WRITING IELTS

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:

- Indicate the indicators

- Find out what is going on in
the graph: the trend
(increase/decrease trend), or
it could be the proportion of
something, not necessarily
talking about trend.
percentages/money= amount
people/accountable nouns=
number
Observe the graph:

- The trend in the graph:

- Pay attention to the significant
different among the trend
- After we understand the main
features, then we start to
write!
 The graph
description
The chart below shows the number of men and women
Starting to write! in further education in britain in three periods and
whether they were studying full-time or part-time.
- Mainly, in writing task 1, there has to be 3-4
paragraphs. 150 words (or you can write up to 200
words)
- In the first paragraph, you want to take the graph
description that’s provided for you and rewrite it into
your own words! In other words, paraphrase it!

Outline writing task 1

1. Introduction (paraphrase the description

2. Overall paragraph
3. Body paragraph 1
4. Body paragraph 2

The chart provides information about/ informs us the female

and male participants of further education in Britain from 1970
to 1991
 The graph
description
The chart below shows the number of men and women
Starting to write! in further education in britain in three periods and
whether they were studying full-time or part-time.
Sample answer:
The bar chart/graph illustrates the number of males
and females engaged in further education in Britain.
It shows whether they were studying full-time or
part-time and is divided into three periods.
Look at the way the description is being paraphrased in the sample answer
above

The bar graph explain/depicts/describes,

The pie charts below show the average household

expenditures in Japan and Malaysia in the year 2010.

The diagrams below illustrate average family spending in

two countries, Japan and Malaysia in 2010.
The structure in writing task 1
1. 1st Paragraph: The graph description (paraphrased)/ The description has to
be written exactly the same with the description in different words.
2. 2nd Paragraph is the overview paragraph (no numbers mentioned). You may
write main trend and key differences within the given graph. Do not explain
things in detail in this Overview paragraph.
3. 3rd Paragraph: you start to write in detail (one indicator of the paragraph and
the details, i.e., numbers, etc.
4. 4rth Paragraph: the other aspect in the graph in detail
1. While the number of full
time education for male
started around 100.000 in
the beginning of the period,
Female only started
around 50.000 people at
the same period.
2. As the number
3. In comparison to the
number of female, which
saw a dramatic increase by
500.000 people during
70s-80s, the number of
male in full time education
decreased to 100.000.
 - Rewrite the description:
Let’s practice:
Illustrate, give information about, depict,

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.

The pie charts below describe the

percentage of fuel energy usage
between 1980 and 1990 in the
USA.

Overall, oil was the the most

widely used energy source, while
hydroelectric power was the least
energy used both in 1980 and
1990. Although, oil decreased
significantly over the years.
Although, there was a decrease in
the use of oil at the end of
period/in 1990.
 - Rewrite the description:
Let’s practice:
The Graphs below illustrate the average
number of family spending in two Asian
countries (Japan and Malaysia) in the year
of 2010.
The pie charts below show the average
household expenditures in Japan and
Malaysia in the year 2010. - Write an overview:

Overall, in Japan, others good and

services is the main spending, while in
Malaysia spent more money for Housing.
Moreover, in two countries, Health care is
the least budget spending in the year of
2010.
Type of tasks in writing task 1
IELTS WRITING TASK 1
 Pie chart tips:
- Always highlight the largest and smallest
proportions
Pie charts - If there are two pie charts in different time
periods, then you must highlight the key
changes / trends
- Make comparisons where relevant
- Write the time frame correctly
- Use appropriate vocabulary
- Do not give personal opinion
Vocabulary to define pie charts:
- Since you need to make comparison where it relevance in pie charts, the following are
some phrases you might use to describe proportions in pie charts:
1. You may use superlatives or comparatives:
The biggest, the smallest, the largest, the most expensive, the least expensive. Every
superlative you use is an automatic comparison. The biggest proportion in energy
production is gas in 1995.
Comparatives words: More, bigger, smaller, etc. To describe a number or proportion or
percentage, you may use: accounted for (comprised of, made up, was) the number, the
amount..
2. To describe an increase: gradually increasing, kept rising, increased sharply, rose/rise
significantly, etc.
3. To describe a decrease: A slight fall, declined, went down, dropped, plummeted, slumped.
4. To describe differences or contrast: on the other hand, by contrast, in contrast, whereas,
5. DON’T forget to use preposition correctly: at, in, on. Often at is used to describe a
percentage or proportion as well.
These expressions also can be use for writing task 1 in general.
Useful vocabularies/phrases:
You may use the following phrases to describe increase/decrease: increased sharply

