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Writing Ielts (Task 1) - 6
Writing Ielts (Task 1) - 6
Task 1
How to impress the examiner?
1. TASK ACHIEVEMENT
- Describe relevant features
steps:
1. Understand what you are looking at. Do not start writing before understood
the graph/charts, etc. (So, spend a minute to understand the graph)
2. We start to break the information down into the paragraph, meaning we start
to write!
3. Remember to describe key features only!
Observe the graph:
The pie charts below show the average In general, the pie charts compare the average
household expenditures in Japan and percentage of household expenditures in Japan and
Malaysia in the year 2010.
Malaysia in the year 2010.
- Rewrite the description:
Let’s practice:
The pie charts illustrate the percentage of household
expenses / spending in 2010 in two countries, Japan
and Malaysia.
The pie charts below show the average
household expenditures in Japan and The given chart illustrates how Japanese and Malaysian
Malaysia in the year 2010.
spend their expenditures on domestic area in 2010.
1. Introduction: paraphrasing.
Percentage Fraction
80% Four-fifths
75% Three-quarters
60% Three-fifths
Useful vocabularies:
The other words of percentage or its fraction:
Percentage Fraction
50% A Half
25% A quarter
Useful vocabularies:
The other words of percentage or its fraction:
Percentage Fraction
20% A fifth
5% One in twenty
33% A third
Useful vocabularies:
A majority 10-15%
Overall, oil was the most source of energy in those years, which contributed the largest percentage among the other sources.
overall, oil is the main source of energy for USA in 1980 and 1990. On the other hand, the least energy is hydroelectric power in the two different
years. In 1990, oil energy has significantly decreased compared to 1980, while nuclear and coal experienced an increase in both years.
Overall, oil constituted the main source of energy production in both years, while hydroelectric power produced the least energy. There was slight
decrease in production of oil and natural gas, whereas an increase can be seen in the figures for coal and nuclear power. While nuclear and coal
showed an increased in both years, oil experienced a small decrease in 1990.
In both years, hydroelectric power became the least source of energy in the USA, even though in 1980, nuclear was at the same amount as
hydroelectric which make it also the least energy source in that year.
Syaf:
Overall, while The main source of energy in both period is oil, and the least energy in both period is hydroelectric
power. In a decade the main source energy gradually increase, and most of them reduce the source of energy.
Alyssa:
Overall, between 1980 and 1990, oil still become the main source of energy in USA. This also followed by natural gas in the second most used
energy. But some differences can be seen in the charts, like more variations type of energy increased significantly, such as nuclear power and coal .
Nuclear power shown promising progress by being doubled demand in 1990 compared to 10 years before.
Before we write the body paragraph, let’s familiarize ourselves with the type of
sentences that make up a paragraph…
1. Simple sentence
2. Complex sentence
3. Compound sentence
4. Complex-compound sentence
1. Simple sentence
It is a sentence that consists of just one independent clause.
● What is a clause?
● What is an independent clause?
1. Simple sentence
It is a sentence that consists of just one independent clause.
What is a clause?
● Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure
about the former. (Physicist Albert Einstein)
● There used to be a real me, but I had it surgically removed. (Actor Peter Sellers)
● Go, and never darken my towels again. (Comedian Groucho Marx)
● (Note: Go is the shortest sentence in English.)Any fool can criticize, condemn, and
complain - and most fools do. (Author Dale Carnegie)
3. Compound sentence
How to join independent clauses in compound sentence:
● A conjunction with a comma (e.g., ", and")
○ I like tea, and he likes coffee.
● A semicolon
○ I like hot chocolate; it sends me to sleep.
● A colon
○ I know one thing: I love that girl. (This is rare because the words after a
colon are not often an independent clause.)
● A dash
○ I know you're here — I can smell your perfume.
● A conjunction with a semicolon (e.g., "; and")
○ After the lights went out, I could hear you whispering; and I know you
were talking about me. (This is rare because it's an outdated style.)
