Writing Task 1 - Sam Varley

IELTS Writing Task 1 Academic model answer
eBook
Readme document
Contents
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………………...2
eBook Chapters…………………………………………………………………………………………...3
Contents of worksheets…………………………………………………………………………………..4
Worksheet key…………………………………………………………………………………………….6
How to use the worksheets………………………………………………………………………………7
Study resources…………………………………………………………………………………………...8
The IELTS Teacher Copyright © 2020 Sam Varley Page 1

Introduction
Hi, I’m Sam.
I’m a British English teacher from Norwich in South East

England.
For over a year, I have been managing the writing

correction service on The IELTS Teacher website. Thus
far, I have corrected over 1,000 Task 1 and 2 writings. I
have kept all my corrections and I use them to inform my
feedback as well as my lesson materials. To this point, I
am very familiar with the problems students have with
IELTS Writing Task 1 Academic, particularly with the
questions provided in the writing corrections package on
The IELTS Teacher website. I have written model
answers for these questions and they have proven to be Some quick facts about me :
useful and popular with students. It is for this reason that  8+ years teaching IELTS in groups and
I decided to make this model answer worksheet
privately including online.
package.
 Cambridge-accredited ELT certificate (CELTA).
 Fully trained in grading IELTS tests and
teaching IELTS lessons by examiners.
What is the aim of this worksheet package?
The primary purpose of this package is to give you model answers for the Academic Task 1 questions
provided by the writing correction service on The IELTS Teacher website. The worksheets can be used
after you answer these questions, as a way to evaluate your work, or before, as preparation. Apart from
this, these worksheets are to give you language and grammar you can use for all types of questions in
IELTS Writing Task 1 Academic. By completing this package, you will have a sufficient theoretical and
practical understanding of the vocabulary and grammar needed to answer any Academic Task 1 question.
Continue reading this ‘Readme’ document to see what exactly is included in this package, understand its
function, how the worksheets should be used as well as other useful tips and resources that can be used in
conjunction with them. If you experience any issues with using the worksheets, please do not hesitate to
contact me at [email protected].
Warm regards,
Sam

eBook Chapters
Readme.pdf
General grammar information.pdf
Feedback form.pdf
Model answer worksheets
Garlsdon supermarket site (map) – WT1 worksheet.pdf
Reasons for study (multiple charts) – WT1 worksheet.pdf
CO2 emissions (trend) – WT1 worksheet.pdf
Underground railways (comparative) – WT1 worksheet.pdf
Concrete production (process) – WT1 worksheet.pdf

Contents of worksheets
General grammar information document
This document contains information about key grammar for IELTS Writing Task 1 Academic. It is
relevant for all types of questions and is not specific or exclusive to any particular ones.
Model answer worksheets

Each model answer worksheet contains :
1. General comments.
These are comments about the question itself. They include common mistakes students make
when answering the question, specific difficulties and other tips.
2. A model answer.
This is an estimated band 9 answer to the question.
3. Vocabulary list.
This is a list of language taken from the model answer. It includes: word forms, useful collocations,
close synonyms, the meaning of the word or phrase in the context used in the writing, example
sentences, common errors students make and other comments.
4. Vocabulary exercises
These exercises have been designed for you to practise using vocabulary taken from the model
answer. Since this language is used in the answer, you can be confident that it is of practical use
when writing other Academic Task 1s. I have also made efforts to make the sentences involved in
these exercises based on a variety of topics as well as similar in kind to those you would write
about in a Task 1 report.
There are two types of vocabulary exercise in the worksheets: comprehension and production.
 The comprehension exercises are focused on your receptive skills with the language i.e. how well
you understand it.

 The production exercises are focused on your productive skills, i.e. help you practise using the
language and make your own sentences with it.
5. Grammar analysis
Similar to the ‘vocabulary list’, this section analyses the grammar used in the model answer, and
other related grammar that is useful for the same type of question. This section includes tips for
how the grammar can be used in the question type, common errors and example sentences of the
grammar in use. This section assumes the reader is already familiar with and understands the
grammar shown; if you would like to review the grammar, however, please see the ‘General
grammar information’ document.
6. Grammar exercises
Similar also to the ‘vocabulary exercises’, these exercises have been designed for you to practise
the grammar given in the ‘Grammar analysis’ section, and are also specifically relevant to the
question type in the worksheet.
There are two types of grammar exercise in the worksheets: comprehension and production and
these serve the same function as those in the ‘vocabulary exercises’ section.
7. Writing practice
This section is to allow you to put what you learn from the worksheets into practice. It includes a
new Task 1 question, a language toolkit and a model answer. The language toolkit is a collection
of vocabulary and grammar I feel will help you answer the question.

Worksheet key
There are some abbreviations and coloured text used in the worksheets.
This key is for your reference.
C = countable ; U = uncountable
n = noun ; v = verb ; phrv = phrasal verb ; adj = adjective ; adv = adverb
Blue text = natural, academic or useful vocabulary & example answers for exercises.
Purple text = useful or impressive grammar.
Red text = common errors.
Green text = comments.
_______ = write your answer here.
E.g. = example or example sentence of the language given.
There are also hyperlinks throughout the worksheets which link to different areas of the document.

How to use the worksheets
I recommend you complete the worksheets in sequential page order, i.e. from the beginning to the
end. This way, you can learn the language and grammar you will need to answer Task 1 questions
and be able to test your new skills with the ‘Writing Practice’ section at the end.
Model answers
The model answers contain hyperlinks from language in the report to the vocabulary list. This is
to allow you to quickly look up any language you are unsure of as you are reading the report.
Other than this, you should take note of any phrases in the model answer you like or find useful
and try to apply them in your own writing.
Vocabulary lists
This list is meant as a reference for the language used in the model answer. It is primarily to
highlight useful applications as well as common errors students make when using it. Some entries
also contain references to the general grammar information document. You should use this
document in conjunction with the model answer worksheets to gain full benefit.
Vocabulary & Grammar exercises

These exercises are not graded in difficulty and so you may find some are very easy and some
very difficult. They are not designed to challenge you, but to provide example sentences of the
target language in different contexts and give you the opportunity to use it to make your own
sentences.
After each group of exercises, there is an answer page which includes the answers as well as
comments on any less common or useful language used in the exercises themselves. Reading
through these should also be useful.
You should complete the exercises in the order in which they are presented, i.e. first, the
comprehension exercises, then the production. You should also take note of language you like
or find useful, study it further in a dictionary and apply it in your own writing. This is essential as
doing these exercises alone will not be sufficient for you to improve your writing significantly.

Study resources
Below is a list of my recommended study resources. These will be useful for both your own
preparation of the IELTS test as well as for using these worksheets.
Longman dictionary : https://www.ldoceonline.com/

This dictionary has been specifically designed for learners of English. The definitions are simple
and easy to understand, and the entries include collocations, many example sentences and
sometimes common errors people make. I personally use this dictionary the most.
Lexico dictionary : https://www.lexico.com/en

This dictionary used to be the Oxford dictionary. It is designed for native English speakers. The
definitions are more complex but are also more precise. If you look up a word using the Longman
dictionary and feel the entry is unsatisfactory, then I recommend you use this dictionary next.
Online collocation dictionary : http://www.freecollocation.com/

The Longman dictionary includes some collocations but this website specialises in them. Search
for a word in this dictionary and it will give you many collocations as well as sentence examples to
help you see how they can be used.
Ludwig.guru website : https://ludwig.guru/

This website lets you see how common a phrase is. Just input a phrase such as “gain
independence”, and click ‘search’, and it will search newspaper websites to see how commonly
used the phrase is (https://ludwig.guru/s/gain+independence). It will give you the sentence in
which it is used so you can see its context, and if you want to understand this better, you can click
on the website name on the right and you will be able to read the article it originated from.
English stack exchange website : https://english.stackexchange.com/

If you have any questions about English grammar or vocabulary, search for or ask it on this
website and someone will surely provide you with an answer. You can make search queries such
as “What is the difference between classic and classical?” or “Can the first and second
conditionals be mixed?”, for instance.

