Model Answer

The line graph compares the number of car thefts for every
thousand vehicles in four countries from 1990 to 1999. Overall, it
can be seen that car thefts were far higher in Great Britain than
in the other three counties throughout the whole time frame.
To begin, car thefts in Sweden, France and Canada followed a
fairly similar pattern over the first five years, all
remaining at between 5 and 10 per thousand. The general trend
though for France and Canada was a decline in the number of
vehicles stolen over the period, with both at around 6 in 1999. In
contrast, Sweden experienced an upward trend, starting the
period at approximately 8, and finishing at just under 15.
Interestingly, car thefts in Great Britain started at 18 per
thousand, which far exceeded that of the other countries. It then
fluctuated over the next nine years, reaching a peak of 20 thefts
per 1000 in 1996, and ending the period slightly lower than
where it began, at approximately 17 per thousand.
Prepositions in Graphs Practice
Now, take a look at the sentences below. Decide which
prepostion from the box should go in the gap and write it in.

Note: Write in small letters and do not leave any gaps or your
answer may get marked as wrong.

Choose the correct word to go in the gap

with at in by at

to between from to of

1. In may, the price of gold rose slightly $1,500.

2. Holidays to foreign destinations remained constant

about 85,000 per month for the last two months of the year.

3. Profits increased 4 million dollars to 6 million dollars

last year.

4. From 2001 to 2010, the price of electricity has

increased 125%.

5. Bike sales reached a peak 20,000 in September.

6. There is a sharp increase in traffic levels from 8am to

9am, nearly 3000 cars traveling on the road.

7. The last decade has seen a steep increase the number

of people diagnosed with diabetes.
8. At the start of the year, the turnover of the company

stood £1.3 million.

9. During the summer, student numbers at the school

fluctuate 150 and 170 per week.

10. Following this, the number then fell a low of 20 per

month.

Answer:
1. to
2. at
3. from
4. by
5. of
6. with
7. in
8. at
9. between
10. to
Compare and Contrast Language for Graphs

The purpose of this lesson is to introduce you to compare and

contrast language which is needed to write about graphs.
To begin, take a look at the graph below.
 Which country has the highest level of pollution?
 Which country has the lowest?

The country with the higest level of pollution is USA and the
country with the lowest is New Zealand.

The Key Language

Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

Being able to compare and contrast data is an essential skill for
IELTS writing, especially in Task 1. Comparatives and
superlatives are one common way to do this.

Comparatives are used to compare two things:

Leopards are faster than tigers.

Superlatives are used to compare one thing against a group of

others:
The leopard is the largest of the four big cats.
Here are the basics of how they are formed:

Example Comparativ
Superlative
Word e

Words with one syllable high higher the highest

more the most

Words with three syllables productiv productive productive
or more e less the least
productive productive

the
Words ending in –y wealthy wealthier
wealthiest

Short words ending with a

consonant/vowel/consona hot hotter the hottest
nt

Irregular good better the best

Other Important Language

Comparatives and superlatives are useful to compare and
contrast, but they won't be enough.
Here are some other useful words and structures:

Transitions
 1. The Middle East produces high levels of oil; however, Japan
produces none.

2. The USA produces large amounts of natural gas. In

contrast, South Korea produces none.

3. European countries make great use of solar power. On the

other hand, most Asian countries us this method of power
generation very little.

Subordinating Conjunctions

1. The Middle East produces high levels of oil, whereas /

while Japan produces none.

2. Whereas / While the Middle East produces high levels of

oil, Japan produces none.

3. Although the Middle East produced 100 tons oil, Japan

produced none.

Other Structures

1. Developing countries are more reliant on alternative

energy production than developed countries.

2. Solar power accounts for far less of the total energy

production than gas or coal does.

3. Hydropower is not as efficient as wind power.

4. Like Japan, South Korea does not produce any natural gas.

5. The Middle East produces twice as much oil as Europe.

6. Western countries consume three times more oil than the

Middle East.

