WRITING TASK 1 COURSE OUTLINE

Focus Content Writing Homework

1. Language 1. Introduction to Task 1 Descriptive Learn by
2. Types of Task 1 Sentences heart the
theory in
3. Movement/trends
items 5-11
4. Degree/speed
5. Prepositions of movement
6. Amounts
7. Approximation
8. Time expressions
9. Referencing language
10. Sentence structures
11. Signposting expressions
12. Practice
2. Line graphs 1. Task 1 Suggested Structure Line Graph Line Graph
2. Analyzing Line Graphs
3. Analysis Practice
4. Writing Practice
3. Bar Charts 1. Compare/Contrast Language Single Bar Bar Chart
2. Age Expressions chart
3. Analyzing Bar charts Triple Bar
chart
4. Analysis Practice
5. Writing Practice
4. Pie Charts 1. Language of Proportion Triple Pie Pie Chart
2. Language of Prediction Chart
3. Analyzing Pie Charts
4. Analysis Practice
5. Writing Practice
5. Tables & 1. Analysing Tables Table Combined
Combined 2. Writing Practice Combined Graph
Graphs Graph
3. Analysing Combined Graphs
4. Writing Practice
6. Map & Process 1. Analyzing Maps Map Process &
2. Analysis Practice Process Pie Chart
3. Writing Practice
4. Analyzing Process Diagrams
5. Analysis Practice
6. Language of Order, Purpose & Result
7. Writing Practice

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GUIDELINES
- The book is designed to be used in a 6-lesson course for IELTS Writing Task 1.
- The focus of this course is on practice rather than theory.
- The sequence of each lesson is as follows:
1. Important language
2. Analysis theory
3. Analysis practice
4. Writing practice
5. Homework
- Step 1: Important language
This can be taught quickly by distributing hand-outs to students to read, stopping at
problematic aspects to give clarification if necessary. Students of this course are expected
to be at an advanced level; therefore, most of the theory in this book is supposed to have
been taught in lower-level classes.
- Step 2: Analysis theory
This should be taught slowly and written on the board for students to note down.
- Step 3: Analysis practice
Using the graphs & model answers in this book, teachers instruct students in each step of
analyzing a graph.
- Step 4: Writing practice
Students are put in groups of 3 or 4, each group writes a full report or body paragraphs,
depending on the time available. Before writing, teachers might elicit necessary vocabulary
and structure or provide some key words. While students are discussing, teachers should
move around the class to offer help if needed. Once students finish writing, teachers should
correct the reports of the groups using an overhead projector, focusing on all 4 aspects:
task achievement, lexical resource, grammatical range and coherence and cohesion. After
correcting, teachers can give out model answers to students.
- Step 5: Homework
At the end of the class, teachers distribute a graph to write a report on. If time allows,
teachers should elicit vocabulary and analyze the graph with students. In the next class,
teachers collect the reports and give out the model answers. In the following class,
teachers should give back the reports with marks and comments. Also, teachers can
summarize the common mistakes of students and give out to students as an error
correction handout.

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LESSON 1

3
 1. INTRODUCTION TO TASK 1

1. What am I being asked to do?

Describe the factual content of a chart, graph, table or diagram (or a
combination) in a report.
2. How many words must I write?
You are required to write a minimum of 150 words.
3. How long should I spend on Task 1?
You are recommended to write the task within 20 minutes, because your score
in Task 1 will account for one third of the overall writing score that you get.
4. How will I be scored?
The examiner will score the following aspects of your report:
- Task achievement: Did you answer the question that was asked or did you
write about something else?
- Coherence and cohesion: Does your writing make sense? Is your report
logically organised at the sentence, paragraph and complete text level?
- Lexical resource: Did you use a wide range of vocabulary accurately and
appropriately? Did you spell correctly?
- Grammatical range and accuracy: Did you use many different sentence
structures or did you always use the same ones? How often did you make
mistakes with your grammar?
5. How can I score well?
- Clearly understand the requirements of the task
- Paraphrase key words in the task direction
- Correctly structure your answer (few test-takers do this well!)
- Use language to accurately and precisely describe trends or a process
- Identify and communicate the highlights of graphs or diagrams.
- Use a variety of grammatical structures and control grammar for accuracy.

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 2. TYPES OF TASK 1

2.

A line graph displays information as a series of

data points connected by straight line segments.

1.

A pie chart is divided into sectors, illustrating

proportions.

4.

A flow chart represents a process.

3.
Each arrow represents the movement
A bar chart has rectangular bars with lengths
from one stage to another.
proportional to the values that they present.

5.

A table is a means of arranging data in rows

and columns
6.

A map shows the position and direction

of certain objects in a certain area

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 3. LANGUAGE OF MOVEMENT/TRENDS

Verb Noun Verb Noun

increase increase fall fall There is no fluctuate reach a peak/a

rise rise decline decline change oscillate high point of
grow growth decrease decrease do not change vary hit a peak/a
go up upturn dip dip remain unchanged vacillate high point of
climb X slip slip /stable/steady/con be in a flux peak at
improve improvement drop drop stant /consistent be
go down downturn maintain at the inconsistent/
pick up X slide slide same level unstable/
recover recovery shrink shrinkage stay static variable/
double two-fold rise contract contraction stay steady volatile/
triple three-fold rise dwindle x level out at erratic/
quadruple four-fold rise taper off x level off at unpredictable
escalate X plunge plunge stand at
take off X plummet X stabilize at
rocket X crash crash stagnate at hit the lowest
soar X sink x (negative point of/ hit the
surge upsurge tumble tumble meaning) bottom of
boom boom slump slump reach a plateau bottom out at
shoot up x dive x freeze at
explode explosion nosedive nosedive
leap leap go into a
jump jump nosedive

Notes: Commonly misused words

- To raise (transitive verb)
- To reduce (transitive verb)
- To grow up

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 4. LANGUAGE OF DEGREE/SPEED

There are dozens of adjectives and adverbs which can be used to describe the
degree and speed of movement. These can be combined with many different verbs
to allow you to produce a rich variety of vocabulary and avoid repetition in your
answers.

