Writing task 1.

Line graphs
Task Criteria What do these criteria mean?

Writing Task 1 Task Achievement Did you answer the question fully and write 150 words?
(worth 1/3 of
the band)

Writing Task 2 Task Response Did your answer address all of the points in the question?
(worth 2/3 of Did you provide a balanced argument and support your ideas with evidence an
the band) • Were all of your ideas relevant to the question?
Did you write 250 words?

Both tasks Coherence and Cohesion Is your writing easy to understand?

• Are your ideas well organised and clearly linked?
Both tasks Lexical Resource Did you use a wide range of vocabulary accurately and effectively?

Both tasks Grammatical Range and Accuracy Did you use a wide range of grammatical structures accurately and effectively?
What is in academic task 1?

In the academic part of the IELTS test you will have to do one of the following things:

Describe a:

Line Graph

Bar Chart

.
Pie Chart

Table

Process

Diagram

Map

You will have 20 minutes to write your response.

Criteria Evaluation

Task Achievement Your ability to cover all the requirements of the task, select and

highlight the appropriate information, and present an overview.

Coherence and Your ability to logically organize and arrange your response and the

Cohesion information within the response.

Lexical Resource Your ability to use a range of vocabulary and your ability to use it

accurately.
Grammatical Your ability to use a range and variety of sentence structures and the

Range & Accuracy accuracy you have with your grammar.

Do a plan, don't just start writing. You should spend 5 minutes analyzing the graph to
identify the key features and plan how you will organize your response

Select the important information - don't just write a long list of every point in the

graph. If you look at the question, you'll see you are told to select and explain the key
features.

Use a mix of sentence types and language - you will be graded on your language
skills, "The number of .... increased. The number of.... decreased. The number of ...

stayed the same". This is boring and repetitive and will not get you a good score!

Don't give your opinions or start to explain why things may have happened. It is a

factual report - just explain what you see.

Line Graph
Line graphs can be used to show how information or
data change over time. They have an x-axis
(horizontal) and y-axis (vertical). Usually the x-axis
shows the time period and the y-axis shows what is
being measured.
 Structure
1. Introduction (as much information about the
graph as you can, create an overall image of it)
2. Overview (what are the most noticeable/key
features of the graph that you can notice?) No
opinion, no numbers, not larger than BP
3. Body Par 1 (give as much details, such as
numbers, as you can)
4. Body Par 2 (BP should be the same size)
Lifehack: imagine the examiner doesn’t have
the graph in front of them. Your essay should
allow them to draw it.
 Vocabulary

All the phrases are given “Verb + Adverb” form

(verbs are in Past Simple)
 Word Explanation
Stood at This means moving'. So avoid using it once you have begun
'not
describing the graph, but use it to say where the figures started
Plunged This is a very sudden and large drop down
Peaked at / reached a high The highest point that is reached on the graph
of
Hit a low of/ Reached a The lowest point that is reached on the graph
trough of...
Remained This is used if a 'flat' point arises where the data is neither

constant/unchanged/stable increasing nor decreasing for a period of time

at..../ Leveled off/evened
out at...

Fluctuated To rise and fall or vary irregularly

 Number of arrests per year for using illegal drugs
90

80

70

per year
の 0
Numberofarrests

0
8

30

20

10

이
1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Year
1. Rose/increased steadily 7. Fluctuated
2. Rose/increased dramatically 8. Fell/dropped dramatically / sharply
3. Rose/increased gradually 9. Reach a trough of...
4. Plunged to .. 10. Remained constant/unchanged/stable at....
5. Peaked at/reached a high of ... 11. Leveled off/evened out at ...

6. Stood at 12. Hit a low of...

How these phrases can be used in body
paragraphs:
What does each colour stand for?
The words in black (bold) are connectors, or linking words, the words in green (Capitals) are

the time period, the words in blue (italics) are the change taking place, and the words in red

(underlined) are the value the graph is measured in.

Connector Time Change Value

To begin, in 1991, the number of arrests for illegal drug use stood at 55.

