bar chart essay structure

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How to score high on a bar graph question in writing task 1

The bar graph task 1 essay accounts for a third of your marks in the writing test so we recommend spending around 20 minutes on it, as this is a third of your time. There are a couple of different structures you can follow when describing an IELTS bar chart .

A strategy for bar graph questions

Essay structure, or how you organise your answer, is very important in academic writing. Today we will teach you a new method – a structure where you assign each sentence of your text to a topic – kind of the opposite of what you usually do when writing task 2 . It may look a little confusing, but this method really works! Just follow our lead for IELTS task 1.

Remember that bar chart and bar graph are synonyms and you can use the phrases interchangeably. Although each bar graph will be different, you are not required to be an expert on the information it shows, just to summarise the information, identify trends and make comparisons. Each bar graph IELTS question is different, so look at as many bar graph examples as you can and practice this strategy until you feel really confident.

How to choose information from the bar graph?

Assuming one sentence contains around 10 to 15 words, we can estimate that your description of the bar chart will consist of about 10 to 12 sentences. Now we can assign each sentence a specific task:

One sentence for the introduction.
Two sentences using superlatives.
A sentence with a comparison. Make comparisons where relevant.
A sentence grouping two data points to show similarity (for example, you might include a brief description showing a gradual decrease in two different areas).
A sentence noting an exception to an overall trend.
A sentence describing some data in an advanced manner, using complex sentence structure.
A sentence describing relevant data using a simple structure.
Two sentences for summary and conclusion.

Note that this method is quite flexible and these sentences don’t necessarily need to go in this particular order. You must write them in a way that makes your bar chart description flow naturally. Think about which sentences go together in each body paragraph as well as the introduction paragraph and conclusion. You may also have to repeat a few sentences using different data if you find your graphic contains more information or find a way to mention different groups in one sentence. The structure above is a rough guide to get you started. Once you have looked at the example and are comfortable with this structure, you can use this example as a model to describe different bar charts and answer as many bar graph questions as you can. Just remember to get feedback while you are testing your ideas otherwise, it’s quite difficult to improve.

A bar graph sample question and answer

Now that we have figured out what we want to write about in the description of the bar graph, it’s time to put our data selection skills to use and make comparisons where relevant. It is easy to get lost in all of the information provided by a bar chart as there can be so much data. That’s why it’s important to keep in mind what you are looking for when you are analyzing the chart.

The task achievement score for task 1 makes it clear that you need to answer all parts of the question – in other words, describe the main features AND compare them, in order to get a good score. Task achievement is 25% of your total marks so don’t forget to make comparisons! The first thing you should do is identify key features. Once you have decided on the main points, make note of any secondary features that will support the main features.

Ready for a high-level bar chart task 1 answer? Let’s begin with the analysis of this bar chart, and pick out the information that is relevant to our structure. See the model answer of a bar chart below.

Sample Answer Bar Graph Essay

The bar chart shows the caloric intake of UK males in three distinct age groups of 0-24, 25-49, and over 50 years old. The data is shown as percentages. Dairy for the 0-24 age group was the highest source of calories, whilst the other categories each represented about 20% each. In the next age group dairy fell to around a quarter, and meat became the main source of calories, reaching half of the total intake. Pulses and vegetables reached 10% and 15% respectively. Pulses in the final age group increased sixfold to over 60%, whereas calories obtained from vegetables was 10%, half that of meat (20%), and even slightly less than dairy (15%). The 50+ group shows the most marked preference out of all the groups. It also confirms the gradual decline in vegetable consumption as males become older. Overall it is clear that each age group has a clear favourite which varies depending on age. However, vegetables are consistently amongst the least popular, regardless of age.

Sample Answer Analysis

In this essay, the introduction paragraph restates the writing prompt. It is not the overview paragraph, which can be either the first or the last paragraph. In this case, the overview appears at the end in which the writer states the overall trends of the bar graph. While the horizontal axis contains information relating to the question keywords, it’s important not to overlook the vertical axis and state clearly how the data is given (for example, is it as percentages, in kilos, or tonnes, or hours?) Make sure you have included this information in the first part of the essay.

You will also notice that the body paragraphs consist of a breakdown of the main features in order of age group to show and compare the difference in amounts of each food category consumed as people grew older, placing the final age group into its own body paragraph. This is because the data showed that there was a fairly significant upward trend in one food type (pulses) that the writer wanted to highlight. And finally, as previously mentioned, the conclusion part of this essay includes the overview, which should consist of a sentence or two about general trends.

Some notes on structure

Notice how the sentence is structured. How many complex sentences can you identify? When preparing for your IELTS academic writing task, you will want to show some sophisticated writing. When you sit for your IELTS writing test, you might feel pressured for time and it may be a bit difficult to think of complex sentence structures while considering the main features. Take note on the following important tips on structure:

Make sure you have mentioned all the categories in your answer – in this example, there are four categories.
Make sure you have also included the correct values when you summarise the data, in this case, percentages.
It is often tempting to write too much for a task 1 essay but by following the method shown you will stay focused. Concentrate on the most important information.
Compare the highest and lowest values, for example, rather than all the differences.
Write what comes naturally at first, even if you write in correct simple sentences.
Allow yourself some time at the end to go back and adjust some of your structures to complex sentences.
If you are aiming for a high score on the IELTS test, you should aim for structures that are complex and accurate.
It is important to be sure of the tense you are using. This example requires the present tense but many bar charts illustrate data from the past. In that case, you need to write the introduction in the present tense (the bar chart illustrates…) and then switch to writing mostly in the past tense (the number of people choosing this option dropped after the first year).

Click here for more free IELTS bar chart sample essays . You can also find sample IELTS task 1 questions here .

Tips on describing a bar graph in IELTS

Avoid listing every single data point; instead, use your own words to describe the key information from the chart/graph.
Avoid mixing formats: for example, don’t mix decimals with estimations in the same sentence.
Check whether there is a date on the bar chart – you may need to use the past tense.
Make note of general trends, particularly upward or downward trends that can be highlighted in your own words.
After you have successfully written out your description with all of the information you want to include, go over it and replace some simpler words with more academic vocabulary – this will help you achieve a high score . For example, try replacing “big” with “most significant”.
Check that your text is error-free. Review carefully to see if all your sentences are grammatically correct.
Make sure that the data you have described is correct – that you have not made a mistake with a category or labels.
Review for the correct use of connectors and linking words .
Practise with different bar graphs/pie charts to improve especially with a range of values (percentages, kilos, miles, dollars).
Review the superlatives – highest, lowest, most expensive, biggest difference – these are essential if you want to effectively describe bar charts.
The fastest way to improve is to get feedback on your work. You can also check another model bar graph answer for comparison.
Don’t forget to check your word count. Make sure your piece is another too brief nor too wordy and detailed. Most model answers come in at around 200 words. You’ll use a similar writing model for pie charts and tables so you don’t need to memorise completely different models for each.

Bonus tips to score high on IELTS Bar Graph Questions

To improve your task 1 bar graph skills try copying out a sample bar graph with pen and paper. You will start to understand how to locate key points and choose the most relevant information. It doesn’t matter what the topic is, remember it could be anything from the gross domestic product of different countries to comparing the highest expenditure on housing. You don’t need to be an expert on gross domestic product or the Japanese rental market, you just describe the data and make comparisons.
Practice describing a bar chart out loud. It will help you remember vocabulary to describe data under pressure, decide point by point what to include in your answer and make sure you have mentioned every category at least once. Your confidence will improve when it comes to your next IELTS writing task.
Make sure you practice ‘two type’ questions – you might see an IELTS question with one bar chart or two so it is a good idea to look at a model answer for each type. You might see one bar chart and a table, or other types of graphs such as line graphs. Some questions might have a mix, for example, one or more pie charts and a bar chart. However the data is displayed, it’s important to stay calm and focus on finding the major differences and similarities, compare categories and identify trends. Describing a table or line graph is very similar to describing bar charts and the more you practice the more confident you will feel.

Check out one of our free lessons here by clicking on the following link !

Video: How to describe a bar graph

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How to describe bar graph in ielts task 1.

Divide the information into two or three groups, focus on trends and exceptions to help you. You don’t need to describe everything. Think of synonyms for key words and most important numbers – for example, 52% is just over half.

How to write task 1 bar graph?

Follow a model, the 4 paragraph diagram model is easiest. That’s rephrasing the question, one main trend, another main trend and an overview. Overall have 10 sentences with specific tasks as we explain in this article.

How do you write a description of a bar graph?

Remember that the important thing is to describe the main features AND make comparisons. Use superlatives and the phrase ‘which means that…’ to help you. For example, Portugal’s spending was between 20 and 27% which means that it had the highest spending of all 4 countries studied.

Audio tutorial: How to describe a bar chart for the IELTS exam

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Sample Bar Chart Questions and Model Answers

Take a look at these bar chart model answers to help you prepare

Bar chart of international student enrolment in British universities 2009-2014
Bar chart of average monthly revenue from retail telecommunication subscribers
Bar chart of increase in total consumption
Bar chart of life expectancy (2006)
Bar chart of percentage of eligible voters registered for each race by state and year
Bar chart of average weekly attacks
Bar chart of pet Owners
IELTS Task 1 Sample Answer 2 Double Graph Pie Chart and Bar Chart

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IELTS Writing Task 1: How to Describe a Bar Chart

IELTS Academic Bar Chart - image by Magoosh

If you’re not sure where to start, that’s ok! In this piece, we’ll provide an overview of how to describe a typical IELTS Writing Task 1 bar chart. We also suggest taking a look at resources in this piece on useful words for writing an IELTS Graph Essay

What will you see in an ielts writing task 1 bar diagram, how to write about an ielts writing task 1 bar chart, how to describe an ielts writing task 1 bar chart, a final word on describing ielts academic bar charts.

A bar chart uses either horizontal or vertical bars to show comparisons among two or more categories. The bar chart has two main features: an X-axis and a Y-axis. One axis of the chart shows the specific categories being compared, and the other axis of the graph shows a given value (usually a percentage or a dollar amount).

To effectively write about an IELTS Writing Task 1 bar chart, follow these tips.

1. Start by Reading the Title

First and foremost, you should read the title. Often, I have students report on the essay in an inverted order because they didn’t read the bar chart title.

For example, an IELTS Writing Task 1 bar chart that I give students has the chart title “Expected City Visits by Country of Origin for 2018.” Yet I often get sample sentences back that read: “It is predicted that people from France will be the most likely to visit the United States in 2018.” The correct answer should be “It is predicted that Americans will choose France as their favorite city to visit in 2018.”

2. Look at the Time Frame

Look at the given period of time covered in the chart. Are you looking at a specific year? Are there multiple years being compared? Are we talking about something in the future? This will determine your grammar and style to some extent. For example, whether you need to use past tense language, the language of change, or future tense language when discussing your data.

3. Decide What You Are Comparing

What titles are given to the Y- and X-axis? This important information will form the language that you will use in the essay and the corresponding synonyms you should also use.

For example, the bar chart above compares the gross earnings of fiction books in five categories (Young Adults, Classics, Mystery, Romance and Sci-Fi and Fantasy) between 2006 and 2010. (Incidentally, this sentence is exactly what you would say for your introduction!)

Now that you know what the IELTS Writing Task 1 bar chart is about, these are the vital elements to include in your essay:

Start with an introduction. The introduction explains what the chart is about, and gives an overview of the main points. Make sure you include one! Your introduction can be short, but it must be there. If you’ve spent time examining the chart this should be easy to write.
Look for the key data and make sure that you are comparing and contrasting the data, NOT just listing the data from one section to the next. If you just write about what happened to X, what happened to Y, and what happened to Z, without showing any relationship between them, you will not get a high score.

To do this, you will need to look for similarities and differences when you first analyze the chart and you will need to decide what can logically be put together or not. This means that you don’t have to describe everything that you see in the bar chart, just the key points!

For example, for the above chart, you might say: It is interesting to note that Romance novels earned the most income each year between 2006 and 2010 with sales ranging from $70,000 to $115,000. In contrast, Sci Fi and Fantasy novels were the poorest revenue generators of the five categories earning only $20,000 at its highest point in 2007 and a mere $10,000 at its lowest point in 2009.

Group the data together so that you have a well-organized and coherent answer. It is a good idea to divide your answer into two or three paragraphs so it is well organized. To do this, you should group similar ideas together into paragraphs or sections. Cohesion and coherence are key!
Use a wide variety of sentence structures. Include complex sentences and simple sentences.
It is equally important to use appropriate transitions between describing each data point.
Always provide a short summary conclusion of what you included in your essay. One line is enough here. For example, It can be seen from the chart that overall, 2007 was the best year for book sales in all five categories.
Finally, make sure that your word count is 150.

