WRITING

TASK 1

Ho Chi Minh City, April 2020.

CONTENTS
I Overview

II
How to write IELTS
Writing task 1
III Common Mistakes

IV Summary
 Writing
Task 1

IELTS Academic General Training

Module Module
write a 150-word essay write a 150-word letter
describe a graph, table
or diagram…
Task Achievement
Coherence and
(TA)
The
Cohesion (CC)
evaluation
criteria

Lexical Resource Grammatical Range

(LR) and Accuracy (GRA)
Types of charts
 Diagram with a time
periods
 Diagram with no time
periods
 Processes
 Cycles
 Flow charts
 Objects
 Maps
 Writing task 1 essay
structure
- Introduction
- Overview
sentence

BODY
- Body Paragraph
1
- Body Paragraph
2
HOW TO WRITE FOR
WRITING TASK 1

Introduction, Overview

The Body
How to write an
introduction
writing task 1?
 INTRODUCTION
Paraphrase the
question
Paraphrase the main ideas by
choosing:
 change structure
 use synonyms
 use relative clause
The structure of the Introduction
statement
The + Type of chart + Verb +
Description +
Paraphrase
Ex: The graph ofthe
below shows the content
proportion of the
population aged 65 and over between 1940 and
2040 in three different countries.
Introduction: The line graph compares the
percentage of people who are 65 or more years
old in the USA, Sweden and Japan from 1940
to 2040.
 Use synonyms
(replace nouns, verbs with
synonyms)
Ex: The pie charts show the main reasons for
migration to and from UK in 2007
 Identify synonyms and phrases as follows:
• Show = illustrate, compare.
• The main reason = the primary reasons,
the primary causes.
• Migration to and from the UK = people came
and left the UK.
• In 2007 = in the year 2007
 Replace the synonyms in the correct position you get the
new sentence for the Introduction section as follows:
The pie charts illustrate the primary reasons that
people came to and left the UK in the year 2007
 Type of chart Verb Description
diagram shows The comparison of…
table represents The differences.
figure contains The number of…
illustration illustrates Information on…
graph presents Data on…
flow chart gives The proportion of….
picture provides The amount of….
presentation describes Information on…
pie chart compares
bar graph figures
line graph gives data on
table data gives information on
information presents information about
shows data about
Change the word form/ Sentence
structure
 Change the word  Change the word
form: form:
Active  Passive Passive  Active
Ex: The chart shows the Ex: The chart below shows
number of mobile phones the amount of leisure time
and landlines per 100 enjoyed by men and
people in selected women of different
employment status.
countries.
-> The chart below shows
-> The graph is
the amount of leisure time
illustrated with the
men and women of
number of mobile phones
Change the word form/ Sentence
structure
• The proportion of/ the number of/ the quantities of
= “what proportion of + noun”/ “what number of +
noun”
• The chart/ graph… shows/ illustrates/ compare...in
terms of…
• The chart/ graph… shows/ illustrates/ compare how to
+V
• The chart/ graph… shows/ illustrates/ compare how S
+V
Change the word form/ Sentence
structure
Ex: The chart indicates the percentage of the world’s
oil resources is held.
=> The chart indicates what percentage of the world’s
oil resources is held.

(The proportion of/ the number of/ the quantities of =

“what proportion of + Noun”/ “what number of + Noun”).
Use relative clauses

 Who
 Whom
 Which
 Whose
 That
Ex: The line graph below gives information on
cinema attendance in the UK.
The given line graph illustrates information on the
percentage of people who went to the movies in
the United Kingdom between 1990 and 2010.
(Relative clause)
 How to write a
overview
writing task 1?

How to write a clear, coherent and

relevant overview?

The overview is a very important part of your task 1 report.

Overview is briefly describing the general ideas or a brief
summary of parameters/ information in tables and charts.
 • Contain a look at the main trend,

Should differences or stage

• Only mention 2 or 3 of the most
important information in the chart

• Not contain any specific figures

Should
not
How to write an overview writing
task 1?
 Identify  Decide how to
trends, express key
major information
changes or After identifying the
steps main characteristics in
the panorama, the
Usually in each
next step is to identify
overview section
the information
you need to related to these key
give 1 or 2 key characteristics and the
features of the presentation:
chart. What are grammar,
 How to select the features?
 What does the data
do from the start to
 What are the the finish?
highest/lowest values?  Do they generally go
 What are the most up or down or do
they fluctuate?
noticeable difference?
 Any significant
 Any similarities?
difference from the
 Any significant general trend?
exceptions?  Overall
increase/decrease?
 Peaks/lows?
Vocabulary
Grammar & Sentence structure
Diagram with time
period
The line graph
compares the fast
food consumption of
teenagers in Australia
between 1975 and
2000, a period of 25
years. Overall, the
consumption of fish
and chips declined
over the period,
whereas the amount
of pizza and
 Writing task 1 essay
structure
- Introduction
- Overview
sentence