Trend graphs : Carbon Dioxide Emissions
IELTS Writing Task 1 Academic model answer and worksheet
“The graph below shows average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per person in the United
Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal between 1967 and 2007.”
Contents
0. Key ............................................................................................................................................... 2
1. General comments ....................................................................................................................... 3
2. Model answer ............................................................................................................................... 4
3. Vocabulary list .............................................................................................................................. 5
4. Vocabulary exercises ................................................................................................................. 12
5. Grammar analysis ...................................................................................................................... 18
6. Grammar exercises .................................................................................................................... 28
7. Trend graph writing practice ....................................................................................................... 52

0. Key
C n = countable noun ; U n = uncountable noun ; n = noun

v = verb ; phrv = phrasal verb ; adj = adjective ; adv = adverb
Blue text = natural, academic or useful vocabulary & example answers for exercises.
Purple text = useful or impressive grammar.
Red text = common errors.
Green text = comments.
_______ = write your answer here.
E.g. = example or example sentence of the language given.

1. General comments
There are many unique features in this chart and so, in this sense, describing it is quite
easy. Since paraphrasing is particularly difficult in Writing Task 1, I like to try to prioritise
vocabulary when choosing key features to describe. By this I mean, this graph has a peak
(Sweden 1977), a plateau (Italy 1997 - 2007) and a convergence (Sweden and Portugal 2007).
When writing the report, then, I made sure I included these specific features, as they
allowed me to use a broader range of vocabulary. This principle can be applied in all trend
graphs.
A common problem students have with charts in general is reporting numbers inaccurately
and this is especially relevant with trend graphs. The kind of issue I am referring to is using
precise language inaccurately. For instance, if a line graph portrays a line that is between
10 and 12 on the vertical axis, it would be logical to write that the number is 11. This is not
accurate enough for Writing Task 1 however. If the line does not match with a number
exactly, then you cannot be certain of the number. In which case, you must use
approximate language, such as ‘about’, ‘approximately’, ‘just above’ and ‘between 10 and
12’. See the vocabulary list for more information about this.

2. Model answer
The line graph depicts the amount of CO2 emitted per capita in four European countries over a 40-
year period from 1967 to 2007.
Overall, what stands out from the graph is that whereas the amount of CO2 generated per person
in Portugal and Italy rose dramatically over the period, there was a decline in the amounts for both
the UK and Sweden. Also, each person within the UK emitted by far the most CO2 throughout the
period, which contrasts starkly with Portugal, the country with the lowest figure.
From the graph, it can be noted that the amount of CO2 produced from every individual in Sweden
peaked at just over 10 metric tonnes in 1977, from about 9 in 1967, then, surprisingly, plummeted
to approximately 5 in 2007. This is in contrast to the UK’s rate which instead declined by only
about 2 metric tonnes from roughly 11 over the entire period.
Regarding the Italian and Portuguese figures, the former almost doubled from 1967 to 1997, from
just over 4 to a little under 8 metric tonnes, while the latter soared, starting with about 1 and
reaching around 5. Following this, Italy’s emission rate witnessed a plateau and Portugal’s
converged with Sweden’s. – 202 words

3. Vocabulary list
The following list provides information about some of the vocabulary in the report as well as useful
vocabulary for this type of question in general. Collocations, comments and common errors made
by students are given. Meanings of the words or phrases are provided also, but only in the same
context as in the writing. If you want to learn more about the language in the list, you should look it
up in an English dictionary such as Longman.
Word or phrase Paraphrases and graphics Comments and common errors
Graph [C n] Chart ‘Graphs’ and ‘charts’ are exactly the

same. You can also use the words
‘line’, ‘bar’ and ‘pie’ with them, e.g.
‘line chart / graph’.
Shows [v] Depicts / illustrates / Do not use ‘compares’ with trend

demonstrates / describes graphs; this can be used for
comparative graphs.
Average [adj] On average [n] “The chart shows the number of cell
phone purchases on average per
person in three different countries.”
Emissions [C n] To emit [v] Take care not to use some of these

paraphrases too early on in your
Production [n] : to produce [v]
writing, i.e. ‘production’ and
Release [n] : to release [v] ‘release’. These words do not mean
exactly the same as ‘emission’.
You need to be very accurate in
your paraphrasing at the beginning
of your writing in particular. If you
are, you will be showing the
examiner that you clearly
understand what the graph is about.
After this, you can afford to be a bit
less precise in your paraphrasing
and this will be more
understandable.
The most accurate paraphrase of
‘emissions’, then, is ‘emit’.
E.g. “the amount of CO2 that was

emitted.”
“The production / release of CO2”
“The amount of CO2 produced /
released.”
The United The UK A common error is to not include

Kingdom ‘the’ when referring to ‘the UK’. This
country always uses ‘the’, as does
‘the USA’.
Another common error is to
paraphrase ‘the UK’ with ‘England’.
This is not accurate. ‘The UK’ is
composed of ‘England’, ‘Scotland’,
‘Wales’ and ‘Northern Ireland’. Thus,
‘the UK’ is not the same as
‘England’.
Sweden, Italy Three other European counties.

and Portugal
Three other countries in Europe
Between 1967 From 1967 to 2007

and 2007
Amount [C n] There is some controversy with using ‘amount’ and ‘number’, and, by
extension, ‘less’, ‘fewer’, ‘many’, ‘much’, ‘least’, and ‘fewest’. In
traditional grammar, the rule is to use ‘number’, ‘fewer’, ‘many’ and
‘most’ with countable nouns, such as cars, people and dollars, and use
‘amount’, ‘less’, ‘much’, and ‘least’ with uncountable nouns, such as
water, money and time. Some will argue, however, that ‘amount’, and
its corresponding adjectives, can be used with some countable nouns if
they compose something uncountable. For example, it is argued that
‘amount’ can be used with ‘dollars’, ‘hours’ and ‘people’ in some
situations. In the context of this Writing Task 1 question, ‘amount’ is
more commonly used with ‘emissions’, even though ‘emissions’ is a
countable noun. It is for this reason that I have used ‘amount’ in this
model answer.
It is a very common error for students to use ‘amount’ and ‘number’
and similar words incorrectly however. If you try to use these words in
the less typical way, e.g. ‘amount of people’, you are more likely to
make mistakes. The grammar rule I mentioned above, though, is very
reliable, and so if you follow this rule, you will not make mistakes.
Because of this, then, I recommend you follow the rule exactly.
Per capita Per person / from every person / individual

Four As a general rule, use numbers (e.g. 5) when you are referring to
statistics, data or measurements, such as ’15%’, and use words (e.g.
‘five’) for any other time, such as ‘four countries’. You should also use
words for numbers between one and ten but not numbers higher than
this.
Doing this will make your writing read better and so this is a good idea
for the IELTS Writing test. Having said this, I recommend you only
write numbers in the IELTS Listening and Reading tests. The reason
why I say this is that whether you write numbers or words in these tests
is not important, but if you write a word and misspell it, you will lose
marks. Since numbers cannot be misspelt, it makes sense to only use
numbers in these tests.
Over a 40-year Over a 40-year period Notice the subtle differences in

period grammar between the paraphrases I
Over a period of 40 years
have given. A very common error is
Over 40 years. for students to misuse an ‘s’ or ‘a’.
Over four decades.
Over a period of four decades
Over a 40-decade period
Decline [n] Decrease / drop / fall / reduction ‘Plummet’ and ‘plunge’, are not
exact synonyms of ‘decline’; these
Plummet / plunge [n]
mean ‘fall a lot’.
Similarly, ‘surge’, ‘jump’, ‘rocketed’
Declined / decreased / fell / and ‘soared’ mean ‘rise a lot’.
dropped / plummeted / plunged
[v]
Some people like to use ‘went up’
and ‘went down’. Personally, I think
OPPOSITE : this language is far too informal and
Incline / increase / rise / growth unsophisticated for report writing.
There are plenty of other more
surge / jump [n] interesting synonyms for these
movements, and so I recommend
you use them instead.
Inclined / increased / rose / grew
/ rocketed / soared / surged /
jumped [v]
Both Including this word helps the text read better and emphasise that this
decline happened in two countries. It is not essential in this sentence,
but it would help the coherence and cohesion and vocabulary band
scores.