● Noun phrase + Verb + Adverb

- The price of tomatoes fell very sharply = there was a significant fall in the price of tomato in
2010
● There + be + noun + in + noun phrase
- There has been a sharp decrease in the price of leather goods..
- There has been a gradual increase of the household spending for gas since 2006 to 2010..
- There is an increase in the spending of household in Australia for groceries in 2020
Sample of useful phrases to make comparison:
- The biggest percentage of…..
- The greatest proportion of…
- The largest number of….
- …..is the second/third biggest/lowest proportion.
- ….is the most prevalent
- …is the most popular
- …common
- A large number of people…
- A significant number of people.
Sample of useful phrases to make comparison:
- As many as / As much as many
- Three times as many
- Not as many as
- Far more
- Much more
- Substantially more than…
- Significantly more than…
- Significantly less than…
- Considerably more than/less than…
Sample of useful phrases to make comparison:

List of adjectives to describe proportions:

● Hefty/ Staggering/ Massive = these words can be use for big number.
● Modest= use for percentage between 15 % and 40 %
● tiny= use for small percentage or number
● overwhelming= use to write the word majority
For instance:
● A hefty 90 % of…
● A massive 85 % of…
● A modest 20 % of…
● A tiny 7 % of…
● An overwhelming majority of…
● A small minority of…
Useful vocabularies:
The other words of percentage or its fraction:

Percentage Fraction

80% Four-fifths

75% Three-quarters

70% Seven in ten

65% Two thirds

60% Three-fifths
Useful vocabularies:
The other words of percentage or its fraction:

Percentage Fraction

55% More than a half

50% A Half

45% More than two-fifths

35% More than a third

25% A quarter
Useful vocabularies:
The other words of percentage or its fraction:

Percentage Fraction

20% A fifth

15% Less than a fifth

10% One in ten

5% One in twenty

77% Just over three quarters/ approximately three quarters

49% Just under a half/ nearby a half / almost a half

32% Almost a third

33% A third
Useful vocabularies:

Majority/ Minority Percentage

A vast majority 75-85%

A significant proportion 65-75%

A majority 10-15%

A minimal number 0.05

 1. Introduction: paraphrasing.
Here’s the step by step guide to finish pie charts task:
Tips:
(source: ieltsliz)

● The graph: the pie charts

● Shows: illustrates
● Main source of energy:
energy production from
different sources
● For the USA: you may stick
with the same name.
● In 1980 and 1990: in two
different years (1980 and
1990).

Now: please write an introduction

for the pie charts!

The pie charts illustrate energy

production from different sources
for the USA in two different years
(1980 and 1990).
 Here’s the step by step guide to finish pie charts task:
(source: ieltsliz)
2. The overview: contains key features.
Answer the questions below to find the
key features.
1. What was the main source of
energy in 1980?
2. What was the main source of
energy in 1990?
3. Which produce the least energy in
1980?
4. Which produced the least energy in
1990?
5. Did the amount of energy produced
by each source change a lot or just
a little between the years?
6. Did all types of energy increase by
1990?
Now write your overview with the
information you find after you answer
those questions!
The given pie charts illustrate the proportion of energy consumption between 1980 and 1990.

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…

Four types of sentences:

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?

