E.

WRITING
Exercise 1. When a graph or chart appears in IELTS Writing Task 1, it will
either compare data at the same point in time or show trends over a period of time.
A trend is a general development or a change in a situation.
Look at the graphs and charts. Then choose the correct descriptions.

1 Tourist in Mexico

300000

250000

200000

150000

100000

50000

0
Melia Las Hadas Flesta Fairmont Puerto
Cabo Mazanillo Americana Acapulco Vallarta

○ This chart compares the number of visions to five different holiday destinations in Mexico
at the same point in time.
○ This chart shows the number of visitors to five different holiday destinations in Mexico
over a period of time.
2 The populations of five different cities
25000000

20000000

Tehran, Iran
15000000
New York City, USA
Beijing, China
10000000 Moscow, Russia
Lagos, Nigeria
5000000

0
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Now

○This graph compares the populations of five differrent cities in the world at the same time.
○ This graph compares the populations of fives differrent cities in the world over a period of
time.

3 Animals in the Maasai Mara

22%
Big cats
Zebra
42%
Elephants
5%
Rhino
Birds
13%

18%

○This chart shows the numbers of different types of animal in the Maasai Mara National
Reserve in Kenya at the same point in time.

○This chart shows the numbers of different ypes of animal in the Maasai National Reserve in
Kenya over the period of time.
4 The age of the population of Ireland between 1985 and 2010

50%
45%
40%
35%
30% 65 and over
55-64
25%
25-24
20% 15-24
15% 0-14

10%
5%
0%
1980 1990 2000 2010

○This chart compares the ages of the population of Ireland at the same point in time.
○This chart compares the ages of the population of Ireland over a period of time.
Exercise 2. Look at the graph. Then choose the correct answers to complete the
statements.

The population of five different cities

25000000

20000000

Tehran, Iran
15000000
New York City, USA
Beijing, China
10000000 Moscow, Russia
Lagos, Nigeria
5000000

0
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Now

1. The population of Lagos increased by just under 4 million between 1970 and 1980.
/decreased by just over 8 million between 1970 and 1980. /stayed about the same
 between 1970 and 1980.

2. The population of New York City increased by just over 2 million between 1970 and
1980. /decreased by about 1 million between 1970 and 1980./ stayed about the same
between 1970 and 1980.

3. The population of Moscow increased by about 2 million between 1990 and 2000.
/decreased by about 2 million between 1990 and 2000. /stayed about the same
between 1990 and 2000.

4. The population of New York City increased by about 6 million between 1990 and
2010./ decreased by about 2 million between 1990 and 2010. /stayed about the same
between 1990 and 2010.

5. The population of Tehran has increased by about 5 million between 1970 and now./
has decreased by about 2 million between 1970 and now. /has stayed about the same
between 1970 and now.

Exercise 3. Look at the graph again. Choose the correct verb forms to complete the
sentences.
1. The population of Moscow increased/has increased by about 2 million between 1990
and 2000.
2. The population of Tehran increased/has increased by approximately 5 million
between 1970 and the present time.
3. Between 1975 and 1980 the number of people living in Lagos rose/has risen by nearly
3 million.
4. The population of Beijing at the present time is/has been about 22 million.

Exercise 4. Put the words in the correct columns to complete the table.

drop decrease stay the same fall rise increase

grown remain

go up go down no change

Exercise 5. Look at the graph again and read the student’s report. Then complete the
report with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
The line graph compares the number of people living in five cities in the world between 1970
and the present.
On the whole, the population of these cities __has grown__________ (grow) a lot since 1970.
The number of residents in Lagos and Beijing _____has risen_______ (rise) the most, while
the number in Moscow and Tehran _has increased___________ (increase) too.
In Lagos, the number of residents ___rose_________ (rise) from about 1 million in 1970 to 2
million 1975, but since then the population _____has grown_______ (grow) quickly from 2
million in 1975 to 18 million at the present time. Similarly, the number of people living in
Beijing also ____increased________ (increase) from 8 million in 1970 to just under 20
million in 2010.