BODY
- Body Paragraph
1
- Body Paragraph
2
 Types of charts
Popular

− Diagram with a time periods

− Diagram with no time periods
Diagram with a Diagram with no
− Processes
time periods time periods
− Cycles
− Flow charts Type of
− Objects Charts
− Maps Processes
Objects
Cycles
Maps
Flow charts

Less common
 1. A P S
S - M
EC T
O B J
 IELTS
WRITING
TASK 1
DESCRIBING
OBJECT
 OBJECT
An object A Printer
An Air Conditioner

Several objects
Aucoustic guitar and Electric guitar Effiel tower and Petronas tower

Living object(s)
The Solar system

Non-living object(s)
A Bicycle
Topic
sentenc
Body:
e
Overview
+
describin
g object’s
 Color, Size, Shape Find the most logical
place.
Make sure you understand
Design, Function
the object.
DESCRIBING What it is made of
OBJECT Not mention the reasons, just
How it works a description.

How it is used No personal

opinion.
 USEFUL LANGUAGE

 It is (roughly/sort of) square, rectangular,

round/circular,…(in shape)
 It is … (colour /texture)

 It is made of … (material)

 You use it for .. + (-ing)

 It is flattish, squarish, …; silvery, silky,…

 IELTS
WRITING
TASK 1
DESCRIBING
MAP
DESCRIBING

MAPUses a picture model to illustrate a geographic

location.

There are 2 types of maps that you might see.

• The first type of map provides several possible construction sites for
something like a new building (supermartket/school), motorway or
airport.
• The second one shows the changes that have occurred, over a period
of time, to a specific place or area, The introduction can include the
time period and a general statement.
Type 1
New
convenience
store?
1.Location S1

2.Advantages
and
Disadvantage
S2
s
Type 1
Writing about the advantages and
disadvantages.
How many different of synonyms can you
think
The kind of?
Advantages
of advantagesDisadvatages
and disadvantages that you
Benefit Drawback
might be able to write about are usually related to
Pros Cons
theSuperior
following factors: Restriction
Environmental
Dominant Financial
Obstacle Pollution - noise,
Assetair, land
water, Inferior
Postive
Health andaspect Negative aspect
Safety Social Convenience
Inconvennience Time Ecological
Type 2 A B

Map analysis 1
1

The changes
of the map.

3
 Directions: North, South, East,

Describing Object West, Northeast, Southeast,

Preposition: in the center, in the
Northwest, Southwest.
corner, on the left/ right, in front of,
behind, next to,
Extension:
and...,
opposite,
enlarge between…
(enlargement),
expandamong, across, on the bank of

(Vocabulary)
(expansion), extend
the river, onworks:
Destroyed
(extension) the topCut
of...,down,
on the coast
sea,…
demolish (demolition), knock down,
New works:
pull down, build (building),
remove, flat
construct (construction), erect
Replaced works: convert, make into, redevelop, replace (replacement), turn into
(erection), introduce
(introduction), develop
General changes: industrialize (industrialization), modernize (modernization), transform (transformation), urbanize (urbanization).

(development)
Type 2 Vocabulary to describe changes:
Type 2

PRACTICE
 Useful sentence
structures for More specific
describing maps Structures
• S + V (describe the changes) • Another striking change is…
• Time + witness/ experience/ • A notable change has been…
show + N (describe the • The whole city has
changes)
experienced a significant
• There + be + N of +
modernization…
something
• Direction + witness/ • An interesting development
experience/show + N has been…
(describe the changes) • There did not use to be…
• Use relative clauses • The last few years have seen
• Complex sentence
the construction of…
• Compound sentence
 2.
PR O C E SS –
CYCL E S – F LO W
CHARTS
 The different types of process question
Natural process Manufacturing process

A B
 The different types of process question
Natural process (cycle): a series of events, or phenomena,
that repeat themselves in the same order until completion. Once
completed, the end stage is identical to the first stage, and the same
series of events is then repeated in exactly the same order.