- A group of words that includes a subject and a verb

What is an independent clause?

- A clause that can stand alone as a sentence.

1. Simple sentence
● Example of simple sentence:
- I cannot drink coke
- Pipita waited for the bus.
- The bus was late.
- Pipita and Puput took the train.
- I looked for Putri at the bus station
2. Complex sentence
- It is a sentence with one independent clause and at least one dependent
clause.
● What is dependent clause?
2. Complex sentence
- It is a sentence with one independent clause and at least one dependent
clause.
● What is dependent clause?

A dependent clause or subordinate clause is a clause that cannot stand

alone as a complete sentence because it does not express a complete
thought. But like all clauses, a dependant clause has a subject and a verb as
well.

Dependent clause samples (the shaded ones are dependent clauses):

● The crew could see the whale, which had surfaced only 50m behind them.
● Do you know the butcher who went to court on Saturday?
● I am not tidying the dishes unless Peter helps.
● The excellence of a gift lies in how appropriate it is rather than how valuable it is.
Type of dependent clauses:
1. The adjective clause.
- The car that your wife sold me last week has broken down. (The
dependent clause that your wife sold me last week describes the car. It is
an adjective clause.)
2. The adverbial clause.
- He literally stitched mail sacks until his fingers bled. (The dependent
clause until his fingers bled modifies the verb to stitch. It is an adverbial
clause.)
3. The Noun clause.
- Whoever turned the ovens off is keeping quiet. (The dependent clause
Whoever turned the ovens off is the subject of this sentence. It is a noun
clause.)
2. Complex sentence
To connect an independent clause with a dependent clause in
a complex sentence, we have to use subordinating
conjunction:

after, although, as, as if, as long as, because, before, despite,

even if, even though, if, in order that, rather than, since, so
that, that, though, unless, until, when, where, whereas,
whether, and while.
2. Complex sentence
Please identify independent clause and dependent clause in
the following sentences:
● Stay in the bath until the phone rings.
● Both the cockroach and the bird would get along very well without
us, although the cockroach would miss us most. (Joseph Wood
Krutch, 1893-1970)
● Leave, while you can.
● When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is
possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that
something is impossible, he is very probably wrong. (Arthur C.
Clarke) >> (This is two complex sentences.)
3. Compound sentence
It is a sentence with at least two independent clauses.

Example of compound sentences (please identify the independent clauses:

● 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:

In these examples, the dependent, or subordinate, clause is underlined.

1. When I grow up, I want to be an astronaut, and my mom is proud of me.
2. I will get to watch television, but first, I have to clean up the dishes after we finish eating.
3. We won the game, but my uniform was muddy because it rained the entire time.
4. After our trip to the beach, school started back, and I was excited to see my friends.
5. Sarah cried when her cat got sick, but he soon got better.
6. The sun is shining through the clouds, so I think that we can go swimming.
What kind of sentence that we use in writing task one?
What kind of sentence that we use in writing task one?
Take a look at the writing task 1 sample answer (body paragraph) below and
decide which type of sentence it uses?
It can be clearly seen from the chart, in Malaysia the greatest proportion of expenditure, which
is at 34%, was on housing, while in Japan housing accounted for just 21% of the total. Followed
by in Japan the greatest single expense was other goods and services at 29%, compared with
26% in Malaysia.

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!

1. As/while + independent clause, another independent clause + at the same

time

For example:

While the number of factories in Taiwan increased dramatically to 100.000 in

2006, the quantity in Japan plummeted to 1000 at the same time

(notice the linking words)

It is mostly consist of COMPLEX sentences!
Sentence structures that you may use in writing task 1!
2. In comparison to A, which + dependent clause, independent clause
For example:
In comparison to the number of factories in Taiwan, which saw/experienced an
increase to 100.000 in 2006, the quantity in Japan plummeted to 1000 at this time.
In comparison to the number of females in full time job, which stood at 300 in
2014, the amount of working males stood at 500.

