IELTS Writing Task 1 in detail
1. Useful Tips for Writing Task 1
1. Understand the task: Describe the main
trends, comparisons, and key
features (not explain reasons or opinions).
2. Spend 20 minutes: Do not go beyond.
3. Write at least 150 words.
4. Do not include personal opinions.
5. Paraphrase the question in the introduction.
6. Identify the key trends and compare them.
7. Use a formal and objective tone.
8. Avoid listing all details—summarize and group data.
9. Use data selectively to support key points.
10. Organize logically into paragraphs.
2. Common Types of
Graphs/Charts
Type |
Description |
Line Graph |
Shows
trends over time |
Bar Chart |
Compares
data across categories |
Pie Chart |
Shows
proportions or percentages |
Table |
Presents
numerical data in rows/columns |
Map |
Shows
geographical changes |
Process
Diagram |
Describes
a sequence of events/steps |
Mixed
Graphs (Combo) |
Combination
of above types |
3. Ideal Structure for Task 1
(4 Paragraphs)
Paragraph |
What to Include |
Introduction |
Paraphrase
the question |
Overview |
Summarize
the main trends or features (no numbers) |
Body 1 |
Describe
the first key features/trends with data |
Body 2 |
Compare or
describe remaining features with data |
4. Linking Words for Task 1
a) For
comparison:
·
Similarly
·
In contrast
·
Whereas
·
While
·
However
·
Compared to
·
On the other hand
b) For
sequencing:
·
First of all
·
Secondly
·
Then
·
Next
·
After that
·
Finally
c) For adding
information:
·
Moreover
·
In addition
·
Also
·
Furthermore
d) For trends
(line graphs):
·
Increased sharply
·
Declined steadily
·
Rose gradually
·
Fell dramatically
·
Remained stable
·
Fluctuated
e) To describe
proportion (pie charts):
·
The largest
proportion
·
A small fraction
·
A minority
·
A majority
·
Just over / Just
under
·
Roughly /
Approximately
5. Phrases for Each Paragraph
Introduction
(Paraphrasing the Question)
·
The given
graph/chart illustrates…
·
The diagram shows
information about…
·
The table
provides data on…
·
The chart
compares the…
·
The figure
outlines…
Example:
The given bar chart compares the number of
students enrolled in three different faculties in 2020.
Overview
(Main Trends/Overall Changes)
·
Overall, it can
be seen that…
·
It is clear that…
·
In general,…
·
A noticeable
trend is that…
·
The most
significant feature is…
·
There was a
dramatic increase in…
Example:
Overall, it is clear that the number of male
students increased significantly, while the number of female students remained
stable.
Body
Paragraphs (Describing Details)
·
In 2000, the
number stood at…
·
There was a sharp
increase in…
·
By contrast, the
figures for…
·
A gradual decline
can be observed…
·
It is interesting
to note that…
·
The percentage of
X was slightly higher than Y…
Example:
In 2010, about 60% of students preferred
online classes, whereas only 30% opted for traditional classes.
Sample Sentence Starters for Data Description
·
The percentage
of…
·
The number of…
·
There was an
increase/decrease in…
·
The data shows a
rise/fall in…
·
X was
higher/lower than Y by…
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