4. Compound-Complex sentence
At least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause:
Moreover, food came at second place in Japan, at 24%, while in Malaysia the actual proportion
was higher (27%). In Japan another major expense was transport, at 20%, but this was much
lower in Malaysia (10%). Surprisingly, in both countries the smallest percentage of expenditure
was on health care.
It is mostly consist of COMPLEX sentences!
Sentence structures that you may use in writing task 1!
For example:
(notice the relative clause=dependent clause: it is the same with adjective clause
because it gives more information about a noun)
It is mostly consist of COMPLEX sentences!
Sentence structures that you may use in writing task 1!
3. Independent clause, Verb ing (dependent clause), which +dependent clause
For example:
The number of factories in Taiwan saw an increase to 100.000 in 2006, exceeding/
passing over the quantity of Japan, which had only 1000.
The number of males in full time work reached 500 in 2014, exhibiting/showing a
higher number, that all the other categories provided.
The use of preposition in writing task 1
Common prepositions in Task 1 with examples:
At / between / on / in / by / from - to / of / over / during
A key point to take into account here is whether the preposition is coming after the noun or the verb and also if a specific number or statistic
included. For instance:
And also:
● Verb – Sales of cars dropped from 30,000 units to 10,500 units over a 3 year period
● Noun – Car sales saw a decrease from 30,000 units to 10,500 units over a 3 year period
● Verb – Car sales increased from 10,000 units to 23,000 units over a 3 year period, in a year of 2010, within the 3 year period.
In these examples, the preposition is the same after a verb or a noun. These are to express either downward or upward movement/trend from one
point to another: therefore, you can use from……to.
Here’s the step by step guide to finish pie charts task:
(source: ieltsliz)
3. Body Paragraph 1
Tips:
1. You will need to write one sentence
about the highest and the least
proportion/percentage: i.e., the oil
and hydroelectric
2. You must add data (percentages
and dates) to support each
sentence.
Here’s the step by step guide to finish pie charts task:
(source: ieltsliz)
3. Body Paragraph 1
Hint:
1. A word that describe a proportion
2. To describe a fall
3. To describe the opposite trend
4. preposition.
Here’s the step by step guide to finish pie charts task:
(source: ieltsliz)
3. Body Paragraph 1
Hint:
1. A word that describe a proportion
2. To describe a fall
3. To describe the opposite trend
4. preposition.
Here’s the step by step guide to finish pie charts task:
(source: ieltsliz)
4. Body Paragraph 2
Tips:
● Which source increased?
● Which sources decreased?
● What were the percentages for each source?
Exercise: fill in the gaps with the right words.
::hint::
1. Superlatives
2. Preposition indicating changes
3. A word which describes a rise
4. A conjunction to describe a contrast
Homework!
Please finish this writing task 1
The two pie charts below show the online shopping sales for retail sectors in Canada in 2005 and 2010.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Line chart/graph
5 steps process that are recommended for line graph/chart
Nearly,
Approximately,
Almost,
Just under,
Just over,
- So, what main features stand out in
our practice graphic?
A climb climb
1. The number of people who watch
television decreased in 2010 (v)
2. There was a decrease in the number of
people who watch television in 2010 (np)
Useful vocabulary for line graph/chart
Quick changes/unstable trend
nouns verbs
A fluctuation fluctuate
A variation vary
Sample sentences:
1. Sales of ice cream flattened out toward the end of the period.
2. Sales of ice cream showed some fluctuation between 2000 and 2008, there was a fluctuation trend
in the figure of people who watch naruto in both years, 2000 and 2008.
