IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Line Graphs

 

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Line Graphs

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Useful Tips

1.      Analyze the graph carefully: Identify trends, changes, highest/lowest points, etc.

2.      Understand the time period: Use correct tenses (usually past simple).

3.      Group similar data: Don’t describe every point individually.

4.      Use a variety of vocabulary: Avoid repetition.

5.      Avoid opinions: Just describe the data.

6.      Write at least 150 words, but not too long (170–190 is ideal).

7.      Paraphrase the question in the introduction.

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Linking Words & Phrases

➤ Introduction & Overview

• The line graph illustrates...
• The graph compares...
• Overall,...
• In general,...
• It can be seen that...

➤ Describing Trends

• increased / rose / climbed / grew
• decreased / declined / dropped / fell
• remained steady / stable
• fluctuated
• peaked / reached a peak
• hit a low / bottomed out

➤ Time Connectors

• In 2000 / Between 1990 and 2000
• Over the next ten years
• During the period shown
• By 2010 / From 2000 onwards

➤ Comparative Phrases

• was higher than / lower than
• overtook / surpassed
• similar to / the same as
• in contrast / whereas / while / however

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Structure

1. Introduction (1-2 sentences)

• Paraphrase the task question.

2. Overview (2 sentences)

• Summarize main trends (not specific data).

3. Body Paragraph 1

• Describe key features or trends (with data).

4. Body Paragraph 2

• Compare, contrast, or describe changes (with data).

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Sample Line Graph Question

Question:
The graph below shows the number of international tourists who visited three different regions from 2000 to 2020.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

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Sample 1 Answer (Band 9)

Introduction:

The line graph illustrates the number of international tourists (in millions) visiting three different regions namely Asia, Europe, and America — over a 20-year period from 2000 to 2020.

Overview:

Overall, the number of tourists increased in all three regions, with Asia experiencing the most significant growth. Europe attracted the highest number of visitors throughout the period, while America remained the least visited.

Body Paragraph 1:

In 2000, Europe led with approximately 60 million international tourists, followed by Asia at around 40 million, and America at just under 30 million. Over the next decade, Europe’s numbers rose steadily to about 75 million in 2010, while Asia showed a sharper increase, reaching 65 million by the same year. In contrast, America experienced a slower growth, reaching only about 40 million.

Body Paragraph 2:

From 2010 to 2020, Asia continued its upward trend and overtook America by 2015, peaking at 90 million tourists in 2020. Europe also maintained growth, ending the period at around 85 million. Meanwhile, America showed only a slight increase, finishing at 50 million. Despite the fluctuations, all regions showed an overall upward trend in tourist arrivals.

 179 Words

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Sample 2

The line graph shows the number of players in four different sports (badminton, tennis, basketball, rugby) in a particular European country between 1985 and 2005.

The image is a line graph that tracks the popularity of four sports – basketball, tennis, badminton, and rugby – over a span of 20 years, from 1985 to 2005.

Overall, while the number of players in basketball and badminton remained unchanged, the number of tennis and rugby players experienced different trends during the time period. The former rose gradually, while the latter fell dramatically over time.

As the graph shows, 150 people played tennis in 1985, followed by a steady increase to around 250 in 2005. Regarding rugby's athletes in 1985 there were approximately 240 participants. This figure decreased rapidly to 50 in 2005. A further point is that in 1995, both sports reached a peak of exactly 200 participants.

In contrast, basketball and badminton experienced a leveling off in the 20-year period. In 1985, nearly 80 members played basketball. At the same time, there were about 50 badminton players. Then, they all remained constant at the starting point in 2005.

Word Count: 153

Vocabulary for Line Graphs

Verb (Increase)	Verb (Decrease)	Adjective
rose	fell	gradual
increased	declined	steady
climbed	dropped	sharp
went up	went down	dramatic