between 2010 and 2012. Overall, the layout was restructured, especially near the main entrance and in the positioning of the storage and media areas.
In 2010, the admin office and ticket office were located to the left of the main entrance, while a café was on the right. The auditorium, with rows of chairs, was situated in front of the stage and media room, which were aligned in the upper part of the building. A storage room was positioned to the left of the media room.
By 2012, the ticket office was moved to the right of the entrance, replacing the café. The ticket office’s original location and part of the admin area were converted into restaurants, with chairs placed in front. The media room was reduced in size and relocated to the left, allowing space for a new hall and shower area. The storage room was also moved, now found to the right of the stage.