Overall, describing a an IELTS academic bar chart is a pretty straightforward task on your exam. Remember that in order to write well about a bar chart, you’ll want to be very clear on the relationship being expressed in it, so be careful not to rush past this step.

That said, you won’t want to spend more than about 20 minutes on IELTS writing task 1, so save most of your time for essay writing.

We hope we answered all of your IELTS Writing Task 1 bar diagram and bar chart questions! For more advice, we recommend taking a look at this IELTS writing task 1 vocab guide .

Good luck on your IELTS writing test!

Eliot Friesen-Meyers is the Senior Curriculum Manager for Magoosh IELTS and TOEFL. He attended Goshen College (B.A.), New York University (M.A.), and Harvard University (M.T.S.), gaining experience and skills in curriculum development, ESOL instruction, online teaching and learning, and IELTS and TOEFL test prep education. Eliot’s teaching career started with Literacy Americorps in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and later, taught ESL programs at Northeastern University, University of California-Irvine, and Harold Washington College. Eliot was also a speaker at the 2019 TESOL International Conference . With over 10 years of experience, he understands the challenges students face and loves helping them overcome those challenges. Come join Eliot on Youtube , Facebook , and Instagram . Recent blog posts Complete Guide to IELTS Writing Task 1 Complete Guide to IELTS Writing Task 2

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3 responses to “IELTS Writing Task 1: How to Describe a Bar Chart”

Thank you so much for your units and sharing.

We’re so glad we can help! 🙂

The bar chat illustrates the total amount of earning in sales of fiction books(young adults,classics,mystery,romance,sci-fi and fantasy) between 2096 and 2010. Overall,the total amount of sales of earning in romance book has highest through out the give decades while sci-fi and fantasy books has lowest amount of sales. In 2097 romance book earings has raised more than 10000000 respectively and then decreased to 9ne third in 2008 about 70,000,00 whereas the last two decades 2009 and 2010 upsurge arround 79,999,99 and 35,000,00 while the total gross earnings in the mystery books in 2006 arround 60,000,00 and increased in 2006 arround 82,000,00 has highest constant more than 40,000,00 same in 2009. On other hand,the total amount earings in young adults and classic book in 2007 and 2009 remains same about 25,000,00 meanwhile in 2006 and 2019 young adults books gross earnings has highest about 15,000,00 and 14,000,00 classic downsurge arround 99,999,99 however from 2006 to 2019 sci-fi and fantasy books earings has lowest sales less than 20,000,00 approximately.

Describing a bar chart

Learn how to write about trends in a bar chart.

Do the preparation task first. Then read the text and tips and do the exercises.

Preparation

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The chart shows the sales revenue of a selection of home video entertainment formats in the USA in 2017. It also shows the percentage change from the previous year.

Online video streaming was the most popular format in 2017. US consumers spent $9.8 billion on services such as Netflix, which was a rise of 32 per cent from the previous year. For the average American, this accounted for nearly half of their spending on video entertainment at home.

At the same time, customers were moving away from the three physical formats in the chart. DVD and Blu-ray sales dropped by 14 per cent over the twelve-month period to $4.5 billion in 2017, and rent-by-post revenues went down by 20 per cent to $0.5 billion. DVD rental shops saw the largest decline, as spending fell by 21 per cent to just $0.4 billion.

Overall, there was a clear downward trend in spending on physical video formats, as they all showed relatively low sales and they were all in decline. However, there was an upward trend in paying for streaming.

Please note: This page was designed for writing practice only. Information in the chart may not be accurate.

In the first paragraph, give basic details about the chart including what it shows, where it refers to and when.
When you describe chart data, be specific. Mention the category and figure, e.g. Online video streaming was the most popular format in 2017. US consumers spent $9.8 billion ...
A trend is a change over time. To describe trends, focus on what is increasing or decreasing compared to some time in the past, e.g. ... which was a rise of 32 per cent from the previous year .
If several categories show the same trend, talk about them together, e.g. customers were moving away from the three physical formats in the chart.
State the units of measurement, e.g. US consumers spent $ 9.8 billion .
Many of the verbs for up and down trends can also be used as nouns, e.g. Spending fell by 21 per cent = There was a 21 per cent fall in spending . (You can write % or per cent, but be consistent.)
Write a conclusion. Say what we learn from the data overall.

What trends do you notice in the way people spend their money in your country?

Language level

I notice that people in my country love try something new. We have trend with cafe or restaurant,so when new cafe open people go because everyone want describe own position about this.

As Argentina is experiencing a significant increase in inflation rates in recent years, I see how consumers are drastically changing their spending behavior, moving from high-cost and leisure goods to short-term goods and services to satisfy their basic needs. such as food, electricity, mobility, health and education. However, as the value of the peso falls every day, there are people who decide to spend it as soon as possible on long-lasting goods such as cars or on small pleasures such as a meal at a restaurant. In the end, all of us who have experienced other inflationary processes in recent decades know that unfortunately the most likely thing is that the next step for our economy will be a severe crisis that will lead to spending and consumption falling practically to zero.

to tell the truth, because I mind on my own. I haven't paid attention to this matter . It's a comprehensive question that needs statistical review. For example, On the one hand, How can I guess a woman who is buying three shoes whether she is wasting her money or doing something reasonable? The correctness of her action depends on her revenue and financial situation. On the other hand, I know people who have good financial situations but they just buy gold, and their appearance has nothing to do with their bank account! Overall, what I see is my society is getting better in all fields. the variety of goods and as a result the right of choice for customers has increased. I think the variety has increased the desire to buy.

Many supply chains in Mexico have been taken a dicrease in their revenues since the pandemic of COVID 19 in 2020. The charts showed that in big chains like walmart those years looked down their retail sales. Despite of, Walmart, Amazon, eg, had seen necessary to change their strategies, so they decided apply online buys for customers over the world. The sales since 2021 has increased up to 12% according the charts. Overall, revenues still increasing because all those strategies from companies are succesfull and constantly marketing and sales strategies are changing. It is stimated that in 2030 these companies will have the majority of profits inside global market.

Given the fact that Pandemic isn't over yet, it has a negative impact all over the world. In my country we saw a rise in prices of food and oil due to disruption in supply and strong dollar which is a dominant reserve currency. Import goods are usually sold and bought in dollar, strong dollar exported inflation in my country as the Peso gets weaker. There was a decline in demand for trendy clothing. I noticed people do away with shopping and spend their money for necessities. The economy has been crippled and struggling to meet its annual growth target. Businesses are shut down. The trickle effects of these inevitable societal and economic uncertainty are felt by ordinary citizen in my country affecting their livelihood and struggling to make ends meet. Essential shopping is now a most prevalent trend.

In my country, Overall, the trend declined, and all business revenues drop up, the demand is decreasing for all wanted, and luxury staff. People only buy the thing which is essential for daily life and to survive. The human traffic business grows up, and people spend numerous amounts to be fled from the country due to life threatening. This is the economic story of my country.

People in Hong Kong spend a lot of money on NB shoes, and their prices have risen quickly for some special categories of shoes. Worldwide shoes speculation. Some people need to spend more than that to obtain what they want.

I noticed that here in China-the country where I live, people spend their money on retail sales. They are willing to spend their money online.

In 2021, the total digital sales revenue grew by 12.5 % from the previous year to XX billion dollars, accounting for 52% of the country’s retail sales, up from 44.8% a year prior. Thanks to e-commerce marketing developing, customers can shop almost all kinds of goods online and their favorite place to buy is Taobao, Tmall, and JD. In Tmall Double 11—11 November each year shopping festival, it achieved a new record of US$84.54 billion in gross merchandise volume

Overall, there is clear upward trend that retail sales of an entire country and it is transacting online.

In my country, everyone has usually spent money on fashion, traveling, or spent a lot of money on a nice restaurant to selfie.

The trend I noticed in my country is about invest in cryptocurrency. It's a new way of increase money in bank account. The last two years about 3 million people invested their money in cryptocurrency to buy bitcoin and ethercoin. This two cryptocurrency is famous in my country. I'm also planning to invest my money in this.

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IELTS bar chart writing task 1 overview and tips

1. introduction to ielts bar chart writing task 1.

Bar chart or Bar graph, in IELTS Writing Task 1, share several similar features with Line chart which has two axes (x-axe and y-axe). This feature helps people see how a trend has changed over time. On the other hand, instead of lines, IELTS Bar chart Writing Task 1 contains rectangular bars in horizontal or vertical orientation that illustrate the ratio of each category.

Being a visual representation of data using bars, bar graphs aim to simplify the data and show the difference between volumes and things of categories more easily.

These are some examples for IELTS Bar chart Writing Task 1 :

2. Structure of IELTS Bar Chart Writing Task 1

To write an IELTS Bar Chart Writing Task 1 , you need to get to know the structure to stick to. To be specific, there are four different parts:

2.1. Introduction

In this very first part, you need to take theses criteria into account:

Topic (e.g. frequency of eating at fast food restaurant)
Place (e.g. the USA)
Time period (e.g. 2003-2013)
Unit of measurement (% of people)

Then, you have to paraphrase the information given in your own words in about one or two sentences.

e.g. The bar chart compares the proportion of Americans who had meals at fast food eateries in three separate years (2003, 2006 and 2013).

2.2. Overview

You need to look at the general trend of the graph as well as some highlighted features (highest, lowest, equal figures, etc.). This part should be also described in approximately 1 to 3 sentences.

e.g. Overall, most Americans went to fast food restaurants once a week, between 2003 and 2006, and once or twice a month in 2013. People eating fast food daily accounted for the lowest percentage in all three years.

As usual, you should separate this part into two different paragraphs that describe details of the bar chart. Each paragraph should consist of 3 to 4 sentences.

You can refer to 2 ways to split up the body:

Group comparison items together and divide into two paragraphs (e.g. paragraph 1 – increasing trend; paragraph 2 – fluctuating trend)
Each body paragraph describes the data of each category (e.g. country, males and females, city, etc.)

>>> Read more: IELTS writing task 1 line graph

3. Steps to write an IELTS Bar Chart Writing Tasks 1 essay effectively

3.1. Step 1: Analyse the question

When reading the question, identify these features and highlight or underline those:

Brief description of the chart

(e.g. The bar chart below shows the expenditure that people in two different countries spent on consumer goods in 2010 .)

Type of the chart:

bar chart, line chart, table, pie chart, etc. dynamic or static chart

Requirements: Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The task asks you to select and report main features, and compare those features. Remember that you do not need to list all the features, just pick out key features that are outstanding. Also, the word limit and time alloted should be noticed: you should spend 20 minutes to complete Task 1 with at least 150 words.

3.2. Step 2: Point out main features of the bar graph

You need to answer these questions:

What information do both horizontal and vertical bars give?
What is the period of time?
What are the most outstanding features?
Are there any similarities among categories?
How to group the data? (for Body part)

Now, you’re about to begin your essay.

3.3. Step 3: Write the essay

Remember that the structure includes 4 paragraphs:

Paragraph 1: Introduction
Paragraph 2: Overview
Paragraph 3: 1st detailed features
Paragraph 4: 2nd detailed features

3.4. Step 4: Re-check your essay

Make sure that you won’t lose any point for incorrect spellings or ungrammatical structures. So, don’t forget to double check your IELTS Bar Chart Writing Task 1 before moving to Task 2.

➡️➡️ See more: IELTS Writing Practice Test

4. IELTS Bar Chart Writing Tasks 1 Tips

4.1. Making the most of transition words

Throughout the essay, you need to continuously use linking words to maintain the connection among ideas. Use those words properly, suitably and your score will be higher.

Apart from some linking words like Next, Besides, In addition, etc., you should use other in-between linking words such as compared to, in comparison with, opposing, whereas, while, etc.

4.2. Be careful with word and time limit

You will have a total of 60 minutes for the IELTS Writing test, so try to spend around 20 minutes for the IELTS Writing Task 1. Also, with the requirement of at least 150 words, you need to write the task with three parts (Introduction, Overview, and Body).

4.3. Don’t express your point of view

IELTS Bar Chart Writing Task 1, as well as other types of Academic Writing Task 1, will be a task of describing or illustrating a graph, so there will be no personal opinions given on the task.

4.4. Use proper vocabulary and grammar

A wide range of vocabulary and sentence structures will be an advantage for your IELTS Bar chart Writing Task 1 essay, which can boost your lexical score. To consult more vocabulary for IELTS Task 1, please visit this article IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 on our web.

IELTS Bar Chart Writing Task 1 will no longer be a barrier for you if you prepare enough for the test and practice as much as possible. With IELTS TEST PRO , you can refer to a variety of model samples and useful tips for you to deal with this type of chart in IELTS Writing Task 1.