(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:

● Noun – There was an increase in the population after 1998.

● Noun – There was a population increase of 30% after 1998
● Verb – The population increased by 20,000 after 1998

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

Exercise: fill in the gaps with the right words.

Sample answer for body paragraph 1:

The amount of energy produced by oil in the USA 1.

__accounted for/ was at __ 42% in 1980 and this,
then, 2. _decreased____ to a third in 1990. The
proportion of energy from hydroelectric power,
3.___on the other hand/however/__,in both years 4.
stood _at___ a mere 5%.

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

Exercise: fill in the gaps with the right words.

Sample answer for body paragraph 1:

The amount of energy produced by oil in the USA 1.

_accounted for__ 42% in 1980 and this, then, 2.
_decreased____ to a third in 1990. The proportion of
energy from hydroelectric power, 3.__on the
contrary/by contrast, on the other hand,
however______, remained unchanged/constant/
steady in both years 4. __at__ a mere 5%.

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.

The energy generated by natural gas, which

was the second 1. _biggest___ source of
energy in the USA in 1980, fell 2.___by___ 1%
to a quarter of all energy produced in 1990. In
contrast, production by coal 3._increased____
from 22% to 27 % in 1990 4.__However/on the
other hand,____ there was a 5% rise in energy
from nuclear power to reach 10% in the second
year.

::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

1. Analyse the question/line graph description

2. Identity the main features
3. Write an introduction
4. An overview
5. Detail paragraphs!
The 5 steps
1. Pay attention to the given description and the information within the line
charts given
2. Identifying the main features. Here are some questions to guide you to find
the main features
- What information do the 2 axes gives?
- What are the units of measurements?
- What are the time periods?
- What can you learn from the title and any labels?
- What is the most obvious trend?
- Are there any notable similarities?
 - So, what main features stand out in
our practice graphic?

The timeline will give you the biggest clues

as to the most significant trends. Look for
general trends.

Nearly,

Approximately,

Almost,

Just under,

Just over,
 - So, what main features stand out in
our practice graphic?

The timeline will give you the biggest clues

as to the most significant trends. Look for
general trends.

There are 2 main features/trends in this line

graph:

Main feature 1: The peak time for TV

audiences is in the evening (8 pm).

Main feature 2: The peak time for radio

audiences is in the morning (8 am).

The audiences of the TV keeps rising to over

40 % and it reaches a peak at just under
50% at 8pm.
Useful vocabulary for line graph/chart

To describe upward trend To describe downward movements

Nouns Verbs Nouns Verbs

A rise rise A fall fall

An increase increase A decrease decrease

A surge surge A decline decline

A growth grow A dip dip

A peak peak A drop drop

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

No changes Other vocabulary

Remain steady A period stability Reach a peak of Hit a low of

Remain stable A plateau
Peak at Bottom out
Remain unchanged
Hit a high of
Level off/ leveled off/
leveling off
Useful phrases for task 1 reports:
- Showed an upward trend / showed a downward trend
- Hit the highest point / hit the lowest point
- Reached a peak / showed some fluctuation / fluctuated wildly
- Remained stable / remained static /remained unchanged / stayed constant
- Reached a plateau / levelled off / flattened out
- Compared to / compared with / relative

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:

1. The proportion of passengers dropped from 400 to just under 200.

2. The proportion of passengers dropped by just over 200
3. There was an decrease in passengers from 400 to just under 200. *the red ones are
the prepositions*

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:

● By 9pm passenger numbers accounted for a

little over 150.
● At 10pm the proportion of passengers stood
at slightly less than 150.
● By 6pm the number of passengers stood at
just under 400
 Practice using the vocabulary
Fill in the gaps using the vocabulary given before. Make sure you adapt
the word to make the sentences grammatically correct. Use no more
than two words!