By far This means ‘much more than something else’ and is used with
comparative grammar.
Contrasts starkly X contrasts [v] starkly [adv] This means it is ‘very different’.
with y
x is in stark [adj] contrast [n]
with y
The amount of Sweden’s production / Take care to always refer to what

CO2 produced emissions of CO2 peaked … the numbers are describing
accurately. It can be easy, for
Sweden’s rate / number /
example, to write something like
figure peaked … (this can only
“Sweden rose to a peak.” This is
be used if it has already been
incorrect, however, and very strange
made clear what the ‘rate’,
too, as it implies the country flew in
‘number’ or ‘figure’ refers to)
the air!
Sweden’s emission rate peaked
You will have to refer to numbers
…
very often in not only trend graphs,
Just over 10 metric tonnes of but also comparative graphs.
CO2 were emitted / produced / Therefore, it is important for you to
released in Sweden, though, memorise various ways of
after this, this figure fell … paraphrasing yourself; see the
column on the left.
Peaked [v] A peak [n] A common error is to think that a

line ‘peaking’ means that it reaches
Graphic 1
its ‘highest point’. This is incorrect,
however. A ‘peak’ is when a line
goes to the highest point then falls
again (like the peak of a mountain).
If a line does not drop again, then it
is not a peak, it is its ‘highest point’.
Graphic 2
Dip [C n] A ‘dip’ is only when a line goes
down then comes up again; it does
not have to drop to its lowest point.
Two dips
To dip [v]

Just over Just above A common error is to be too precise
when quoting numbers.
Slightly / marginally over
If the line does not meet the number
exactly, then you need to use
approximate language. The
meaning of approximate language
can be a bit confusing.
‘Just over / above 15’ = not 15,
maybe 16, 17 or 18.
‘Just under / below 15’ = not 15,
maybe 14, 13 or 12.
‘Nearly / almost 15’ = ‘just under 15’
Tonnes [C n] Or ‘tons’ – US spelling

A common error is to misspell this word, e.g. ‘tones’.
9 To avoid repeating yourself, you do not always have to give the

measurements, e.g. ‘9 metric tonnes’. A good rule to follow is to
include the measurement the first time you quote data in a sentence,
then omit it for the rest of the sentence.
Surprisingly [adv] This kind of adverb expresses

Graphic 3
attitude or feeling about the data
and is very useful for showing why
some data is ‘key’ or ‘significant’.
This is important as reporting the
‘key features’ of the data is a
requirement of Writing Task 1. One
way in which this kind of language
can be used is when a line follows a
relatively steady trend then changes
suddenly, like in ‘Graphic 3’. Other
language similar to this include :
Remarkably / interestingly.
Approximately 5 About 5 / roughly 5 / around 5 Students often make errors when

using this kind of approximate
language.
This description does not mean the
same as ‘exactly 5’. ‘Approximately
5’ means that you think it is 5, but
are not sure. Therefore, you can
only use this kind of approximate

Graphic 4
language when the line is not
12
10
meeting a number, but is perhaps in
8 between two numbers to some
6
4
degree.
2
0 If a line meets a number exactly,
1990 2000 then you can use language such
as : ‘exactly 5’ / ‘precisely 5’.
E.g. (Graphic 4)
“The line was at around 1 in 1990
and precisely 10 in 2000.”
Rate [C n] Emission rate [n] This refers to the number of times

something happens within a time
period.
Instead [adv] This helps emphasise that the UK’s number did something differently.
Using this word here is not essential, but it helps keep the writing
varied and interesting to read
Only [adv] Like with ‘instead’, including this word is not essential but it helps
emphasise the difference being shown. It also emphasises that 2
metric tonnes is very little compared to the other figures.
Figures [C n] Numbers
The former … Respectively [adv] These words reference the two

the latter country’s figures just mentioned in
the same order, i.e. ‘the former’ =
Italy’s figure / ‘the latter’ = Portugal’s
figure.
E.g. “The number of wild cats in
Istanbul and Paris in 2007 was just
over 7,000 for the former and
between 5,000 and 6,000 for the
latter.” - Istanbul = just over 7,000 ;
Paris = between 5,000 and 6,000
“The number of wild cats in Istanbul

and Paris in 2007 was just over
7,000 and between 5,000 and 6,000
respectively.”
Doubled [v] This means the number is multiplied by two. The opposite of this word
is ‘halved [v]’.

Witnessed a Experienced a plateau [C n] ‘A plateau’ refers to something
plateau which did not change at all. If a line
Plateaued [v]
is nearly flat but not completely, you
Levelled off [v] can describe it as ‘relatively stable /
Became level [adj] level’ or ‘almost’ and ‘nearly’.
Stabilised [v]
Became stable [adj]
Converged with A convergence [n] with If two lines ‘converge’, it means they
something meet and are together.
If two lines are together, and later
they go in different directions, then
they can be described as ‘diverging
[v]’ or ‘splitting off [v]’ or that there
was ‘a divergence [n]’.

4. Vocabulary exercises : Comprehension 1/2
The following is language from the report I regard to be of most practical use in Task 1 writing.
These exercises have been made to help you understand and use the vocabulary.
 Choose the correct word from the pair given to complete the sentences 1-6. One has been
done for you.
1. The chart shows the number of people who visited the central train station <on average /
average>.
2. The chart shows the <on average / average> number of people who visited the central train
station.
3. The graph depicts the frequency of <visits / visited> to three separate music websites.
4. The graph depicts how often people <visits / visited> three separate music websites.
5. The line graph illustrates the income of four restaurants over a period of four <decade /
decades>.
6. The line graph illustrates the income of four restaurants over a four <decade / decades> period.

ANSWERS
1. The chart shows the number of people who visited the central train station <on average /
average>.
This sentence uses the noun of ‘average’. ‘On’ is a useful and common preposition to collocate
with this word in this form.
2. The chart shows the <on average / average> number of people who visited the central train
station.
This sentence uses the adjective of ‘average’.
3. The graph depicts the frequency of <visits / visited> to three separate music websites.
‘Frequency [n]’ refers to how often something happens.
4. The graph depicts how often people <visits / visited> three separate music websites.
5. The line graph illustrates the income of four restaurants over a period of four <decade /
decades>.
6. The line graph illustrates the income of four restaurants over a four <decade / decades> period.

Comprehension 2/2
The sentences 1-7 contain errors, Average food waste
14
except for one. The areas where there
12
may be an error have been highlighted
in bold. Correct the errors in the 10
ASDA
per tonne
sentences. One has been done for you. 8
Sainsburys
6
Tesco
4
0
2000 2005 2010 2015
1. ASDA’s amount of waste was roughly
precisely (or no word) 12 tonnes in 2000.
2. The number of tonnes of waste ASDA produced was 9 in 2010.
3. ASDA created nearly 6 tonnes of waste in 2015.
4. Sainsburys’ figure was at just over 8 tonnes in 2005.
5. Sainsburys’ rate was at roughly 9 tonnes in 2010.
6. Tesco wasted approximately 6 tonnes of food in 2010.
7. Tesco’s number was at exactly 11 tonnes in 2015.

ANSWERS
Average food waste
14
12
10
ASDA
per tonne
8
Sainsburys
6
Tesco
4
0
2000 2005 2010 2015
1. ASDA’s amount of waste was roughly precisely (or no word) 12 tonnes in 2000.
ASDA’s line matched the number 12 in 2000 exactly, and so we cannot use approximate language
here.
2. The number of tonnes of waste ASDA produced was approximately 9 in 2010.

ASDA’s line does not match the number 9 exactly here, and so approximate language is needed.
3. ASDA created nearly 6 around 7 tonnes of waste in 2015.

ASDA is clearly not 6 here; in fact, it is clearly over 6. ‘Nearly 6’ means ‘just under 6’.
4. Sainsburys’ figure was at just over 8 under 10 tonnes in 2005.

The number is quite far away from 8 here and so it cannot be described as ‘just’ over 8. You could
say that it is ‘over 8’, but ‘under 10’ would be more accurate and precise and thus better.
5. Sainsburys’ rate was at roughly 9 tonnes in 2010.

This is a correct sentence. You could argue that the number is ‘under 9’, but this would be risky as
you do not know exactly where ‘9’ is in this chart.
6. Tesco wasted approximately 6 7 tonnes of food in 2010.