A. The Degree of Change

dramatically/ exponentially/ phenomenally/drastically

sharply/steeply

considerably/substantially/remarkably
/significantly/ notably/ noticeably

gently/fractionally/minimally/slightly/ marginally/ modestly/

negligibly

B. The Speed of Change

Slow Fast Sudden Moderate

Gradually Fast Suddenly moderately

Slowly Quickly Abruptly steadily
At a low speed Rapidly Unexpectedly
Swiftly Instantly
Speedily Wildly (fluctuate) Mildly (fluctuate)

BASIC STRUCTURES

- Verb-Adverb e.g. rose dramatically. increased slightly

- Adjective-Noun e.g. a dramatic rise, a slight increase

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 5. PREPOSITIONS OF MOVEMENT
Verbs/ Noun Preposition Example
Sales increased from $1 million = sales were at a level of $1
Those that mean From million at the beginning of the period
“to rise or to drop”
Sales increased to $2 million = sales were at a level of $2 million
To at the end of the period

Sales increased by $2 million dollars = sales increased $2 million

By dollars during the period

Those that mean From There was a decline from 1000 smokers to 100 smokers over the
“ a rise or a drop “ 10-year period = There were 1000 smokers at the beginning of
To the period and 100 smokers at the end of the period

Of There was a decline of 900 in the number of smokers = The

number of smokers declined 900 during the period.
In

To stay/ remain At The rate of infant mortality started at 8 per 1000 children, peaked
at 20 in the next 5 years before finishing at 4 at the end of the
To start/ end period.
To peak/ bottom
out

To fluctuate between ___ The percentage of single women fluctuated between 20 and 40
and___ over the period
The percentage of single women fluctuated around 30 over the
around
period

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 6. LANGUAGE OF AMOUNTS

- With countable nouns: the number of, many

- With uncountable nouns: the amount of, much
- With both kinds of nouns: the proportion of, the percentage of, the rate of, the
quantity of, the figure for, the data for

- Be careful with the use of “ half”, “double” and “triple”

+ 1 subject - used as a verb
Examples:
Vietnam’s production halved/doubled/tripled/trebled.
There was a four-fold increase in Vietnam’s production.
Vietnam’s production increased four-fold.

+ 2 subjects - used a an adjective with referencing pronoun

Examples:
Vietnam’s production was double/triple/treble that of Japan’s
Vietnam’s production was four times that of Japan’s.
-

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 7. LANGUAGE OF APPROXIMATION

In order to show approximate numbers we can use the following expressions:

X is just under ....
X is just over ....
X is well under ....
X is well over ....
X is approximately ....
X is roughly ...
X is about ....
Do not use “under” or “over” on their own as the meaning is too broad
Now put the expressions above in this table
- (less) +/- (about the same) + (more)

Rewrite the sentences replacing the exact numbers with approximate ones using
just/well over and just/well under.
1 Last year 90,083 mobile phones were sold in Italy.
...................................................................................................................................
2 14.8% of the people surveyed said they were unhappy with the new design.
..................................................................................................................................
3 The company will be spending € 1.98 m on this technology.
..................................................................................................................................
4 The laboratory says that the ideal temperature is 18.1°C.
..................................................................................................................................
5 It will cost $3.97 to produce this item.
..................................................................................................................................

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 8. TIME EXPRESSIONS

(in) the period from ….. to ……

(in) the period between ….. and ……..
in the first/last three months of the year
over the period ….. to ……
over the next years/ decades/ quarter of a century etc.
over a ten-year period
throughout the 19th Century
from that time on
after that
then
in the 1980s

Time expressions can be modified, for example in the early/mid/late 1960’s, around 1976.

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 9. REFERENCING LANGUAGE

Word Example

This There was a dramatic rise in the number of phone users

between 1990 and 1995. This was followed by a sharp slide
in the rest of the decade.

That The rate of female applicants fluctuated wildly, while that of

male applicants climbed steadily.

These Enrolments in 2010 saw a marked fall, whereas these in

2012 experienced a leveling off.

Those A higher proportion of people aged 35 and over said they

attended classic music concerts than those aged 15 to 34.

One The 30-40 age group underwent a steady growth, but the
most remarkable one was in those aged 20-30.

The former, the The rate of unemployment among females and males
latter rocketed in 2001, the former being 20% and the latter
being 40%.

Did so Whereas only 34% of adults said they went to the cinema in
1987-88, more than half said they did so in 1997-98.

Respectively The two most popular cultural events after the cinemas
were plays and art galleries, with attendances of 24% and
22% respectively.

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 10. SENTENCE STRUCTURES
BASIC STRUCTURE ADVANCED STRUCTURE

1. Time, S + V + adv 1. Before/after + V-ing, S + V (+ adv).

In 2001, the number of cars Eg: After declining rapidly, the number of cars
declined rapidly. climbed dramatically.
2. S + verb + adv, then more/ less + adv
o Only used for 2 movements in the same
direction
Eg: The number of cars declined slightly in
2001, then more sharply in the next 5 years.
3. S + verb 1 + adv, but later + verb 2 +
adv.
o Only used for 2 movements in opposite
directions
Eg: The number of cars declined slightly in
2001, but later went up sharply in 2005.
4. S + verb + adv, V-ing, V-ing,… and V-
ing.
Eg: The number of cars declined slightly in
2001, remaining constant in the next 5 years,
growing slightly in 2008 and leveling out.
2. Time + saw + S + V + adv Time1 + saw + S + V + adv + before/ prior
to + V-ing + time2
The year 2005 saw the number The year 2005 saw the number of students
of students drop quickly. drop quickly, prior to recovering slightly in the
following year.
3. There + be + a/an + adj + N + in which was followed by/ led to/ gave rise to
+ S + time Eg: There was a slight decline, which was
There was a quick fall in the followed by a sharp growth.
number of students in 2005.

4. S + saw/ underwent/ Eg: The number of students underwent a

experienced + a/an + adj + N + quick drop in 2005, which gave rise to a
time.
recovery in 2006
The number of students
underwent a quick drop in 2005
and a recovery in 2006
5. Time + witnessed/ experienced Eg: The year 2005 witnessed a quick drop in
+ a/an + adj + N + in + S the number of students, which led to a further
The year 2005 witnessed a quick plunge in 2007.
drop in the number of students.
6. A + adj + N + be + recorded + Whereas a + adj1 + N1 + be + recorded + in
in + S + time. + S + time1, time2 + witnessed/
A quick drop was recorded in the experienced + a/an + adj2 + N2
number of students in 2005. Whereas a quick drop was recorded in the
number of students in 2005, year 2007
witnessed an exponential growth.