3. Car export figures hit the lowest point in 2014
4. The figure for CO2 emissions was the third highest among the four countries
5. Coal exports showed a downward trend throughout the 10 year period
6. The number of cars sold levelled off in the last part of the 20 year period
List of adjectives and adverbs
adverbs adjectives
sharply sharp
Practice to create the noun version of the verbs:
suddenly sudden
rapidly rapid
Rise sharply
Sharply rising
abruptly abrupt
There is a sharp rise/increases
dramatically dramatic
There is a significant rise/fall/ decrease
Significantly significant
Steadily steady
Considerably considerable
slightly slight
gradually gradual
The use of preposition in line graph
Sample sentences:
As you can see, the start point is 400 and the end point is just under 200, so use from → to.
However, if you want to report on the amount of change between the two points, use the
preposition by as in sentence number 2.
The words in green are to express approximation, which are useful in writing task 1 as well.
At around
Approximately at
The number of passengers increased by 300 and it reached a peak at 400 passengers at 8 am.
The number of passengers increased significantly from 100 at 6 am to 400 passengers at 8 am.
(vp)
There was a significant increase in the number of passengers from 100 to 400 passengers at 6-8
am. (np)
The use of approximation
- You can use the approximation words if in
the graph there is no exact number.
- You may use: just over, just under, slightly
more than/less than, a little over, a little
under, approximately around….
Sample sentences:
The result for housework was that time spent washing clothes, preparing
meals, and cleaning fell steadily from 50 hours a week in 1920 to 20 by
1960. After that, the decline was more gradual, reaching slightly above 10
hours by 2019.
Analyse how the writer write the line chart task. Mark the important
words and see how they pick key information from the graph for you
future references.
homework!
Bar chart/graph
What will you see in a writing ielts task
1 bar chart?
A bar chart uses either horizontal or vertical bars to show
comparisons among two or more categories.
source:magoosh.com
Bar chart/graph
What will you see in a writing ielts task 1 bar chart?
A bar chart uses either horizontal or vertical bars to show comparisons among two or more categories. The bar chart
has two main features: an X-axis and a Y-axis. One axis of the chart shows the specific categories being compared,
and the other axis of the graph shows a given value (usually a percentage or a dollar amount).
The bar chart shows information about the fiction book sales for 5 different categories in 2006 to 2010 in Dallas,
texas.
The graph illustrates information about the fiction book sales from 2006 to 2010 in Dallas, Texas. There are 5 book
categories which presented in the graphs and it measures by gross earnings in Dollars.
source:magoosh.com
Tips in writing bar chart:
1. Start by reading the Title
2. Look at the time frame
3. Decide what you are comparing
Sample answer for bar graph band 9
Source: ieltsliz
Table sample
The highest participation in any activities was seen in the 16-24 age
group, with 35% and 30% respectively doing performance and visual
arts. In contrast, other activities were much lower, particularly those
computer-based, at only 10%.
Turning to the older age groups, like the under 25s, the highest
participation rate seen for 25-44 years olds was in performance, though
this was much lower, at only 22%. A similar rate of 22% was evident for
the most popular activity for the 45-74 age group, which was crafts.
Again, the popularity of computers was very low for all those who were
25 plus, as was interest in writing.
Taking all age groups together, it can be seen that performance and
crafts were the most popular, at over 19%, whereas cultural purchases
and visual arts were slightly less popular at 16% and 15% respectively.
Finally, little interest was shown in writing and computing.
Maps!
Steps:
1. Analyse the question and the
maps!
2. Identify the main features
- Start with the earliest map.
Identify the key feature and look
to see how they have changed
in the later map.
Ask these questions to find the key
features:
1. What time periods are shown?
Are the maps of past, present,
or future situations? Deciding
what verb tense to us
Maps!
2. What are the main differences
between the maps?
- Like what features have
disappeared? What new
features are in their place?
3. What features have remained
the same over the time period?
- Even though the location will
have undergone major
development, there will be
some features may remain
the same.
Talking about the time period, there are maps that indicate a present time, as
it is now, and in the future, a plan/ a proposal, just like the one below:
Maps!
