IELTS Writing Task 1

BAR CHART
TABLE
IELTS WRITING TASK 1
5 Steps to
Mastering
Academic
task 1
IELTS WRITING TASK 1
BAR CHART
TABLE
STEP 1, 2:
Identify Types of Charts, Look for Trends
SOME STEPS TO COMPLETE TASK 1
Simple
Structures
A lot of
DIFFERENT,
FORMAL
VOCABULARY
STEP 3:
USE THE VOCABULARY OF CHANGE
SOME STEPS TO COMPLETE TASK 1
1
•
Write one sentence to introduce the subject and graphic.
2
•
Write one or two sentences to show the relationship
between the data or to comment on the main trend.
3
•

Write an in-depth description of the information given.
Include details from the most important to the least
important
4
•
Write one sentence to conclude your answer.
STEP 4:
WRITE YOUR PARAGRAPH ACCORDING TO
THIS OUTLINE
SOME STEPS TO COMPLETE TASK 1
NO
SOME STEPS TO COMPLETE TASK 1
STEP 5:
WHAT IS NOT TO WRITE
Practice
rephrasing
question in
your own
words
Don’t use
the words
in the
questions.
Try to
summarize
the
information
presented in
one sentence.
Make

some
notes.
SOME STEPS TO COMPLETE TASK 1
TIPS:
THE COMMON PHRASES/ WORDS
About vocabulary
To make comparisons, you need to know the comparatives and
superlative of common adjectives. Here are some example:
Adjectives Comparatives Superlatives
bad worse worst
big bigger biggest
expensive more expensive most expensive
good better best
great greater greatest
high higher highest
large larger largest
little less least
long longer longest
low lower lowest
many more most
much more most
new newer newest
old older oldest
THE COMMON PHRASES/ WORDS
Company Logowww.themegallery.com
•
To signal comparison or contrast within a sentence
you can use the following conjunctions:
As…as; not as…as; not so…as: whereas; but; while;
although…

•
To signal comparison and contrast between
sentences you can use the following words and
phrases:
However; By contrast; On the other hand; In
comparison…
THE COMMON PHRASES/ WORDS
LANGUAGE OF CHANGE
THE COMMON PHRASES/ WORDS
In general, when describing a chart of
this type, you should describe the most
important change first. Then you should
compare individual items( in this case,
countries)
How? How much?
increased dramatically, significantly, considerably,
rapidly, substantially, steadily, sharply,
markedly, greatly, slightly, exponentially,
proportionally, strongly
by X% (by X per
cent), by X (units),
from X to Y, tenfold,
fourfold
grew rapidly, steadily, slowly, gradually,
dramatically, substantially, enormously,
quickly
by X% (by X per
cent), by X (units),
from X to Y
rose sharply, slowly, steadily, slightly, rapidly,

quickly, dramatically, significantly,
substantially, gently, fractionally,
considerably, gradually
by X% (by X per
cent), by X (units),
from X to Y
went up The above adverbs are not usually used
with "went up".
by X% (by X per
cent), by X (units),
from X to Y
THE COMMON PHRASES/ WORDS
THE OUTLINE OF THE IELTS
WRITING TASK 1
THERE ARE 4 SECTIONS IN THE PARAGRAPH:
•
SECTION 1 : INTRODUCTION
•
SECTION 2 : OVERVIEW
•
SECTION 3 + 4: BODY
COMMON STRUCTURES
S + verb of change (usually in Simple Past) + Adverb + Time
There be + Adjective of change + Noun of change + (in Subject) + time
E.g. The number of cars increased suddenly from June to December.
There was a sudden increase in the number of car from June to
December.
TABLE ANALYSIS
A sample task: The
table below shows the

in which sector of the
economy different age
groups were employed.
Summarize the
information by
selecting and reporting
the main features,
making comparisons
where relevant.
TABLE: ANALYSING THE PROBLEM
Too much
information
Summarize
Select the
main
features of
the table
Task
TABLE: ANALYSING THE PROBLEM
TABLE: SOLUTION
High
numbers
Low
numbers
The
biggest
contrasts
The
closest
similaritie

s
TABLE: MAIN FEATURES
TABLE: EXAMPLES
TABLE: ORGANIZING
The logical thing is almost always to write
one paragraph for the rows and one for the
columns.
DESCRIBING ONE ACTUAL TABLE
The table above provides statistics on several major metro (MRT) systems
around the world. Summaries the information by selecting and reporting
the main feature and make comparisons where relevant.
Common phrases to write the introduction:
The table/ figure show
According to the table + (that) +….
It can be seen in the table
 The table given compares the age, length and annual carrying
capacity of metro systems in London, Paris, Tokyo, Washington DC,
Kyoto and Los Angeles.
 A glance at the table provided reveals a number of clear different….
DESCRIBING ONE ACTUAL TABLE
THE COMMON PHRASES TO WRITE IN THE OVERVIEW.
It’s clear (from the paragraph)
It’s evident + that…
It’s apparent (from the information)

It is clear that the newer metro system are generally much shorter
than the older ones.
 One particularly interesting fact highlighted by the figure is that…
Body Graph


It is clear that the newer metro system are generally much shorter
than the older ones.
 One particularly interesting fact highlighted by the figure is that…
BAR CHART: GENERAL INFORMATION
Bar chart is used for comparison purposes
To write a short description of this graph, ask yourself
and answer the following question:
1.What exactly does the chart show? (Use the chart
title to help you answer this question)
2.What are the axes and what are the units?
3.What similarities are there?
4.Is it possible to put some of the columns into one or
more groups?
5.What differences are there?
Answering these questions will help you to write a
short description of this simple bar chart.
The chart shows the reasons for study according to age
of student in 2014
BAR CHART: BAND SCORE