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IELTS Bar Chart: Tips for a High Score

Learn how to describe an IELTS bar chart by following the tips and techniques in this video lessons. This lesson is 100% vital for all IELTS candidates doing writing task 1 academic paper.

You must learn:

how to write an introduction
how to identify key features
how to write an overview (this is the key paragraph)
if there is a conclusion or overview
how to organise the body paragraphs
how to write complex sentences
tips to avoid getting a low score
how to get a high score
MODEL ANSWER FOR THIS LESSON: BAR CHART MODEL ANSWER BAND 9

IELTS Bar Chart Tips Video Tutorial

This video lesson shows you how to tackle an IELTS bar chart for writing task 1 (academic paper). To see the full model answer for this video lesson, please click on the link above. Also read the summary of tips below the video.

IELTS Bar Chart Essential Tips

Below are useful tips for an IELTS bar chart.

1. Introduction Paragraph

Keep your introduction paragraph simple. Just paraphrase the information given by IELTS. It is usually just one sentence. It is possible to also comment on the units of measurement in the chart “Units are measured in …”. You might want to add other key information such as country names, category names and dates.

2. The overview

Look at your bar chart and choose the key features. These might be highs, lows, main differences etc. Collect them together and present them in an overview. To learn more about the overview / conclusion debate, please see my IELTS Overview Video Lesson . You must remember that the examiner is looking for the overview and it is an essential part of your Task Achievement mark. That criterion is 25% of your marks.

3. Body Paragraphs

Make sure you have more than one body paragraph. The usual is two body paragraph. Decide how you will divide the information in the bar chart into difference body paragraphs. You must organise your paragraphs into a logical order.

4. Support Sentences with Data

Your body paragraphs must have numbers to support them. If you fail to have numbers with your sentences in the body paragraphs, you might get only band 5 in Task Achievement. To learn useful vocabulary for using data accurately, see my lesson: IELTS Vocabulary: Accurate Data .

5. Complex Sentences

You must write your task 1 using a range of complex sentences. You must learn these sentence structures. The best way is from model answers: IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answers.

6. Linking devices

You should use a range of linking devices. For example, while / whereas / as opposed to / compared to / in comparison with. All these will help you get a higher score in Coherence and Cohesion which is 25% of your marks. Make sure you use them correctly.

7. Assessment Criteria

Learn more about what the examiner wants to see in your writing. You must understand the requirements for the band score you are aiming for. See this page to learn about IELTS Writing Task 1 Band Scores 5 to 8 Explained .

Recommended

Bar Chart Model for Above Lesson
Bar Chart Introduction and Overview Practice
Model Bar Chart: Gap Fill Grammar Practice
Sample Bar Charts for Practice
ALL WRITING TASK 1 LESSONS, TIPS & MODEL ANSWERS

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Hi Liz, Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the whole essay on the video (IELTS BAR CHART)

There’s a link to the full model answer on the page above. I’ve just quickly edited the page to make the link to the model answer more visible. Let me know if you can’t see it.

Dearest Liz! I don’t know how can we thank you enough. I wish you health and happiness (Wealth also xD)

Thanks. That’s really kind. Wishing you all the best too 🙂

Thank you for your lesson😃

You’re welcome 🙂

Can I make “5 consumer goods” longer? for example, “5 kinds of consumer goods” of “5 types of consumer goods.”

Yes, definitely.

Thank you Liz for such fabulous and succinct explanation of every topic. The content you provide is probably one of the most comprehensive IELTS curriculum out there on the internet.

Hello mam, this is the task 1 given below, so please mam could you tell me my all the mistake and how much band should I get in this task.

Writing task 1

The chart illustrates the proportion of donation that provide by among people to different ages in Britain.

Overall, the greater percentage of British people give money to charity in 1990 then in 2010. However, the pattern differs before and after the age group of 50.

In 1990, over 40% of the 36-50 age group made charitable donation, and this the highest percentage of donation, Oppositely, this figure had fallen to 30% in 2010. Both in 1990 and in 2010, 18-25 age group people contributed least (almost 17% and 7% respectively). In 2010, the 51-65 age group are contributing highest just less than 40%. In 1990, just after the age of 50 this data decrease at 35%.

On the other hand, the figure of both age group 26-35 and over 65 looks similar (41% and 42%) in 1990. In 2010, the percentage of 26-35 age group is dropped by nearly 15% from the highest data and over the 60 age group people donate to charity 35%.

Hi Liz, thank you so much for your lessons. It was only ecause of your lessons that I was able to score 7.5 in writing and an overall bandscore of 8.5. I’m very grateful to you for your help and also to my fiancè for recommending your blog.

That’s great news! Very well done 🙂 I wish your fiance lots of luck.

Hi Liz, The phrase as opposed to isn’t synonym with by contrast? How is it making sense in this sentence of overview? Thank you

“as opposed to” means “in contrast with”.

Hey Tr.Lizz, Thanks for amazing session on writing task one. I just wanted to know if that’s okay to put numerical value like 5 consumer goods in your introduction paragraph. Except the dates and percentages being described in the test, whether it is okay to write number on certain sentences even though it’s not being written in the question.

If it is too long to list the names of categories, you can provide the number: five countries. See my model answers to learn all the options: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/

Hello Liz! How do I insert symbols which are not on the keyboard if I take computer test? Should I keep writing “pounds” instead? Thank you!

In nearly all question in IELTS, the currency will be given in the question which means you do not write it in the answer. However, if this isn’t the case, you can write the word.

Hi Liz I just wanted to ask that percentage (%) are allowed to write in task 1 or should we write in alphabets only (I. E percentage). Thanks in advance

It is completely fine to use common symbols such as %, $ and £.

Liz, Can i write the overview after the Body paragraphs like a conclusion. Which would get me more marks?

Yes, it can be written at the end of the report. No, it doesn’t get you a higher score – it makes no difference to your score if you put it after the introduction or at the end.

Hi liz please i would want to know if this is for Academic or general writing.

Please go the RED MENU BAR and select “Test Information”, then choose GT IELTS – you can read for yourself about GT writing.

Hi Is it right to use “on the other hand” for task 1

It can be used to highlight contrast.

Words are not enough to say Thank you, my dearest teacher 🙂

For the introduction in task 1:

if the y-axis is in the form of (percentages %) and I need to add a second sentence like ‘Units are measured in the form of percentages’

I believe that it isn’t correct, if not what could I write instead?

Thanks in advance

If your introduction begins “the chart illustrations the proportion…”, the word “proportion” means percentage. So, you would not introduce that twice.

I tried doing one of the practice tests you posted for writing task 1. However, there was no available model answer. I just wondered if you could check this report I made with regard to one of the bar graphs, which pertained to the digital games’ revenues over a span of 6 years (2000 to 2006).

Here it is:

“The graph illustrates the global revenue of various digital games over a span of 6 years from 2000 to 2006. Units used are in billion dollars.

Overall, the most popular digital game over the period given were the handheld games, with its constant increase in sales. There was also an observed increase in the revenue trends of both online and mobile phone games whereas a gradual decrease in the sales of console games.

In the year 2000, the handheld games had almost $12 billion of sales and continuously increased to around $18 billion. In comparison, online games were not yet around until 2001. However, its revenue constantly increased from around $1 billion in 2001 up to $8-10 billion in 2006. Similarly, the mobile phone games just started selling in 2002 with almost the same revenue as online games (around $2 billion) until it reached over $6 billion of sales in 2006.

Consequently, with the rise of technology, the sales from consoles games declined from around $6 billion in 2000 to just $4 billion.”

I was just hoping to get your feedback on this one as this part of the test, including speaking, is what I am most anxious about.

Although I know that the writing task 2 has a greater impact on my writing band score, do you think this kind of writing in task 1 will warrant me a band score of greater than 6? *fingers crossed*

Apologies for the lengthy comment.

Hope to hear from you. Thanks! 🙂

Hi Liz thanks at all , your method is very simple and really nice, I would like to ask if it is possible to write instead of the brackets a word like (such as ..) I mean .. 5 consumer goods such as cars, computers, ….

“such as” means examples – they are not examples, they are actual.

I have a problem at the site, all video can’t be open Please how can I solve the problems

My videos on this site are Youtube videos. They all work fine for me and other users. Not sure how I can help you.

You are very good teacher. I see your video and i can improve my writing task 1. So clear and help. May God Bless you sister liz.

From Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Hi , Liz My name is Tatiana. I’m so grateful with your videos and lessons . I love your approach to us. I can understand you clearly. Just I would like to ask something in your tutorial video about bar chart , you talked about units, just I would like to know if my information from Ielst is on past tense, I would need to put ” units were measured in ….” Thank you so much. You are so nice …

That information is always in the present tense because it refers to the chart sitting before you on the paper at the present time.

Hello my teacher, I just want to appreciate your caring. with best regards a student from Iran

Hello mam, In academic writing task you mentation that we put information in bracket. So, i won to know examinar counts that words?

ALL words are counted – words in brackets, small words: ALL words.

Is the examiner going to score handwriting?? I have a VERY BAD handwriting

If the examiner can’t read it, you will get a low score. If the examiner can read it, it’s fine.

Liz, you’re so nice to share this information to everyone! You will be blessed 🙂

Hello liz! what should we write after an overview? we summarize all the key features in overview. then what we suppose to write in body paragraphs A and B?

See my model answers to learn: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/

maam your style of teaching is very good and helpfull…i have my ielts test next months. i m sure that i will learn alot from your online classes.

Hey Liz, I have a question of bar chart below,

54% of the older age group find learning to speak the local language the most problematic. In comparison, the youngest age group finds this easier, and the percentage who have problems learning the language is much lower, at 29%.

Above content is from a book of Cambridge English. The bar chart has 3 groups (people aged 18-34, 35-54, and over 55), and 3 abilities (learn language is one of three).

This paragraph only included two groups (oldest 54%, youngest 29%), but did not mention the other group (middle age 35%) at all.

My question is: Do we need to write all data of the 3 groups? If we don’t write all, will we lose marks?

You are marked on selecting data. This means if there is a lot of data, you will choose what to put in. If your task 1 has little data, you will probably include it all in order to reach 150 words (plus). Your choices are being tested in both writing task 1 and writing task 2. This means that the IELTS writing test is not only language based – it is also skills based.

Plz reply what should I do if there are two things like bar graph and line graph or table and pie chart in task 1.Should I write one overall for both or separate for each?how should I explain it.?

You can find a model answer for two charts on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/

Hi Liz, You have emphasized that writing an overview is crucial for a writing 1 task and I have been following this writing structure when I practice. However, I joined a british council course recently and my teacher mentioned that only one sentence in the introduction highlighting the key features is needed followed by 2 body paragraphs. He didn’t recommend us to write overviews. Is it essential to write an overview? I am very confused right now. Thank you for your guidance! Your website is incredibly helpful!

It is essential to write an overview for writing task 1. IELTS have published their band score descriptors and it is clearly stated by IELTS that you must have an overview. This link ( https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/IELTS_task_1_Writing_band_descriptors.pdf ) is from the British council, check the column called Task Achievement – read the band scores and it shows that the examiner is looking for an overview. If you see band 5, it shows that band 5 means there is no clear overview. If you see band 6, it shows presents an overview. Band 7 shows presents a clear overview. The overview is critical. If you find the link I gave you difficult to understand, see my simplified page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2-band-scores-5-to-8/

Good day Mam Liz!I’ve been following all your tips & exercises for the past few weeks & thank you so much for all these informations!I know God will bless you more for your super kindness! Just like to inquire if you have model answer for wrting task 1, flowchart ( step by step description)? thanks again!

Tetet from the Philippines

Didn’t you find the main pages of my website? They are accessed through the red bar at the top of the website. Click on the part of the test you want to learn about. This is the main page of writing task 1: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/

Thanks Got it mam Liz!

Thank you so much Liz, this is an amazing work, well done dear. Ali Helmi, Cairo, Egypt

I really enjoyed your way of teaching and your constant smile as well . You are a miracle. Thank you Liz

Thank you very much Liz! I don’t think I need to enroll in a review class because what you teach is more than enough!

Thank you so much Liz, you are amazing! It’s so clear to understand and easy to remember!

You’re welcome. Also check the main writing task 1 page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/

Data written in brackets wil be taken in counting words

Hi madam, Thank you. I found it very helpful. Thanks a lot

Hey liz you are doing the tremendous work

Hi Liz, Thanks a lot for what you present. that was great to be taught with a tutor like you.

Hi Liz, Is writing task same for academic and general training test. If not, can you please share some details about general training writing task 1&2

See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-gt-academic-writing-differences/

Hello Liz! Is in writing task 1 more common to get only a bar chart or a graph, or are they often associated with something else such as a table?