13
 To achieve a band score of 7 and above, use at least 3 complex structures!

11.SIGNPOSTING EXPRESSIONS

For each function, the language is graded for level, from regular use (Bands 5-6) to higher-
level use (Bands 7-9).

Introducing the topic

 The graph shows… / The table reveals…

 The chart displays… / The diagram illustrates…
 Some interesting facts concerning… are revealed in the diagram.
 Several key trends are revealed by the graph showing…

Introducing the first set of data

 Beginning with the…

 To begin with the…
 Let me begin by describing the…

Introducing the second set of data

 Meanwhile, the… shows that…

 As for the… , it shows that…
 Turning to the… , it can be seen that…

Introducing the first major trend

 First of all, it is clear that…

 Most noticeably of all, it can be seen that…
 The first result worth pointing out is that…

Introducing lesser trends

 Another trend that can be observed is that…

 It is also worth pointing out that…
 Also worth noting is that…

Exceptions to the main trend

 However, this was not always the case.

 However, it should be pointed out that…
 There was one noticeable exception, however.

Comparing and contrasting

 Similarly, … / In contrast, …
 A similar trend can be observed in…
 The results for… , however, reveal a markedly different trend.

14
Adding figures

 The figures were X and Y respectively.

 …, at X. / …, with Y. (Usage note: use ‘at’ when you mean ‘the figure was’; use
‘with’ when you mean ‘something had’)
 …, at/with X and Y respectively.

Concluding and summarising

 To sum up, … / In summary, … / In short, …

 Overall, … / On the whole, …
 The main thing that can be observed here is that…

15
 12.PRACTICE
Exercise 1: Match each sentence below with one of the following graphs

1.  The investment level rose suddenly.

2.  Sales of the product fell slightly in the final quarter.
3.  The Research and Development budget has stabilized over the past few years.
4.  At the end of the first year, sales stood at 50 per cent of the present level.
5.  The price reached a peak before falling a little and then maintaining the same level.
6.  There has been a steady increase in costs over several years.
7.  The sudden collapse in share prices has surprised everyone.
8.  The value of the shares has shown a steady decline.

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Exercise 2: Look at the graph below, then complete the sentences.

1. The ............................................... compares three products : A, B and C.

2. Clearly, ................................... is the most successful product ....................................

3. Sales of Product B ....................... in recent years while sales of Product C ......................
4. In contrast, product A has shown a ..................................................

Exercise 3: Rewrite sentences 1-8 below using the structure there is/are + adj+noun.

1. Spice exports from Africa fluctuated wildly over the period.

There were …………………………………………………………………………………..
2. The development of new products fell gradually.
There was ……………………………………………………………………………………..
3. There has been a noticeable decrease in research investment.
Research ……………………………………………………………………………………..
4. The purchases of tickets dropped significantly last month.
There was ……………………………………………………………………………………..
5. On the Internet, the number of sites rose significantly.
There was ……………………………………………………………………………………..
6. There was a sudden decrease in the sale of mangos.
The sale ……………………………………………………………………………………..
7. There was a gradual decline in sugar imports.
The number …………………………………………………………………………………..
8. The quality of food in supermarkets has increased slowly.

17
There has ……………………………………………………………………………………..

18
Exercise 4: Describe the following graph using 3 sentences with 3 different structures.

………………………………………………

………………………………………………

………………………………………………

………………………………………………

………………………………………………

.……………………………………………

………………………………………………

………………………………………………

………………………………………………

………………………………………………

Exercise 5: Describe the trends in this graph of the price of petrol (dollars per barrel). Use

one sentence for each area East, West and North.

.................................................................

.................................................................

.................................................................

.................................................................

.................................................................

................................................................

. ...............................................................

. . .............................................................

... . ................................................................ . ................................................................

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LESSON 2

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 1. TASK 1 SUGGESTED STRUCTURE
I. Introduction
A. Introduce the graph
Introduction Topic Circumstances

The line graph shows ... product sales results ... over 10 years.

The diagram outlines ... rates of economic growth ... between 1990 and 1996.

The table lists ... the top ten agencies ... in the industrial world.

The pie chart represents the company's turnover ... for this year.

The line graph depicts ... changes in sales ... over the past year.

The bar chart illustrates .. figures for each salesman … during the past ten weeks.

- The topic and circumstances are reworded from the question and the chart title.
- Use the question words What? Where? When? to help you
B. General statement
Write about the general trend or the most striking feature of the graph.
Use one of the following expressions:
- In general,
- As an overall trend,
- The most striking feature of the graph is
- It is clear from the graph that
- As is clearly shown by the graph,
- As can be seen in the graph,
- As is highlighted in the graph,
II. Body (depends on the type of graph)
 Similarities
 Differences
 Trends
III. Conclusion (Optional)

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 2. ANALYZING LINE GRAPHS

Data points in line graphs

- Start/End
- Lowest/Highest
- Similar/Equal
- Contrast/Opposite
- No change
- Sudden change
- A repeated pattern

a. Tips:
- Make sure you understand the vertical and horizonal axes
- Write about what is more significant/ larger first

b. Example analysis:
The line graph shows sales over a 12-
month period. It can be clearly seen
that sales rose steadily in the first half
of the year from January to May and
reached a peak in June. Then they
dropped off in July and levelled out
in August. After rising sharply during
September, they suffered a dramatic
fall in October but then made a slight
recovery in November. However, the
year ended with a slight downturn.

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WRITING TASK 1 FOR IELTS

3. ANALYSIS PRACTICE
The graph below shows the number of passenger railway journeys made in Great
Britain between 1950 and 2004/5.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and
making comparisons where relevant.

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MODEL ANSWER

The graph provides information about how many trips were made by passengers on
three railway systems in Great Britain between 1950 and 2004/5. It is clear that the
trends for all three networks were upward, with the most striking feature being the
similarity between the National Rail Network and the London Underground.