Water cycle Life cycle of a frog

 The different types of process question
Manufacturing process (man-made process): can be thought of
as a series of actions or changes. Or, put more simply, it shows you how
something is made or changed in some way.

Making ketchup Making chocolate

Flow charts

The flowchart illustrates

the production of
coloured plastic paper
clips in a small factory.
Write a report for a
university tutor
describing the production
process.
Write at least 150 words.
Steps to write the body process form

Write the body

Determine the Determine

number of the
steps
first
in the
andprocess
last step of a process
Determine the number of steps in the process

Making chocolate
Determine the first and last step of a process

Making chocolate
 Write the body

Try to understand how each stage connects to the

next, and describe clearly what happens

Use the simple present verb tense – passive form

Use time order phrases

Time Order Phrases

Next After this Secondly

Then Initially Finally

Subsequently At first Following this

Once this particular stage in the process has been completed

When this has been done

The diagram below shows how orange juice is produced. Write
at least 150 words
 The diagram shows the process in which orange juice is produced.
Overall, there are two different ways to produce orange juice, including
eighteen steps in total. The process starts at delivering fresh oranges and
ends at selling finished orange juice bottles.
Firstly, fresh oranges are picked and delivered by truck to factories
where they are washed and squeezed so as to extract juice. The waste
solid becomes food for animals while the juice is processed in two
different ways. The simpler one is that fresh juice is pasteurized and
packaged before being dispatched to shops.
The second way is to produce concentrate juice by shipping this juice in
a refrigerator truck to another factory for water to evaporate. The resulting
product is then canned and transported to a warehouse. At the final
stage, this concentrate juice is mixed with water in a factory and then
poured into bottles, ready for sale.
 3.
R A M S W I TH
DIA G
I M E - P E R IO D
A T
 DIAGRAMS WITH A TIME
PERIOD

Food consumption in the U.S. between 1980

Red meat
to 2000 Fruits
Poultry Vegetables
Year
(lbs) (lbs) (lbs) (lbs)
1980 126 41 270 337
1990 112 56 272 387
2000 113 67 279 425
STEPS TO A PERFECT BODY:

Identify time-related charts &

tables

Analyze & select the important

features

Write the body

 Identify time-related charts &
tables

Purpose of travel at a metropolitan

airport
Mar Jun Sep Dec
2002 2002 2002 2002
Busines
73% 29% 53% 34%
s
Holiday 18% 54% 31% 35%
Visiting
6% 13% 11% 26%
family
Others 3% 4% 5% 5%
Identify time-related charts &
tables

George

Brian

Paul
Analyze & select the important
features

Not meeting task

requirements
Describe
in
Not enough time
details

Repeating
vocabularies &
sentence structures
IELTS SCORE
 Analyze & select the important
features

The highest
ContinuedThe
fallpeak Important
Features:
- The extremes
- The overall
The
The constant
trough trends
- Comparison
(wherever
possible)
 Analyze & select the important
features

Purpose of travel at a metropolitan

airport
Mar 2002 Jun 2002 Sep 2002 Dec 2002
Business 73% 29% 53% 34%

Holiday 18% 54% 31% 35%

Visiting
6% 13% 11% 26%
family
Others 3% 4% 5% 5%
 Analyze & select the important
features
Purpose of travel at a metropolitan
airport
Mar 2002 Jun 2002 Sep 2002 Dec 2002
Business 73% 29% 53% 34%

Holiday 18% 54% 31% 35%

Visiting
6% 13% 11% 26%
family
Others 3% 4% 5% 5%

- The extremes - The overall trends -

 Write the
body

George The extremes:

Brian is the
Brian least favored
name in the
Paul 1920s with
very few
people opting
for this name.
 Write the
body

George
The extremes:
Brian The popularity
of Brian
reached a
Paul
peak of
19,000 in the
early 1970s.
 Write the
body
The trends:
George The name to
experience a
Continued fall Brian continued fall in
usage was
George,
Paul dropping from
just over 23,000
to a low of
approximately
1,500 names.
 Write the
body

The trends:
George
The rate of
Constant Brian parents using the
name Paul
remained
Paul constant at a
little over 12,000
throughout the
1950s.
 Write the
body

Comparison:
George
The name Brian
Brian was then
chosen more
than the
Paul other two
names by the
2000s.
 Write the
body
Comparison:
George The name
George dropped
Brian to a low of
1,500 boys, a
Paul position
shared with
Paul.
 Write the
body

