IELTS Simon Writing Task 1: line graph

A real process description

You might find it useful to read a real process description from this website about insulation manufacturing. The extract below looks very similar to a paragraph from an IELTS essay!

For glass wool, the raw materials are sand, limestone and soda ash, as well as recycled off-cuts from the production process. The raw materials are melted in a furnace at very high temperatures, typically between 1,300°C to 1,500°C. The smoke created during this process is filtered and flue gases are cleaned to minimise any environmental impact. The droplets of melt exiting the furnace are spun into fibres. Small quantities of binding agents are added to the fibres. The mineral wool is then hardened in a curing oven at around 200°C. The mineral wool is cut to the required size and shape.

Task:
Can you find the passive verbs in the paragraph above? Can you improve the paragraph by adding some sequencing words [firstly, then etc.]?

Ages and age groups

It's easy to make small mistakes when describing ages and age groups. Here are some examples that should help.

One person:

·    He is 10 years old.

·    He is a 10-year-old.

·    He is aged 10.

More than one person:

·    The children in the class are all 10 years old.

·    It is a class of 10-year-olds [or "10-year-old children"].

·    The children in the class are all aged 10.

Age groups with more than one person:

·    The chart shows the preferred hobbies of children [who are] between 10 and 12 years old.

·    The chart shows the preferred hobbies of 10- to 12-year-olds [or "10- to 12-year-old children"].

·    The chart shows the preferred hobbies of children aged 10 to 12.

Note:
If you miss the hyphens [-], it's not a big problem. It won't affect your score.

Avoiding common mistakes

Here's some advice to help you avoid common mistakes in IELTS writing task 1:

1.Don't copy the question for your introduction. You should paraphrase the question [i.e. rewrite it using some different words].

2.Don't forget to separate your paragraphs clearly.

3.Don't forget to write a good summary/overview of the information. A quick one-sentence conclusion is not good enough. I prefer to put the overview straight after the introduction, and I try to write 2 sentences describing the information in general. You won't get a high score if you don't write a good overview.

4.Don't describe items separately [e.g. 2 lines on a graph]. You should always try to compare things if it is possible to do so. Instead of describing 2 lines separately, compare the 2 lines at key points.

5.Don't try to describe every number on a chart or graph [unless there are only a few numbers]. A key skill in task 1 is being able to choose the key information and describe or compare it well. I usually mention around 6 or 7 numbers in my main paragraphs.

6.Don't spend longer than 20 minutes on task 1. Practise spending 5 minutes on each of your 4 paragraphs. Stop yourself after 20 minutes; remember that task 2 is worth more marks.

Comparisons

You can use "compared to", "compared with" and "in comparison with" in the same way. For example:

·    Prices in the UK are high compared to / with / in comparison with[prices in] Canada and Australia.

·    Compared to / with / in comparison with [prices in] Canada and Australia, prices in the UK are high.

When writing about numbers or changes, I find it easier to use "while" or "whereas":

·    There are 5 million smokers in the UK, while / whereas only 2 million Canadians and 1 million Australians smoke.

·    Between 1990 and 2000, the number of smokers in the UK decreased dramatically, while / whereas the figures for Canada and Australia remained the same.

Please note:
We don't say "comparing to".
We say "2 million" not "2 millions".

Charts showing countries

A few things to remember when the graph or chart shows countries:

1.If the question doesn't name the countries [e.g. "in three countries"], you could name them in your introduction [e.g. "in Britain, France and Germany"]. You could even write "in three countries, namely Britain, France and Germany".

2.Don't forget the word "the" when writing about "the USA" and "the UK".

3.Always compare the countries; never describe the figures for each country in separate paragraphs.

Finally, try to vary the way you write about countries. For example:

·    The number of elderly people in the USA rose.

·    Canada also saw a rise in the number of elderly people.

·    However, the figure for Australia fell.

Checklist

Here's my preparation checklist for writing task 1. Can you put a tick next to each point on the list?

1. Know what the six types of question are [e.g. line graph...].
2. Try several real test examples of each type.
3. Know the 4-paragraph method suggested in lessons on this site.
4. Practise paraphrasing the question to write introductions.
5. Understand why we don't write a conclusion for task 1.
6. Know how to write an 'overview', and what to include in this paragraph.
7. Practise selecting key information, rather than describing everything.
8. Be able to write good 'comparing' sentences.
9. Be able to describe changes and trends [e.g. increase, decrease].
10. Be able to use the passive to describe steps in a process.