It is possible to get one of the following: bar chart line graph table pie chart map diagram / process or a combination of two or three

You need to prepare for all of them.

Hi Ms. Liz, I’m a bit confused because am not placing conclusion for task 1 but my mentor told me that i should put one yet i’ve given an overview. I just want to clarify. Thank you

https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-tips-conclusion-or-overview-for-writing-task-1/

Dear Liz, what if i given a bar chart that have more than 6 categories? should i write them all?

You can group similar information together if there is too much data.

In the introduction part, could we use past tense to describe the chart? The chart datas given in the past (2010) For example,

First sentecence; The chart illustrated…. Second sentence; Units were measered…

The introduction is written in the present because it relates to what is on your paper at that moment.

hello liz, cant we use word disbursement for expenditure?

No, it’s wouldn’t be appropriate for this report.

See this video@ https://ieltsliz.com/writing-task-1-report-structure/

Dear Liz, I really want to thank you, your lessons are clear and effective. You have helped me a lot 😀

Hi Teacher Liz, With due respect I would like to share my sentiments on your efforts. Madam ,You have shown a great sense of humanity and generosity while putting your lectures on IELTS for free for the whole world. I respect your teaching way and presents many thanks to your human way of help. Your style is paramount and easy to understand. Your lectures are helping me the lot. Thank you once again Mam. Regards,

It makes me very happy to know that my work is helping students 🙂 Thanks for your support! All the best Liz

hi Liz, thank you for useful tips. is it necessary to write conclusion at the end of chart??

https://ieltsliz.com/liz-notice-2015-2016/

By the way, you’re so sweet 🙂 and that’s also to say that your teaching style ROCKS! I wish I can have lessons in your classroom 🙂

how about if you are given 2 bar graphs

Very good website for improving

Miss, should i write: ” Brazil saw an upward trend in the the number of car users” or ” The number of car users in Brazil saw an upward trend” ???? Thanks,

Mis Liz, Shouldn’t it be “The expenditure on books in the UK was higher than that of in France.” in the third line of the first body paragraph?

Well then please reply whnevr ur available. 🙂

Hello, Liz! Your site is very useful! I’ve got a question: is ‘whilst’ has the same meaning as ‘while’ and is it okay to use it in IELTS writing?

See this link: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/while-and-whilst All the best Liz

Your website is very informative. Keep it up! Thank you for making this website very useful.

I’m really glad you find my blog useful. Thanks for your support 🙂 Liz

Hi Liz, Thank you again for sharing your videos with us. They have been very helpful. My questions are: 1. Can I use the word “graph” for bar and pie charts as well? or only for line. 2. Can I use the word “chart” for line? or only for pie and bar?

You use the same words that IELTS give you. Don’t change it. Liz

I have a question.Can the overview paragraph be at the last one ?Or does it have to come second,as in your video? Thank you so much, I’ve found your video to be very useful. Kate

It can be at the end. Please see the video lesson about the structure and paragraphs for writing task 1. All the best Liz

Thank you so much. I learned a lot.

My name is Palak and have recently registered my id with this site. I had my result today. Unfortunately I could not get 7 bands for writing as I missed by 0.5. I am thinking to reappear for test soon after some good practice. I came across this site very recently and and I am very much thankful for all great information and tutorials that can be access through this site. I was wondering would you able to review my couple of essays if I could post them to you?

hello liz! i have to ask about units. For example, if it is showing the percentages then how we can describe that? Is it right to describe as; “units are given in percentages” thanks

You don’t need to give the units unless they are particular interesting or unusual. If it is just percentage, it is usually mentioned in the introduction anyway “the graph illustrates the percentage of…” Liz

Hi, Should we also write the Overview when it is a Line Graph?

All writing task 1 (academic) have an overview. See my model answers on the writing task 1 page. All the best Liz

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How to Structure IELTS Writing Task 1 Essays

Posted by David S. Wills | Aug 24, 2020 | IELTS Tips , Writing | 1

I have written many times about structure on this website, but mostly I have focused on task 2 . Today, however, I am going to take some time to show you how to structure IELTS writing task 1 essays . This often seems like a mystery but in fact it is quite simple and you can usually follow a pretty basic template.

I am going to divide this lesson into two parts. First, we will deal with the IELTS Academic exam and then we will look briefly at the IELTS General exam because these require different structures. Also, keep in mind that IELTS academic writing includes line graphs, pie charts, bar charts, maps, and more, so each of these might require some changes to the essay structure.

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Structure

When you do IELTS academic writing task 1, you may find yourself presented with one (or more) of the following:

Process diagram

These require quite different language but generally you can apply a similar essay structure to all of them. Whether you are writing about a line graph or a table, you can pretty much use this IELTS writing task 1 template :

Let’s establish what “group of information” means

When you are doing IELTS Academic writing task 1, you need to examine the data and then describe it. To do this, you cannot just take a random approach and write about the different features of the data. Instead, you need to highlight the important parts.

This can be difficult, so let’s take an example.

In this line graph, we only have two lines to write about. Clearly, we could write one paragraph about men and one paragraph about women. Easy! Our structure would look like this:

To be honest, that is a very, very easy graph to describe so it was not a challenge. Let’s choose something more difficult to explore:

This is not a terribly difficult line graph to describe, but it presents a challenge for our IELTS writing task 1 structure template. How should we group these three lines?

One option is to structure it like this:

Another option is to break the information down according to time:

Grouping by Time vs Grouping by Type

The easiest way to group data for IELTS writing task 1 is to put them into different types. For example, in this line graph about a Caribbean island, we could potentially describe the number of people who stayed on the island in one paragraph and then the people who stayed on the ships in another paragraph.

But is this the best way?

When you write an essay with that structure, it becomes harder to compare the data. Remember that your question will always say “make comparisons where relevant.”

This suggests that grouping by time is better for one major reason: You can compare the different types of data over time. In this case, we can see the two sets of data are opposites, which gives us a great chance to make comparisons.

Sample Essay

Here is my sample essay about the Caribbean island.

The line graph displays the numbers of tourists that visited an unnamed Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017. The tourists are divided into two groups – those staying on cruise ships and those staying on the island itself – and these had a loosely inverse correlation. The total number of visitors, however, rose more or less continuously throughout the eight-year period. In the first year recorded, which was 2010, there were about twice as many tourists staying on the island as those staying on cruise ships. A year later, the number staying on cruise ships doubled to a half million, but this dropped back to around a quarter million in 2012. When the figures for tourists on cruise ships dropped, the number staying on the island rose quickly and over the coming few years, as this sudden increased levelled off, the number of people who stayed onboard their ship continued to grow again. Between 2012 and 2017, there were more and more visitors staying on cruise ships. From just a quarter million, this rose to two million, while the figures for those on the island levelled off at just one and a half million and then dropped slightly in the penultimate year, before finishing at one and a half. This meant that, for the final two years, more tourists stayed on cruise ships than on the island.

Can you write more than 3 paragraphs?

I would like to make clear that there is no such thing as the correct IELTS writing task 1 essay structure. It is possible to write a great essay with 2 paragraphs, but it is also possible to do it with 4 paragraphs. I would not recommend writing more than 4 paragraphs and I would certainly not recommend writing just 1! This would show a total lack of understanding of Coherence and Cohesion.

(P.S. – Read all about the number of paragraphs for IELTS writing task 2 here .)

Anyway, let’s look at an example of an essay that might be best described with 4 paragraphs:

For this task, we have to decide how to group the data. I personally find that the trend for burglary is more interesting than the others because it has much more of a change, which tells me that it should be described first. You could definitely write a paragraph that grouped car thefts and robberies together, but one is much more common than the other, so it might not work well.

I would take this approach:

Of course, writing this much could mean taking a long time and potentially not finishing your essay. I have written an article about how many words you should write for IELTS, which you can read here .

Sample Essay – 4 Paragraphs

Ok, let’s look at the essay I wrote about crime rates in Newport.

The line graph shows changes in crime rates over a ten-year period in the city centre of Newport. Three types of crimes are listed, two of which ended the period at roughly similar levels to where they began, and one experienced a major drop. In 2003, which was the beginning of the recorded period, burglary was the most common type of crime in Newport, with just under 3,500 cases reported. This rose slightly the following year, before entering into a long downward trend, reaching a low of about 1,200 in 2008. After this, the number of burglaries reported fluctuated until 2012. The number of car thefts was about 2,800 in 2003, and ended the period slightly lower, at 2,700. During the decade-long period, it fluctuated, reaching low points in 2006 and 2008. Car theft was the second most common type of crime in 2003, but the fall in burglaries meant that from 2008 onwards, they were the most common crime in Newport. Robberies were the least common crime and followed a somewhat similar trend to that of car thefts, starting and ending the period with around 700 incidents. It fluctuated only slightly during the ten-year period.

IELTS Writing Task 1 Pie Chart Structure

The previous examples were both line graphs because these are the most common type of IELTS academic writing task 1 question. However, in order to ensure you understand fully, I will also include a pie chart and show you how to structure your essay.

This is actually the most difficult IELTS writing task 1 question I have ever seen!

So how could we produce an IELTS writing task 1 essay structure to fit this?

The obvious choice seems to be writing 3 paragraphs, with 1 paragraph for each of the pie charts. That’s sensible, right?

Well, personally I think that would make it harder to draw comparisons between these data. Instead, I will group the data in terms of meals . I will look at the main meals in one paragraph and then snacks in a final paragraph. This allows me to compare all 3 nutrients!

My structure would then look like this:

**Please note that this is a quite advanced structure and it is difficult to do. I am including it to show you how it is possible to take various approaches and produce a great essay.

Sample Answer

This is my answer to the very difficult question about nutrients:

The pie charts show information about three different kinds of nutrients and their prevalence in typical American meals. There are four kinds of meal mentioned, including snacks. The figures for sodium and saturated fat are loosely similar, but for added sugar they are quite different. Sodium and saturated fat are both extremely common in typical American dinners. According to the pie charts, 43% of sodium is consumed at dinner time as well as 37% of saturated fat, but just 23% of added sugar is found in American dinners. Almost a third of sodium eaten by Americans is consumed at lunch, alongside more than a quarter of saturated fat. Breakfasts contain the lowest amount of these potentially unhealthy ingredients, at 14% sodium and 16% for both saturated fat and added sugar. The figures for snacks look quite different. More than four tenths of the added sugar consumed by Americans came from snacks, which also contained a fifth of the saturated fats and about a sixth of sodium.

IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 Structure

When you take the IELTS General Training (GT) writing test, you will see that task 1 requires you to write a letter. As such, there is no “recommended essay structure” that you can use.

Instead, you should aim to write a letter that follows typical letter-writing conventions and to use paragraphs logically to guide your reader.

How can you structure an IELTS general writing task 1 letter?

I would strongly recommend this sort of approach:

Of course, I will say here that you should not take this as a 100% perfect letter template . It is merely a suggestion and you should pay close attention to the actual task you are assigned. This template can usually be adapted to make a good letter, but sometimes you need to add or combine paragraphs. Also, we might have a short paragraph at the start and/or end of the essay to give some friendly greeting or send some kind regards.

For one thing, sometimes you need to give much more weight to one part of the question, which could require using two paragraphs for that and one for the other parts. An example would be:

How to Adapt an IELTS General Writing Task 1 Format Structure

The people who score band 8 or 9 in IELTS writing are not the ones who memorize structures and vocabulary, or who attempt to predict the questions they will encounter. Instead, these are people who can learn from others but create their own essays and letters by adapting good ideas to the present situation.

Let’s look at an example question from IELTS GT writing task 1.

A large company in your area has decided to spend a certain amount of money, either to sponsor a local children’s sports team for two years, or to pay for two open-air concerts. It has asked for feedback from the general public. Write a letter to the company. In your letter, – describe the benefit of sponsoring the sports ream – summarise the benefits of paying for the concerts – say how you think the company should spend the money

How can we structure a reply to this task?

I am going to use the IELTS general writing task 1 format structure that I suggested above, with two paragraphs of explanation in the middle because there are two sides to the issue. My structure would look like this:

Here is my sample answer to the above question:

Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing in response to your request for input on the decision about either spending money on a sports team or for two open-air concerts. Firstly, if you were to sponsor the children’s sports team, it would obviously be a great investment in the community. Nothing is more important to us than our children’s health and happiness. If you decided to sponsor the football team, this would mean a tremendous amount to many families. The concerts would also be beneficial in bringing the community together in a big event. This would foster some positive experiences and allow people to have fun together doing something they don’t normally do. It might also be good for local businesses. It is my opinion that you invest the money in the sports team as I think this would have the greatest benefit. For two whole years, parents would be able to watch their children play sports, and that is much better than going along to two concerts. Sincerely, David Wills

More Resources

This is a massive topic to cover and so I suggest that you continue reading once you are finished with this article. I have countless lessons on this website about IELTS writing task 1 (both academic and general) that you can read. I also have an IELTS writing task 1 template PDF file here .