A rise A fall
An increase A drop
Nouns A peak
A surge A decline
A growth A decrease
To rocket To reduce
To increase To dip To peak
Verbs
To surge To go down To top out
To grow To decrease
To hit a
Phrase To show an trough To reach a
s upward trend To hit the peak
lowest point
 Write the
body

A fluctuation
A period of
Nouns A variation A plateau
stability
An oscillation
To fluctuate
Verbs To vary To stabilize To plateau
To oscillate
To show To remain To reach a
Phrase some stable / plateau
s fluctuation / constant / To level off
variation steady To flatten out
 Write the
body
dramatic, sharp, significant, steep,
rapid, considerable, noticeable

moderate, gradual,
progressive
relative, steady,
constant
Slight, slow,
mild, gentle,
little
 Write the
body
The line chart compares and contrasts data on the
popularity of three boys' names over an 80-year period
measured in terms of their frequency per one million babies.
In general, the prominence of two of these names
decreased while that of the third rose from the early 20th
century to the start of the 21st.
Although Brian was the least favored name in the 1920s
with very few people opting for this name, it was then chosen
more than the other two names by the 2000s with 4,000 boys
per million. The only name to experience a continued fall in
usage was George, dropping from just over 23,000, the most
common name in the 1920s, to a low of approximately 1,500
names, a position shared with Paul. In addition, the rate of
parents using the name Paul remained constant at a little over
12,000 throughout the 1950s. One further point to note is that
 Write the
body
The line chart compares and contrasts data on the popularity
of three boys' names over an 80-year period measured in terms
of their frequency per one million babies.
In general, the prominence of two of these names decreased
while that of the third rose from the early 20th century to the
start of the 21st.
Although Brian was the least favored name in the 1920s with
very few people opting for this name, it was then chosen more
than the other two names by the 2000s with 4,000 boys per
million. The only name to experience a continued fall in usage
was George, dropping from just over 23,000, the most common
name in the 1920s, to a low of approximately 1,500 names, a
position shared with Paul. In addition, the rate of parents using
the name Paul remained constant at a little over 12,000
throughout the 1950s. One further point to note is that the
 4.
DIAGRAMS WITH
A NO TIME-
PERIOD
 Always fall Always rise

Numbers

Highest/Peak Same category

Compare
Constant

Lowest/ Trough
Year

Big increase Small increase

Source: Google
 Highest/Peak

Numbers

Lowest/ Trough

Compare

Source: IELTS the complete guide to task 1 Writing, Phil Biggerton

 Numbers
Try to use fractions as well as percentage whenever
possible.
Ex:
- 19 per cent of N20 is
found in the gas compound which
cause the “Greenhouse Effect”
- Almost one fifth of the gas
compound which cause the
“Greenhouse Effect” is N20
TIP: NEVER write 19 percentage
Source: IELTS the complete guide to task 1 Writing, Phil Biggerton
 Use estimation
• Usually combined with fractions:
- Slightly over/ slightly under
- A little more/ a little less
- Just over/ just under
- Approximately, exactly, precisely
Example:
Example:
- A little over/Just over three quarters of all the
- people
In the 1980s, approximately half of all purchases
(77%) stated that “Job Satisfaction” was
ofthe
watches
most were made factor
important by females
that (47%)
influenced their
performance at work
 Make comparison
• Highest/Lowest

Highest/Peak Lowest/ Trough

For
For example:
Find example:
the highest and lowest value among the given number, compare/ talk
Lowest:
Highest:
about them.This
Carbon
Youcontrasts
dioxide
should with
is the
spend the
twobiggest
category
contributor
consisting
sentences for thistopart.
ofenhancing
miscellaneous
One forthe
theeffect
gasesof
highest
which
global
and oneonly
warming
adds
for the with
1.43aand
lowest 2%
figure
to this,
of compare
then 72.369%
a difference of about 71%.
the difference in number.
 Rank the categories
Last but not least, you should rank the position among the
given categories.