Describing 2 charts

Here are some tips for writing about 2 charts, graphs or tables:

1. Introduction

Write one sentence, but introduce each chart separately e.g. "The first bar chart shows..., and the second chart illustrates..."

2. Summary of main points

Write 2 sentences. If the information in the charts is not connected, find one main point or general trend for each chart. If the charts are connected, try to make comparisons.

3. Main body paragraphs

If the 2 charts are completely different [e.g. a graph and a table], write a separate paragraph about each.

If the charts are the same, and show the same information [e.g. 2 pie charts], don't describe them separately; the examiner will want to see comparisons. In this case, you could write one paragraph describing all of the information, but I still prefer to write 2 paragraphs because it makes the essay look more organised.

Describing numbers

A good exercise is to choose one piece of information [a number] from a graph or chart, and try to describe it in several different ways.

UK marriages, 1951 - 2009

Here are 5 different sentences describing the 'all marriages' figure for the year 1951 [from the graph above]:

·    Around 400,000 couples got married in the UK in 1951.

·    Around 400,000 weddings took place in the UK in the year 1951.

·    In 1951, there were around 400,000 marriages in the UK.

·    In 1951, the number of UK marriages stood at about 400,000.

·    In 1951, the figure for marriages in the UK was approximately 400,000.

Don't spend all your time writing full essays; do some focused exercises too.

Describing percentages

Here are 3 useful techniques for describing percentages:

1.English speakers usually put the percentage at the start of the sentence.

2. Use while, whereas or compared to [after a comma] to add a comparison.

3.Use "the figure for" to add another comparison in the next sentence.

Use these examples as models for your own sentences:

In 1999, 35% of British people went abroad for their holidays, while only 28% of Australians spent their holidays in a different country. The figure for the USA stood at 31%.

Around 40% of women in the UK had an undergraduate qualification in 1999,compared to 37% of men. The figures for the year 2000 rose slightly to 42% and 38% respectively.

Let's look at a few ways to write a sentence that describes a percentage.

You could either put the percentage at the beginning of the sentence [example 1], or put it at the end of the sentence [example 2]:

1.6% of single aged people were living in poverty.

2.The level of poverty among single aged people stood at 6%.

You could also add a comparison:

1.6% of single aged people were living in poverty, compared to only 4% of aged couples.

2.The level of poverty among single aged people stood at 6%, whereas the figure for aged couples was only 4%.

Which sentence do you think is clearer? Also, why have I used "people" and "couples" in my sentences when the table says "person" and "couple"?

Diagram overview

After the introduction, I tell my students to write an overview of the information shown on the chart. When the chart shows numbers, we look for the highest, lowest, biggest change, overall trend etc.

But how do you write an overview of a diagram that doesn't show numbers?

Here are some things you could put in a process diagram overview:

·    The total number of steps in the process.

·    Where the process begins and ends.

And this is what you could write about for a comparing diagram:

·    The total number of changes or differences.

·    The main changes or differences.

·    The main similarities or what doesn't change.

Double, twice as, twofold

A few students have asked me about how to use 'double', 'twice as', 'three times', 'twofold', 'threefold' etc. Compare how each word/phrase is used in the following examples:

1. 'double' [verb]

The number of unemployed people doubled between 2005 and 2009.

2. 'twice as...as/compared to', 'three times as...as/compared to'

There were twice as many unemployed people in 2009 as in 2005.
Twice as many people were unemployed in 2009 compared to 2005.

3. 'twofold', 'threefold' [adjective or adverb]

There was a twofold increase in the number of unemployed people between 2005 and 2009. [adjective with the noun 'increase']
The number of unemployed people increased twofold between 2005 and 2009. [adverb with the verb 'increase']

Try using these forms in your own sentences. Make sure you follow the patterns.

Example overview

In last week's lesson I gave some tips about how to write a good overview to summarise the information shown on a graph, chart or diagram. Let's look at an example overview of the graph below.

