Foundation - IELTS Writing task 1 - Revision

I.
Approaching an IELTS Task 1 with graphs or charts:

For an IELTS Task 1 with a given graph or chart, you can use the following guiding questions to
analyze the question carefully and plan an outline for your report.
1. Look at the title of the graph and read the given information in the question to identify what the
graph/chart is about.
2. Use the labels, axes and legends in the graph to fully understand the data being presented:
a. For line graph and bar chart, look at the vertical and horizontal axes to identify the units and
timeline; then look at the legend to identify the name of each category.
b. For pie charts, look at the labels for each pie, and then look at the legend to identify the
name of each category.
c. For the table, look at the row and column titles to understand the categories being presented.
3. Observe the graph or table to identify the main features:
a. If the graph/table reflects changes of over time (trends), identify whether each category
shows an upward or a downward trend, and whether the changes happen to a large or small
extent.
b. Look for the data which is the greatest and the smallest in the set.
c. Look for any outstanding peak (the high points) or trough (the low points).
d. Look out for any unexpected turns of events (for e.g. a graph which started at the bottom
then rose gradually to reach the top level, surpassing other sets of data).
4. Plan by grouping data into paragraphs and sequencing the order of description before you write
your report.
PRACTICE
GRAPH A
The bar chart below shows the net worth of the UK from 2000 to 2010 according to three different
sectors.
a. What does the bar chart show?

b. What is the timeline of the data reflected?
c. What is the unit of the data?
d. What does the figure -1000 on the vertical axis mean?
e. Which sector(s) showed increasing net worth over time from 2000 to 2010?
f. Which sector(s) showed negative growth in net worth in the period of 2000-2010?
g. What trend did the net worth of the UK government sector show in the period of 2000-2010?
h. Which were the highest net worth sectors in the UK in 2000-2010? Which were the lowest?
GRAPH B
The first chart below shows how energy is used in an average Australian household. The second chart
shows the greenhouse gas emissions which result from this energy use.
a. What do the pie charts show?

b. Which activity consumed the greatest amount of energy in Australian households? Which one
consumed the least?
c. Which activity generated the largest amount of greenhouse gases? Which one generated the least?
d. Are there any similarities or differences you can observe from the two pie charts?
e. What does the number “42%” mean in the first pie? What does the number “3%” mean in the second
pie?
II. Structuring an IELTS Task 1 report and describing graphs with trends:
A. Sample Graph 1 - Line graph:
WRITING SKILL 1: REWORDING THE INTRODUCTION
Fill in the blanks with the suitable words to express correctly the data in the above chart.
1. The line graph depicts the..........................ofparticipants in various outdoor sports from

1975 to the present day.
2. The line chart illustrates the..................................of participation in various outdoor
activities since 1975.
3. The line chart provides data on how..............................four types of outdoor sports (be)
among young people.
4. The line graph illustrates the.........................................of young people participating in
outdoor sports from 1975 to the present day.
Vocabulary for the Introduction Part:
Starting Presentation Type Verb Description
The given / The diagram / table / shows / represents / the comparison of....
supplied / The figure / illustration / depicts / illustrates / the differences ....
presented / The graph /figure / chart / presents/ gives / the number of ....
showed / The flow chart /picture/ provides / describes / the amount of...
provided presentation/pie chart compares/ shows / the proportion of..
/ bar graph/ line figures / gives data on the percentage of..
graph / table data/ / gives information how much..
data / information on/presents how many..
information about/
shows data about
WRITING SKILL 2: WRITING AN OVERVIEW
In paragraph 2 of your Task 1 answer, you need to write a general overview of the main trends and most
important information in the graph. Don’t write any numbers or percentages in this paragraph.
After you have described the general trends, if you have time, you can select another interesting idea
from the graph to write in the overview.
1. What was the general trend for the earnings of the three bakeries?
2. Which were the most popular bakeries in 2000 and in 2010?
3. Is there anything else you could talk about in the overview?
Read this overview and find synonyms for the phrases below.
Overall, what stands out from the graph is that there were considerable upward trends in the
income of both Bernie’s Buns and Robbie’s Bakery, while the earnings of Lovely Loaves saw a
substantial fall over the period in question.
1 in general
2 it can be seen that
3 the income of Bernie’s Buns and Robbie’s Bakery rose
4 whereas
5 the income of Lovely Loaves went down significantly
6 the time period covered by the graph
Vocabulary for the Overview:
Signaling words/phrases to indicate that Conjunctions to link clauses or
Cohesive device you are summarizing the main features sentences
Overall. what stands out from the graph/chart is while
that...
In general, whereas
it is clear from the chart that...
Generally, Additionally,
it can be observed that...
From an overall In/by contrast,
perspective, the most prominent trend/feature to emerge with the exception of
from the graph is.
A glance at the chart
reveals that the most striking feature is....
To write an effective overview, analyze the data in the graph carefully and answer these questions:
1. Which outdoor sport was the most/ the least popular in 1975?
2. Which outdoor sport(s) saw a downward trend in their participation rate over time?
3. Which outdoor sport(s) saw an upward trend in their participation rate over time?
Write an overview for Sample line graph 1 above.