7. Russia consumes slightly more oil than Germany.

8. The UAE produced the same amount of oil as Saudi Arabia.

Using Approximate Data

When you compare and contrast, you also need to learn phrases
so you can refer to data that is not exact.
For example:
 7.1 “just over 7 million tonnes”
“approximately 7 million
tonnes”

65.6 “nearly 70 million tonnes”

“almost 70 million tonnes”

Compare and Contrast Language Practice

Look at the table below. What is being compared?

Natural Gas Consumption and Production, 2001

Consumption* Production*
Country

The USA 588.9 500.0

The United 86.1 97.3

Kingdom

The Former Soviet 7.1 0.4

Union

The UAE 30.0 35.9

Australia 19.1 28.0

Japan 68.6 0

New Zealand 4.9 5.1

 South Korea 18.9 0

China 24.3 25.0

*in millions of tonnes

Compare and Contrast Language Quiz

Look at the compare and contrast language in the drop

down box and choose the correct word to complete the
sentences.

1. New Zealand consumed the gas at

approximately 5 million tonnes.

2. The former Soviet Union produced the amount

at 0.4 million tonnes.

3. The USA was the consumer and producer of

gas at 600 million tonnes and 500 respectively.

4. The USA consumed and produced natural gas

than any other country.

5. South Korea consumed 18.9 million tonnes of

gas; , it produced none.

6. China’s consumption and production of gas

were at 24.3 and 25.0 respectively.

7. The USA, the Former Soviet Union, Japan and South Korea all

consumed more gas they produced.

8. Australia consumed four gas than New

Zealand.
9. Zealand produced 5.1 million tonnes of gas,
South Korea produced none.

10. New Zealand consumed 5 million tonnes of

gas.

Options:
Times more
Nearly the same
Lowest
However
Biggest
While
Least
Far more
Just under
Than

Answer:
1. least
2. lowest
3. biggest
4. far more
5. however
6. nearly the same
7. than
8. times more
9. While
10. just under

Tenses for IELTS

Candidates practicing for IELTS often ask which tenses for
IELTS are important and which tenses they need to know.
We'll have a look at this in this lesson.

Which tenses for IELTS do I need?

Speaking
The fact is that there are not specific ones that are important for
speaking - the more you know, the better you will be able to
convey your message in the speaking test.
You will be asked about the past, present, and future in the test,
so all will be needed.
The important thing about tenses for IELTS in the speaking test
is that you know how to listen carefully to the question, and then
choose the correct one to answer.
For instance, if the examiner asks;

 Did you like to read when you were a child?

Your answer should of course also be in the past:

 Yes I did. I used to read books like Harry Potter.

I found them really exciting and I learned a lot as
well.

Or if the examiner asks:

 How do the diets of people in the past compare with

the diets of people today?

Then you will need to use a mix of past and present tenses.
So make sure at the very least you have a good knowledge of
the present, past and future simple tenses to get you through the
test, but if you are more skilled and want a higher score, then of
course you want to start ensuring you can use some of the more
advanced level tenses such as the present perfect
continuous and future perfect continuous tenses.
Here you can learn more about and practice tenses.

Writing
For the writing, it is possible to be a bit more specific about
which tenses for IELTS are needed.

For the Task 1 Academic, you are most likely to have to write
about a graph in the past. So you should make sure you know
how to use the basic past simple. Graphs are sometimes about
predictions, so you need to make sure you know the future
simple as well, although common words to use for this are
'expected' to, 'predicted' to' etc than the more definite words of
'will' or 'going to'.
As in this example, you can see it goes up to 2022.

IELTS line graph in the past and future

You could have sentences like this:

 From 2012 to 2013, grants and

subsidies remained stable.
 During 2021 and 2022, borrowings are expected
to remain at the same level.