Numbers for the former fell from approximately one billion passenger journeys in 1950
to about 750 million in the early 1980s. Similarly, the London Underground experienced
a parallel, but less pronounced, decline over the same period (from approximately 700
million to about 500 million). Thereafter, both followed a very similar pattern as they
climbed towards the billion passenger mark, with the 1980s and the early 2000s seeing
the sharpest increases. The National Rail Network reached a high of approximately 1.1
billion passenger journeys in 2004/05.

By comparison, after their introduction in the 1960s, the light railway and metro systems
carried fewer passengers than the other two networks, no more than around 10 million
over the first 15 years. However, in 1980 the number of journeys made by passengers
picked up, reaching nearly 200 million in 2004/05.

Word count: 187 words.

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4. WRITING PRACTICE
The graph below shows radio and television audiences throughout the day in 1992. Write a
report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below.

Radio and television audiences in the UK, October – December 1992

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MODEL ANSWER
The line graph compares the percentage of British people over 4 years old who watched
TV and listened to the radio at different daily times in the last quarter of 1992. During
this period, it is clear that more people were watching TV at 7.00pm than at any other
time and radio was the most popular at 8.00am.

In the first 6 hours, the percentage of people listening to the radio outnumbered that of
television viewers. Both started at a low point of less than 10% at 6.00am. The figure for
TV rose significantly to a high of about 35% at 8.00am, but later dropped moderately to
around 12% at noon. Meanwhile, there was an upward trend in the size of the radio
audience to reach an equal level to that of television viewers at midday.

Over the rest of the day, TV audiences were much larger than radio’s by a significant
percentage. The 8-hour-period from 12.00pm to 8.00pm saw the TV viewer’s rate surge
to a peak of just over 50% at about 7 pm, which was double the highest percentage of
listeners recorded. The figure for people who watched TV then plunged to end at under
10% of the population, while there was a slight reduction for radio until the end of the
day, to finish at a low of around 10%.

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5. HOMEWORK
The graph below shows the quantities of good transported in the UK between
1974 and 2002 by four different modes of transport.

Describe the information below by selecting and reporting the main features, and
making comparisons where relevant.

You should write at least 150 words.

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MODEL ANSWER
The graph illustrates the quantities of goods transported in the United Kingdom by four
different modes of transport between the time period of 1974 and 2002. Over this span
of 28 years, the quantities of goods transported by road, water and pipeline have all
increased while the quantity transported by rail has remained almost constant at about
40 million tonnes.

The largest quantity of goods transported both in 1974 and 2004 was by road (70 million
tonnes and 98 million tonnes respectively) while the lowest both in 1974 and 2002 was
by pipeline (about 5 million tonnes and 22 million tonnes respectively). The amount of
goods transported by water was constant from 1974 to 1978, where it showed an
exponential growth, rising to almost 60 million tonnes after which it plateaued for about
20 years before starting to rise gradually again.

The amount of goods transported by rail is almost constant at 40 million tonnes in 1974
and 2002, with decreases in quantity in between the years. It is also interesting to note
that almost all showed a decrease in 1994 in amount of goods transported except for
the pipeline, which actually peaked in that year.

In conclusion, the road remains the most popular method of transporting goods in the
UK while water and pipelines are becoming increasingly used, have not become more
popular as a method of transport.

Examiner's comments: (Band score: 8)

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LESSON 3

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1. COMPARE/CONTRAST LANGUAGE
- Equals/ comparatives/ superlatives
- Linking words:
While/whereas + clause, clause (can go at the beginning of the 1st or 2nd clause)
Although/ Even though + clause, clause.
Despite/In spite of + N/NP/V-ing, clause.
In contrast,/ However,/ On the other hand, clause.
Similarly,/ In a similar trend,

2. AGE EXPRESSIONS
- Those who were 16-24 years old
- Those aged 16 – 24
- Those at the age of 16 – 24
- 16-24 year old people
- The 16-26 year olds
- Those whose age was 16 – 24
- Those in the 16 – 24 age group

Often graphs employ age groups to break down a total amount. Here we can use the
following expressions:
- age group/profile/bracket/range
Eg: Half of the 20-30 age profile expressed their dissatisfaction.
- the younger/older/youngest/oldest age group/profile/range/bracket
Eg: The younger age group are significantly more involved in various
societies.
- People aged ....
Eg: People aged 40 or more are more willing to invest in stable industries.
- ....-.... year-olds
Eg: 20-30 year-olds pay more attention to their physical appearance.
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3. ANALYZING BAR CHARTS

Focus: Comparison

Compare within each group of columns, rather than among the groups.

Data points:

- Highest/ Lowest

- Double/ Triple/ Half

- Equal

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4. ANALYSIS PRACTICE

The graph shows Internet Usage in Taiwan by Age Group, 1998-2000. Summarise
the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and making
comparisons where relevant.

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MODEL ANSWER
The graph shows changes in the age profile of Internet users in Taiwan between 1998
and 2000.

The main users of the Internet in Taiwan were young adults between 16 and 30 years
old. In 1998, they accounted for more than half of all users. In 1999, the number
dropped slightly to 45%, but even in 2000 they remained the largest group.

The second largest group of users was aged between 31 and 50. They made up 41% in
1998, falling slightly to 37% in 2000. When combined with the 16-30 age group, over
94% of users in 1998 were between 16 and 50.

However, this number dropped steadily as more children and older users logged on. In
1999, the number of children online quadrupled from 2% to 8%, and it continued to
increase in 2000. There were similar increases for older users, rising from 4% in 1998 to
10% in 2000.

In summary, while adults between 16 and 50 still represented the great majority of
Internet users in Taiwan, their share declined as more children and older users joined
the web.

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5. WRITING PRACTICE
The bar chart below shows the results of a survey conducted by the Human
Resources department at a major company. The survey was carried out on two
groups of workers: those aged from 18-30 and those aged 45-60, and shows
factors affecting their work performance.

Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below.

You should write at least 150 words.