1st 3rd 2nd 4th

 Model answer (~154 words)
The bar chart compares and contrasts data on the different
Paraphrase proportions of involvement in the greenhouse effect of four
categories of gases
Overview In general, carbon dioxide contributes to the green house effect far
more than the other gases
More specifically, carbon dioxide is the biggest contributor to
Highest
enhancing the effect of global warming with a figure of 72.369%.
Lowest This contrasts markedly with the category consisting of
miscellaneous gases which only adds 1.432% to this, a difference
Comparison about 71%. The second main contributor, although with much lower
figures than carbon dioxide, is nitrogen dioxide. This contributes to
Fractions + this issue by almost a fifth (19%) and is a share that is nearly three
Estimation times bigger than methane, the third most important category with
Ranking
figures of 7.199%. The main gas listed here (carbon dioxide) is a
Fractions + little over tenfold larger in its overall share than the third main gas
Estimation (methane) with figures of 72.369% and 7.199% respectively.
(again)
COMMON MISTAKE
 1. Grammar mistakes
a. Incorrect tense
b.Not using linking words
c. Using informal writing style
d.Other grammar mistakes
 1a. Incorrect tense

• A singular noun/expression needs a singular

verb, Plural nouns needs a plural verb
1b. Not using/overuse linking words
1c. Using informal writing style
 1d. Other grammar mistakes
The number ofapart-time
• Thousands/ thousand… female students
increased dramatically
• Expressions which need from 700 thousands
a plural noun
to 1.2 million
• Inserting in the twenty
Numbers Insteadyear period. The
of Words
number of women
• No adding in fulltime
‘s’ or ‘es’ education
To Uncountable Nouns
went
• Poorupspelling
more gradually from a 100
thousand in 1971
• Wrong word to just over 200
order
thousands
• Incorrect in 1991. This was similar the
punctuation
increase for fulltime male students.
 2. Copying the rubric

The pie charts show the main

reasons for migration to and from The pie charts illustrate the primary
UK in 2007 reasons that people came to and left
the UK in the year 2007
 3. Do not use estimation
The chart below shows the changes in three differrent areas of
Manchester city centre from 2003 -2012
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features and making comparision where relevant

Appoximately/
around 1500
just under

Just more
roughly than 1500
approximately
4. Incorrect analysis
Which one of the following
sentences is inaccurate?
a. Mobile usage grew over the
period shown
b. There was a rise in the use
of national and international
fixed lines
c. Local fixed line usage
fluctuated over the period
shown.
 5. Reporting every detail
• In 1999, 100 million people entered post-
graduate programs. In 2000, this number
increased to 110 million. By 2001, this number
had again increased to 150 million. Finally, in
2002, the number of people in post-graduate
programs decreased slightly to 120 million.
 6. Expressing your opinion
• I think that...
• I believe that...
• I would suggest...
• It's obvious that...
• In my opinion...

DO NOT WRITE IN THE FIRST PERSON

7. Over-complicating the question
1. Grammar mistakes
2. Copying the question
3. Do not use estimation
4. Incorrect analysis
5. Reporting every detail
6. Expressing your opinion
1. The table below show the consumer
durables…

Incorrect tense

The table below shows the consumer

durables…
2. The total number of prisoner
incarcerated in 1900 was 5000

plural/ single noun

The total number of prisoners

incarcerated in 1900 was 5000
4. Recent research shows that only 2 out
of 10 individuals around the world
today do not have mobile phones.

Inserting Numbers Instead of Words

Recent research shows that only two out

of ten individuals around the world
today do not have mobile phones.
 6. This is because more ways of
communication are now available, people
are now being connected through mobile
phones and a range of network devices.

Incorrect punctuation

This is because more ways of communication

are available and people are being connected
through mobile phones and a range of network
devices.
 Copying the rubric
The line graph demonstrates how many UK
people commute each day by 3 different forms
of transport namely car, bus, train over a 60 -
year-period starting in 1970
The red line fluctuated from 2002 to 2004

Incorrect analysis

The red line grow from 2002 to 2004

• The number of widgets grew from 0 in 2000 to
10 in 2001. Then it increase to 20 in 2002.
After that, it fell to 15 in 2003

Reporting every detail

The number peaked in 2002 at 20 and then

fell to 15 in 2003
SUMMARY
Tips for IELTS Task 1
 Do
Do find out what are your most common mistakes.
 Do
Do read the instructions carefully.
 Do
Do spend time organising and planning
your answer.
- Introduction
- Overview
sentence

BODY
- Overview sentence
- Body Paragraph 1
- Body Paragraph 2
 Don’t
Don’t use the same words for percentages and
numbers.
 Don’t

Don’t use bullet points, notes or

abbreviations.
 Don’t
Don’t write every number you see.
 Don’t
Don’t have messy handwriting.
 Don’t
Don’t just focus on line and bar graphs.

Every type of
question.
Don’t
Don’t panic!

Good
luck !