By contrast, the population of New York City ___has stayed_________ (stay) the same since
1970. During the 1970s it fell (fall) from 8 million to about 6.5 million. The number of
residents then ____remained________ (remain) at about 7.5 million between 2000 and 2010,
and since then it __has grown __________ (grow) slowly to around 8 million people at the
present time.

Exercise 6. Choose the correct prepositions to complete the student’s report.

The age of the population of Ireland between 1980 and 2010
50%
45%
40%
35%
30% 65 and over
55-64
25%
25-24
20% 15-24
15% 0-14

10%
5%
0%
1980 1990 2000 2010

The bar chart compares the different ages of people living in Ireland between 1980 and 2010.
All in all, the size of the 25–54 age group increased the most about/over the period while the
size of the two younger age groups decreased a little bit. The number of people in/to the two
older age groups stayed about the same.
The 25–54 age group grew from/over approximately a third of the population in 1980 to
nearly half of the population in 2010. By contrast, the 0–14 age group fell from/in just over
25% in 1980 from/to just under 20% in 2010. Similarly, the 15–24 age group dropped from
just over 20% of the population in 1980 to just over/under 10% of the population in 2010.

The older two age groups did not increase or decrease much. The size of the 65 and over age
group remained at/in about 12%, whereas the size of the 55–64 age group only fell
from/under about 12% at/to about 10% of the population.
Exercise 7. Read the information. Then look at the graph. Put the paragraphs in the
correct order to complete the report.

The report should have:

 An introduction that includes 2 or 3 main features of the chart.
 Two paragraphs that provide details of the main features mentioned in the introduction.
(The main features are the most important pieces of information on the chart.)

The age of the population of Ireland between 1980 and 2010

50%
45%
40%
35%
30% 65 and over
55-64
25%
25-24
20% 15-24
15% 0-14

10%
5%
0%
1980 1990 2000 2010
The bar chart compares the different ages of people living in Ireland between 1980 and 2010.

The 25-54 age group grew from approximately a third of the population in 1980 to nearly half
of the population in 2010.

The older two age groups did not increase or decrease much. The size of the 65 and over age
group remained at bout 12%, whereas the size of the 55- 64 age group only fell from about
12% to about 10% of the population.
By contrast, the 0-14 age group fell from just over 25% in 1980 to just under 20% in 2010.
Similarly, the 15-24 age group dropped from just over 20% of the population in 1980 to just
under 10% of the population in 2010.

All in all, the size of the 25-54 age group increased the most over the period while the size of
the two younger age groups decreased a little bit. The number of people in two older age
groups stayed about the same.

Exercise 8. Look at the line graph. Then complete the statements with the phrases in the
box.

Museum visitors

10000

8000

6000 Hermitage
Egyptian Museum
Tokyo National Museum
4000 National Museum of An-
thropology

2000

0
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015

between 1980 and 1985.

each had more than 9 million visitors in 2015.

from just over 4 million in 1980 to around 2 million in 2015.

 from just under 4 million in 1980 to just over 3 million in 2000.

from just under 5 million in 1980 to around 9 million in 2015.

over the thirty-five year period.

with between approximately 8 and 9 million visitors each year.

with no more than 4 million visitors each year.

1. The Egyptian Museum was the most popular.

with between approximately 8 and 9 million visitors each year.
2. the number of visitors to the Hermitage stayed about the same
over the thirty-five year period.

3. The Egyptian Museum and the Tokyo National Museum

each had more than 9 million visitors in 2015.
4. The number of visitors to Hermitage fell
from just under 4 million in 1980 to just over 3 million in 2000.
5. The number of visitors to the National Museum of Anthropology stayed the same
between 1980 and 1985.
6. The number of visitors to the Tokyo National Museum increased
from just under 5 million in 1980 to around 9 million in 2015.
7. The least popular were the Hermitage and the National Museum of Anthropology,
with no more than 4 million visitors each year.
8. The visitors to the National Museum of Anthropology decreased slowly
from just over 4 million in 1980 to around 2 million in 2015.

Exercise 9. WRITING TASK 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The graph shows the number of visitors to four international museums between 1980 and 2015.
Summarise the graph by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where
relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
Museum visitors
 10000

8000

6000 Hermitage
Egyptian Museum
Tokyo National Museum
4000 National Museum of An-
thropology

2000

0
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
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