Also, think about directional language you can
use, such as:
● north
● south
● east
● west
● north-east
● north-west
● south-east
● south-west
CHOOSING WHAT TO DESCRIBE
When it comes to IELTS maps, you might face two potential problems about choosing what to
describe:
This can be difficult, particularly in an exam scenario. I would offer the following advice:
If it seems that there are too many things, then If it seems that there aren’t enough things, you are
begin by picking the most important and then going to need to get creative. You should devote a
describe it as best you can. Then pick other things little extra effort to giving details about the key
logically. If you find it is taking too long, you can aspects of the map. Don’t just say “there is a
finish and not worry about the others. After all, you bridge in the north.” Say “there is a bridge in the
don’t need to describe everything. north of the map that goes over the Severn River.
It connects the towns of Dorwith and Forlsom.”
This will help you to use more words. However, it
really shouldn’t be a problem as IELTS maps tend
to contain enough data to easily write 150 words.
Maps!
Tips from the examiner!
1. Organise logically
- By using small paragraphs to separate
the structure of your writing
2. Include an overview (as always)
3. Describe all changes! However, if there
are too many, just highlight the major
changes!
4. Be careful with tenses!
5. Use complex sentences!
Useful vocabulary to describe maps!
❖ You may use in or by to describe time
For example:
In 1990, the people who live in the city was twice that of 1970.
For example:
- It is appropriate to use the passive form since the map describe changes, we
never know who made the changes, hence we use passive voice.
- As for the perfect tense, it is used to show an action that is complete and
finished, or perfected.
-
What is perfect tense?
While past perfect verb tense is created by adding have or had to the past
participle form of the verb, present perfect verb tense is created by adding
have or has to the past participle form of the main verb.
What is perfect tense?
For example:
● I had just finished brushing my cat when she tore across the yard and jumped
into a mud puddle.
What is perfect tense?
In this example, the writer wants to emphasize the quick sequence of events as
her cat went from clean to dirty within a matter of seconds.
For example:
● If she had studied for her exam, she would have passed.
In this example, it is clear that the subject of the sentence did not study for her
exam, as she did not pass. This sentence proposes a different outcome if the
subject had made a better decision.
What is perfect tense?
For example:
In this example, Larry is hopeful that Bob saw his hairbrush recently and
can help him find it.
What is perfect tense?
4. As a negative
For example:
He had not missed a single free-throw since the beginning of the season.
In this example, “negative” simply means that the word not is added to the past perfect
verb phrase. The use of this negative implies that the subject has a perfect free-throw
average since he has never missed a shot.
What is perfect tense?
● The forest to the south of the river was completely cut down.
● A school was constructed to the north-east of the station.
● The houses in the south-west of the town were demolished to make space for the
new car park.
● The green fields to the south-west of the hospital were redeveloped as a park.
● The airport in the centre of the city was relocated to the north-east of the river.
● The school to the south-east was knocked down and a new one was built to the north
of the forest.
More vocabulary to describe map:
Prepositions of place
You will also have to use prepositions of place, e.g. at/in/on/by/beside/to/of/from/…, to describe where
the things are.
Examples:
Leisure facilities:
● Opened: A brand new sports centre opened just north of the school.
● Set up: A brand new skate park was set up close to the swimming pool.
● Developed: A playground was developed next to the school.
Maps!
Stokeford 1930: 2010
1. River stoke
1. River stoke 2. Bridge
2. Farmland 3. Post office
3. Post office 4. Primary school
4. Shops 5. Retirement home
6. houses
5. Bridge
6. Primary School
7. Gardens
8. Houses
9. Large House
1. In 2010, there were new houses replaced the area that were
used to be farmlands.
2. In 2010, The gardens had been changed into the bigger
retirement home.
3. In 2010, the primary school had been extended/ was
extended/ enlarged with two additional buildings in the two
sides of the school.
4. The bridge and the post office were two facilities that stayed
the same/ have not been changed.
5. In 2010, Shops have been removed completely
Maps!
