TASK 1.

G R A P HS

Assessm ent criteria

It is important to understand how you will be evaluated so you know what the examiner expects from
your writing. The evaluation consists of 4 criteria, each criteria weighs the same. It can go from 0 to 9,
these points are added and divided by 4.
Keep in mind task 1 is worth one third of you writing score.
To see the band descriptors click here

Gram m ar range &

Task achievem ent Coherence & cohesion Lexical resource
accuracy

If you actually did If the writing is well If you use relevant If you are able to
what you were put together, and descriptive use a mix of
asked to do. logical, fluent, vocabulary. simple and
easy to read. complex grammar
structures well.

Vocabulary for describing changes and trends

Go up Go down Slow Quick Small Big

increase decline gradual sharp insiginificant considerable
rise decrease steady sudden slight large
drop significant
fall sharp

peaked

stood at rose/increased
dramatically

plunged to/ dropped sharply

fell/dropped
remained constant/
unchanged/stable
fluctuated

rose/increased
increased steadily/
steadily/gradually
hit a low off rose gradually

02
 TASK 1. G R A P HS

INTRODUCTIONS

As any writing taks, you have to write a brief introduction that states what the graph is about. Every
introduction must answer the following basic question. However, sometimes the graph does not
include all the information, if that is the case you can omit that question.

W hat ?
Take a look at this example:
How ? The line below shows changes in the amount of coffee exported
from three countries between 2002 and 2012.Summarize the
Where ? information by selecting and reporting main features and make
comparisons where relevant.
W hen ?
Introduction

The line graph illustrates changes in the

levels of coffee exports in three South
American countries from 2002 to 2012
and is measured in millions of kilograms.
Overall, it can be seen that, despite
some fluctuations, over the period as a
whole the levels of exports rose in all
three countries.

There are two parts to this introduction:

1) What the graph shows (in blue)
2) The overview (in green)

1- What the graph shows

This can be answered by paraphrasing the title of the graph and using information from the X and Y axis.
See how the title of the above graph has been changed into the first line of the
Introduction and it answers these questions:

a) What is the type of graph shown? → a line graph

b) What is the data? → coffee exports
c) How is it measured? → millions of kilograms.
d) When was this? → from 2002 to 2012

03
 TASK 1. G R A P HS

Language for starting the introduction:

a) Tense - Use the present simple to say what the graph shows.
b)There are a set of phrases that you can use to start the introduction. You can use any of these or
variations of these:

The graph shows data

The chart illustrates the number of
The diagram compares the quantity of
The pie chart gives information about

2- The overview
Be aware that the overview can be written at the end of the introductory paragraph or at the very end of
the task. It is your choice, however I believe it is better at the beginning (personal opinion). The overview
is the information that stands out the most for you, in other words, the main trends of patterns. To identify
this, it is better to think of the graph more like a picture or a pattern.-What are the main things that have
occured? In the graph above you can see all the exports have increased, so the overview should be that.
This should be written without any precise data, otherwise you would be getting into details and that
should be done in the developmental paragraphs.

Language for starting the overview

a) Tense - Use the active, past simple to describe completed past events.
b) Phrases - You can use phrases such as these to introduce the main points:

Overall, it can be seen that …

It is noticeable that …

Overall it is immediately apparent that …

Tip!
The most obvious pieces of information a r e … Start builind your
The main facts that stand out a r e … phrasebank. Read sample
answers and write down
It is important to note that…
any phrase or vocabulary
The most significant facts to emerge … .
you find useful. Practice
using it.

04
 TASK 1. G R A P HS

DEVELOPMENTAL PARAGRAPHS
Selecting and organizing data

When you write about a task 1 graph or chart, you need a well-organized answer. It will affect your band
score if the examiner has difficulty following your ideas. In order to do this you need to group information.
This means looking for similarities in the graph and writing about them together.
For example, you might be able to divide a list into three groups. Often there is one group at the top, one in
the middle, and one at the bottom.
Look at the graph below, which shows the number of Internet users in European countries in 2000. How
might you group the information?

example 1
Possible groups are:
Top: Finland, Sweden, Netherlands,
and Denmark (about 40 users per
hundred)
Group 2: Germany, Austria, UK
(about 20 to 25 users per hundred)
Group 3: Ireland, Belgium, France
and Italy (14-16 users)
Group 4: Spain, Portugal, Greece
(less than 10% Internet use)

example 2
there are 2 ways to write about the graph below
2- By use:
1- By country:
a.Agriculture - start with Agriculture
a.Saudi Arabia & Oman, which have mainly
because it is the biggest user. Group
agricultural use
together Saudi Arabia and Oman as
b.UAE & Qatar, which have a similar pattern (more
domestic than group a) the top users, and then group UAE
and Qatar as the middle group of
c. Bahrain & Kuwait which have mainly domestic use
users, using 60% of water for
agriculture. Finally mention Bahrain
and Kuwait.
b.Domestic - your second
paragraph should be about Domestic
use, the use of water in the home,
because it is the second biggest use.
Start with Kuwait and Bahrain
(grouped together) (more than 50%)
and then write about Qatar and the
UAE.
c.Industrial – then briefly mention
industrial.