This does not mean that you won't have the opportunity to fit in
other tenses, which of course if you have higher skill levels you
should do to ensure you show the examiner the flexibility that
you have to try and get the highest possible grammar score.

For instance:

 By 2016, grants and subsidies had risen to around

$750 million (past perfect)
Occasionally you have to write about an IELTS process diagram,
in which case you need to make sure you can use the passive
voice in the present simple (if it's a man-made process).
Below is an example:

 The limestone and clay are crushed up together

 The cylinder is heated while it rotates

The passive is needed for process diagrams

Maps or plans also sometimes arise, where you have to compare

how they differ at two points in time. The times can vary, so it
could for example compare present with future, or past with
present. So again you need to know the basic tenses for IELTS to
answer these.
 Example of map in the past and present

For the Task 2 Essay (Academic and General Training) it's

actually very common to use the present simple tense for IELTS.
This is because you will be writing about general facts and truths
and giving your opinions, which are commonly done using the
present tense.
Of course though again you may need to make use of other
tenses, as you may want to refer to past and future situations,
events, or views as well.
You can take a look at these sample essays to examine how
different tenses for IELTS are made use of.

For the IELTS Letter (Task 1 General Training) you could have
to use a variety of tenses. It's quite common to discuss a
situation/problem you had in the past, but to then discuss
possible solutions:
You recently stayed in a hotel in a large city. The weather was
very unusual for the time of year and the heating / cooling
system in the hotel was quite inadequate.
Write a letter to the manager of the hotel. In your letter:

 give details of what went wrong

 explain what you had to do to overcome the problem at the
time
 say what action you would like the manager to take

So in this example you would certainly be making use of the past

simple to discuss what went wrong and what you did to
overcome the problems:

 The heating system did not give off enough warmth

 I was forced to wear my coat in the room

But then the future unreal conditional tense to talk about the
actions you 'would like' the manager to take (we use 'would' for
imaginary situations):

 I would like to have a refund because of these issues

Here is a different example:

You are going away to travel for the summer. A friend will be
looking after your house while you are away. Write a letter to
your friend.
In your letter:

 Say where you are going

 Describe your house
 Explain some of the things your friend must do to look after
your house

This is slightly different as you would be using future tenses,

such as the future simple/continuous, to say where you are
going and the present simple to describe your house:

 I'm going to the south coast of France

 My house is a cottage, with a thatched roof

But then the present and future using modal verbs (e.g. you
must; you will have to) to say what your friend has to do at
your house.

 You'll have to water the plants in the lounge once a

week
Again though, it's unusual to just stick to one specific tense for
IELTS letters for each point, so to be flexible and write a good
letter you will likely be moving around different tenses in order
to convey a coherent message in your letter.

Reading and Listening

The reading and listening modules are different to the writing
and speaking as you are taking information directly from the
audio or reading texts to place into your answer key. So in that
respect, understanding tenses for IELTS as above is not the
same.
However, the more you understand tenses, the better you will be
able to make sense of what you are listening to or reading, as our
comprehension of a language is of course directly related to this.
So it's still important to know about tenses and what they mean
as much as possible.

Language for Graphs Quiz

In this language for graphs quiz you practice vocabulary and
grammar that can be used to write about graphs, charts and
tables.

Some of it is language of change (e.g. increased, rose, fell

etc) as this bar chart is over time (January to April) but
also language to compare and contrast.
Remember though that although line graphs always have a time
frame, bar charts, tables and pie charts may sometimes not be
over time, so language of change will not be appropriate.

Take the Language for Graphs Quiz

Look at the question prompt and the bar chart/line
graph below, then answer the questions in the language for
graphs quiz.
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The bar chart shows the monthly spending in dollars of a
family in the USA on three items in 2010.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

Language for Graphs Quiz

Choose the correct word/phrase to go in the gap.