The number of reported cases of influenza began at 40 in 1985 after

which the figure 1.___increased/rose_____ steadily to reach about 55 in
1987. In 1988, there was a 2.__decline/fall/decrease_____ in the
number to below 50 before 3._increasing/rising_____ to reach a
4.___peak_____ 5.___at____ approximately 75 in 1991. After that date,
the figure dropped to about/around/just 55 in the final year.
 Practice using the vocabulary
Fill in the gaps using the vocabulary given before. Make sure you adapt
the word to make the sentences grammatically correct. Use no more
than two words!

The number of reported cases of influenza began at 40 in 1985 after

which the figure 1.__rose_______ steadily to reach about 55 in 1987. In
1988, there was a 2.____fall____ in the number to below 50 before
3.____rising____ to reach a 4.__peak_______ 5.____at____
approximately 75 in 1991. After that date, the figure dropped to
about/around/just 55 in the final year.
Take a look at the sample answer below:
The charts below show the changes in ownership of electrical appliances and amount of
time spent doing housework in households in one country between 1920 and 2019.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.

The line charts detail total percentages of electrical appliances in a given

country from 1920 to 2019 and the results on housework undertaken per
week.

Overall, Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent /it is

notable that all electrical appliances became more popular, in particular
refrigerators and vacuum cleaners. The total time spent doing housework
has also declined steadily and dramatically in the last one hundred years.

Refrigerators witnessed the most significant rise, beginning at just over 0%

in 1920, surging to more than 50% by 1950, and then continuing to rise
steadily until plateauing at 100% around 1980. Vacuum cleaners started
higher at 30% and then rose by precisely 20% every 20 years until 1960
when growth tapered and ownership ultimately reached 100% by 1980. In
contrast, proportions for washing machines began at 40%, climbed to 70%
by 1960, then fell slightly, and recovered to finish the period at just above
70%.

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.

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).

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.

Overall, the highest sales for fiction books in Dallas, Texas

across the period was the Romance, and followed by
Mystery book as the second highest earnings. By contrast,
the least sales was made by sci-fi and fantasy novel,
although in 2010, the lowest earnings was come from
classics novel.

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 table illustrates the results of research undertaken in Scotland with

adults aged from 16-74 to assess their involvement in a variety of
cultural activities over a 12-month period.

Overall, it is evident that participation in any performance and crafts

were the most popular for all age groups.

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:

1. There are too many things to describe.

2. There aren’t enough things 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 city reached one million population.

In 1990, the people who live in the city was twice that of 1970.

By 1990, the city had doubled in size.

The population of the city had reached one million by 1990

Useful vocabulary to describe maps!
❖ The use of tenses
- If the time describes a present time, then use simple present tenses as well
as present perfect tense

For example:

- Today, the airport consists of four terminals and two runways.

- Recently, the city borders have been extended to include greenfield village as
one of its suburbs.
Passive perfect tense!
Why do we use passive form to explain maps?

- 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?

1. Present perfect tense. When to use it?

Present perfect verb tense expresses an action that occurred at an
indefinite (or unknown) time in the past or an action that started in the past
and is continuing in the present time. (has/have+ changed/extended)

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?

2. Past perfect tense. When to use it?

Past perfect verb tense is created by adding have or had to the past participle form of
the verb and is used in four distinct ways:

1. To show completed actions

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.

2. To express conditional statements

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?

3. In the form of a question

For example:

● “Have you seen my hairbrush?” Larry asked Bob anxiously.

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?

3. Future perfect tense. When to use it?

Essentially when we talk in future perfect tense, we are speaking about the
future as if we have already experienced it and we are looking back on it. In
other words, predicting some absolute certainty

Real life example:

- When I turn 21, I will have visited all fifty states.