‘Approximately’ means that you are not sure. In this case, however, the number is clearly not 6,
though it could be 7 and so this word can be applied to this number.
7. Tesco’s number was at exactly about 11 tonnes in 2015.

Like with question 2, the line does not meet a number 11 ‘exactly’ and so this word cannot be used.
 For more information about this vocabulary, see the vocabulary list.

4. Vocabulary exercises : Production
There is no single correct answer for these questions. Each model answer given is one possible
answer among many.
Average food waste
14
Create sentences to describe the chart
12
above using the language given. One
10
has been done for you.
per tonne
8 ASDA
Sainsburys
6
1. on average [n]
Tesco
4
The line graph depicts the amount of food
2
that was wasted in three different
0
supermarket chains on average. 2000 2005 2010 2015
2. average [adj]
3. waste [n]
4. for the former … for the latter
5. respectively
6. over a period of 15 years

POSSIBLE ANSWERS
Average food waste

14
12
10
per tonne ASDA
8
Sainsburys
6
Tesco
4
0
2000 2005 2010 2015
1. on average [n]
The line graph depicts the amount of food that was wasted in three different supermarket chains
on average.
2. average [adj]
The line graph depicts the average amount of food that was wasted in three different supermarket
chains.
3. waste [n]
The line graph depicts the amount of food waste produced by three different supermarket chains.
4. for the former … for the latter

Sainsburys’ figure fell to its lowest point in 2015 while Tesco’s rose to its highest, with between 2
and 4 tonnes for the former and approximately 11 for the latter.
5. respectively
Sainsburys’ figure fell to its lowest point in 2015 while Tesco’s rose to its highest, with between 2
and 4 tonnes and approximately 11 tonnes respectively.
6. over a period of 15 years

The graph shows three supermarket chains over a period of 15 years.

5. Grammar analysis
The following are analyses and explanations of the most useful grammar used in the model
answer and how they relate to trend graph reports.
Verb tense
Take special care with verb tense when describing graphs. Check the timeline and the question. If
the timeline is set in the past, like the chart this worksheet is focused on, or the question refers to
the data in the past tense, then you need to use the past tense in your answer. A very common
error is to use an incorrect verb tense.
Past simple
This is the verb tense you will use most often in trend graphs.
“The number of doctors in 1955 was just over 170,000.”
Past perfect
This verb tense is used to describe something that happened before something else in the past.
Before : “The number of doctors had dropped to about 160,000 in 1965 before rising to just
below 190,000 in 1975.”
By <time> : “By 1980, 160,000 more doctors had been employed.”
Future simple
Before using this verb tense in your report, make sure you clearly declare that you are referring to
‘predictions’ and are not stating that something will definitely happen.
“The number of nurses is predicted to rise in the future, and will be at 270,000 by 2025.”
Other synonyms for ‘is predicted to’ include : is expected / forecast / projected / estimated to.
Future perfect
This verb tense is used to describe an event that is expected to happen before a specific time in
the future. Therefore, you will need to use by when using this verb tense.
“According to predictions, the number of nurses will have risen to 270,000 by 2025.”

Past continuous
Use this verb tense in the past or future to describe two actions happening at the same time.
While :
1) “While the number of nurses was rising from 1955 to 1965, the number of doctors was falling.”
2) “The number of nurses was rising while the number of doctors was falling from 1955 to 1965.”
Take note that when ‘while’ is used to describe two actions that are happening at the same time
and the conjunction is placed in between the two clauses it is joining (see sentence 2) ), no
comma should be used.
There will never be a reason for you to use present perfect, present continuous or present
perfect continuous in trend graphs.
For more information about verb tenses, see the ‘General grammar information’ document in your
eBook package.
--
Verb & adverb / adjective & noun

“The number of doctors dropped [v] considerably [adv] from 1955 to 1965.”
See the following adverbial alternatives you can use :
A big change Considerably / significantly
A small change Slightly / marginally
A quick change dramatically / rapidly / sharply
A slow / consistent change Gradually / steadily
A comment by the author Strikingly / remarkably / surprisingly
‘Strikingly’, ‘remarkably’ and ‘surprisingly’ all have similar meanings when used to describe trend
graphs. See ‘surprisingly’ in the vocabulary list for more information.
A) Was witnessed
“A considerable [adj] increase [n] in the number of nurses was witnessed over the period.”
‘Experienced’ can often be used as a synonym for ‘witnessed’ in this usage.

B) There was …
“There was a considerable [adj] increase [n] in the number of nurses over the period.”
See the following adjective alternatives you can use :
A big change Considerable / significant
A small change Slight / marginal
A quick change dramatic / rapid / sharp
A slow / consistent change Gradual / steady
A comment by the author Striking / remarkable / surprising
See exercises related to verb + adverb / adjective + noun here.
--
Prepositions NHS Nurses and Doctors in England

270,000
Below are the most common and useful uses 250,000
by A)
of prepositions for describing trend graphs. 230,000
210,000 Nurses
1/6. In 190,000 Doctors
170,000
A) Countries and places
150,000
“There were about 200,000 registered nurses 1955 1965 1975 1985
in hospitals in England in 1975.”
B) Time, e.g. years, months and other time

phrases.
“The number of nurses was exactly 250,000
in 1985.”
C) A drop or increase in something, e.g. investments / the number.

“There was a considerable drop in the number of nurses between 1965 and 1975, of about
20,000.”
2/6. By
A) The amount of increase or decrease,

e.g. ‘x started at 1 and rose by 2’ (therefore, x is now 3)
“The number of nurses rose from 1975 to 1985 by about 50,000.”
B) Who did something, e.g. x was done by y.

“Roughly 220,000 nurses were employed by the NHS in 1965.”
C) Something was happening before a time and finished at that time,

e.g. x happened by <time>
“By the end of the period, the number of nurses had reached its highest point.”
D) How a verb acted, e.g. x did y by doing z.

“The figure corrected its dip in 1975 by rising to its highest point in 1985.”
3/6. To
A) Time, i.e. from … to …
“This graph depicts how many registered nurses and doctors there were in the UK from 1955 to
1985.”
NHS Nurses and Doctors in England
270,000
B) Describing the end of a number moving, 250,000
“The number of doctors rose to 190,000 in 230,000 Nurses

Doctors
210,000
1975.”
190,000
170,000
C) Measurements, i.e. from … to … 150,000
1955 1965 to B) 1975 1985
“Over the entire period, the number of nurses at
increased from 190,000 to 250,000.”
4/6. At
Describing a position in a graph (no movement), e.g. <time>, x was at y.
“At the beginning of the period, the number of doctors was at approximately 180,000.”
5/6. Of
The amount of increase or decrease, (the same as ‘by’ A), e.g. x witnessed an increase of
50.
“There was a major increase of about 30,000 doctors from 1965 to 1975.”
“England witnessed a slight drop in its number of nurses between 1965 and 1975 of around

20,000.”
Notice that although ‘of’ and ‘by’ can be used to describe the same change, ‘of’ is followed by a
noun, and ‘by’ is followed by a verb.
6/6. Before
X did y before doing z – “The nurses’ number fell after 1965 before beginning to rise again in
1975.”
See exercises related to prepositions here.
--
Relative clauses
The relative pronouns ‘which’, ‘where’ and ‘who’ are most useful in trend graphs.
1/4. Which / that

‘Which’, and sometimes ‘that’, are used most in trend graphs as they are the most versatile.
A) Drawing a comparison or contrast with something else.

X did y, which contrasts with z.
“This figure is predicted to rise to a peak in March at just over £10,000, which contrasts with the
sales predictions for Germany as these will remain largely stable at about £12,000.”
B) Describing the measurement.

The amount / number of <noun> which was <verb>
“The amount of water which / that was consumed in Hewett High School was generally more than
that in Costessey High School.”
C) Describing rank of data.

X did y, which was its highest point, OR, which was the most <noun>.
“The UK’s average consumption of water fell to about 9 gallons in 2007, which was its lowest
point.”
“The percentage of bulldogs bred fluctuated between 5 and 10%, which were the lowest
percentages reported.”