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MODEL ANSWER
The bar chart indicates a survey on two different age groups on the factors contributing
to make their environment pleasant for working. These factors are divided into external
and internal factors. The internal factors are team spirit, competent boss, respect from
colleagues and job satisfaction. The external factors are chance for personal
development, job security, promotional prospects and money.

On the internal factors above 50% in both age groups agreed that team spirit,
competent boss and job satisfaction are essential to make their environment pleasant.
Whereas on the external factors, there are contrasting results. On the chance for
personal development and promotional aspects, 80% to 90% of the younger groups
were in favor while only less than 50% of the older group thought so. A similar pattern is
also noted on job security. With regards to money, 69% to 70% on both age group said
it is essential.

In conclusion, the internal factors have similar responses from the two age groups while
they had dissimilar responses on the external factors.
(170 words)

This is an answer written by a candidate who achieved a Band 7 score. Here is the
examiner's comment:
The information contained in the bar chart has been described accurately and concisely
and follows a clear progression. There is a clear introduction followed by effective
comparisons between the age groups and a valid conclusion. Good formulaic phrases
(the bar chart indicates, these factors are divided), although the candidate uses the
same language to describe the factors in the bar chart and does not attempt to rephrase
them in any way.

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WRITING PRACTICE 2
The graphs below show the types of music albums purchased by people in Britain
according to sex and age. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the
information shown below.

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MODEL ANSWER

The three graphs provide an overview of the types of music purchased in the UK,
divided by gender and age. At first glance, it can be seen that classical music is far less
popular than pop or rock music.

While slightly more women than men buy pop music, the rock market is dominated by
men with 30% buying rock, compared to 17% of women. From the first graph we see
that interest in pop music is steady from age 16 to 44, with 20% of the population
continuing to buy pop CDs after the age of 45.

The interest in rock music reaches its peak among the 25 to 34 year olds, though it
never sells as well as pop. Interest also drops off after the age of 35 with an even
sharper fall from age 45 onwards, a pattern which is the opposite to the classical music
graph. (149 words)

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LESSON 4

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1. LANGUAGE OF PROPORTION

Blue
Red
Yellow

1. Red was the most popular color, with about 49%.

2. Red came first, accounting for 49%.
occupying
making up
taking
constituting
amounting to
securing
3. Forty-nine percent of people chose red
4. Forty-nine percent was the proportion of people who chose red

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2. LANGUAGE OF PREDICTION

It is predicted that that S+ will + V +adv

Eg: It is predicted that sales will increase
forecasted that significantly.

projected that There will be + adj + noun/noun phrase

Eg: It is projected that there will be a significant
estimated that increase in sales.
anticipated that
S + will + see + adj + noun
expected Eg: It is estimated that sales will see a
significant increase.
planned
adj + noun + will be + recorded/seen
envisaged Eg: It is anticipated that a significant increase in
sales will be recorded.
assumed

S is to V + adv
Eg: Sales are expected to rise significantly.

A significant increase is predicted in sales

The prediction is that sales will increase slightly.

The prediction is that there will be a slight increase in sales.

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3. ANALYZING PIE CHARTS

- Focus: Proportion

- Describe the greatest proportion first.

- Then combine the small ones together.

- Describe quarter/half.

- Ignore the category 'others'

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4. ANALYSIS PRACTICE
The three pie charts below show the changes in annual spending by a particular
UK school in 1981, 1991 and 2001.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and
making comparisons where relevant.

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MODEL ANSWER

The pie charts show how much a UK school spent on different running costs in three
separate years: 1981, 1991 and 2001.

In all three years, the greatest expenditure was on staff salaries. But while other
workers' salaries saw a fall from 28% in 1981 to only 15% of spending in 2001,
teachers' pay remained the biggest cost, reaching 50% of total spending in 1991 and
ending at 45% in 2001.

Expenditure on resources such as books had increased to 20% by 1991, before

decreasing to only 9% by the end of the period. In contrast, the cost of furniture and
equipment saw an opposite trend. This cost decreased to only 5% of total expenditure
in 1991 but rose dramatically in 2001, when it represented 23% of the school budget.
Similarly, the cost of insurance saw a rising trend, growing from only 2% to 8% by 2001.

Overall, teachers' salaries constituted the largest cost to the school, and while spending
increased dramatically for equipment and insurance, there were corresponding drops in
expenditure on things such as books and on other workers' salaries. (181 words)

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5. WRITING PRACTICE
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The pie charts below give information about world population in 1900 and 2000.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and making
comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

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MODEL ANSWER
The pie charts illustrate changes in the population in different areas of the world
between 1900 and 2000. The major regions are represented as percentages of the total
world population.

From 1900 to 2000, the percentage of people living in Africa more than doubled from
4% to 10%, while Latin America’s proportion almost tripled in the same period. On the
other hand, the percentage of the population in both Europe and Asia decreased over
the last century. Europe’s percentage dropped by almost half from 25% to 14%, while
Asia’s declined from 60% to 54%. North America’s percentage however, remained
constant at 5% in both 1900 and 2000. The Middle East and North Africa, a new
category in 2000, represented 6% of world population.

Overall, this represents a huge increase in the number of humans on the planet, from
1.6 billion to 6 billion in just one century. Most of this population growth has occurred in
developing countries. (157 words)

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LESSON 5

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1. ANALYZING TABLES

The table below shows in which sector of the economy different age groups were
employed.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, making
comparisons where relevant

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The problem – too much information

There are 30 different pieces of data here. How on earth can you describe all of that?
The solution is simple: don’t try to! Remember the task is to summarise and to select
the main features of the table. This means leaving some items of information out.

A solution – divide and conquer

The solution is to divide and conquer by looking at the table in columns and rows. This
way you can more easily identify the key details and comparisons. The key is to
understand that you have two sets of data:
1. the data from the rows (across)
2. the data from the columns (down)
Rather than try and understand the table as a whole all at once, look at
each row in turn and each column in turn and note the main features.

What are the main features?

Typically, the main features are
1. high numbers
2. low numbers
3. the biggest contrasts
4. the closest similarities

An example
Looking at this column, we see that we need to include 23 and 3 as the
highest and lowest numbers
Now looking at the rows in turn we note the numbers for manufacturing
are much higher than catering and agriculture.

Then once you have gone through each row and column, you need to look for the
obvious comparisons and contrasts.