Passive perfect tense in Writing task 1: Maps
1. (has/have) present + been + verb 3/past participle
2. (had) Past + been + past participle/ verb 3
- If you want to explain the future you add “will,” for example:
3. Will + have + been + v3/pp
Sample sentences:
1. The old market has been turned into a new shop
2. By 2001, the farmland to the north of the road had been replaced by a
hotel with a swimming pool and tennis court
3. More complete facilities will have been added/ will be added to the
apartment in 2040/by 2040
Review:
Review:
Review:
Review:
More vocabulary to describe map:
Cardinal directions:

● 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:

● Dramatic changes took place in the village centre.

● To the south of the town, there is a recreational park surrounded by trees.
● A new playground was built next to the swimming pool.
● The old road running from north to south was replaced by a brand new motorway.
● A completely new marina was built on the river banks.
More vocabulary to describe maps:
● Buildings: remake or remodel into much smaller building..
○ Demolished: The industrial estate was demolished and developed into a sports ground by the local community.
○ Knocked-down: The shops were knocked-down and replaced with a skyscraper.
○ Flattened: The factory in the city centre was flattened and relocated to the north of the city.
○ Replaced with: The old warehouses were replaced with new hotels.
○ Renovated: The old buildings were completely renovated.
○ Built: A new factory was built north of the residential area.
○ Constructed: A harbor was constructed at the edge of the river.
○ Reconstructed: The school was completely reconstructed after the passing of the hurricane.
○ Developed into: the industrial estate was demolished and developed into a sports ground by the local community.
○ Extended: The school was extended by adding 2 more buildings.
○ Expanded: The residential area expanded south-east by constructing 3 more homes.
○ Relocated to: The factory in the city centre was flattened and relocated to the north of the city.
○ Converted into: The factory was converted into apartments.
○ Modernized: The infrastructure was modernized by converting the dirt roads into concrete streets.
More vocabulary to describe maps:
Trees and Forests:
● Cleared: The trees were cleared to make way for a new residential area.
● Cut-down: The forest was cut-down and made space for a shopping centre.
● Chopped-down: The forest was entirely chopped-down to make way for a new highway.
● Removed: Some of the trees were removed to build a new playground.
● Planted: A new forest was planted west of the factory
More vocabulary to describe maps:
Roads, Bridges and Railway lines:
● Constructed: A new railroad was constructed next to the village.
● Built: A new bridge was built to replace the old one.
● Extended: The main road was extended and a new bridge built over the river.
● Expanded to: The main road was expanded to the north to connect to the other town.
● Removed: The railway lines were removed and replaced by a metro line.

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

- There are no farmlands

- anymore
- There are many - Shops disappeared
farmlands - Changed into a
- Two shops retirement home
- Added
- Gardens and a large - Extended with some
house in one buildings/houses
neighbourhood. - Remained the same/ not
- Several houses in the changed at all
- Has become more like a
north side of the map
residential area.
- A small primary school
- Post office

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

The maps compare the view of the village of

Strokeford in 1930 and 2010

Illustrate changes

Overall, the most significant changes found in

2010 compared to 1930 were most of village
areas had been renewed to become housing
areas. Most of the farmland had been
demolished to become housing complex.

There was also construction of retirement

home in 2010, replacing the garden in the
east side of Strokeford village
 Maps!
Sample answer
The maps present the changes that occurred in the town of
Stokeford between 1930 and 2010.

Overall, Stokeford increased significantly in size over the period

with house replacing areas that used to be farmlands.

Stokeford is situated on the east side of the River Stoke. In 1930,

there was one main road going through the town from north to
south. Along each side of the road were some houses, some
shops, a post office, and primary school. By 2010, the post office
still remained, but the shops had been replaced by more houses.
There were also new roads built to connect the new houses to the
main road. Moreover, the primary school had been enlarged and
even more houses had been built to the west of the town in an
area that was farmland in 1930.