My overview:

Overall, car ownership in Britain increased between 1971 and 2007. In particular, the number of households with two cars rose, while the number of households without a car fell.

Analysis:

·    Notice that I didn't include any specific numbers. Save the details for later.

·    The first sentence describes the "big picture". The first thing I did was look at all 4 lines and the whole period. I noticed that there was an overall trend towards people having more cars [the word 'ownership' came from the question]. Most students tend to miss this kind of general observation.

·    The second sentence highlights the biggest changes over the whole period. With these 2 sentences, I've definitely summarised the main features of the graph.

How to describe future years

Several people have asked me how to write about future years on a graph or chart. For example, what tense should you use if the graph shows the year 2025?

Try this exercise: take a description of past years, and rewrite it with future years.

Past:

In 1999, the proportion of people using the Internet in the USA was about 20%. The figures for Canada and Mexico were lower, at about 10% and 5% respectively. In 2005, Internet usage in both the USA and Canada rose to around 70% of the population, while the figure for Mexico reached just over 25%.

Future [I've changed the years and the verbs]:

In 2015, the proportion of people using the Internet in the USA is expected to beabout 20%. The figures for Canada and Mexico are likely to be lower, at about 10% and 5% respectively. In 2025, it is predicted that Internet usage in both the USA and Canada will rise to around 70% of the population, while the figure for Mexico should reach just over 25%.

How to select main points

After a short introduction, I always try to write a paragraph which summarises the main points. When there is a lot of information [like in the bar chart below], it can be difficult to select the main points.

The table below shows the figures for imprisonment in five countries between 1930 and 1980. [The y axis shows numbers of prisoners in thousands]

[Cambridge IELTS 2]

Usually I look for a change from the beginning to the end of the period. However, there is no overall trend because the figures fluctuate. So, I'll talk about the highest and lowest figures instead.

Here is my summary of the main points:

While the figures for imprisonment fluctuated over the period shown, it is clear that the United States had the highest number of prisoners overall. Great Britain, on the other hand, had the lowest number of prisoners for the majority of the period.

How to start sentences

Probably the most important skill for task 1 is to be able to describe numbers correctly. Look at the table below.

It's useful to think about how to start your sentences. For example, here are some sentences about the year 1970:

1] 60 million tonnes of goods were transported by road.
2] The amount of goods transported by road totalled 60 million tonnes.
3] Road vehicles were used to transport 60 million tonnes of goods.

You should notice that it's much easier to begin with the number [sentence 1]. This is how I usually prefer to write sentences for task 1.

Number 2 is good, but you might find that you repeat "the amount of goods" too many times if you only use this type of sentence.

Number 3 is the most difficult. You can't say "Road was used", so you have to add the word "vehicles". Most students make a mistake here.

How to use your 20 minutes

You have 20 minutes for task 1, so try spending 5 minutes on each paragraph. This might help you to organise your time better.

First 5 minutes
Read the question, make sure you understand the chart, write your introduction by paraphrasing the question.

Second 5 minutes
Look at the chart and try to find 2 general points. Don't look at specific details; look for "the big picture". Write 2 sentences summarising the information.

Final 10 minutes
Describe specific details. Try to break this part into 2 paragraphs because it looks better. You could spend 5 minutes on each paragraph.

'In' and 'by' with dates

Look at the following description:

In 2002, the cost of an average house in the UK was around £130,000. By 2007, the average house price had risen to almost £190,000, but it fell back to just under £150,000 in 2008.

Notice the verbs used with "in" and "by":

·    I used "in" with the past simple [was, fell].

·    I used "by" with the past perfect [had risen] to give the idea that the increase had happened in the years leading up to 2007.

·    To avoid worrying about "by + past perfect" you could write: "Between 2002 and 2007, the average house price rose to..."

Line graphs

Line graphs always show changes over time. Here's some advice about how to describe them:

·    Try to write 4 paragraphs - introduction, summary of main points, 2 detail paragraphs.

·    For your summary paragraph, look at the "big picture" - what changes happened to all of the lines from the beginning to the end of the period shown [i.e. from the first year to the last]. Is there a trend that all of the lines follow [e.g. an overall increase]?

·    You don't need to give numbers in your summary paragraph. Numbers are specific details. Just mention general things like 'overall change', 'highest' and 'lowest', without giving specific figures.