D) Introducing the time of the chart.
“The chart shows the overall consumption of food in America over a 50 year period which spans
from 1960 to 2010”
E) Making exceptions.
X happened to all, with the exception of y which did something else.
This is most useful in an overview paragraph.
“The frequency of people using all modes of transport rose with the exception of that of cars which
saw a fluctuation instead.”
F) After which : x happened at <date>, after which y happened

“Simon and Co raised their spending to £30,000 in 1980, after which the figure dropped to
£10,000.”
2/4. Where
‘Where’ is used for places and situations. For trend graphs, this can be used when you describe a
change which leads to another change. i.e. x rose to y where x did something else.
“The amount of C02 emissions in Sweden rose to a peak in 1977 at just over 10 metric tonnes
where it plummeted to between 8 and 6 metric tonnes in 1987.”
3/4. When
‘When’ is used to describe changes that occur at a specific time.
“Neither country sold any games in 2000, though this changed in 2002 when they sold a little over
2 million.”
Until <date> when : x happened until <date> when y happened

“Spain witnessed a fall in investments until 1990 when they recovered.”

4/4. Who
‘Who’ is used for people. You will most likely use this pronoun when referring to the variables in
the data. E.g. “The chart shows the percentages of people who rent and own property.”
For more information about relative clauses, see the ‘General grammar information’ document in
your eBook package.
See exercises related to relative clauses here.
--
Comparisons
1/3. ‘While’, ‘whilst’, ‘whereas’ and ‘although’ subordinate conjunctions.

Use these words to describe two opposite events happening.
“While the numbers for the UK and Sweden fell over the period, those of the other countries rose.”
“Although Sweden’s figure began with a sharp rise to a peak in 1977, after this, it fell considerably
until the end of the period.”
These words can also sometimes be placed in the middle of a sentence, but not always.
“Overall, it can be seen that the number of hours teenagers spent going out to pubs rose
significantly whereas / while / although there was a great decrease in the number they spent on
doing homework.”
Also, take note that a comma is always needed when these words are used to draw contrasts.
Notice the differences below :
“While the number of hours teenagers spent going out to pubs rose significantly, there was a great
decrease in the number they spent on doing homework.”
“The number of hours teenagers spent going out to pubs rose significantly, while there was a
great decrease in the number they spent on doing homework.”
A common error is to not include a comma when one is needed and thus create a fragmented
sentence. See ‘Clauses’ in the ‘General grammar information’ document for more information.

2/3. Superlatives
A) The highest / lowest + noun
“The highest amount of chocolate was sold in Belgium.”
B) X + <verb> + <noun> + the most / least

“Belgium sold the most chocolate over the period given.”
3/3. Comparatives
A) X was higher / lower than y : “The number of carrots was higher in M&S than in Tesco.”
B) X was as high as y : “The percentage of part-time workers was as high as full-time workers.”
This is a way of saying ‘x is the same as y’. This can be expressed using a comparative by using
‘high’. We don’t use ‘low’ in this way, e.g. ‘x was as low as y’.
C) X + <verb> + more than y : “M&S stored more carrots than Tesco.”
D) X + <verb> + as much / many as y : “The pupils of Knowland First School consumed as much
chocolate as those in Mill View Middle School.”
See exercises related to comparisons here.
--
Appositives
“Portugal, the country with the lowest figure, contrasts starkly with the UK as this country
produced by far the most CO2 emissions throughout the period.”
X did y, with z : “Jack’s Jeans decreased their spending from 1990 to 2000, with a difference of
$5,000.”,
For more information about appositives, see the ‘General grammar information’ document in your
eBook package.
See here for exercises related to appositives.
--

Present participle
“Portugal emitted the least CO2 over the period. The UK, contrasting starkly with Portugal, had
by far the most.”
A) Introducing in-depth paragraphs.

This is the easiest way to use a present participle. This method can be used with most Writing
Task 1 questions.
“Focusing on the percentages of car sales in the UK and France, the former country’s fell to
their lowest point in 1980 with 20%.”
B) ‘, gaining …’ . X happened, gaining / losing y

“The number of turtles rose to a peak in 1987, gaining about 40.”
“Time spent on shopping also rose, more than doubling from roughly 7 hours to 15.”
C) ‘, finishing with …’ . X happened, finishing with y

“Japan’s shares are projected to soar, finishing with the highest figure.”
“Afterwards, it is expected to increase more gradually, finishing at a percentage of between 25
and 30%.”
D) Describing trends. X rose over the period, starting with y and finishing with z
“The number of UK exports rose significantly over the period, starting with 5 million and
finishing with 10 million.”
For more information about present participle clauses, see the ‘General grammar information’
document in your eBook package.
See exercises related to present participle here.
--

Brackets
Introduction : “The chart shows the amount of alcohol produced in the UK over a six year period
(2000 to 2006).”
Data : “Switzerland’s GBP dropped in 1980 ($100 billion) before climbing again in 1990 ($200
billion).” – this means that Switzerland’s number was $100 billion in 1980 and $200 billion in 1990.
Warning! Although you can use brackets in your writing, you should only use them
sparingly. Overreliance on brackets will limit your vocabulary and grammar range.
Therefore, try to only use them once or twice in your answer at most.
See exercises related to brackets here.
--

6. Grammar exercises
The following includes ‘Comprehension’ questions, which test your understanding of the grammar,
and ‘Production’ questions, which test your ability to use the grammar. For the ‘Production’
questions, there is no single correct answer; each model answer given is one possible answer
among many.
Verb & adverb / adjective & Unemployment rates

14
noun : Comprehension
12
10
Choose the correct form of England
8 France
the word from the pair in %
6 Germany
the sentences 1-4. One has 4
been done for you. 2
0
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004
1. Overall, the percentages of unemployment in the three countries <rise / rose> slightly.
2. There was a <sharp / sharply> increase in unemployment from 1994 to 1996 in England.
3. Both Germany and England’s figures experienced a short <plateaued / plateau> at the end of
the period.
4. Germany’s unemployment grew <gradually / gradual> from 1994 to 2000.

ANSWERS
Unemployment rates
14
12
10
England
8
% France
6 Germany
4
2
0
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004
1. Overall, the percentages of unemployment in the three countries <rise / rose> slightly.
2. There was a <sharp / sharply> increase in unemployment from 1994 to 1996 in England.
3. Both Germany and England’s figures experienced a short <plateaued / plateau> at the end of
the period.
When using a possessive ‘s’ for multiple nouns, such as Germany and England, attach the
apostrophe and ‘s’ to the last noun only, i.e. Germany and England’s.
4. Germany’s unemployment grew <gradually / gradual> from 1994 to 2000.

Verb & adverb / adjective & Restaurant income
200
180
noun : Production
160
000s dollars
140
Delicacy
120
Paraphrase the sentences 100 Evening Paradise
80 Grand Fiesta
1-4 to use the language
60 Spicy Fortune
given. One has been done 40
20
for you. 0
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
1. Spicy Fortune’s revenue witnessed a marginal dip in 1960. – ‘dipped marginally’

Spicy Fortune’s revenue dipped marginally in 1960.
2. There was a minor amount of prolonged fluctuation in the income generated for Delicacy from
1950 to 1990. – ‘slightly’ & ‘fluctuated’
3. Overall, the income of all restaurants rose significantly, with the exception of Spicy Fortune’s
which experienced a considerable drop by the end of the period. – ‘a significant rise’ &
‘dropped considerably’
4. The number of dollars Grand Fiesta accrued declined gradually over the first 20 years before
levelling off. – ‘a gradual decline’ & ‘a plateau’

POSSIBLE ANSWERS
200
Restaurant income
180
160
000s dollars
140
Delicacy
120
100 Evening Paradise
80 Grand Fiesta
60 Spicy Fortune
40
20
0
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
1. Spicy Fortune’s revenue witnessed a marginal dip in 1960. – ‘dipped marginally’

Spicy Fortune’s revenue dipped marginally in 1960.
2. There was a minor amount of prolonged fluctuation in the income generated for Delicacy from
1950 to 1990. – ‘slightly’ & ‘fluctuated’
The income generated for Delicacy fluctuated slightly over a prolonged period of time from 1950
to 1990.
‘Prolonged [adj] period of time’ = ‘extended period of time’
3. Overall, the income of all restaurants rose significantly, with the exception of Spicy Fortune’s
which experienced a considerable drop by the end of the period. – ‘a significant rise’ &
‘dropped considerably’
Overall, there was a significant rise in the income of all restaurants, with the exception of Spicy
Fortune’s which dropped considerably by the end of the period.
4. The number of dollars Grand Fiesta accrued declined gradually over the first 20 years before
levelling off. – ‘a gradual decline’ & ‘a plateau’
There was a gradual decline in the number of dollars Grand Fiesta accrued over the first 20 years
before it settled into a plateau.
‘Accrue [v]’ means to gain something and is often collocated with ‘wealth’ or ‘money’.
--
See an analysis about verb & adverb and adjective & noun grammar here.