To the southeast of the town, there were some public gardens

with a large house, but this was converted into a retirement home
sometime over the period. Finally, the farmland that had been to
the south of the town was also converted into a new housing
area. (178 words)
Diagram process
A process will have a number of stages that are in time order. So you should start
at the beginning and describe each stage through the last one. However, before
we get to that, you first have to undergo the stages below, to have better
understanding of the process given.

- Analyse/read and understand the process!

1. Reading a process Diagram
You should look for these information:

- The main parts or sections of the diagram

- The relationship between parts in the diagram
- The order of any stages shown in the diagram
- Any key that accompanies the diagram and help to explain it
- BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO FIND THE BEGINNING AND
THE END!
 Take a look at the sample and decide where it begins and where it ends?

Before being dried in the oven, the mixture is

turned into bricks by either placing it into a
mould or using a wire cutter.

Overall, to produce the bricks for building

industry includes seven stages to finish. The
important stage is start with the very first
process which is the clay digging with the big
vehicle or the digger, and after following seven
stages the bricks will be packed and delivered
safely to make building industry.
Introduce the Diagram
As with any task 1, you can begin by paraphrasing the rubric:

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.

Here is an example using stages four and five:

Before being dried in the oven, the mixture is turned into bricks by either placing it into a mould or using a wire
cutter.

Before the drying process, the mixture of the bricks…..

The Passive

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.

Most sentences use this structure:

Most sentences use this structure:

● Subject + Verb + Object

● A large digger digs up the clay in the ground.

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:

● ...the bricks go through a heating and cooling process.

Here is the same example description with uses of the passive highlighted:

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.

The baby frog is nourished from food and nutrients stored in

its tail, and the next stage in the cycle is for front limbs to
begin growing while the tail shrinks and eventually disappears.
At each stage the creature continues to enlarge significantly
and changes in colour from black, to dark green and ultimately
to bright green.

Once the tail has disappeared the frog is supported on four

limbs and continues, in the final phase, to develop into a full
sized amphibian. (183 words).
 Sample answer
This flowchart shows the differences and similarities in
the life cycles of glass and plastic containers, from
creation and use to recycling and re-creation.

This diagram reveals both similarities and differences in

the way that plastic and glass goods are made, recycled,
and then made anew. The processes have more
differences than similarities, but there are some more
significant differences in the earlier stages of the recycling
process.

The initial collection and transport of both goods are the

same. However, after that, glass is sorted by color and
may then be immediately crushed, while plastic is sorted
by quality and must be bundled before it can be
shredded.

Once the glass is crushed and the plastic is shredded, the

processes become more similar again. At this point, both
the glass and plastic pieces are washed, and then melted
and reshaped into new products. These final steps are
nearly identical, although the melting and reshaping of the
glass must be done by two separate machines rather than
one.
Mixed graph!
Here’s the sample question on mixed graphs:
Let’s first analyze each chart
*pay attention to the question and the charts!
 Let’s list all the differences between the charts!
1. Pie graph about 6 big
countries as polluters

Bar graph emissions per

person
Let’s write an introduction:
Let’s write an introduction:

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:

The pie chart:

Let’s write a detail paragraph 1st:

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:

The table chart:

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.

Overall, seafood imports tripled over that twenty-year

period, with the top three countries controlling more than
two-thirds of the market in the United States. In the future,
however, import levels are forecast to shrink.

The US seafood imports increased from about $6 billion in

1986 to over $10 billion in 1996. Over the following ten
years, that amount doubled and crossed the $20 billion
mark in 2016. Despite the past growth, it is predicted that
the trend will change and in 2026 the United States will
receive approximately $2 billion fewer seafood products
from abroad than it did in 2016.

In regard to the geographical split of imports, the three

countries that dominated the market in 2016 were China,
Thailand, and Canada, which respectively imported 28
percent, 23 percent, and 16 percent of the seafood. The
imports from other countries–including Indonesia, Viet
Nam and Ecuador – constituted one-third of the total
annual seafood imports.
That’s all for the writing task 1 theory!

Please practice as often as you can!