1. The bar chart ___________ the monthly expenditure on food, gas and clothing of a
family living in the USA in 2010.

1. illustrates
2. shows
3. explains

2. Overall, it can be seen that levels of expenditure ___________ over the period.

1. increased steadily
2. fluctuated
3. fell steeply
3. To begin, in January ____________ money was spent on food, at approximately $500
per month.

1. the most
2. the least
3. the highest

4. Expenditure on gas followed ___________ the spending on food, falling at first, then
steadily increasing.

1. a very similar trend to

2. the same trend as
3. an opposite trend to

5. Clothing expenses, which at just over $200 accounted for the lowest levels of spending
at the beginning of the period, _____________ over the time frame.

1. dramatic fluctuation
2. fluctuated dramatically
3. fluctuating dramatically

6. Expenditure on clothing ______________ in March, and then jumped to just under

$700 in the final month.

1. was markedly dropping

2. drop markedly
3. dropped markedly

7.In March, around $450 was spent on food, ________ just over $300 was spent on gas
and clothing.

1. however
2. whereas
3. in contrast

8. Spending on gas started at about $350 per month, falling in the following month, and
then increasing significantly __________ just under $600 in April.

1. to finish at
2. to finalise at
3. finished at

9. The money spent on clothing in April ________ the amount spent on food.

1. was more than half

2. was more than triple
3. was more than double

10.With the exception of _______________ in March, average spending decreased

slightly over the four months.
 1. an increase
2. spending increased
3. increasing

Answer: 1,2,1,3,2,3,2,1,3,1

IELTS Writing Task 1

Language Exercise
This IELTS writing task 1 language exercise for the academic
module tests and teaches you about grammar and vocabulary.
The exercise will improve your flexibility for writing about
graphs. The sentences mostly are related to graphs or charts that
are based around writing about changes over time, which is
common in the test.
Think carefully about which words will fit in the gap or how the
words you have been given need to be changed to fit
grammatically.

IELTS Writing Task 1 Language

Exercise
Gap Fill
Instructions
The following sentences have gaps in. Place the right word(s) in the gaps. For some you are
given one or two words in brackets that you need to add and change to fit correctly. For some
you have to work out what word is missing.
1. The graph illustrates a gradual decline in sales in 2020, with figures

(drop - consistent).
2. The data depicts a

(fluctuate) pattern in the stock market.

3. In contrast to the initial period, there was a significant upswing in productivity, jumping
50 units
120 units per hour.
4. Last year there
(be) a
(mark) contrast between urban and rural population growth.
5. The line graph depicts a gradual but consistent decline in air quality over the past decade,
with pollution levels

(reach) a concerning peak.

6. There was a clear correlation between advertising expenditures and product sales, with

(increase - spend) leading to a subsequent rise in revenue.

7.

(experience) a steady increase, the number of participants in the study climbed from 200 to
400 over the ten-year period.
8. Sales figures

(fall - steady) over the past five years. (Tip: the time frame is the past up to the present time)
9. The stock market displayed both
(peak) and
(trough) throughout the observed timeframe.
10. Productivity, which initially

(stand) at 50 units per hour, experienced a significant upswing, reaching 120 units by the
end of the study.
11. There

(be) a dramatic surge in immigration in 2030.

12.

2015 and 2023, natural disasters displayed a cyclical pattern, with peaks occurring every five
years.
13. Technological advancements are occurring every two to three years,

(accord) to the data.

14. Urban population growth
(experience) a rapid surge, while rural areas
(witness) the opposite in the previous decade.
15. Manufacturing output saw a substantial drop in the first half of the year, followed by a
rapid

(recover) in the second half.

Answer:
1. dropping consistently
2. fluctuating
3. from, to
4. was, marked
5. reaching
6. increased spending
7. experiencing
8. have fallen steadily
9. peaks, throughs
10. stood
11. will be
12. between
13. according
14. experienced, witnessed
15. recovery

IELTS Graph Exercise

This IELTS graph exercise will improve your ability to use the language of change, needed
when writing about graphs with a time frame.