Prepositions : Comprehension Unemployment rates
14
12
The sentences 1-6 have 10
England
preposition errors, which are 8
France
%
highlighted in bold. Correct the 6 Germany
4
sentences. One has been done
2
for you. 0
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004
1. The line graph shows unemployment rates from 1990 and to 2004. – 1 error
2. Germany’s rate began its trend at spiking from a little over 2% and just above 4% in 1992. – 2
errors
3. England’s figure rose by its highest point at 1998 with just over 12%. – 2 errors
4. England’s percentage with unemployment concluded in 10% in 2004. – 2 errors
5. The percentage of jobless citizens on France grew to approximately 4% between 1994 to

1998. – 3 errors
6. Germany experienced a drop on percentage of unemployment between 1992 and 1994

about 2.5%, but recovered from this to 1998. – (3 errors)

ANSWERS
Unemployment rates
14
12
10
England
8
% France
6 Germany
4
2
0
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004
1. The line graph shows unemployment rates from 1990 and to 2004. – (1 error)
2. Germany’s rate began its trend at by spiking from a little over 2% and to just above 4% in 1992.
– (2 errors)
3. England’s figure rose by to its highest point at in 1998 with just over 12%. – (2 errors)
4. England’s percentage with of unemployment concluded in at / with 10% in 2004. – (2 errors)

This use of ‘concluded [v]’ means the same as ‘finished [v]’.
5. The percentage of jobless citizens on in France grew to by approximately 4% between 1994 to

and 1998. – (3 errors)
6. Germany experienced a drop on in percentage of unemployment between 1992 and 1994 of

about 2.5%, but recovered from this to by / in 1998. – (3 errors)

Prepositions : Production 200
Restaurant income
180
160
Write sentences 140
000s dollars
Delicacy
120
describing the chart using 100 Evening Paradise
80 Grand Fiesta
the prepositional phrases
60 Spicy Fortune
given. One has been done 40
20
for you. 0
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
1. from 1950 to 2010

The line chart depicts the amount of income four restaurants received from 1950 to 2010.
2. By 2010
3. Evening Paradise … by $40,000
4. between … and …
5. to & at
6. by soaring

POSSIBLE ANSWERS
200
Restaurant income
180
160
140
000s dollars
Delicacy
120
100 Evening Paradise
80 Grand Fiesta
60 Spicy Fortune
40
20
0
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
1. The line chart depicts the amount of income four restaurants received from 1950 to 2010.
2. Evening Paradise gained the most income by 2010, despite being one of the lowest revenue
generators earlier in the period.
‘Despite’ can be used to express surprise or identify something unusual in a set of data, such as in
this example.
3. Evening Paradise’s income dipped by $40,000 in 1990.
4. Delicacy’s number fluctuated between approximately $30,000 and $20,000 from 1950 to 1980.
5. The income for Spicy Fortune fell to its lowest point in 2010 at about $50,000.
6. Evening Paradise overtook the other restaurants in terms of income by soaring from $40,000 in
2000 to an astonishing approximate $190,000 in 2010.
Like with ‘despite’, it is reasonable to use the word ‘astonishing’ here as the number Evening
Paradise had in 2010 was so completely different to the numbers it had before.
--
See an analysis about prepositions here.

Relative clauses :
Comprehension Fast food consumption by US teenagers
in Belle High School.
The sentences 1-8 are in the 120
number
incorrect order. Reorder 100
them. One has been done for
80
you. Pizza
60
per
Fish and chips
40 Hamburgers
year
20
0
1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
1. The bar chart depicts / from 1975 to 2000. / that were eaten by American adolescents / the
number of fast food meals / in Belle High School
The bar chart depicts the number of fast food meals that were eaten by American adolescents in
Belle High School from 1975 to 2000.
2. The chart covers / which span / from 1975 to 2000. / a period of 25 years,
3. Overall, / rose considerably over the period, / which plummeted. / fish and chips / the
amount of fast food consumed / with the exception of
4. The number of hamburgers eaten / then approximately 95 in 1990 / beginning at about 10

/ where it began to level off. / soared through the initial years,

Fast food consumption by US teenagers
120
n u m b er
100
80
Pizza
60
p er
Fish and chips

40 Hamburgers
year
20
0
1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
5. Fish and chips’ figure recovered from its dip in 1980 / by rising to roughly 95 / (at just
over 80) / , where it proceeded to drop thereafter. / in 1985
6. The number of pizzas consumed levelled off / compared to that of fish and chips. / at
exactly 80, / towards the end of the period / which was very different / (from 1995)
7. The amount of / , after which it plateaued. / to its highest point in 1995 / pizza eaten rose
8. Hamburgers’ number soared / it began to stabilise. / when / until 1990

ANSWERS
Fast food consumption by US teenagers

n u m b er 120
100
80
Pizza
60
p er
Fish and chips

40 Hamburgers
year
20
0
1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
1. The bar chart depicts / from 1975 to 2000. / that were eaten by American adolescents / the
number of fast food meals / in Belle High School
The bar chart depicts the number of fast food meals that were eaten by American adolescents in
Belle High School from 1975 to 2000.
2. The chart covers / which span / from 1975 to 2000. / a period of 25 years,
The chart covers a period of 25 years, which span from 1975 to 2000.
3. Overall, / rose considerably over the period, / which plummeted. / fish and chips / the
amount of fast food consumed / with the exception of
Overall, the amount of fast food consumed rose considerably over the period, with the exception
of fish and chips which plummeted.
4. The number of hamburgers eaten / then approximately 95 in 1990 / beginning at about 10

/ where it began to level off. / soared through the initial years,
The number of hamburgers eaten soared through the initial years, beginning at about 10 then
approximately 95 in 1990 where it began to level off.

5. Fish and chips’ figure recovered from its dip in 1980 / by rising to roughly 95 / (at just
over 80) / , where it proceeded to drop thereafter. / in 1985
Fish and chips’ figure recovered from its dip in 1980 (at just over 80) by rising to roughly 95 in
1985, where it proceeded to drop thereafter.
6. The number of pizzas consumed levelled off / compared to that of fish and chips. / at
exactly 80, / towards the end of the period / which was very different / (from 1995)
The number of pizzas consumed levelled off towards the end of the period (from 1995) at
exactly 80, which was very different compared to that of fish and chips.
7. The amount of / , after which it plateaued. / to its highest point in 1995 / pizza eaten rose
The amount of pizza eaten rose to its highest point in 1995, after which it plateaued.
8. Hamburgers’ number soared / it began to stabilise. / when / until 1990

Hamburgers’ number soared until 1990 when it began to stabilise.