Organising your report

This is the simple bit. The logical thing is almost always to write one paragraph for the
rows (here the sectors of employment) and one for the columns (here the age groups).

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Fill in the blanks with the correct word to make a complete SAMPLE ANSWER.

This table shows how 18-25 year-olds, 25-40 year-olds and 40- 65 years-olds were
employed in nine sectors of the economy. Overall, (1)_________________was the
most popular form of employment at an average of around 17% and
(2)_________________and (3)_________________the least popular at
approximately 3% and 4% respectively. There was only minor variation between
(4)________________ , (5)_________________, (6)_________________and
(7)_________________all of which averaged around 13% and then came
(8)__________________ at 7% and (9)___________________________ at 6%.

If we compare the different age groups we see that (10)_________________ was by

far the most common occupation among 18-25 year-olds at 23%, exactly the same
figure for (11)_________________ among the oldest age group. In contrast, in the
25-40 group (12)____________________ and (13)_________________ at 15%
were only slightly more common than (14)__________________________ and
(15)_________________ at 12%. It is also notable that there was little or no
difference in the popularity of the legal and accountancy professions across the age
range. The final point to note is that only 9% of the 40-65 year-old group were not
employed in the nine named sectors while this figure was around 20% for the other
two groups.

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2. WRITING PRACTICE
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The table shows the Proportions of Pupils Attending Four

Secondary School Types Between 2000 and 2009

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main

features and making comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

The Proportions of Pupils Attending Four Secondary School Types Between 2000
and 2009.

2000 2005 2009

Specialist Schools 12% 11% 10%

Grammar Schools 24% 19% 12%

Voluntary- 52% 38% 20%

controlled Schools

Community Schools 12% 32% 58%

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MODEL ANSWER
The table illustrates the percentage of school children attending four different types of
secondary school from 2000 to 2009. It is evident that specialist, grammar and
voluntary-controlled schools experienced declines in numbers of pupils, whereas
community schools became the most important providers of secondary school
education during the same period.

To begin, the proportion in voluntary-controlled schools fell from just over half to only
20%, or one fifth, from 2000 to 2009. Similarly, the number of children in grammar
schools -- just under one quarter -- dropped by half in the same period. As for the
specialist schools, the relatively small percentage of pupils attending this type of school
(12%) also fell, although not significantly.

However, while the other three types of school declined in importance, the opposite was
true in the case of community schools. In fact, while only a small minority of 12% were
educated in these schools in 2000, this figure increased to well over half of all pupils
during the following nine years.

Word count: 167

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3. ANALYSING COMBINED GRAPHS

This is an example of a line graph and bar chart together. It is not uncommon to get
two graphs to describe at the same time in the IELTS test.

The line graph shows visits to and from the UK from 1979 to 1999, and the bar
chart shows the most popular countries visited by UK residents in 1999.

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These are the steps you need to take to

describe a bar and line graph together (or any two graphs) that may differ slightly from
when you describe one graph.

1. Introduction

When you state what the graph shows, mention both of them. Here is a sample first
sentence of the introduction:

The line graph illustrates the number of visitors in millions from the UK who went
abroad and those that came to the UK between 1979 and 1999, while the bar chart
shows which countries were the most popular for UK residents to visit in 1999.

Remember to write this in your own words and not to copy from the question.

Next, you need to mention the key points from the graph. When you do this, mention
the most interesting things from each:

Overall, it can be seen that visits to and from the UK increased, and that France was
the most popular country to go to.

2. Body Paragraphs

If there are two graphs and a lot of information, you will have to be careful not to
describe everything as you may then have too much information.

Also, the examiner is looking to see that you can select the important things and not
describe every detail.

So the key skill when you have two graphs is being able to pick out the important
information or summarize things in a concise way, otherwise you will end up writing too
much and probably run out of time.

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Here is an example description for the bar and

line graph:

To begin, the number of visits abroad by UK residents was higher than for those that
came to the UK, and this remained so throughout the period. The figures started at a
similar amount, around 10 million, but visits abroad increased significantly to over 50
million, whereas the number of overseas residents rose steadily to reach just under 30
million.

By far the most popular countries to visit in 1999 were France at approximately 11
million visitors, followed by Spain at 9 million. The USA, Greece, and Turkey were far
less popular at around 4, 3 and 2 million visitors respectively.

As you can see, the first paragraph discusses the line graph, and the second the bar
chart.

You will not usually need to mix up the descriptions. This will only make things
complicated and difficult to follow. Writing about the first one and then the second one is
okay.

As with any Task 1 report, you will need to make sure you use the right language, make
comparisons, and group data appropriately.

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4. WRITING PRACTICE

The bar charts and line graph below show the result of a survey conducted over a
three-year period to discover what people who live in London think of the city.
Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information below.

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MODEL ANSWER

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HOMEWORK
The pie chart shows the percentage of persons arrested in the five years ending
1994 and the bar chart shows the most recent reasons for arrest.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and making
comparisons where relevant.

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MODEL ANSWER

The pie chart illustrates the percentage of males and females who were arrested from
1989 to 1994, while the bar chart compares the main reasons that the different genders
were arrested most recently. It is evident from the charts that males were arrested more
than females and that public drinking was the most common reason for arrest for both.

To begin, the proportion of males arrested was much greater than for females, 32% for
men compared to only 9% for women. Turning to the reasons for the most recent
arrests, there were some clear differences between men and women. Men were twice
as likely to be arrested for drink driving than women, at 26% and 14% respectively.
Breach of order, assault, and other reasons were also slightly higher for men, all
standing at around 12-18%. Interestingly though, women experienced a higher
percentage of arrests for assault and public drinking. The figures for assault were fairly
similar at approximately 18%, whereas public drinking represented the main reason for
arrest, with women’s proportion at a massive 38%, compared to 31% for men.

(180 Words)

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LESSON 6

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1. ANALYZING MAPS
1. Purposes

- Changes over time

- Compare/ Contrast

2. Structure

- Structure 1 (for changes over time maps)

I. Intro:

1) Introduce the map

2) GS: the most significant change

II. Body: Main regions: main roads/ rivers/ railways

1) Newly developed

2) The remaining

3) Replacements

- Structure 2 (for changes over time maps)

I. Intro

1) Introduce the map

2) GS: the stage with most significant changes/ the number of stages

II. Body = the number of main stages

1) When?