About The Author

David S. Wills

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

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I liked the course very much. It extended my knowledge about IELTS task 1 essay writing. This article is very insightful, points well explained and use of tutorials and examples to give a more clear picture of how task 1 essay should be tackled. Thanks for the great post! I liked how detailed and helpful it is.

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172 comments.

Hi, teacher Emma! Thank you very much for this lesson!

A bad tree doesn’t yield good apples

U r being lackadaisical

Hi Emma . Thank you for this vidéo and all the threads of other IELTS related vidéo . Emma , may we use -to accentuate quickly the number of words in our writing – phrases rather than synonym . For instense , rather than saying ,”the graph demonstrate” we would say , “the graph brings to light multiple pieces of information ” . That way the 150 words would be reached rapidly . Thanks for your comment . See you

Thanks Emma for this lesson. You are a good teacher.

thanks Emma for this lesson

if someone wants to practice english-im creating international group for people with intermediate level of english at least on whatsapp. Please write me here down +79374015000 PS Its free for sure))

Please teacher… more lessons on CAE exam… thanks

A very long and extended lesson to improve our writing acknowledges in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), but I thought that your opinion about the types of graphics that you find in the exam was important, but it doesn’t, you only have to describe in general terms an obvious topic and focus on it, if it’s possible using jargon of the topic to get a better task. Thanks a lot, teacher Emma, a good explanation on how to describe graphic information in an exam like the IELTS.

I like all the teachers thank you for your support in teaching us.. :)

I learned a lot, I really would exprees my deep thanks for your efforts

Great lesson Emma, thanks! I think it could also be very useful to prepare different types of presentations, like sales, marketing, technical topics and so one.

I Agree, Jorge!

Thenk you for lesson

I Will try my best next quiz……..

Why here is so boring and quiet???? I know that we should comment on new lessons but I believe if we want to be better in speaking and writing, we’d better be more active in arguing and interaction. Who’s with me?

was it repeat ? or this lesson is New …I think I show it before.

I don’t know. Actually,I’ve not watched it yet. I’m not willing to watch it.

thank a lot

thats great, i am agree with you dear nkh, thats good method to learn language as a child that dont need grammars.

Hi! But I think knowing is better than not knowing most of the time. I myself like grammar, since I like writting and also traslation. Without knowing grammar I can’t be successful, can I? Me and most people like me need to know it. Regards

Practice make a per perfect.

Hi Emma It is really good practice. In my life I am an open book. I passed the Examination what I have need. Now I am really learning from you. Thank you Mostafizur Rahman

Good lesson Emma, thank you so much!

10/10, Thank you, for your lesson. In my job, I often have to describe charts, so it was very helpful practise for me.

a great lesson with a big knowledge … thanks Emma

“Hi mam emma, I want to learn more English.”

Thanks Emma, It´s a good lesson

This is a very helpful lesson. That is a great job of EngVid, especially from you Emma. Thanks a lot. By the way I got 10 out of 10.

I think the video content are also very useful for paper writing. Thank you so much.

Thanks for this wonderful video too. Please, next time come up with a video on ‘Foot wears’.

thank a lot Emma, you are a great teacher!!!, always I understand you!!!!!kisses!!!

Thanks for the great lesson!

Thank you Emma! this is an amazing way to learn english.

yes “differ from” is a very good word.

Your videos are great rhanks alot

Thank you, Emma.

thank you teacher Emma I enjoy it

thank u so much Emma

Thank you, Ms Emma. Your video is so useful.

Hi teachers I am new student.now .

hi Emma. Undoubtedly, you are mine one the most favorite teacher, I stuck to find the difference between Lend and Borrow Could you resolve my issue to whether to use lend or borrow

Hi Emma, I just started to learn about Ielts Writting section. I understood your lesson easily. Thanks for your teaching. I”ll try to learn all your lesson.

that is great lesson.thank you very much Emma mam

It’s really really really amazing.. Thank you so much for sharing all the vedios. I am learning a lot form all the lectures. I have improved alot Thank you

My sister is differ from me. She is really mean and picky, I’m very soft person. Thank you Emms.

Thank you so much for this great lectures.. i can know what is task 1 needed and i also learn how to express answer correctly and good. your points about what we should remember efficient expressions are so helpful. And i have confidence in task 1 in ielts. thank you emma and i gonna listen other your lectures all.. hope you learning well all guys.. :)

Thank you so much!!!

Love you so much,Emma teacher!

It’s the greatest video I have ever seen! I am looking forward to the new one about the line graphs coming.

Thank you so much!

Great lesson and I love your way to teach!!!

Thanks Emma, i didn`t get it at all, but i`ll try once or twice more.

A lot of Thanks!

much needed website for a student, preparing for IELTS. Thanks a lot Emma.

Thanks you for lesson

Many thanks

Thanks mam !

this is a great lesson Emma, thank you so much for your dedication, congratulations regards

Thank you Emma.

Thank you for your support…this video helps me a lot in preparing for IELTS

Thank you so much teacher.

Thank you teacher. What should I do now?

Full marks ?

Hello Emma, I appreciate your effort.

Thanks for your lesson dear Emma, again I got 100% in your quiz…I hope I can get the same score in the future IELTS exam but definitely, with your help, I could achieve it

I learned a lot with this class. You are a very good teacher, and organized knowing exactly how to teach and turn it easy. Thank you so much.

thank you, this web is the best and the teachers too.

Hi asma2244 if u want to practice English as speaking and writing we can do this on WhatsApp if u want this send me and anyone can do this also

Thank you ?

wonderful, thank you so much

I’m going to take the exam without any course preparation, this has been very helpful. Thank you!

Thank you so much. It is very useful, now I have a list of words to use for my wrtings. Thanks again and I hope I could learn more from this amazing website.

thank you. Amazing lesson

Am developming my english skills with you thanks Emma

thanks emma

Thanks Emma, You are the best.

You got 10 correct out of 10.

JE ADORE YOUR TEACHİNG:)))

Thank you so much. What is the correct sentence? Half of the living expenses are rent.Fifty percent of the living expenses is rent

thanks a lot emma your videos are very helpful

Thank you Emma =D

A million thanks emma.

Hi Emma,How to approach Task 1 ..3 line graphs ..2 lines each about export and imports between Australia and 3 countries ..USA CHINA JAPAN..Each countries has its own graph..between 2000 to 2010..your help would be highly appreciated

Thank you Mrs Emma! I really appreciate your efforts to help us :)

thanks Mis Emma very will

Hi Emma, Thank you Very Much for this lesson actually i learned a lot.

thanks a lot Emma

Hi Emma thanks a lot for this lesson, it was very useful and I really appreciate you have done.

thank you Emma

thank you Emma for this great video

Thank you for your important tips :)

how are you Emma teacher. how can I connect with face to face pls tell me

is there any skype speaking lesson if yes I want to practice

Thanks. I got 9 out of 10 questions, not too bad.

Thanks a lot Emma but i am really nervous for the IELTS. There are a huge information over here.

i dont understand why i got in my quiz 10 correct answers if the subject is difficult.?

thanks to help us and good for me because i m preparing for IELTS exam.

Dear Emma, Thank you a lot for this lesson, I find it so helpful. Sincerely,

Thank you Emma, you are a great teacher!

Hi Emma. You’re my favorite one.

thank you, Emma i really appreciate your effort. and i

Hey madam Emma …..Thank you very much because your lessons are helping me alot for improving my ielts skills !

thank you so much, it is great lesson.

i am making too much spelling Mistakes Could you please suggest me how i can improve my this weakness.

Thank you teacher!

it’s good

Thank you for your guide to how to get a good-mark at IELTS writing section. My English level is so low but I hope that is going better way with you

Thanks Emma, your illustration of the lesson over the graph demonstration is highly commendable. I understand quite things in the demonstration how to explain bar graph while writing. All the given examples for bar graph are quite easily to understand. I would like to say thanks again for bringing such valuble lesson for all of us.

Thank you EMMA

goood keep it handling in the same method i am just waiting for new videos wish you happy time thank you well

Thank so much ma’am.

thank so much, Emma. you are the best teacher, definitely.

I’m great full to Emma, Because only you can understand me all of the lessons. You are the great teacher. Thank you so much Mam :) :) :)

Feeeling grateful.Thank you so much for you interesting lesson.

Thank you, Emma

Thank you for this video, kindly i want know how to practice writing and how to correct it to understand our mistakes I NEED HELP

thanks a lot .. Your style is wonderful and simple I have benefited a lot from this video

Thank you dear Emma; It was really helpful for me. I like the way you teach ; It is absolutely encouraging me to listen and watch your videos more and more. wish you the best

Thank you Emma

i got 10 lol

thank you …

Thank you .

thanks alot miss emma you are great

I got 9 out of 10

I got 1 out to 11

Another excellent class! Thank’s Emma!!!!

Hi Emma, it’s always a pleasure learning from your lessons. I’ve been working on my writing skills for the IELTS and I have to say that after watching your two last videos on how to write in the IELTS task 1, I improved dramatically. One fair question about the test that I’d like to ask you is: is it mandatory to use words that are more common in Britsh English? I personally prefer the way Americans/Canadians write.

Thanks so much, Emma.I got 10/10

It’s helpful, Emma, thanks a lots!

very useful/ and a very attractive person eihter

thank you too much I liked you explain way go-ahead

It helps a lot.thank you

Hi Emma, if the bars in the bar chart provided have different colours, do we need to talk about the colours of each bar?

thank you for this website

Dear Mrs Emma your lessons are very great and understandable. Thank you so much indeed!

its really help and thanks for this amazing clip .

thx for your lessons. I really like may be blessed

very intersting

Wow…highly inormative & straight to the point! Thank you Emma I enjoyed your lecture.

Appreciate that Your pronunciation is great Have a nice time

thanks emma, iam your fan

Thank you Ms. Emma.

Emma I love your lectures please finish the example which enable us to know how to join everything together

This is amazing website, it is actually educational website. Thanks for you

How to check my writting performance, I need help?

Hi teacher Emma! Just want you to know that you are Awesome!

UZBEKISTAN,NAMANGAN KASANSAY…THANK YOU TEACHER

I watched the video twice on April 12, 2021, and took the quiz after watching it once. I got 10 correct out of 10.

hi there teacher emma this is videos it´s very interesting because I learnning new word and new vacabulary when I answer the question in the exam IELS, A NUEWS challenges that ESL us, for me is more rewarding al this learnning languajes as I know what is the chart, bar graphs, and pie chart, that decreasse an increasse and them, thank you so much for your english class every day take care.

Thank you a lot.

Thanks a lot

I scored 10/10. Thank you Emma :)

thank you so much emma for this video

Hi EMMA thanks you for teaching us

Awsome… Kindly help me to pass IELTS…

really helpful thanks

thanks, Emma, I will remember you on task 1 ;)

Thank you very much for the lesson

Thank you 🙏🏾

thank you so much

Thanks, it’s so good. :D

Thanks a lot, Emma! You are amazing. (Azores Islands, 12Sept2023);

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Academic IELTS Writing Task 1 – How to Describe Bar Charts

Writing tips

If you didn’t get Band 7 for Academic Writing Task 1, and you blame it on your vocabulary or grammar, think again!

In the 10 years Adam worked as an examiner at the British Council, he saw times and times again that test takers weren’t getting Band 7+ because they were writing their answers the wrong way (and NOT because they lacked vocabulary or didn’t know grammar).

So he made this video to show you the right way to answer the Academic Writing Task 1 .

By watching this video, you will

– learn how to describe bar charts in your Academic Writing Task 1 – know how to organise the information in your answer – save time on Writing Task 1 and use it for Writing Task 2, which carries more weight

Watch the lesson on YouTube , or below:

In the video

1. What are you comparing? In this particular diagram it is the percentage of New Zealand Smokers, tobacco products, years 2014 to 2018.

2. How are you comparing? The values are percentages, which means you can use some synonyms of ‘per cent’ (e.g. proportion).

3. When are you comparing? In the past, so your choice of grammar should be from the past tenses.

4. Which group was the largest? Any overall trends? Drastic changes? Make sure you mention them.

And this is just the beginning, so do watch the entire video , because insider tips from an IELTS examiner are priceless if you want a higher score.

Adam doesn’t give you a model response in this lesson, because he would like you to have a go and write your own. But if you’d like to see a Band 9 sample, check out our High Scorer’s Choice IELTS practice tests . This particular topic can be found in Package 2 and we also provide a model response for it, as well as all the other writing tasks.