WRITING SKILL 3: PLANNING A REPORT
Discuss with a partner how you can logically group the data in the Sample Line Graph 1 to achieve
coherence and progression in your report.
Exercise 1: Combine the sentences using participle clauses to create longer, more complex
sentences.
1. The number of tourists increased by 15% between 2010 and 2015. They were attracted by the
city's newly renovated historical sites.
2. The company's profits rose by 25% in 2020. This occurred after they introduced their eco-
friendly product line.
3. The temperature dropped by 10°C overnight. This caused the water pipes to freeze.
4. The population of the city grew by 8% in 2021. Many people were migrating from neighboring
rural areas.
5. The sales figures showed a 20% rise in the second quarter. They were released in a detailed
report.
6. The factory’s production capacity increased by 30% in 2019. It had been operating below
capacity for years.
7. The rainfall exceeded 200 mm in March. This caused severe flooding in the southern provinces.
8. The government introduced new environmental regulations in 2022. These were aimed at
reducing CO2 emissions by 15%.
9. The students scored 85% on average in their final exams. They had been preparing intensively
during the last two months.
10. House prices increased by 12% in 2023. This made it difficult for first-time buyers to afford
homes.
Exercise 2: Rewrite the following sentences using the structure provided at the beginning of each
question.
1. (As / Whereas/ While X verb, Y verb)
In 2015, the number of tourists visiting France reached 83 million. Spain attracted 68 million
visitors during the same period.
2. (Clause, followed by + Noun Phrase)

The birth rate in Japan declined by 5% between 2010 and 2015. Shortly after, Japan’s population
structure changed dramatically.
3. (Clause, prior to/before Verb-ing)

The company’s profits fell sharply in 2020. A few months later, they decided to launch a new
product line.
4. (Clause, after Verb-ing)

The employment rate in Germany increased by 3% in 2019. Later, the government implemented
a series of job creation programs.
5. (In comparison to/with X, which verb, Y verb)

The amount of renewable energy produced in Canada rose to 45% of total energy output in
2020. The United States managed only 30%.
6. (X verb, Verb-ing, which verb)

The number of people using public transport in London doubled in 2022. As a result, the traffic
congestion in the city was reduced dramatically.
7. (As / Whereas/ While X verb, Y verb)

In 2020, online retail sales in the UK grew by 25%. However, the US market saw a much lower
growth rate of just 15%.
8. (Clause, followed by + Noun Phrase)
India’s GDP grew by 7% in 2018. Soon afterward, there was a period of economic stability in
the country.
9. (Clause, prior to/before Verb-ing)

The cost of fuel dropped by 10% in 2019. Soon after, oil prices began to rise again.
10. (Clause, after Verb-ing)

The number of students enrolling in universities increased by 20% in 2021. This was the result
of a government initiative to expand access to higher education.

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I.

Approaching an IELTS Task 1 with graphs or charts:

a. What does the bar chart show?

a. What do the pie charts show?

WRITING SKILL 1: REWORDING THE INTRODUCTION

1. The line graph depicts the..........................ofparticipants in various outdoor sports from

Starting Presentation Type Verb Description

Write an overview for Sample line graph 1 above.

2. (Clause, followed by + Noun Phrase)

3. (Clause, prior to/before Verb-ing)

4. (Clause, after Verb-ing)

5. (In comparison to/with X, which verb, Y verb)

6. (X verb, Verb-ing, which verb)

7. (As / Whereas/ While X verb, Y verb)

9. (Clause, prior to/before Verb-ing)

10. (Clause, after Verb-ing)

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