Connector Time Change Value

However,
over the following there was a sharp fall 20 per year.
three years, to

Change Time Value (no connector)

The number rose to 50 per year.
from 1995 to 1996
significantly
Time Change Connector Change
saw a fluctuation in
which was followed
1996 to 1999 the arrest rate, a sudden increase
by
Time Change Value Time
at the end of this
with the rate reaching in 2000.
period, 80
a peak of
Sentence structures
Verb + adverb => adjective + noun
● Rose/increased steadily => steady rise/increase
● Rose/increased gradually => gradual rise/increase
● Fell/dropped dramatically => dramatic fall/drop
● Fluctuated => fluctuation
● Improved significantly => significant improvement
● Dipped slightly => slight dip
Practice
Homework + memorize new vocabulary
Let’s look
at an
example
Keep in mind:
there should
always be some
logic behind
division into 2
paragraphs
The Introduction

I have paraphrased the task question here. You can use synonyms or change the grammatical
you can
structure of the sentences so that it retains the same meaning. Paraphrasing is not just about synonyms,
you can re-arrange the sentences, this is a very important skill to practice.

close

The graph illustrates the average output of carbon dioxide in metric tonnes for each
individual in four European countries over a forty-year period.

shows = illustrates
average carbon dioxide emissions = the average output of carbon dioxide
per person = for each individual
1967 and 2007= over a forty-year period
The Overview

The overview is also an important feature in task 1 academic and your report must have one. The
overview should not include any numbers, statistics or dates. Leave those details for the body
paragraphs. You will need to look at the main trends of the graph and write briefly about those. Pick out
the main trends and give a summary.

close

Overall, C02 output per individual in the UK and Sweden began the highest but
witnessed a decline toward the end of the period. Conversely, Italy and Portugal started
with relatively low emissions but saw considerable increases by the end of the
timeframe.

I start with the word 'Overall' this is a good way to introduce the overview. I have picked out the two
main trends here which are:

The UK and Sweden = started high ended much lower.

Italy and Portugal = started low ended much higher.
Body Paragraphs
Now we can write in more detail about the graph and the trends. Also, remember to be selective and do
not write about everything in the graph. Grouping the information is very important in this part of the
task. Take the 2 main trends and separate them into 2 body paragraphs as below.

close

In 1967, the UK showed the highest proportion of carbon emissions at around 11 metric
tonnes steadily ending at approximately 9
per person, however, this figure declined
metric tonnes for each individual. Sweden's output started at just over 8 metric tonnes,

this then rose to a peak of approximately 11 tonnes in 1977 and then witnessed a sharp
decline to approximately half of that by 2007.

In this body paragraph, I wrote about the 2 highest C02 outputs, which are the UK and Sweden and
described how they declined in the 40 year period. I added more detail and numbers here, notice how I Key vocabulary:
have used prepositions also (at, around, over, to, by) and most importantly you must use the language of
approximation as there a no exact figures in the chart. the highest proportion of
declined steadily
rose to a peak
output = emissions
a sharp decline
each individual = per person
In the next paragraph, I have written about the 2 lowest C02 outputs (Italy and Portugal) and described
how they increased in the 40-year time-frame.

In contrast, Portugal in 1967 had the lowest output at just over 1 tonne per person. Over

the next four decades, this increased sharply ending at over 5 metric tonnes. Italy
demonstrated a similar rising pattern, beginning at a little over 4 metric tonnes and

levelling off at nearly 8 tonnes of carbon dioxide for each person by 2007.

Key vocabulary:

In contrast (shows contrast)

the lowest (superlative)
just over

increased sharply
ending at
demonstrated a similar rising pattern
beginning at .... levelling off at

Using the language of comparisons is useful in this kind of task, make sure you know how to use
comparatives and superlatives, especially if you get a graph or bar chart with 2 or 3 trends.
Homework
Line
graph
with a
future
trend
Grammar for future trends
The graph illustrates data from a 2008 report regarding energy consumption in the USA since 1980 with
forecasts until 2030.

Overall, fossil fuels have shown increases in consumption since the start of the period with expectations
for even more reliance on these fuel sources, whereas cleaner energy account for considerably less
consumption with predictions for a similar trend.

Fossil fuels have seen steady increases in energy consumption since 1980. Petrol and oil started the

period at 35 quadrillion units, fluctuated until 2000, and then climbed steadily with a prediction of over 45
quadrillion units by 2030. Coal followed a similar trend with expectations of around 30 quadrillion units by
2030. Natural gas usage demonstrated fluctuations and it is set to level off at approximately 24 quadrillion
units from 2020 onwards.

Regarding cleaner energy fuel sources, they all began the period at under 5 quadrillion units and showed
declines in their use, except nuclear, which climbed slightly quadrillion units in 2005 and is
to 6
anticipated to reach about 10 quadrillion units. Solar and wind also expect to see slight increases.
Hydropower is projected to remain relatively unchanged until 2030.

188 words
Let’s do some exercises. What can you say about
this graph?
Answ
ers:
https:/
/ieltsf
ocus.c
om/20
17/05/
15/ielt
s-grap
hs-fut
ure-tre
nd/