05
 TASK 1. G R A P HS

Describing bar charts

By type of By pattern of the By differences /

activity activity similarities

Household chores: Men spend more time Men spend more time
+ Cooking than women than women
Paragraph 1
+ Cleaning +Gardening +Gardening
+ Washing up +Surfing the internet +Surfing the internet
+Watching tv +Watching tv

Leisure activities: Women spend more time Similarities between

Paragraph 2 +Reading than men the sexes
+Gardening +Cooking +Washing up
+Surfing the net +Cleaning +Reading
+Watching tv +Washing up +Gardening
+Reading +Watching tv

There is not necessarily a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to group the information. One person may group it
differently to another person, but they could both be good answers. The important thing is that it is
logical, easy to read and follow. This is why it is necessary to spend at least a few minutes before
you start writing looking at the graph to identify:

1. what pattern or trends stand out

2.what groups would make your answer the most clear AND
be the simplest way foryou to write about the information.

06
 TASK 1. G R A P HS

Describing pie charts

The charts show the percentage of enrolments on six courses at a local education college in
the UK in 2010 and 2012

Organizing your answer

Which is the best way to write about the information?
1. Write about the chart in 2010 then write about the chart in 2012
2. Write about them together, comparing each course in turn

It may at first seem like the first way is the best, but the second is actually the best way. The problem of
doing it the first way is that if someone is reading your written response and they want to know how
enrolment for each course has changed, it will be difficult to do this. For example, to see the difference
between nursing enrolments in the two years, they will have to look through both paragraphs to find this
information.

What should I write about first?

The most important information is usually the largest or those which changed the most, so it
is best to begin with these. In this case then, you should look first at social studies, nursing or
sports science (this is the largest in the second chart).

Sports Science and Nursing are particularly interesting as they show big changes. Of less interest are
engineering, psychology and carpentry because not only are the percentages smaller, they also showed
only slight changes.

What should I use for an overview?

Again, this will be what stands out as the most interesting and important information. If it is a
graph over time, this may be something that changed the most, such as sports science.

What language should I use?

This pie chart is over time. That means you will use the language of change and the language
of comparison and contrast. Not all pie charts are over time, so check this carefully. If there is no time
frame, obviously you will not use the language of change.
07
 TASK 1. G R A P HS

Describing tables
Tables are actually described in the same way you would describe a line graph (if the table is over time)
or a bar chart that is not over time. New language is not required.
Like with line graphs and bar charts you need to look at the table and decide if it is possible
for you to make any groupings of the data.

In this case the table is not over time so the language of comparison and contrast can be used
only. You need to scan over the table and see what important points you notice, for example:

1. All the countries have low uses of water for industry

2.Bahrain and Kuwait have high domestic uses for water, but medium uses for
Agriculture
3.In contrast, Qatar, Oman, UAE, and Saudi Arabia have much higher uses for
agriculture but medium uses for domestic

If you can scan over a table (or any other diagram for that matter) and identify key patterns
like this then you have your organization to write your answer. This is similar to writing an
outline or plan for a task 2 essay.

Doing this will ensure that your answer meets the requirements of the task i.e. it compares and
contrasts information. If you just decide to pick the items in the list and describe each one in turn you
are in danger of just making your answer descriptive with no analysis. For a band 7 or higher in task
response you need to do more than simply describe the data one by one. Don’t start with the least
interesting information (often the smallest things) so you do not want to start with the low water use of
the countries – leave the least interesting things till the end.
Now, do an outline of how you would organise your answer

08
 TASK 1. G R A P HS

Describing process diagrams

When you write about an IELTS process, some things are the same as writing about a graph.
For example, you still must provide an overview of the diagram.
However, the language varies. You will not be using the language of change and although you will still
use some language of comparison and contrast, the focus of the language is on the passive and time
transitions. You will also need to describe the stages of the process.

There are the key things you need to do:

Describe each important stage in the process and expand where necessary; organise your
description in a logical way, linking each stage; and use the present simple passive.
Use time transitions

Process diagrams follow the same structure as other task 1s:

Introduce the process
Provide an overview (of the stages)
Explain the details
However, the differences are that you should:
Use the passive
Use time transitions.

09
 TASK 1. G R A P HS

Describing m aps

Although not so common, there is occasionally a map in task 1 of the IELTS test.
You should do the same things that you do for any task 1:
Write an introduction (making sure you paraphrase)
Write an overview

Decide on the key changes you will explain and decide how to group your ideas. A key
difference between maps and graphs or processes is the language you use. A particular
language that you need to learn in case you get a map is language that identifies position or
location.

Take a look at the map below:

The maps below show the changes that have taken place in the seaside resort of Templeton
between 1990 and 2005.

1. By Year: 2. By Position: 3. By Feature:

a.Write about 1990 a.Write about the west of a. Transport (paragraph 1)
(paragraph 1) the town in 1990 and 2005 b. Business (paragraph 2)
b.Write about 2005 (paragraph 1) c. Housing (paragraph 3)
(paragraph 2) b.Write about the east of
the town in 1990 and 2005
(paragraph 2)

10