Enjoy the lesson!

Academic IELTS Writing Task 1 – How to Describe Pie Charts In today’s video lesson you will learn a great way...
Academic IELTS Writing Task 1 – How to Describe Tables In today’s video lesson Adam (our own ex-IELTS examiner with...
Academic IELTS Writing Task 1 – How to Describe Maps Many test takers feel nervous when they get two maps...
Academic IELTS Writing Task 1 – How to Describe Process Diagrams You got a process diagram to describe and you want...
Academic IELTS Writing Task 1 – How to Describe Line Graphs When you don’t get Band 7 for your Academic writing,...

4 thoughts on “Academic IELTS Writing Task 1 – How to Describe Bar Charts”

The given bar chart illustrates a percentage of new Zealand smokers and tobacco product consumption, in proportion to age group for a period of four years.

Overview Overall we can see that the use of cigarettes was the highest over the given period, while as E-cigarette consumption saw a tremendous rise within the same time. Further more Cigars experienced a fluctuated demand.

From 2014-2016 cigarettes were the most favoured tobacco product as compared to E-cigarette and Cigars. However despite being the most popular product, in 2015 it started experiencing a significant drop with a sharp decrease of 5.3% over the stated period.

On the other hand the population of smokers opting for E-cigarettes sky rocketed from 2014-2018. Similarly the consumption equally grew from 5.5 to 15.3% by 2018. With regards to the surge, in 2017 both E-cigarettes and cigarettes products were at par (in spite of the drop in cigarette sale) (15.3%) respectively.

Lastly market for cigars kept fluctuating over the 8 years. Still there was a slight rate of increase in clients using the product from 2014-2015 and a huge jump of 4% between 2016-2017. Even though there was this change, cigarette and cigar utilisation were the same in 2017 and 2018 respectively and there after a 4.5% sank appeared.

The bar graph displays data on the use of tobacco products by 18-25 years old citizens of New Zealand over a period of four years beginning from 2014. Overall, the E-cigarette consumption saw significant rise over the whole period whereas the use of cigarettes declines steadily and usage of cigars had sharp fluctuation over the four years span. E-cigarette users topped the three groups in numbers followed by cigarette and cigars groups.

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Writing about a bar chart.

Look at the bar chart, question and sample answer and do the exercises to improve your writing skills.

Instructions

Do the preparation exercise first. Then read the text and do the other exercises.

Preparation

Look at the chart below and answer these questions.

Check your understanding: true or false

Check your writing: picture matching - describing changes in bar charts, check your writing: matching - useful language, check your writing: gap fill - prepositions, worksheets and downloads.

Do you like using charts and graphs?

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Exams Know-how

Describe IELTS ...

Describe IELTS Bar Graph Task 1: Sample Questions & Answer

The bar chart in IELTS is one of the most prevalent challenges test-takers face in the vast ocean of IELTS exam problems. Understanding and explaining a bar chart well is vital for getting a high band score on Academic Writing Task 1. We'll go on a trip to comprehend the subtleties of an IELTS bar chart in this blog and arm ourselves with the knowledge and abilities needed to complete this work effectively.

What is IELTS Bar Graph Writing Task?

In the IELTS Academic Writing Task 1, candidates may encounter a task that involves interpreting and describing a bar chart graph. This task typically presents a visual representation of data in the form of one or more bar charts, where the length of bars represents quantities or values.

Candidates are required to analyze the information presented in the chart(s) and provide a written response, summarizing the key trends, comparisons, and significant details. The objective is to showcase the ability to understand and convey information from visual data accurately.

Key tips for tackling IELTS bar chart graph tasks include:

Introduction: Begin with a brief introduction that outlines the main features of the graph(s) and provides context.
Overview: Include a paragraph that summarizes the main trends or patterns observed in the chart(s). This provides a quick snapshot for the reader.
Specific Details: In subsequent paragraphs, delve into specific details, making comparisons and highlighting significant data points.
Language and Structure: Use a variety of vocabulary to describe trends (e.g., increase, decrease, fluctuate) and appropriate sentence structures. Ensure coherence and cohesion in your writing.
Units and Values: Pay attention to units (e.g., percentages, numbers) and accurately convey the values represented in the chart(s).
Conclusion: Conclude your response by summarizing the key points and trends without introducing new information.

Practicing with sample bar chart graph tasks and reviewing model answers can be beneficial for candidates preparing for the IELTS Academic Writing Task 1.

Elements of a Bar Chart in IELTS

Title .

Each bar chart has a title that describes the graph's primary topic and gives some background information. The main characteristics being compared are sometimes included in the title while discussing the IELTS.

Axes and Labels

The horizontal (x-axis) and vertical (y-axis) axes are the two that make up bar charts. The x-axis indicates categories or time, while the y-axis shows the numerical data. These axes' labels are necessary to interpret the data correctly.

The data is represented visually by the bars in a bar chart. Every bar represents a particular group or category, and its length reveals the size of the value it stands for.

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IELTS Bar Graph Description

After going over the essential components of a bar chart in IELTS , let's examine a systematic way to describe one in the IELTS Academic Writing Task 1

Introduction

The introduction should start with a summary of the data presented in the graph, paraphrasing its title. This introduces the reader to the chart and shows that you understand its key components.

Completing the overview part is essential to achieving the IELTS job. Briefly summarise the chart's central themes, patterns, or noteworthy elements. Avoid focusing on individual data points and instead concentrate on the most critical information.

Body Paragraphs

Give each significant trend or characteristic mentioned in the overview paragraph. Introduce the vital idea first, then provide evidence to support it. Finally, wrap up with a statement summarising everything that has been said. To convey patterns, use a range of language, such as "increase," "decrease," "fluctuate," or "remain constant."

Language and Grammar

Provide a range of grammar structures and vocabulary. However, you need to avoid using the exact words and phrases repeatedly so that your English should be impeccable. Remember the use of superlatives, comparatives, and verb tenses.

Data Accuracy

Verify that the information you've provided in your description corresponds to the data shown in the bar chart. Employ precise figures and percentages to enhance the accuracy of your study. Recheck your numbers to make sure there are no errors.

Summarise the main ideas in your body paragraphs and reiterate the general pattern or trend. Based on the facts provided, you can give a forecast or remark on potential future developments.

To sum up, being an expert at expressing a bar chart in IELTS requires a systematic strategy that includes an overview, an introduction, body paragraphs, linguistic competency, correct facts, and a brief conclusion. Practicing these techniques can help test-takers sail through the IELTS waters confidently and increase their chances of receiving a high band score on Academic Writing Task 1. Have fun with your charting!

IELTS Bar Chart Sample Question & Answer

Question 1. The hart below shows the expenditure of two countries on consumer good in 2010. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

IELTS Bar Chart Sample Answer

The chart depicts the expenditure on five consumer goods (cars, computers, books, perfume, and cameras) in France and the UK in 2010, measured in pounds sterling. Notably, the UK outspent France overall, with both nations allocating the majority of funds to cars. However, the UK's lowest spending was on perfume, whereas France allocated the least to cameras. The most significant spending disparity was on cameras.

In terms of cars, the UK spent approximately £450,000 compared to France's £400,000. British expenditure on books (around £400,000) also surpassed that of the French (£300,000). The UK's camera expenditure (just over £350,000) was more than double France's (£150,000).

Conversely, France surpassed the UK in spending on remaining goods. French spending on computers exceeded £350,000, slightly more than the UK's exact £350,000. Both nations allocated minimal funds to perfume, with £200,000 in France and under £150,000 in the UK.

From the Desk of Yocket

In summary, one needs to have a systematic approach to understand how best the bar chart in IELTS is read and described. Such an understanding would need factors such as well-written topic sentences regarding the introduction and overview of all body paragraphs within the text, which should be organised articulately using various techniques locally used by academicians before it can finally ensure proper marking out. If test-takers meticulously follow these strategies, they will be able to overcome the difficulties of IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 with ease and substantially improve their likelihood of receiving a high band score.

As you set out to conquer the IELTS, remember that preparation and practice are essential. To further simplify your dream of studying abroad, try using Yocket’s intelligent features. Yocket makes your study abroad needs easier with its advanced tools and resources. Embrace your new academic journey confidently and discover the world of possibilities. Visit Yocket today and enjoy an easy, all-inclusive study abroad journey!

Frequently Asked Questions About IELTS Bar Graph

How long should the summary be in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1?

The explanation in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 should be short but detailed, providing an overall sense of a line graph's significant themes or trends. It is therefore advisable not to go into details of some specific figures but rather give a general overview of the essential characteristics of that chart.

How can I guarantee linguistic proficiency in writing a bar chart description for taking an IELTS test?

Linguistic competency is shown by using different grammatical constructions and words. Use non-repetitive words and phrases, express a good mastery of the English language, and differentiate between types of patterns using such terms as increase, decrease, fluctuate, or remain the same.

What is the importance of data accuracy in describing a bar chart in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1?

Data accuracy is critical to a successful task for your IELTS. To make your analysis appear more credible, ensure that the data presented matches what is depicted in the bar graph. Both the efforts of being right about figures and percentages in your study add a measure of accuracy. Accurate re-checking is critical to erase mistakes and preserve the reliability of results.

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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Describing Graphs, Tables, Charts, Processes, and Maps

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Describing Graphs, Tables, Charts, Processes, and Maps

In the first part of IELTS Academic Writing, you can come across different types of graphs: a line or bar graph, a table, a map, a process, two graphs or two tables.

You select words and grammatical constructions depending on the type of graph you are writing about. For example, if you got a process (e.g. water cycle on Earth) you use words such as: first, following this, the next stage, then ... etc. For a table, such words are not the best idea.

1. Bar Chart

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The bar chart shows the global sales (in billions of dollars) of different types of digital games between 2000 and 2006.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

In the task, only the part in bold changes.

There may be two tables:

The description of tables is very similar to the description of graphs. We use the same language of comparison and contrast. The table can be easily turned into a bar chart, but the information is better presented with the table: we immediately see the similarities and differences. We should try to group this information. For example, in case where there are several different countries, they can be combined as developed and developing countries. So, you do not have to write about each country separately.

3. Line Graph

4. Pie Chart

The pie charts compare the expenditure of a school in the UK in three different years over a 20-year period.

We structure the answer as follows: Firstly, we write about the largest parts (40%, 50%, 45%), then we cover those that are slightly smaller (28%, 22%, 23%), etc. 8% and 9% - can be combined. We do not write about each chart separately. We take one category in the first graph and compare it with other graphs - what is the same and what is different.

Sometimes there could be a description of a process OR a life cycle of an animal or insect; and you must be prepared for this. The structure is similar to the rest of the tasks: - Introduction (rephrase the assignment) - The main part (Here we write about the stages / steps of the process and use the passive voice (e.g. water is evaporated) - Conclusion (give an overview, i.e. something in common about the process). For example, how many stages there are, or how the process begins and ends:

Overall, there are eight stages in the process, beginning with the digging up of clay and culminating in delivery.

Process example

In the latest tests people have been coming across tasks with 2 maps. The examiners say that the maps description answers are weaker than the graphs description because, apparently, everyone is diligently preparing for the graphs and ignoring maps: “Since there is a small chance that I come across map description, It is not necessary to prepare for it”. It is necessary) Here in the main part we write about the main changes that have occurred: what was built + where. You can add why it was built. To add more details, you can write about what was / wasn’t there before.

Maps Examples

7. Two Graphs (2 tables, a chart and a table or 3 pie charts)

The graph and table below give information about water use worldwide and water consumption in two different countries.

With this one it is very important to choose the information about which one you are going to write. You don’t need to write about everything! You can choose the most basic information. After you rephrase the assignment in the introduction, you can write about the first chart. In the next paragraph, you can write about the second. This way you will not get confused, and it will be easy for the examiner to read your answer. In conclusion, you can show how the two graphs are connected.

How to master IELTS Writing: Task 1 & Task 2

How to write an answer to ANY type of Essay task
How to write an answer to ANY type of Graph task
How to structure your answer
What to write in each paragraph
What grammar to use
How to link your ideas
What vocabulary to use
What you should write to get a high score

Bonus: IELTS Punctuation PDF Guide Everything you want to know to have correct punctuation in your IELTS Writing for 7.0-9.0 Score (31 pages, .PDF)

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IELTS Academic and IELTS General: differences and similarities
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Essay Structure
Detailed Analysis
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IELTS Vocabulary
IELTS Listening
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 – How To Understand & Analyse Task 1 Questions –

There are 5 steps to writing a good essay for IELTS Academic Writing Task 1:

Analyse the question
Identify the main features
Write an introduction
Write an overview
Write the details paragraphs

One of the biggest mistakes many students make is missing out the first step – analysing the question.