·    Never describe each line separately. The examiner wants to see comparisons.

·    If the graph shows years, you won't have time to mention all of them. The key years to describe are the first year and the last year. You should also mention any 'special' years [e.g. a peak or a significant rise/fall].

·    Start describing details [paragraph 3] with a comparison of the lines for the first year shown on the graph [e.g. In 1990, the number of...].

·    Use the past simple [increased, fell] for past years, and 'will' or 'is expected/predicted to' for future years.

·    Don't use the passive [e.g. the number was increased], continuous [e.g. the number was increasing], or perfect tenses [e.g. the number has increased].

More than one chart

Many students are still worried about questions with more than one chart.
Here are some tips:

1.If there are 2 charts, they often show different information. Don't worry about comparing them. Just do: introduction, overview, then one paragraph for each chart.

2.If the units are different [e.g. one chart shows 'millions' and the other shows 'percentages'], you can't usually compare them.

3.If the units are the same, you can probably compare the charts.

4.If there are 3 or 4 charts, you can usually compare them.

To see an essay about 2 different charts click here [Cambridge IELTS 6, p98].

To see an essay about 4 related charts click here [Cambridge IELTS 7, p101].

Nouns and verbs

When describing changes I prefer to avoid words like soar, rocket and plummetbecause they are too "sensationalist" - they exaggerate too much, and are more journalistic than academic in style.

Instead, we can demonstrate good control of grammar by using words likeincrease, rise and fall as both nouns and verbs:

- London saw a significant increase in the cost of homes. [noun]
- The cost of homes in London increased significantly. [verb]

- There was a rise in house prices between 1990 and 1995. [noun]
- House prices rose between 1990 and 1995. [verb]

- There was a 7% fall in the average house price in Tokyo. [noun]
- The average Tokyo house price fell by 7%. [verb]

Paraphrasing

The easiest way to start your Task 1 essay is by paraphrasing the question. Paraphrasing means writing something in a different way [using your own words].

Here are some simple changes you can make:

·    graph = line graph

·    chart = bar chart

·    diagram = figure

·    shows = illustrates [or 'compares' if the graph is comparing]

·    proportion = percentage

·    information = data

·    the number of = the figure for

·    the proportion of = the figure for

·    people in the USA = Americans

·    from 1999 to 2009 = between 1999 and 2009

·    from 1999 to 2009 = over a period of 10 years

·    how to produce = the process of producing

·    in three countries = in the UK, France and Spain [i.e. name the countries]

Tip:
"The figure for / figures for" is a great phrase that not many people use [e.g. the graph shows figures for unemployment in three countries].

Process diagrams

The following paragraph describes the process of making cement.

At the first stage in the cement production process, limestone and clay are crushed to form a powder. This powder is then mixed and passed through a rotating heater. The resulting mixture is ground, and finally the end product, cement, is packed into large bags.

There are 2 things that make process descriptions special:

1.Phrases that order the process and link the steps [underlined]

2.Passive verbs [highlighted]

[See Cambridge IELTS book 8 for the full question]

Process diagrams

Process diagrams show how something is done or made. They always show steps/stages. Here's some advice about how to describe them:

·    Try to write 4 paragraphs - introduction, summary of main points, 2 detail paragraphs.

·    Write the introduction by paraphrasing the question [rewrite it by changing some of the words].

·    For your summary, first say how many steps there are in the process. Then say where/how the process begins and ends [look at the first and last stages].

·    In paragraphs 3 and 4, describe the process step by step. Include the first and last steps that you mentioned in the summary, but try to describe them in more detail or in a different way.

·    You could describe the steps in one paragraph, but it looks more organised if you break the description into two paragraphs. Just start paragraph 4 somewhere in the middle of the process.

·    Mention every stage in the process.

·    Use 'sequencing' language e.g. at the first / second / following / final stage of the process, next, after that, then, finally etc.

·    Times [e.g. past dates] are not usually shown, so use the present simple tense.

·    For processes made by human [e.g. productions], use the passive e.g. 'At the final stage, the product is delivered to shops' [because we don't need to know who delivered the product]. For natural processes, use the active e.g. ‘water evaporates’, not ‘water is evaporated’.