Stokeford 1930: 2010
1. In 2010, The farmland had been removed completely, to make way for more
houses, especially in the south side of the map.
2. In 1930, there were 2 two shops in north west of the map, just beside the post
office, however in 2010, both shops have been demolished.
3. In 2010, The primary school had been extended with 2 houses attached to it.
4. In 2010, the large house which located in the middle of the gardens had been
changed into a retirement home, and the size was twice as big as the one in
1930.
5. Both post office and bridge were the only ones which remained the same.
Words that cannot be passive:
1. Take place
2. Become
3. Make way
Maps!
● Let’s write an introduction!
● Overview
Illustrate changes
The diagram explains the way in which bricks are made for the building industry.
As you can see, this has been taken from the question, but it has not been copied. You need to write it in your
own words.
Introduction:
The chart gives information about the stages to produce bricks that used for building industry.
Highlight the Main Points
An IELTS process diagram is different to a line, bar, pie chart or table in that there are not usually key changes
or trends to identify. However, you should still give an overview of what is taking place.
The ‘public band descriptors’ state that to achieve a band 6 or more for ‘task response’ the student must
provide an overview in a task 1.
As there are no trends to comment on, you can make a comment on, for example, the number of stages in
the process and how it begins and ends:
overview:
Give the Detail
Now you need to explain the IELTS process diagram, and there are two key aspects
of language associated with this:
1) Time Connectors
A process is a series of events, one taking place after the other. Therefore, to
connect your stages, you should use ‘time connectors’.
Here is the rest of the answer with the time connectors highlighted (notice that you
simply go from the beginning to the end of the process): dig up
To begin, the clay used to make the bricks is dug up from the ground by a large
digger. This clay is then placed onto a metal grid, which is used to break up the
clay into smaller pieces. A roller assists in this process.
Following this, sand and water are added to the clay, and this mixture is turned
into two differing types of brick by either placing it into a mould or using a wire
cutter. Next, these bricks are placed in an oven to dry for 24 – 48 hours.
In the subsequent stage, the bricks go through a heating and cooling process.
They are heated in a kiln at a moderate and then a high temperature (ranging
from 200c to 1300c), followed by a cooling process in a chamber for 2 – 3 days.
Finally, the bricks are packed and delivered to their destinations.
These are some common IELTS process diagram connectors:
To begin
Following this
Next
Then
After
After that
Before**
Subsequently
Finally
** If you use before, this means that you will be mentioning a later stage before an earlier stage, so you need to use it
carefully. If you can use it properly though, it will get noticed.
Before being dried in the oven, the mixture is turned into bricks by either placing it into a mould or using a wire
cutter.
When we describe an IELTS process that involves humans (a man-made process as opposed to a natural
one), the focus is on the activities, NOT the person doing them.
When this is the case, we use the passive voice, not the active. For a natural process, such as the life-cycle of
a frog, we use active as there is not a person doing the activity in the diagram.
This is a brief explanation of how to use the passive voice, but if you are new or unsure about using it, you
should do some further study and practice.
In the active voice (as above), the digger is doing the verb i.e. the digger is doing the digging.
Natural process sample
When we use the passive voice, we make the object (the clay) the subject, and make the subject (the digger)
the object. We also add in the verb ‘to be’ and the past participle (or Verb 3).
● (S) The clay in the ground (V) is dug up (O) by the digger.
So throughout most of your description for your IELTS process diagram, you should be using the passive
voice.
This is difficult as some verbs cannot take the passive. For example, 'to go' cannot be passive, so it is kept in
the active voice:
To begin, the clay (which) is used to make the bricks is dug up from the ground by a large digger. This
clay is then placed onto a metal grid, onto a metal grid, which is used to break up the clay into smaller
pieces. A roller assists in this process.
Following this, sand and water are added to the clay, and this mixture is turned into bricks by either
placing it into a mould or using a wire cutter. Next, these bricks are placed in an oven to dry for 24 –
48 hours.