2) Where?

3) How?

4) What’s new?

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b. Structure 3 (for Compare/Contrast maps)

I. Intro

The map shows

II. Body = possible sites

2. Site 1: Where? How?

3. Site 2: Where? How?

III. Conclusion: your opinion

Which one is more suitable? Neither? Either?

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2. ANALYSIS PRACTICE
The diagrams below show the development of a small fishing village and its surrounding
area into a large European tourist resort.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and making
comparisons where relevant.

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MODEL ANSWER
The two plans illustrate how a small coastal village in Europe grew into a large tourist
centre between 1974 and 2004. The figures show that over these thirty years, the local
population increased dramatically from only 12,000 to 80,000, swelling to a possible
130,000 during the tourist season.

During this period, large numbers of high-rise hotels were built along the coastline on
both sides of the original village. The harbour and coastal woodlands were replaced by
a sandy beach and a golf course for tourists. Similarly, the olive groves inland were
replaced with fruit and vegetable farms for the tourist market.

The original village and those further inland on the hillsides were developed, with more
homes for locals and more shops for the tourist trade. A main road leading from the hills
to the coast was built to cope with the increased traffic to the village.

In conclusion, not only the original village, but also the whole surrounding area had
been transformed into a well-populated tourist resort by 2004.

(169 words)

Band score: 9

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ANALYSIS PRACTICE 2
The map below is of the town of Garlsdon. A new supermarket (S) is planned for
the town. The map shows two possible sites for the supermarket.

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MODEL ANSWER
The map shows two proposed sites for the development of a new supermarket in or
around the town of Garlsdon.

The first potential location (S1) is outside the town itself, and is sited just off the main
road to the town of Hindon, lying 12 kms to the north-west. This site is in the countryside
and so would be able to accommodate a lot of car parking. This would make it
accessible to shoppers from both Hindon and Garlsdon who could travel by car. As it is
also close to the railway line linking the two towns to Cransdon (25 km to the south-
east), a potentially large number of shoppers would also be able to travel by train.

In contrast, the suggested location, S2, is right in the town centre, which would be good
for local residents. Theoretically, the store could be accessed by road or rail from the
surrounding towns, including Bransdon, but as the central area is a no-traffic zone, cars
would be unable to park and access would be difficult.

Overall, neither site is appropriate for all the towns, but for customers in Cransdon,
Hindon and Garlsdon, the out-of-town site (S1) would probably offer more advantages.

(199 words)

Band Score: 9

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3. WRITING PRACTICE
Chorleywood is a village near London whose population has increased steadily since
the middle of the 19th Century. The map below shows the development of the village.

Write a report for a university lecturer describing the development of the village.

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MODEL ANSWER

The map illustrates the development of the village of Chorleywood, near London, in
terms of population and traffic systems between 1868 and 1994. During the period of
over a century, the village experienced 4 stages of development, steadily expanding
both its residential area and traffic infrastructure.

Between 1868 and 1883 the original village occupied only a small area near one of the
two main roads, the only traffic links with the outside at that time.

However, with the construction of the railway across the village in 1909, the village
tripled in size, with new residential areas spreading around Chorleywood station, linking
the original village with the new railway. The period between 1922 and 1970 marked
another doubling of the village’s residential areas, mainly along the railway.

The most dramatic expansion occurred from 1970 when a motorway was constructed,
linking the railway and the far-end main road. New residential areas were concentrated
around the intersections between the new motorway and the railway and the original
main road. By 1994, the village had experienced an over tenfold growth in residential
area. In addition, Chorleywood Park and a golf course were constructed in the centre of
the village.

(195 words)

Band Score: 9

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4. ANALYZING PROCESS GRAPHS

I. Intro

1. The diagram shows…

2. GS: The number of major stages
I. Body

- Describe the major stages, giving more details by answering “why?” & “how?”
- Can divide into paragraphs or put in 1
- No need to try to paraphrase terms

II. Conclusion

- Linear process: confirm the final stage

- Cyclical process: “a new cycle begins”

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5. ANALYSIS PRACTICE
Example: The diagram illustrates the process that is used to manufacture bricks
for the building industry.

A process will have a number of stages that are in time order, so you should start at
the beginning, and describe each stage through to the last one.

In the example above, this is fairly clear. It begins with the digging of the clay, and ends
with delivery.

Processes are not always this clear, and you may have to look more carefully to spot
the beginning, and there may also be two things happening at the same time.

It is important that you look at other sample processes to get a good understanding of
how they can vary.

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Highlight the main points

An IELTS process diagram is different to a line, bar, pie chart or table in that there are
not usually key changes or trends to identify. However, you should still give an
overview of what is taking place. As there are no trends to comment on, you can make
a comment on, for example, the number of stages in the process and how it begins
and ends:

Overall, there are eight stages in the process, beginning with the digging up of clay and
culminating in delivery.

Giving the detail

Now you need to explain the IELTS process diagram, and there are two key aspects of
language associated with this:

Time Connectors

A process is a series of events, one taking place after the other. Therefore, to connect
your stages, you should use ‘time connectors’. Here is the rest of the answer with the
time connectors highlighted (notice that you simply go from the beginning to the end of
the process):

To begin, the clay used to make the bricks is dug up from the ground by a large digger.
This clay is then placed onto a metal grid, which is used to break up the clay into
smaller pieces. A roller assists in this process.

Following this, sand and water are added to the clay, and this mixture is turned into
bricks by either placing it into a mould or using a wire cutter. Next, these bricks are
placed in an oven to dry for 24 – 48 hours.

In the subsequent stage, the bricks go through a heating and cooling process. They
are heated in a kiln at a moderate and then a high temperature (ranging from 200c to
1300c), followed by a cooling process in a chamber for 2 – 3 days. Finally, the bricks
are packed and delivered to their destinations.
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The Passive

When we describe an IELTS process, the focus is on the activities, NOT the person
doing them.

When this is the case, we use the passive voice, not the active.

