B2CEFRGrammar12 min

Location Phrases for Maps

Wind farms and offshore wind

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Grammar & Map Skills • B2

🗺️ Location Phrases for Maps

Learn precise phrases to describe positions on maps, plans, and coastal energy developments.

⏱️ Estimated: 12 Mins

💡 How to use this lesson

👨‍🏫 For Teachers

Set up this 12-minute map task on screen or paper for individual or pair work.

Check answers together after students finish the interactive practice hub below.

🎓 For Learners

Read the 4 position rules and look at the map examples first.

Complete all 12 practice items to test your map reading skills.

📍 Visual Map Context: Coastal Wind Farm

Site Map
A clean vector site plan map of a coastal offshore wind farm featuring sandy dunes, a headland, a sheltered cove, offsho

Offshore wind farm layout displaying key features: headland, cove, dunes, buoy, coastline, and pylons.

📖 Rule Guide: Map Location Phrases

Study how each location phrase functions before attempting the exercise items.

Row 1 • Direction & Corner

Use to the [direction] of when one place is in a direction away from another point. Use in the [direction] corner of when something sits right inside a corner of an area.

Wind Farm Examples:

1. The giant wind farm lies to the north-east of the village.

2. Maintenance staff placed a measuring buoy in the south-west corner of the inlet.

3. The market lies to the east of the old bridge.

Row 2 • Alongside & Adjacent to

Use alongside for something that runs next to a line or feature for some distance. Use adjacent to for something touching or right next to another object, and always put to after it.

Wind Farm Examples:

1. A service road for heavy trucks runs alongside the sandy dune.

2. The transformer station stands adjacent to the main pylon.

3. A cycle path runs alongside the canal.

Row 3 • Beyond & On the far side of

Use beyond when a place is farther away past something you see in front of it. Use on the far side of for a place on the opposite edge of a bay, river, or road.

Wind Farm Examples:

1. Two new offshore turbines are visible beyond the high headland.

2. The control centre sits on the far side of the cove.

3. The campsite is on the far side of the river.

Row 4 • At the foot of & In the centre of

Use at the foot of for the bottom part of a hill, cliff, or high tower. Use in the centre of for the exact middle of an area, and never leave out the word the.

Wind Farm Examples:

1. Engineers parked the repair crane at the foot of the steel pylon.

2. The main floating substation floats in the centre of the wind farm layout.

3. A small fountain stands in the centre of the square.

✅ Correct Usage

  • ✓ The warehouse sits adjacent to the dock. (Requires "to")
  • ✓ The main buoy is in the centre of the cove. (Must include "the")
  • ✓ The turbine is to the north of the beach. (Must include "to the")

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • ✗ The warehouse sits adjacent the dock.
  • ✗ The main buoy is in centre of the cove.
  • ✗ The turbine is in the north of the beach.

✏️ Practice Hub: 12 Map Exercises

Test your mastery across 4 distinct question types. Check each hint in brackets.

12 Questions
Part 1: Choose the correct sentence

1. Select the correct location phrase: (direction)

____ a. The maintenance jetty lies to the west of the rocky inlet. ____ b. The maintenance jetty lies in the west of the rocky inlet.

2. Select the correct sentence: (touching)

____ a. The storage shed is adjacent the turbine assembly yard. ____ b. The storage shed is adjacent to the turbine assembly yard.

3. Select the correct sentence: (middle)

____ a. A monitoring buoy is anchored in the centre of the bay. ____ b. A monitoring buoy is anchored in centre of the bay.
Part 2: Rewrite each sentence keeping the meaning

4. Rewrite using alongside: (line)

Original: "A cable trench runs right next to the coastline for two miles."

____

5. Rewrite using beyond: (past)

Original: "The repair vessel is anchored further out past the outer dunes."

____

6. Rewrite using at the foot of: (bottom)

Original: "The technician left the spare rotor blade at the bottom of the cliff."

____
Part 3: Fill the gaps with the exact location phrase

7. Complete the sentence: (across)

"The observation tower is located ____ the bay, opposite the main dock."

8. Complete the sentence: (corner)

"A small weather station stands ____ the site map, where the north edge meets the east edge."

9. Complete the sentence: (direction)

"The new floating wind farm lies a few miles ____ the headland."

Part 4: Correct the error in a short message to a colleague
💬 Chat Message 1 • (middle)
"Hey! We are installing the new gearbox in the centre the platform right now."

Type the correct phrase to replace the mistake:

____
💬 Chat Message 2 • (touching)
"The safety buoy is moored adjacent with the main pylon base."

Type the correct phrase to replace the mistake:

____
💬 Chat Message 3 • (across)
"You can see the second row of blades in the far side of the inlet."

Type the correct phrase to replace the mistake:

____

🎉 Excellent Work!

You have completed all rule reviews and practice items for map location phrases.

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