In the subsequent stage, the bricks go through a heating and cooling process. They are heated in a kiln
at a moderate and then a high temperature (ranging from 200c to 1300c), followed by a cooling process
in a chamber for 2 – 3 days. Finally, the bricks are packed and delivered to their destinations.
More useful vocabulary for process diagram
Words to Describe the Type of Diagram
Verbs
● Creates
● Produces
● Makes
● Distributes
● Moves
Adjectives
● Natural
● Human-produced
● Man-made
● Cyclical
● Linear
● step(s)
More useful vocabulary for process diagram
Words to Describe the Steps in the Process
Adverbs
● First/firstly
● Second/secondly
● After/afterwards/once
● Next
● Later
● Following
● Subsequently, consequently
● Finally/lastly
● During
● While
● Meanwhile
Nouns
● Step
● Stage
● Phase
Words to Describe a Cycle or Repetition Verbs to Know for Describing a Process
Nouns ● Begins
● Continues
● Cycle ● Follows
● Repetition ● Ends
● Repeats ● Repeats
● Loops
● Continues indefinitely
● Recurs
Adjectives
● Cyclical
● Repetitious
Adverbs to connect stages in a cycle - grammatical coherence.
● First stage.
● The first stage is when + noun + verb
● To begin with,
● The process commences with
● Initially,
● MIddle stages.
● This step involves + ing
● Then,
● Once,
● After that,
● The next stage in the cycle/ process is...
● After the completion of this stage, the next step is usually…
● While / As
● Once A is finished, B is able to start.
● As a result of ….
● When,
● As soon as,
● Where
● Final stages.
● Subsequently,
● Following this,
● Once this stage is complete, …
● This results in ..
● Finally,
● Eventually.
Sample answer:
The diagram shows the natural process life cycle of a frog
from the embryo stage, through seven developmental phases
from tadpole to fully grown amphibian.
Initially, the fertilised eggs grow into embryos from which very
small tadpoles emerge and shelter under plants in the water or
pond. The tadpole begins life black in colour and it has a long
tail and shorter body. As it grows, external gills for breathing
are produced while subsequent stages in its development
include a longer tail and when this stage is complete back
limbs begin to appear which allows the tiny creature to swim
faster.
Sample answer:
The two charts compare data about the biggest carbon dioxide producers by country and per
person in 2015.
(Simple and short, since they consider that they will write more information in overview and
detailed paragraphs)
Let’s write an overview:
- Remember to only mention key features/siginificant features without mention any specific data/numbers.
- Pay attention to the most obvious data (the data that stand out) in both pie chart and bar graph.
Let’s write an overview:
Sample answer:
Overall, it is clear that although China and the USA generated almost half of the world’s emissions in that year, the highest polluters on
an individual level was Saudi Arabians. Interestingly, despite being in the top 3 emitters globally, the developing nations of China and
India were not among the highest CO2 producers on a per person basis.
Body paragraphs
- You may separate the charts into two separate paragraphs, especially the
main indicators/measurements are completely different (percentage and
metric tons)
Let’s write a detail paragraph:
Sample answer:
According to the pie chart, 31% of global CO2 emissions came from China in 2015, followed by 17% produced by the USA. India,
Russia, Japan, and Germany accounted for approximately one fifth and the rest of the carbon dioxide came from all the other nations
of the world, which is 34 %.
(notice here, the writer didn’t provide all data, but only some of them)
Let’s write a detail paragraph 2nd:
Sample answer:
In terms of the emissions per person, it is clear that developed countries were the highest contributors. While
Saudis produced 16 metric tonnes per capita, the US, Australia and Canada were not far behind. South Koreans
and Russians were also in this top 6, accounting for 12 and 10 metric tonnes respectively.
Another sample The graphs provide information on the volume of seafood
imports in the United States between the years 1986 and
2016 with a prediction for 2026 and illustrate from which
countries the seafood was imported in 2016.