The graph exercise focuses on some common sentence structures found in line graphs and
other graphs or charts over time and the phrases used to describe change.

IELTS Graph Exercise

Language of Change
Instructions
Decide which word or words fit in the gap to create the correct language of change.
1. The number of registered voters in the district __________ by 15% between 2012 and
2016, reflecting a growing civic engagement.
a. has increased
b. was increasing
c. increased
2. The number of students pursuing online courses saw a remarkable __________, with
a 30% increase from 2018 to 2020.
a. surge
b. surging
c. surged
3. During the years 2012 and 2016, GDP in India __________.
a. grows steadily
b. grew steadily
c. grew steady
4. In the early 2000s, there was a __________ in the use of traditional mail services, as
electronic communication methods gained prevalence.
a. sharp decline
b. sharply declined
c. sharply declining
5. The amount of carbon dioxide emitted by industrial facilities __________ from 2010
up to the present day.
a. gradually fell
b. had gradually fallen
c. has gradually fallen
6. The period between 2013 and 2016 witnessed a __________ in consumer spending,
with peaks corresponding to holiday seasons and troughs during economic downturns.
a. fluctuating pattern
b. fluctuating patterns
c. fluctuated pattern
7. By 2019, the average household size ___________ sharply, with families opting for
smaller living arrangements.
a. has declined
b. had declined
c. declined
8. The data illustrates a consistent upward trend in educational attainment, with the
number of individuals holding degrees ___________ over the decade.
a. steadily rising
b. steadily rose
c. rose steadily
9. The amount of rainfall in the region __________ in the 2000s, signalling a concerning
trend in water scarcity.
a. significant decreased
b. decreasing significantly
c. decreased significantly
10. The data from 2005 to 2010 reveals a cyclic pattern in housing prices, __________
periods of growth and contraction.
a. with alternated
b. with alternating
c. with alternate
Answer: C, A, B, A, C, A, B, A, C, B

IELTS Task 1 Verb

Quiz: Processes & Passive
Voice
In this IELTS task 1 verb quiz you will be tested on your
knowledge of verb forms in processes/diagrams. Process or
diagram descriptions occasionally arise in the test, though they
are less common than other types of graph.
You need to place the correct verb into the gap. Remember that
with diagrams and processes you will sometimes need to use
the passive voice.
We do this when we are focusing on the action rather than who
did it. With intransitive verbs, however, we cannot use the
passive, and must use active.
The statements from the quiz refer to this man-made process:
 IELTS Task 1 Verb Quiz
Processes
Instructions
Choose the correct verb form to go in the gap.
1. The given illustrations ____________ how electricity is generated using the power of the
sea.
presents
present
are presenting
2. Overall, through a specially designed structure, a green source of electrical energy
_____________ by the constant movement of the sea, which forces air through a chamber.
 can be produced
produces
is produce
3. As seen in the first image, the man-made structure ____________ next to a sea wall or cliff
so that its foundation is strong enough to withstand the powerful waves.
built
is builded
is built
4. There is a specially constructed chamber that _____________ seawater to flow in and out.
allowed
is allowed
allows
5. The chamber leads into a column where a turbine _______________.
suspends
is suspended
was suspended
6. When a wave _____________ into the chamber, the water forcefully pushes the air out of
the column.
flows
is flowed
is flowing
7. As the strong rush of air ___________ upwards, it pushes past the turbine, causing it to
rotate quickly.
is traveled
traveled
travels
8. It is this mechanical movement of the turbine that ____________ electricity.
generates
generated
is generated
9. As shown in the second picture, when the wave recedes, air refills the chamber,
______________ the process to continue as the waves will keep entering and exiting the
chamber, making the turbine spin continually.
 allows
allowed
allowing
10. The result _____________ a sustainable source of electrical energy.
was
is
has

Answer: B,A,C,C,B,A,C,A,C,B