Repeating key words

Students often worry about repeating the same words in writing task 1. For example, in last week's lesson I repeated the phrase average weekly spending maybe three times. Is this a big problem?

No! Repeating a key word or phrase a few times is not a problem; sometimes it is necessary to show that you are consistently talking about the same thing. If you try to use too much variety, there is a danger that you will confuse the reader or write something that does not mean what you want it to mean.

It's fine to either repeat the key words or make small changes. Look at these examples of small changes I made to the phrase average weekly spending:

·    spent on average

·    average expenditure

·    weekly spending figures

·    levels of spending

·    spent per week

·    expenditure per week

Rise or raise?

These two words are often confused by students. Here is the main difference:

• something rises [e.g. the price rose]
• somebody raises something [e.g. the company raised the price]

"Rise" [rose, risen] can be a verb or a noun. I often use it for IELTS writing task 1:

• The price of cigarettes rises every year. [verb, present]
• In 2008, the number of customers rose from 100 to 200. [verb, past]
• There has been a dramatic rise in Internet usage in the UK. [noun]
• In 2008, the UK saw a rise in the divorce rate. [noun]

"Raise" [raised] is almost always a verb. You probably won't use it for task 1:

• The Government raises the price of cigarettes every year.
• Charities work to raise the standard of living in developing countries.

Selecting details

Last week's lesson was about selecting the main points. After that you need to describe specific details.

The bar chart we saw last week contains a lot of information, so you will not be able to include everything.

Make sure that you write something about each country.  Select the most relevant point for each country, and don't forget to mention some figures. I've written an example sentence about each country below.

United States
The United States had the highest number of prisoners in four out of the six years shown on the chart, and in 1980 the figure for this country peaked at nearly 140,000 prisoners.

Canada
Canada had the highest figures for imprisonment in 1930 and 1950, with about 120,000 prisoners in both years.

New Zealand and Australia
The figures for New Zealand an Australia fluctuated between 40,000 and 100,000 prisoners, although New Zealand's prison population tended to be the higher of the two.

Great Britain
In contrast to the figures for the other countries, the number of prisoners in Great Britain rose steadily between 1930 and 1980, reaching a peak of about 80,000 at the end of the period.

Singular or plural?

Students often make simple mistakes with singular and plural forms, especially in Writing Task 1. The problem is that the words used on graphs, charts and tables are usually singular.

So, the labels on a chart could be:

·    single parent

·    graduate

·    only child

·    laptop computer

But when you write a sentence, you might need to use a plural:

·    The number of single parents increased.

·    In 1999 nearly 55% of graduates were female.

·    The UK has the highest number of only children.

·    More laptop computers were sold in the UK than any other country.

Don't just copy the words from the graph or chart. Think first about how to use them correctly.

Tables

Tables seem difficult when they contain a lot of numbers. Here's some advice:

·    Try to write 4 paragraphs - introduction, summary of main points, 2 detail paragraphs.

·    Before you start writing, highlight some key numbers. Choose the biggest number in each category in the table [i.e. in each column and row]. If the table shows years, look for the biggest changes in numbers over the time period. You could also mention the smallest numbers, but you can ignore 'middle' numbers [neither biggest nor smallest].

·    For your summary paragraph, try to compare whole categories [columns or rows] rather than individual 'cells' in the table. If you can't compare whole categories, compare the biggest and smallest number. Write 2 sentences for the summary.

·    In your two 'details' paragraphs, never describe each category [column or row] separately. The examiner wants to see comparisons. Try to organise the numbers you highlighted into 2 groups - one for each paragraph [e.g. highest numbers for all categories together, and lowest numbers together].

·    Describe / compare the numbers you highlighted - include at least 3 numbers in each paragraph.

·    Use the past simple for past years, and 'will' or 'is expected/predicted to' for future years. If no time is shown, use the present simple.

'To' or 'by'

In IELTS writing task 1, you might need to use verbs like increase, decrease, rise and fall. These verbs can be followed by the words 'to' and 'by', but what's the difference?

Let's use these figures:
- Company profit in 2005 = £20,000
- Company profit in 2010 = £25,000

Now compare these sentences:
- Company profit rose to £25,000 in 2010.
- Company profit rose by £5,000 between 2005 and 2010.