Relative clauses : Production
number of cars manufactured
Rewrite the sentences 1-8 to use the 2025

relative pronoun given. One has been
done for you. 2030 USA
Japan
UK
2035
1. The bar chart illustrates manufacture China
forecasts of cars in four countries. – ‘that

2040
/ which’
The bar chart illustrates forecasts of the
0 1 2 3 4
number of cars that / which will be per million cars
manufactured in four countries.
2. The chart covers a 15 year timeline and this begins at 2025 and finishes with 2040. – ‘which’
3. Overall, it is estimated that the number of cars that will be built will rise significantly in all
countries, except for China; the figure for this country will fall slightly. – ‘which’
4. The manufacture of cars in the USA is predicted to increase throughout the period (from about
0.3 million to 3 million). This is in contrast with Japan as this country’s figure is forecast to rocket in
the first five years (1 million – 3 million) then only rise slightly (finishing with approximately 3.5
million). – ‘which’

2025
2030 USA
Japan
UK
2035
China
2040
0 1 2 3 4
per million cars
5. The number of cars to be constructed in Japan is forecast to reach a peak in 2035 at slightly
under 4 million. At the end of the period, it is expected to drop to about 3.5 million. – ‘where’
6. Japan is projected to build approximately 3.75 million cars in 2035 and this will be their highest
number. – ‘which’
7. The UK’s figure is expected to increase significantly until 2035, and after this there will be only a
slight growth. – ‘after which’
8. Following a sharp increase until 2035, the rate of Japan’s car manufacture is expected to fall,
albeit marginally. – ‘when’

POSSIBLE ANSWERS
2025
2030 USA
Japan
UK
2035
China
2040
0 1 2 3 4
per million cars
1. The bar chart illustrates manufacture forecasts of cars in four countries. – ‘that / which’
The bar chart illustrates forecasts of the number of cars that / which will be manufactured in four
countries.
‘Projections’ and ‘predictions’ are some synonyms you could use for ‘forecasts [ n]’.
2. The chart covers a 15 year timeline and this begins at 2025 and finishes with 2040. – ‘which’
The chart covers a 15 year timeline which begins at 2025 and finishes with 2040.
3. Overall, it is estimated that the number of cars that will be built will rise significantly in all
countries, except for China; the figure for this country will fall slightly. – ‘which’
Overall, it is estimated that the number of cars that will be built will rise significantly in all countries,
except for China’s which will fall slightly.
4. The manufacture of cars in the USA is predicted to increase throughout the period (from about
0.3 million to 3 million). This is in contrast with Japan as this country’s figure is forecast to rocket in
million). – ‘which’
The manufacture of cars in the USA is predicted to increase throughout the period (from about 0.3
million to 3 million), which is in contrast with Japan as this country’s figure is forecast to rocket in
million).

5. The number of cars to be constructed in Japan is forecast to reach a peak in 2035 at slightly
under 4 million. At the end of the period, it is expected to drop to about 3.5 million. – ‘where’
The number of cars to be constructed in Japan is forecast to reach a peak in 2035, at slightly
under 4 million, where it is expected to drop to about 3.5 million in 2040.
6. Japan is projected to build approximately 3.75 million cars in 2035 and this will be their highest
number. – ‘which’
Japan is projected to build approximately 3.75 million cars in 2035, which will be their highest
number.
7. The UK’s figure is expected to increase significantly until 2035, and after this there will be only a
slight growth. – ‘after which’
The UK’s figure is expected to increase significantly until 2035, after which there will be only a
slight growth.
8. Following a sharp increase until 2035, the rate of Japan’s car manufacture is expected to fall,
albeit marginally. – ‘when’
The rate of Japan’s car manufacture is expected to increase sharply until 2035 when it will fall,
albeit marginally.
‘Albeit [conjunction]’ is used to reduce the force or importance of something just stated. Its meaning
is quite similar to ‘but’ in this sense.
--
See an analysis about relative clauses here.

Comparisons : Comprehension
Fast food consumption by US
teenagers in Belle High School.
The sentences 1-6 contain one
120
n u m b er
error. Correct the sentences. One
100
has been done for you.
80
Pizza
60
p er
Fish and chips
40 Hamburgers
year
20
0
1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
1. Overall, whereas the highest amount of consumption over the studied period was of hamburgers
and the lowest was of pizza.
… was of hamburgers, and the lowest was of pizza. – add a comma and remove ‘and’
2. The consumption of hamburgers and pizza rose over the period that of fish and chips fell.
3. Although fish and chips’ figure recovered from its dip in 1980 to emerge in 1985 at about 95 it
then plummeted over the rest of the period to conclude with just under 40 in 2000.
4. In 1975, highest rate of consumption was that of fish and chips.
5. The least consumed type of fast food in 1975 pizza.
6. Considerably more fish and chip meals were eaten any other dish in 1975.

ANSWERS
Fast food consumption by US

teenagers in Belle High School.
120
n u m b er
100
80
Pizza
60
p er
Fish and chips

40 Hamburgers
year
20
0
1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
1. Overall, whereas the highest amount of consumption over the studied period was of hamburgers
and the lowest was of pizza.
Overall, whereas the highest amount of consumption over the studied period was of hamburgers,
and the lowest was of pizza. – add a comma and remove ‘and’
2. The consumption of hamburgers and pizza rose over the period that of fish and chips fell.
The consumption of hamburgers and pizza rose over the period, while that of fish and chips fell. –
add ‘while’ and a comma
3. Although fish and chips’ figure recovered from its dip in 1980 to emerge in 1985 at about 95 it
then plummeted over the rest of the period to conclude with just under 40 in 2000.
Although fish and chips’ figure recovered from its dip in 1980 to emerge in 1985 at about 95, it then
plummeted over the rest of the period to conclude with just under 40 in 2000. – add a comma
4. In 1975, highest rate of consumption was that of fish and chips.

In 1975, the highest rate of consumption was that of fish and chips.
5. The least consumed type of fast food in 1975 pizza.

The least consumed type of fast food in 1975 was pizza.
6. Considerably more fish and chip meals were eaten any other dish in 1975.
Considerably more fish and chip meals were eaten than any other dish in 1975.

Comparisons : Production
Make 6 sentences to describe the data 2025
from the chart using the language

given. One has been done for you. 2030 USA
Japan
UK
2035
China
1. While (beginning)
While China’s figure is predicted to drop,
2040
all the other countries’ will rise.
0 1 2 3 4
per million cars
2. Highest
3. Lowest
4. Whereas (middle)
5. Fewest
6. Lower

POSSIBLE ANSWERS
1. While (beginning)
While China’s figure is predicted to drop,
all the other countries’ will rise. 2025
2. Highest 2030 USA

The highest number of cars to be Japan
manufactured is estimated to be in Japan UK

2035
China
in 2035.
If you describe a car as ‘to be
2040
manufactured’, e.g. ‘this car is to be
manufactured’, then it is referring to the 0 1 2 3 4
future, i.e. ‘this car will be manufactured.’ per million cars
3. Lowest
China’s car manufacturing is predicted to reach its lowest point in 2040.
4. Whereas (middle)
It is expected that Japan’s number of manufactured cars will increase considerably over the time
period, whereas China’s will decrease.
5. Fewest
The US is forecast to construct the fewest cars in 2025.
6. Lower
The number of cars to be produced in the USA in 2025 is predicted to be only slightly lower than
that in the UK.
--
See an analysis about comparisons here.

Present participle, appositives and
number of hospital admissions
brackets : Comprehension
25
millions of patients
20
The sentences 1-6 contain one error. N&N
15 Kings
Correct the sentences. One has been
10 St Patrick's
done for you.
5
0
1980 1990 2000 2010
1. The chart covers a 30 year period (and it covers 1980 to 2010).

The chart covers a 30 year period (from 1980 to 2010).
2. Kings’ lowest number of patients was in 2010, it was with a little over 15 million.
3. St Patrick’s hospital admissions rose significantly over the period, gain roughly an additional 7
million patients by 2010 from its initial 5 million.
4. Kings’ hospital demonstrated a declining trend with regard to patient admissions finishing with
slightly over 15 million patients.
5. Turning first to Kings hospital received its highest number of patients in 1980.
6. The N&N hospital’s admissions fluctuated slightly throughout the period shown between
approximately (12 million and 16 million patients).

ANSWERS
number of hospital admissions
25
millions of patients
20 N&N
15 Kings
10 St Patrick's
0
1980 1990 2000 2010
1. The chart covers a 30 year period (and it covers 1980 to 2010).

The chart covers a 30 year period (from 1980 to 2010).
2. Kings’ lowest number of patients was in 2010, it was with a little over 15 million.
Kings’ lowest number of patients was in 2010, it was with a little over 15 million. – remove ‘it was’
and add a comma.
3. St Patrick’s hospital admissions rose significantly over the period, gain roughly an additional 7
million patients by 2010 from its initial 5 million.
St Patrick’s hospital admissions rose significantly over the period, gaining roughly 7 million
patients by 2010 from its initial 5 million.
4. Kings’ hospital demonstrated a declining trend with regard to patient admissions finishing with
slightly over 15 million patients.
Kings’ hospital demonstrated a declining trend with regard to patient admissions, finishing with
slightly over 15 million patients. – add a comma
5. Turning first to Kings hospital received its highest number of patients in 1980.
Turning first to Kings hospital, this received its highest number of patients in 1980. – a comma and
‘this’ are needed here.
6. The N&N hospital’s admissions fluctuated slightly throughout the period shown between
approximately (12 million and 16 million patients).
The N&N hospital’s admissions fluctuated slightly throughout the period shown (between
approximately 12 million and 16 million patients).