They are so worried about getting their essay finished in the 20 minutes allowed for the task that they get straight down to writing without fully understanding the question. The result is an essay that fails to meet many of the marking criteria and thus achieves a low score.

Whilst your language skills may be good enough to earn you a Band 7 or 8, not answering the question appropriately could reduce your score to a Band 6 or even lower.

It’s not difficult to analyse and understand task 1 questions once you know how and that’s what you’re going to learn in this lesson.

Understanding the Question

The first thing to understand is that the format of every question in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 is the same.

Here’s a typical question. The highlighted words are always the same no matter what type of question you get.

The bar chart below shows numbers of seals, whales and dolphins recorded in the Gormez Straits from 2006 to 2018.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Every question consists of:

A brief description of the graphic
The instruction
The graphic – chart, graph, table, etc.

So, let’s analyse what you have to do. For this, we need to look at the ‘instruction’ sentence.

You have to do 3 things:

1. Select the main features.

2. Write about the main features.

3. Compare the main features.

This is the same for every question and every type of graphic.

You’ll notice that each part of the task refers to the ‘ main features ’ of the graphic. You do not have to write about everything.

A key skill you must learn is how to quickly pick out the features.

Another point to note is that you are not required to give your opinion as you would for many Task 2 essays. This is a common mistake which will lose you marks. Only write about what you can see in the graphic.

Identifying the Main Features

I’m now going to give you some checklists to help you to identify the main features of the different types of IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 questions.

I go into detail on how to pick out the main features in specific questions in the lessons on individual question types.

Here are the 7 question types:

Table Chart
Process Diagram
Multiple Graphs

Click the links for step-by-step instructions on how to write each type of essay including a model answer.

The various types of graphs and charts are not especially difficult to interpret. The challenge for most students is simply that they are not used to working with them.

Remember, IELTS is an English exam designed to test your language skills, not your mathematics ability. No complicated calculations are required.

The graphics are just a way of presenting information using numbers and diagrams. Your job is to convert the information into a written form. That’s all you have to do.

Bar Charts & Line Graphs

1) What can you learn from the title?

There won’t always be a title but where there is, read it carefully as it will give you important information about the chart or graph and the first clue as to what it's about.

In our example above, the bar chart shows ‘Seal, Whale & Dolphin Populations in the Gormez Straits’.

2) What information do the 2 axes give?

The chart or graph will have a vertical axis and a horizontal axis, often called the ‘x’ and ‘y’ axes.

Each gives a different type of information. In our example, the x axis tells us the years in which the numbers of seals, whales and dolphins were recorded, and the y axis shows how many were recorded.

3) What are the units of measurements?

These could be many different things, for example, amount, time, age, %. The measurements on our example bar chart are the amount in single numbers and time in years.

Occasionally, the units won’t be given but you will be able to work out what they are either from the title of the chart or other information it includes.

4) What is being compared?

Usually, IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 questions ask you to compare two or more groups of things. They could include almost anything. In our sample question, we are asked to compare three types of marine mammals.

Very often, you will have to compare what happens over a period of time.

5) What are the time periods?

Is the data from the past, the present or the future? Often it will be two or all three of these. This is very important to note because it will determine what tense or tenses you should use.

The data in our sample bar chart is all in the past.

6) What is the most obvious trend?

You should look for any clear increases or decreases in the data. They could be gradual or sharp changes.

7) Are there any notable similarities?

As well as noting marked increases and decreases, you also need to look out for things that are similar or stay the same over a period of time.

You can download a PDF of all the checklists, without the explanations, on this page: Task 1 Checklists .

Use them as you practice writing IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 essays.

Many students fear tables more than any other type of graphic because they’re just sets of numerical data without any visual representation. However, they are not as complicated as they may at first look.

The key to understanding them is to use the clues given in the title , the row and column headings and the units of measurement .

For example, the title of the table below tells us that it shows changes in world population from 1950 to projected levels in 2050.

Rows and columns – The world is divided into continents (Africa, Asia, etc.) and data is given for three specific years: 1950, 2000 and projected data for 2050.

In the first table, the units of measurement is billions of people and in the second table, percentages of the total world population are used.

All the same questions in the checklist for bar charts and line graphs are relevant to tables except for question 2 about the x and y axes. Apart from this, analyse the data in the same way.

Click this link for step-by-step instructions on how to answer this question including a model answer:

Table Chart – Instructions & Model Answer

Pies charts feature regularly in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1. They always show percentag es or proportions. Apart from that, they are essentially the same as bar charts and line graphs in that they are another way of presenting data visually.

As with tables, the same checklist of questions can be used to analyse them, with the exception of question 2 about the x and y axes.

Pie charts generally have titles and labels or sometimes a key instead of segment labels as in the sample question below. The key explains what each segment of the pie chart represents.

Source: Official website IELTS Essentials

Pie Chart – Instructions & Model Answer

Process Diagrams

Now we move on to a very different type of graphic – the process diagram.

Here’s a checklist of questions you can ask to help you analyse and understand them.

1) Is it a linear or a cyclical process?

A linear process starts and finishes at different places. It will often involve the manufacture or creation of something, with raw materials going in at one end and the finished product coming out the other end.

A cyclical process is a process that goes back to the beginning and repeats over and over again, such as the life cycle of a frog.

Lineal process

Source: IELTS past paper

Cyclical process

2) Where does the process start and end?

For a lineal process, this will usually be obvious. It may be harder to determine for a cyclical process so it’s important that you examine the graphic carefully to find out.

3) How many steps are there to the process?

If there are a lot, it can be helpful to number them from 1 to whatever number the final stage is.

4) Can the process be easily broken down into stages?

In the brick-making graphic, for example, there are three stages:

a) Creating the bricks from clay

b) Manufacturing the finished product by drying and firing

c) Packaging and delivery

In the life cycle graphic, there are also three distinct stages where the frog is at different stages of development – egg, juvenile, adult.

5) What are the raw materials? What is produced at the end of the process?

These questions obviously apply only to manufacturing processes.

For other types of process, it might be more appropriate to ask the following question.

6) What is the end result of the process?

The graphic below shows a different type of process, more of a system, and this question would certainly be helpful to ask here. The end result is the production of electricity.

Process Diagram – Instructions & Model Answer

For IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 questions about maps, you will normally be asked to compare two or three maps of a place over a period of time as in this question.

The maps could be from the past or the present. Occasionally you’ll get a map of a proposed development in the future.

Map questions are some of the easiest to answer because the information is very clear, it doesn’t involve numbers and it needs little interpretation. However, I have a short checklist of questions you can ask to help you analyse and understand them.

1) What time periods are shown?

Is the data shown from the past, the present or the future? This is important to note because it will determine whether you should write in the past, present or future tense.

The two m aps below show the village of Stokeford at two different times in the past.

2) What are the main differences between the maps?

What features have disappeared? What new features are in their place?

3) What features have remained the same over the time period?

Although the location on the maps will have undergone major development, some features will probably remain unchanged.

Maps Essay – Instructions & Model Answer

Here’s the link to the checklists again: Task 1 Checklists

The next step to writing a high-scoring essay for IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 is to learn how to plan your essay using an easy to remember 4 part structure. You’ll find the lesson here: How To Plan a Task 1 Essay

Want to watch and listen to this lesson on IELTS Academic Writing Task 1?

Click on this video.

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Ielts academic writing task 1 – all lessons.

IELTS Academic Writing – A summary of the test including important facts, test format & assessment.

Academic Writing Task 1 – The format, the 7 question types & sample questions, assessment & marking criteria. All the key information you need to know.

Understanding Task 1 Questions – How to quickly and easily analyse and understand IELTS Writing Task 2 questions.

How To Plan a Task 1 Essay – Discover 3 reasons why you must plan, the 4 simple steps of essay planning and learn a simple 4 part essay structure.

Vocabulary for Task 1 Essays – Learn key vocabulary for a high-scoring essay. Word lists & a downloadable PDF.

Grammar for Task 1 Essays – Essential grammar for Task 1 Academic essays including, verb tenses, key sentence structures, articles & prepositions.

The 7 Question Types:

Click the links below for a step-by-step lesson on each type of Task 1 question.

IELTS Writing
Academic Task 1 - Understand & Analyse
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IELTS Writing Task 1 – Maps Example Essay 4

In this post, we will look at a Writing Task 1 Academic map essay example from the IELTS writing task 1 Academic Test. Students often ask if the questions are repeated year after year and the answer is no, but the type of map, process, graph or chart can be.

There are so many questions written each year, you may find you practice answering various questions on different topics. It is best practice to learn how to answer each one of the various types of writing task 1 questions , from bar charts, line graphs, maps, process etc.

If you would like to learn how to structure a map essay please click the button below >

Take a look at the IELTS Writing Task 1 Academic essay example below >>

*This map question and answer were provided by a student. IELTS Achieve did not design this question*

The map below shows the changes in an American town between 1948 and 2010.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The picture illustrates the noticeable changes that happened to an American town from 1948 and 2010.

Overall, there are slight changes that happened in the town within the 62 years as some structures were removed, while there are many establishments that had been added.

On the one hand, in the year 1948, the town was surrounded by trees while residential houses can be seen from the west and east of the town. The local supermarket is situated in the west area and the church is located in the south near to the canal, while there are established factories that can be seen in the northeast region.

On the other hand, after 62 years, some of the residential areas were replaced by commercial buildings. The church was also removed and as a replacement, a sports stadium was created. In addition, a local airport was also established in the area where the factories were once found. The canal was left untouched whereas, the supermarket was relocated to the area where once a small park was located.

Word count – 174 / Band score 8

Task Achievement – The answer provides a paraphrased question, to begin with, followed by an overview that gives the reader key information.
Coherence and Cohesion – The answer has been divided into clear logical paragraphs.
Lexical Resource – There is evidence of paraphrasing, synonyms and some less common words.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy – The answer has no grammatical errors. The sentences are mainly made up of multiple clauses and have a variety of structures.

We hope you found this post useful in helping you to study for the IELTS Test . If you have any questions please let us know in the comments below or on the Facebook page.

The best way to keep up to date with posts like this is to like us on Facebook , then follow us on Instagram and Pinterest . If you need help preparing for the IELTS Test, join the IELTS Achieve Academy and see how we can assist you to achieve your desired band score. We offer an essay correction service, mock exams and online courses.

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Cách viết Writing Task 1 dạng Bar chart chỉ với 3 bước cực hiệu quả

Cách viết dạng Bar chart trong Writing Task 1 được IDP cập nhật chi tiết trong bài viết sau! Hãy cùng theo dõi ngay để biết cách phân tích đề bài, lên outline và triển khai từng phần cho dạng câu hỏi nhận xét biểu đồ cột trong IELTS.

Chủ đề bài viết

Bar chart - Biểu đồ cột IELTS thể hiện sự biến thiên của đối tượng (dựa trên một đơn vị nhất định). Dạng bài này thường yêu cầu phân tích đặc điểm, số liệu, so sánh và dự đoán xu hướng của đối tượng. Có hai dạng là Bar chart có sự thay đổi theo thời gian (time graph) và không có sự thay đổi theo thời gian (comparison graph) với đặc điểm và cách làm khác nhau. Dưới đây là cách viết biểu đồ cột trong IELTS , cùng theo dõi ngay!

>>>Xem thêm: Thi ielts bao nhiêu tiền và cách thanh toán chi phí thi IELTS tại IDP

Bước 1: Phân tích biểu đồ

Bước đầu tiên khi sau khi đọc đề bài đó là phân tích biểu đồ. Mỗi đề bài sẽ bao gồm ba phần:

Phần 1: Mô tả ngắn gọn về biểu đồ “The bar chart below shows…”

Phần 2: Chỉ dẫn bạn đến yêu cầu của bài: “Summarise the information …and make comparisons…”

Phần 3: Một biểu đồ, cụ thể ở dạng bài này là Bar chart.

Để phân tích được biểu đồ, bạn cần làm rõ 4 yếu tố sau:

Topic – Đối tượng của biểu đồ là gì?

Place – số liệu trong biểu đồ được lấy ở đâu?

Time – số liệu trong biểu đồ được lấy ở thời điểm nào?

Unit of measurement - Đơn vị đo của số liệu trong biểu đồ?