It's easy: 'to' is used before the new figure, and 'by' is used to show the change. It's the same when you are talking about a fall.

To, by, with, at

Several people have asked me to explain how to use to, by, with and at when describing numbers. Here are some examples to give you a basic idea of the differences:

1] Use to when describing what happened to the number:

In 2008, the rate of unemployment rose to 10%.

2] Use by when describing the amount of change between two numbers:

In 2009, the rate of unemployment fell by 2% [from 10% to 8%].

3] Use with to give the idea of 'having' the number:

Obama won the election with 52% of the vote.

4] Use at to add the number on the end of a sentence:

Unemployment reached its highest level in 2008, at 10%.

The overview

A current examiner recently told me that the most common mistake in students' task 1 essays is that there is no overview. This was also true when I was an examiner.

So what makes a good overview? Here are a few tips:

·    An overview is simply a summary of the main things you can see.

·    Because the overview is so important, I recommend putting it at the beginning of your essay, just after the introduction sentence.

·    I write two overview sentences. A one-sentence overview isn't really enough.

·    Try not to include specific numbers in the overview. Save the specifics for later paragraphs.

·    Look at the 'big picture' e.g. the overall change from the first year to the last year [if years are shown on the chart], the differences between whole categories rather than single numbers, or the total number of stages in a process.

Have another look at the overview paragraphs [paragraph 2] in the essays I've written here on the site. Analyse them carefully, and practise writing your own overviews in the same way.

Using 'see' in writing task 1

A few people have asked me about using 'see' to describe numbers on a graph or chart. Look at the following sentence:

·    In Britain, CD sales increased dramatically in the 1980s.

We can write the same sentence in various ways using 'see':

·    Britain saw a dramatic increase in CD sales in the 1980s.

·    The 1980s saw a dramatic increase in CD sales in Britain.

·    British shops saw CD sales increase dramatically in the 1980s.

Ways to prepare

Yesterday I suggested some good ways to prepare for writing task 2, instead of just writing full essays. Here are some study ideas for task 1:

1] Print a collection of questions
Before you start writing any task 1 essays, it's a good idea to have an overview of the different types of questions that you might face. Try to get paper copies [printed] of around 10 different questions - it's useful to be able to see them all in one place. Your 'pack' of questions should include: a line graph, bar chart, pie chart, table, 2 different charts, 3 or more similar charts, process diagram, comparison diagram, life cycle, map.

2] Practise parts of essays
Instead of writing a full essay, try writing 10 introductions - one for each of the questions in your 'pack' [see point 1 above]. The next time you are studying, just focus on writing overviews. On a different day, practise describing percentages, or comparing numbers etc...

3] Use 'model' sentences
In last week's lesson I showed you some model sentences for describing percentages. If you look through my task 1 essays in the lessons on this site, you'll find all the sentence structures you need for the 10 question types mentioned in point 1. Use my sentences as models, and simply change the content according to the topic.

'While' sentences

In writing task 1, you usually need to make comparisons. A good way to do this is to write a complex sentence using the word 'while'. I wrote two such sentences in my essay last week. Look carefully at where I put the comma in each sentence.

1] 'while' at the beginning of the sentence:

While the numbers of people who use the car and train increase gradually, the number of bus users falls steadily.

2] 'while' in the middle of the sentence:

In 1970, around 5 million UK commuters travelled by car on a daily basis, while the bus and train were used by about 4 million and 2 million people respectively.

You don't need a conclusion

You don't need to write a conclusion for IELTS writing task 1. You need to write an "overview" of the information.

But why don't you need to write a conclusion? What's the difference between a conclusion and an overview?

First, a conclusion is really a final judgement, decision or opinion. This is perfect for the task 2 essay, but task 1 asks you to write a description without analysis or opinions. On the other hand, an "overview" is a simple description of the main points. It is a summary of the information shown in the graph or chart.

Second, a conclusion should be at the end of a piece of writing. An overview or general summary could go either at the end or near the beginning. Personally, I think it's a good idea to describe the main features of the graph or chart near the beginning of your essay.

So, my suggested essay structure for task 1 looks like this:

1.Introduction: what does the chart show?

2.Overview / summary: what are the most noticeable features?

3.Specific details: try to write 2 paragraphs.