Here is the same example description with uses of the passive highlighted:

To begin, the clay (which is) used to make the bricks is dug up from the ground by a
large digger. This clay is then placed onto a metal grid, which is used to break up the
clay into smaller pieces. A roller assists in this process.

Following this, sand and water are added to the clay, and this mixture is turned into
bricks by either placing it into a mould or using a wire cutter. Next, these bricks are
placed in an oven to dry for 24 – 48 hours.

In the subsequent stage, the bricks go through a heating and cooling process. They are
heated in a kiln at a moderate and then a high temperature (ranging from 200c to
1300c), followed by a cooling process in a chamber for 2 – 3 days. Finally, the bricks
are packed and delivered to their destinations.

Varying your Language

Sometimes it may be appropriate just to use the same language that you are given in
the IELTS process diagram to describe it, but you should try to vary it.

You may be able to use nouns from the diagram as your verbs. For example, the noun
packaging in stage seven becomes:

Finally, the bricks are packed…

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6. LANGUAGE OF ORDER, PURPOSE AND RESULT

1. Ordering
a. First stage
The first stage is when + noun + verb
To begin with,
The process commences with
b. Middle stages
Eventually,
This step involves + ing
After this stage is complete,
The next step is when + noun + verb
By this stage,
The step after this + verb
At the same time,
While / As
Once A has finished, B is able to start.
c. Last stage
Once the final stage has been completed,
2. Expressing purpose
A is done (so as) to produce B.
A is done in order that B can be produced.
so that,
3. Expressing cause and result
As a result,
This results in + noun
A results from B/ in B
A happens, which results in B/ which leads to B/ which causes B/ with the result that B
happens

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WRITING PRACTICE 1
The diagram below shows how a central heating system in a house works.

Write a report describing the information presented.

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You should write at least 150 words.

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MODEL ANSWER

This diagram provides an overview of a domestic central heating system. It shows how
the tank, boiler and pipes ensure a constant flow of hot water to both the radiators and
the taps.

Cold water enters the house and is stored in a water storage tank in the roof. From
there it flows down to the boiler, located on the ground floor of the house. The boiler,
which is fuelled by gas or oil, heats up the water as it passes through. The hot water is
then pumped around the house through a system of pipes and flows into the radiators,
located in different rooms. The water circulates through the radiators, which have small
tubes inside them to help distribute the heat, and this warms each of the rooms. Some
of the water is directed to the taps to provide hot water for the house.

Once the water has been through the pipes and radiators, it is returned to the boiler to
be re-heated and circulated round the house again.

Introduction: First sentence. Overview: Second sentence.

Key features: Entry of cold water into boiler; circulation of hot water to radiators and
taps; return of water to boiler.
Supporting information: direction of flow; types of boiler; location of radiators; radiator
tubes
Paragraph breaks: The paragraph breaks mark stages in the process.
Linkers: and, from there, then, once, again Reference words: it, both, there, which, this
Topic vocabulary: enters, stored, roof, flows, ground floor, located, passes, pumped,
system, circulates, heat, directed, returned, re-heated
Less common vocabulary: ensure, fuelled by, heats up, distribute the heat, warms
Structures: An appropriate mix of active and passive structures and a range of
sentence types are used.
Length: 170 words

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WRITING PRACTICE 2
The diagram below illustrates the carbon cycle in nature.

Write a 150-word description of this diagram for a university lecturer.

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MODEL ANSWER
The diagram shows how carbon moves through various stages to form a complete
cycle. This report will give a brief description of the main stages in this cycle.

First, we can see that energy from the sun is transformed into organic carbon through a
process in plants known as photosynthesis. This organic carbon is then transferred
underground when plants, and the animals that feed on them, die and decay. Some of
this carbon is trapped underground in the form of fossils and fossil fuels.

Carbon is also released back into the atmosphere, however, through various means.
One is when animals and plants respire, and another is when humans burn fossil fuels
in cars and factories. All this carbon enters the atmosphere as CO2. It is then
reabsorbed by plants, and the cycle begins again.

Overall, it can be seen that carbon moves in a natural cycle, although human factors
may now be affecting the balance.

(155 words, IELTS 8.0)

Why does this Task 1 answer get an IELTS Band 8 score?

Task achievement: The model answer selects and describes most components of the
diagram except for waste products and ocean uptake. There is an overall description of
the cycle followed by a clearly sequenced and divided description of the stages. The
summary identifies something noteworthy about the diagram. The length is sufficient.

Coherence and cohesion: The model answer is divided into clear paragraphs with a
logical separation between the body paragraphs and connective markers first,
then, however, and overall. There is a general overview in paragraph 1 and a summary
in paragraph 4. Referencing techniques such as ellipsis (one is…) are used to avoid
over-repetition of key words.

Lexical resource: The writer makes good use of the language in the diagram and is
also able to change forms in the case of respiration > respire. The writer also introduces
a range of verbs for describing a process or cycle such as transform, transfer and
release.

Grammatical range and accuracy: The model answer demonstrates accurate usage
of a wide range of forms including countable/uncountable nouns, active/passive
structures, and transitive/intransitive verbs.

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HOMEWORK
The diagram below shows how chocolate is made and how the price of a chocolate bar is
divided up among those involved in the process.

Write a report for a lecturer describing the information presented.

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MODEL ANSWER

The flowchart depicts how chocolate is produced, while the pie chart shows how the
price of chocolate bar is shared. The manufacturing process consists of many steps,
and the division of a chocolate bar’s price involves a number of parties.

The chocolate-making process is somewhat complicated and results in two products.

First, beans are ground. This produces cocoa liquor and waste. The liquor is then
separated into two categories. One goes to become industrial chocolate. Cocoa
butter, sugar and other ingredients are combined with this industrial chocolate to
produce a chocolate bar. In the other category, the chocolate liquor is pressed,
resulting in cocoa butter and cocoa powder. The butter goes to making the chocolate
bar while the cocoa powder is supplied to the food industry.

The price of a chocolate bar is split among five parties. The cost of ingredients and
overheads as well as the supermarket receive the largest shares, 37% and 34%,
respectively. Tax takes 15%, which is also a significant portion. Meanwhile, the
chocolate company receives just 10%, and the farmer receives a paltry 4%.

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