Present participle, appositives and
Number of students attending Norfolk
brackets : Production University
1200
Make 6 sentences to describe the data in 1000

the chart using the language given. One 800
has been done for you. Maths
600
Science
400 English
200
0
1980 1990 2000 2010
1. (from 1980 to 2010)

The chart shows how many students attended Norfolk University according to three core subjects
over a 30 year time period (from 1980 to 2010).
2. (1000 students)
3. , with about 700.
4. , leading to …
5. , finishing with …
6. Regarding the number of Science students, …

POSSIBLE ANSWERS
Number of students attending Norfolk

University
1200
1000
800
Maths
600
Science
400 English
200
0
1980 1990 2000 2010
1. (from 1980 to 2010)

The chart shows how many students attended Norfolk University according to three core subjects
over a 30 year time period (from 1980 to 2010).
2. (1000 students)
The number of people who studied English reached its highest point in 2010 (1000 students).
3. , with about 700.

The number of Maths students peaked in 1990, with about 700.
4. , leading to…
Maths’ figure plummeted after 1990, leading to approximately 300 in 2000.
5. , finishing with …
The number of students taking Maths declined sharply after its peak in 1990, finishing with 200
students by the end of the period.
6. Regarding the number of Science students, …

Regarding the number of Science students, this showed only a mild fluctuation of between roughly
700 and 800.
See an analysis about the present participle here, appositives here and brackets here.

7. Trend graph writing practice
Write an answer for the Writing Task 1 question below. Use the language toolkit and the
rest of this worksheet. After you’ve written your answer, compare it with my own on the
next page. Review the vocabulary list and grammar analysis sections to help.
“The graph below gives information from a 2008 report about consumption of energy in the
USA since 1980 with projections until 2030.”
Source : https://www.ieltsadvantage.com
Language toolkit
Vocabulary Grammar
Renewable / non-renewable energy Relative clauses : that / which / where
Power sources Appositives
Produce / production / consume Participle clauses
Prediction / predicted Comparisons : while / although / whereas
Forecast / forecasted Prepositions : by / in / on / at / to
Projection / projected Verb + adverb / adjective + noun
Plateau / stable / level out Past simple / perfect ; future simple / perfect
Fluctuation / fluctuate Estimation / estimated / Expectation / expected

Trajectory Respectively ; the former … the latter …

The graph below gives information from a 2008 report about consumption of energy in the
USA since 1980 with projections until 2030.

Model answer
*Useful vocabulary
*Useful grammar
The graph below gives information from a 2008 report about consumption of energy in the
USA since 1980 with projections until 2030.
The graph illustrates how much energy was used in America from 1980 to 2008 as well as
predictions into 2030.
Overall, it can be seen that the usage of all types of energy rose over the period and are expected
to continue doing so, with the exception of hydropower’s which will not demonstrate any significant
change. Furthermore, the most consumed energy by far was, and is predicted to remain, petrol
and oil, while the least were, and are forecast to be, the renewable energies.
Turning first to the combustible fuels, petrol and oil’s figure started at 35 quadrillion and is
expected to conclude with 50 quadrillion. Interestingly, coal and natural gas’ rates generally
followed the same trajectory from 1980 to 2015, varying between approximately 16 quadrillion and
25 quadrillion units. Following this, however, they are projected to diverge with the former
increasing to slightly over 30 quadrillion and the latter plateauing with 25 quadrillion.

Regarding the other energies’ figures, whereas the renewable ones’ fluctuated from 1980 to 2010
between approximately 3 quadrillion and 5 quadrillion, nuclear’s grew, starting with roughly 3
quadrillion and finishing with around 7 quadrillion. It is predicted that all of these numbers will
remain relatively stable until 2025 when nuclear and solar and wind’s will begin to climb again.
213 words
Comments
In my opinion, the most difficult part of describing this chart is the timeline. Generally
speaking, the best way to handle charts that look at the past and future is to describe the
past set of data in one paragraph, then the future set of data in another paragraph. With this
question, I decided not to do this as there are not many significant events in either time.
Instead, I decided to focus on the top three energies in one paragraph first, then the
remaining energies in the last paragraph.
Whichever way you choose to organise the paragraphs, generally try to describe data in
one time frame only per sentence. By this I mean, avoid mixing verb tenses in the same
sentence, such as describing one aspect in the past and another aspect in the future.
Though it is possible to do this, as you can see in my overview paragraph, it usually makes
the writing quite clunky and awkward. Achieving this well is very difficult, even for native
English speakers, and you will notice that for the majority of my writing, I am careful to use
only one verb tense in each sentence.
--
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What is the aim of the worksheet package?

What is the aim of the worksheet package?

What are the main components included in the package?

What are the main components included in the package?

IELTS Writing Task 1 Academic model answer

How to use the worksheets………………………………………………………………………………7

The IELTS Teacher Copyright © 2020 Sam Varley Page 1

I’m a British English teacher from Norwich in South East

For over a year, I have been managing the writing

 Fully trained in grading IELTS tests and

teaching IELTS lessons by examiners.

What is the aim of this worksheet package?

The IELTS Teacher Copyright © 2020 Sam Varley Page 2

General grammar information.pdf

Model answer worksheets

Garlsdon supermarket site (map) – WT1 worksheet.pdf

Reasons for study (multiple charts) – WT1 worksheet.pdf

CO2 emissions (trend) – WT1 worksheet.pdf

Underground railways (comparative) – WT1 worksheet.pdf

Concrete production (process) – WT1 worksheet.pdf

The IELTS Teacher Copyright © 2020 Sam Varley Page 3

Model answer worksheets

The IELTS Teacher Copyright © 2020 Sam Varley Page 4

The IELTS Teacher Copyright © 2020 Sam Varley Page 5

The IELTS Teacher Copyright © 2020 Sam Varley Page 6

Vocabulary & Grammar exercises

The IELTS Teacher Copyright © 2020 Sam Varley Page 7

Longman dictionary : https://www.ldoceonline.com/

Lexico dictionary : https://www.lexico.com/en

Online collocation dictionary : http://www.freecollocation.com/

Ludwig.guru website : https://ludwig.guru/

English stack exchange website : https://english.stackexchange.com/

The IELTS Teacher Copyright © 2020 Sam Varley Page 8

1. General comments ....................................................................................................................... 3

2. Model answer ............................................................................................................................... 4

3. Vocabulary list .............................................................................................................................. 5

4. Vocabulary exercises ................................................................................................................. 12

5. Grammar analysis ...................................................................................................................... 18

6. Grammar exercises .................................................................................................................... 28

7. Trend graph writing practice ....................................................................................................... 52

The IELTS Teacher Copyright © 2020 Sam Varley Page 1

C n = countable noun ; U n = uncountable noun ; n = noun

The IELTS Teacher Copyright © 2020 Sam Varley Page 2

The IELTS Teacher Copyright © 2020 Sam Varley Page 3

The IELTS Teacher Copyright © 2020 Sam Varley Page 4

Word or phrase Paraphrases and graphics Comments and common errors

Graph [C n] Chart ‘Graphs’ and ‘charts’ are exactly the

Shows [v] Depicts / illustrates / Do not use ‘compares’ with trend

Emissions [C n] To emit [v] Take care not to use some of these

The IELTS Teacher Copyright © 2020 Sam Varley Page 5

The United The UK A common error is to not include

Sweden, Italy Three other European counties.

Between 1967 From 1967 to 2007

Per capita Per person / from every person / individual

The IELTS Teacher Copyright © 2020 Sam Varley Page 6

Over a 40-year Over a 40-year period Notice the subtle differences in

The IELTS Teacher Copyright © 2020 Sam Varley Page 7

The amount of Sweden’s production / Take care to always refer to what

Peaked [v] A peak [n] A common error is to think that a