Common Tips for Graph IELTS Writing Task 1

Aug 18, 2022

Candidates in this section are required to write a summary of about 150 words in response to a given graph (line, bar, and pie chart), chart, table, or process (how something is done or how something works). The IELTS writing task 1 contains infographics that the candidates need to assess for writing a factual answer of 150 words. IELTS writing practice papers are a great IELTS writing preparation tool. These are some tips and guidelines regarding IELTS writing task 1.

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Introduction

Only a sentence is enough for the introduction. No need to write long paragraphs.
Try to replace the general statement with paraphrases and synonyms wherever possible.
If you are unable to write the introductory part in your own words, try to write your thoughts in rubric form. And remember to change them later.
You can use any of the following prompts which may help in writing an introduction:
The graph illustrates/ shows trends in… and… between..
Graph presents/ gives/ provides information about the changes/ differences..
The graph shows the number of differences between…
Graphs show how the sales or purchases have differed..
Use varying noun phrases like sales/ purchases of private vehicles, sales/ purchases of different cars, number of different types of cars sold or purchased..
Use the general words for introduction like data, information, breakdown, differences, changes, similarities, trends, numbers, figures, trends, percentages, statistics..

Writing Main Part of the Text

Try to divide the task into at most 3-4 paragraphs including the introduction.
Try to divide the provided information into general groups or categories or trends.
Describe the most significant/ most striking/ noticeable/ remarkable/ outstanding features or characteristics along with differences/ changes or trends in them.
Do not write the list of details. Try to write about general trends or supports of the provided data.
Try to describe major three general trends: the trend is upwards or downwards or flat. Try to describe or mention what happened in sales or purchases like felt, rose, fluctuated, or remained flat, etc

Use suitable synonyms

Try to use some appropriate synonyms of simple words which will improve the text quality.

Rise (verb): go up, increase, climb, leap, jump, improve, rocket, move upward, shoot up, skyrocket, soar, pick up, recover, surge
Rise (noun): jump, leap, climb, increase, surge, pickup
Fall (verb): decrease, decline, collapse, dive, dip, drop, deteriorate, fall back, go down, plummet plunge, slide, reduce, go into free fall, slump, sleep back, take a nosedive
Fall (noun): decrease, decline, deterioration, drop, dip, free-fall, slip, slide, plunge, reduction, slide, slumps
Fluctuate (noun): vary, be erratic, rise, be fit full, fall erratically
Flat: constant, no change

Also try to add suitable adverbs like gradually, dramatically, erratically, significantly, markedly, slowly, slightly, steadily

Add information or examples

Try to add related information or at least add the total information mentioned in the graph. Also, add some relevant examples.

Decreasing or increasing to.. from..

(eg: the price of crude oil experienced a sharp rise, increasing from $120 to $500 over a decade.

Between.. And..
With an increase or decrease from/ to..
Use Followed By.. to add some more additional information.

(eg: the crude oil price increased rapidly to $300 in 2015, followed by a slight drop to $270 over the year 2016.

Adding Time Phrases

Try to add some time phrases like:

From.. to.. (inclusively)
Between.. And..
In the year 2000,
During or Over the period.. to..
Over the previous five days/ weeks/ years/ months/ decades
Over the next.. days/months/ weeks/ years/ decades

Compare and Contrast

Lastly, compare and contrast different trends mentioned in the graphs.

Try to repeat the same process for each general point, but with varying sentence structure, vocabulary and grammar
Now compare and contrast different items. You can use some of the following: bigger than/ not as big as/ more or less than/ rather than/ twice as big as/ opposed to/ as against to/ in comparison to/ compared with/ in contrast to/ smallest or biggest change/ achieved/ participated or took part in/ were involved in/ there were more women than men who..
Also mention the result from the survey. You can use the following to quote: mentioned, cited, considered, was quoted, a least important factor, considered the most important by, came second/ bottom/ next/ top, followed by, and, at, respectively.
Also use some conjunctions to join the sentences like whereas, while, but, whilst
Use linkers like: in contrast, however, meanwhile, comparison, on the other hand
Try to focus on most striking item of the graph
As regards.. they/ them
In the case of/ Regarding/ With regard to/ Turning to/ As for.. they..
Where are/ is concerned.. they/ it..
Coming to/ When it comes to.. they..
Use the following words and phrases to describe predictions:
It is expected/ predicted/ estimated/ forecasted/ anticipated/ projected that.. will/ will have.. by..
Projection is for.. to..
Is/ are expected/ predicted/ estimated/ forecasted/ anticipated/ projected
Is/ are set to..
Use the present perfect tense to describe the recent past information in present: has fallen, has risen..
It is a good practice to write a conclusion. Do not make a paragraph a one-liner conclusion is enough. Use the phrases like Generally/ On average/ Overall/ All in all.. it is clear/ obvious/ evident that..
You can also use the following stages:
Rose or rise from.. to..
Rose.. and decreased/ increased from.. to..
Rose.. decreasing/ increasing from.. to.
Overtaking.. in.. and outstripping in..
Rising from.. to.. overtook and outstripped..
overtake in.. and reaching a peak.. in..
Before leaving off..
Before rising..
Fell after rising..
After rising fell..
Fell or rose from.. to.. whereas/ while/ whilst.. fell/rose..