Đề mẫu:

Article - IELTS Writing Task 1 Bar charts - Paragraph 1 - IMG 1 - Vietnam

Đề mẫu để xây dựng cách viết dạng Bar Chart trong Writing Task 1 - Nguồn: Bestmytest

Thực hành phân tích đề:

Topic – Đối tượng của biểu đồ là gì: Living Issues of City Residents - dựa trên ba đối tượng là Health Services, Education and training, Air Pollution

Place – số liệu trong biểu đồ được lấy ở đâu: In major UK cities

Time – số liệu trong biểu đồ được lấy ở thời điểm nào: In 2008

Unit of measurement - Đơn vị đo của số liệu trong biểu đồ: Đơn vị đo lường: phần trăm

Bước 2: Note lại những thông tin quan trọng

Sau khi đã phân tích đề và nắm được những điểm mấu chốt, giờ là lúc bạn ghi lại thông tin quan trọng từ biểu đồ, bao gồm:

Điểm cao nhất? - Health Services

Điểm thấp nhất? - Air Pollution

Có sự thay đổi vượt trội nào trong biểu đồ?

Các điểm chung của số liệu?

Đây đều là những thông tin mà bạn có thể dựa vào để phân tích và so sánh theo đúng yêu cầu của đề bài. Nắm rõ các thông tin này giúp bạn hạn chế tình trạng liệt kê khi làm bài thi Writing Task 1.

Đăng Ký Thi IELTS Trên Máy Tính Ngay

Bước 3: Chiến lược viết từng phần của bài mô tả Bar chart

Cách viết phần introduction.

Trong phần giới thiệu, bạn chỉ nên diễn giải lại đề bài bằng cách thay đổi cấu trúc và sử dụng từ đồng nghĩa.

Cấu trúc viết câu mở bài: The bar chart + show(s)/illustrate(s)/give(s) information about + 3W (what?, where?, when?)

Ex: The bar graph compares the living issues of local people in some major cities in the UK during 2008.

Từ vựng thường dùng: Show - illustrate - give - compare,...

Cách viết phần Overview Task 1 dạng Bar chart

Ở phần tiếp theo này, bạn nên thể hiện các đặc trưng chủ yếu mà bạn có thể thấy trong biểu đồ, chỉ cung cấp các thông tin chung chung và so sánh nếu có.

Một vài lưu ý khi viết overview:

Overview nên gồm 2 câu, một là giới thiệu chung về biểu đồ và hai là những thông tin chính.

Không đưa số liệu vào overview.

Chỉ nên chọn 2-3 ý chính để viết.

Những cụm từ vựng IELTS Writing Task 1 Bar chart dùng cho phần Overview:

As is observed: Theo quan sát

Overall: Nhìn chung

Generally speaking: Nói chung là

At a first glance: Thoạt nhìn

As can be seen: Như có thể thấy

Increase/Rise: tăng lên, Decrease/Fall: Giảm đi, …

Remain stable: Không thay đổi

Hit the peak/ hit the highest point: Đạt điểm cao nhất

Slightly: Không đáng kể

Dramatically: Đáng kể

Gradually: Dần dần

Ex: As is observed, health services were the primary issue in most cities, followed by education and training. While air pollution remained a minor problem.

Tầm quan trọng của câu overview trong IELTS Writing Academic Task 1

Tổng hợp bộ từ vựng IELTS Writing Task 1

Cách viết phần Body

Phần Body là nơi bạn được phép trình bày nhiều thông tin chi tiết liên quan đến các dữ liệu bạn có. Ở phần này, chú ý thêm các câu so sánh vào bài viết, đừng chỉ liệt kê thông tin bởi điều này sẽ khiến bạn mất điểm.

Cụ thể, phần body sẽ có cấu trúc như sau:

Phần body 1: 3-4 câu miêu tả chi tiết nhóm thông tin đầu tiên từ biểu đồ/ điểm giống nhau của biểu đồ

Article - IELTS Writing Task 1 Bar charts - Paragraph 3 - IMG 2 - Vietnam

Ví dụ cách triển khai body 1

Phần body 2: 3-4 câu miêu tả chi tiết nhóm thông tin tiếp theo/ điểm khác nhau của biểu đồ

Article - IELTS Writing Task 1 Bar charts - Paragraph 3 - IMG 3 - Vietnam

Ví dụ cách triển khai body 2

Những cụm từ dùng trong phần body: accounted for: chiếm, reached a peak of: đạt cực đại là, just over: cao hơn 1 chút, approximately: khoảng, xấp xỉ, …

Cấu trúc sử dụng trong phần body: Fell to + số liệu, Fell by + phần trăm,…

Đăng Ký Thi IELTS Trên Giấy Ngay

Từ vựng dùng trong dạng bài Bar Chart

Mặc dù dạng bài Bar Chart được chia thành hai loại: loại có biến đổi theo thời gian và loại không có thay đổi theo thời gian, các thí sinh đều phải đưa ra các phân tích về đặc điểm, số liệu hay dự đoán những xu hướng dựa trên các thông tin của đề bài.

1. Từ vựng miêu tả câu mở đầu

2. từ vựng miêu tả sự thay đổi , 3. từ vựng miêu tả tốc độ thay đổi .

Gas prices have slightly increased in the last few months.

In the given period, the city's water consumption witnessed a moderate fall of approximately 15% from 180 to 153 million liters per day.

4. Từ vựng dùng để liệt kê

According to the graph/ First of all/ to begin with/ to start with/ Firstly: đầu tiên là

Secondly: thứ hai là

In turn/ before that/ subsequently/ following that: sau đó thì

Finally: cuối cùng là

Correspondingly: Tương ứng

Respectively: Tương ứng

5. Giới từ thường được sử dụng

In 1992, the Service Industry accounted for 4 percent of GDP, whereas IT exceeded this, at just over 6 per cent.

From 2000 to 2020, the number of households using solar energy as their primary source of electricity increased significantly, rising from just 500 to over 10,000.

6. Từ vựng chỉ số phần trăm - Các loại %, số phần và con số

tripled (v): gấp ba

doubled (v): gấp đôi

one-fourth: 1/4

three-quarters: 3/4

half: một nửa

double fold: gấp đôi

5 times higher: cao hơn gấp 5 lần

3 times lower: thấp hơn 3 lần

7. Từ vựng chỉ ngày tháng năm

From + năm: từ năm X

Between + Year X and Year Y: giữa năm X và năm Y

After + Year X: sau năm X

By/in + Year X: vào năm X

In + tháng X: vào tháng X

Cấu trúc câu dùng trong dạng bài Bar Chart

Cấu trúc trong đoạn overview.

Overview là đoạn cần tập trung vào những xu hướng tổng quát hoặc những đặc điểm nổi bật của cả biểu đồ. Bạn có thể áp dụng những trạng từ sau cho đoạn Overview của mình:

In general: nhìn chung thì

In common / Generally speaking / Overall

It is obvious: rõ ràng là

As is observed: theo quan sát

As a general trend: xu hướng chung là

As can be seen: có thể thấy là

As an overall trend: xu hướng chung là

As is presented: như đã thấy

It can be clearly seen that: có thể rõ ràng thấy được là

At the first glance, it is clear that .. : nhìn sơ có thể thấy ..

At the onset, it is clear that .. : rõ ràng là ..

A glance at the graphs reveals that .. : nhìn sơ biểu đồ cho thấy là..

Bài mẫu xây dựng cách viết dạng Bar chart trong Writing Task 1

Sau khi đã tham khảo những hướng dẫn viết Writing Task 1 dạng Bar chart bên trên, bạn hãy vận dụng để làm 3 đề mẫu dưới đây:

Bài 1: The graph gives information about the age of the population of Iceland between 1990 and 2020.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Article - IELTS Writing Task 1 Bar charts - Paragraph 4 - IMG 4 - Vietnam

The bar chart compares the different ages of people living in Iceland between 1990 and 2020.

All in all, the size of the 25-54 age group increased the most over the period while the size of the two younger age groups decreased a little bit. The number of people in the two older age groups stayed about the same.

The 25-54 age group grew from approximately a third of the population in 1990 to nearly half of the population in 2020.

The older two age groups did not increase or decrease much. The size of the 65 and over age group remained at about 13%, whereas the size of the 55 -64 age group only fell from about 14% to about 10% of the population.

By contrast, the 0-14 age group fell from just over 25% in 1990 to just under 20% in 2020. Similarly, the 15-24 age group dropped from just over 20% of the population in 1990 to just under 10% of the population in 2020.

Bài 2: The chart and graph below give information about participants who have entered the Olympics since it began.

Article - IELTS Writing Task 1 Bar charts - Paragraph 4 - IMG 5 - Vietnam

The two charts give information about the gender and number of athletes who have entered the Games since they started. The bar chart illustrates the number of men and women entering the Games, whereas the line graph shows the number of participants.

It is evident from the bar chart that, until 2012, there were always significantly more men entering the Games than women. In 1924 and 1952, there were hardly any women entering the Games, yet in 1952 there were over 4,000 male participants. In 2012, however, the number of female athletes rose significantly to nearly 5,000, only approximately 1,000 lower than male participants.

The line graph shows a similar trend, with the number of participants increasing throughout the century. The most significant increase occurred between 1984 and 2012 when the number of athletes rose from just over 6,000 to over 10,000 in 2012.

To summarize, therefore, since 1924 the number of athletes entering the Olympic Games has increased dramatically. This is particularly the case for women, who are now represented in nearly the same numbers as male participants.

Bài 3: The graph below shows the percentage of part-time workers in each country of the United Kingdom in 1980 and 2010.

Article - IELTS Writing Task 1 Bar charts - Paragraph 4 - IMG 6 - Vietnam

The given bar graph shows the rate of part-time employees in four different parts of the UK from 1980 to 2010.

Overall, except for the workers of Northern Ireland, all the people of other countries have shown a rise in the rate of their work as time continues. Also, Wales and England have the most active part-time workers in both eras.

The graph clearly depicts that in 1980, nearly 25% of people worked in England as part-time workers but manpower in whales is about 8% higher than that in England. After 30 years, England shows a greater rise in the rate of workers than that in Whales. But the overall percentage of employees in 2010 still seems to be higher in Wales.

Furthermore, Scotland has the lowest rate of part-time workers with just about 11% while Northern Ireland exceeds more than that in the starting year. As time passes by, the percentage of workers decreases in Northern Ireland in contrast increases twice as that in 1980 in Scotland.

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>>> Bài viết cùng chủ đề:

Các dạng biểu đồ trong IELTS: Tổng quan & cách viết

Bật mí chi tiết cách viết dạng Map trong Writing Task 1

Trên đây là hướng dẫn cách viết dạng Bar chart trong Writing Task 1 kèm bài mẫu chi tiết. Hy vọng các thông tin trong bài đã giúp bạn đọc củng cố kiến thức và chuẩn bị tốt hơn cho kỳ thi IELTS sắp tới.

Tự tin ghi điểm dạng bài Bar Chart trong IELTS Writing!

Với các từ vựng và cấu trúc câu đa dạng liên quan đến dạng bài Bar Chart trong phần thi IELTS Writing Task 1 ở trên, hy vọng bạn đã nắm được phần nào cấu trúc bài thi và ghi điểm thật cao trong bài làm của mình. Bạn có thể đọc thêm chiến thuật giải quyết các dạng bài ở kho tài nguyên IELTS sẵn có của IDP để chuẩn bị tham gia thi IELTS trên giấy hay trên máy tính.

Và khi bạn đã sẵn sàng, hãy đăng ký thi IELTS với IDP ngay hôm nay !

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IMAGES

Describing a bar chart
Writing about a bar chart
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IELTS Writing Task 1
Writing A Bar Chart Essay- Detailed Explanation Of How To Write
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VIDEO

Giải đề thi IELTS Writing Task 1 ngày 9/11/2023
IELTS Writing task 1: Bar graph
super quick way to write an introductory paragraph
Bar chart (whole essay) part 3
English Lv4(bar chart, table essay) مراجعة الفاينل
O/L English Bar chart, Bar graph & Table Question

COMMENTS

How to Describe a Bar Chart [IELTS Writing Task 1]
When you need to describe a bar chart for IELTS, you should take the same basic process as for describing anything else: Take time to read the question carefully. Look at the data and make sure you understand it. Find important data to describe. Plan your essay structure. Write your essay carefully. Check your answer for mistakes.
How to describe a bar graph in IELTS Academic Task 1
Let's begin with the analysis of this bar chart, and pick out the information that is relevant to our structure. See the model answer of a bar chart below. Sample Answer Bar Graph Essay. The bar chart shows the caloric intake of UK males in three distinct age groups of 0-24, 25-49, and over 50 years old. The data is shown as percentages.
IELTS Writing Task 1: How to Describe a Bar Chart
To effectively write about an IELTS Writing Task 1 bar chart, follow these tips. 1. Start by Reading the Title. First and foremost, you should read the title. Often, I have students report on the essay in an inverted order because they didn't read the bar chart title. For example, an IELTS Writing Task 1 bar chart that I give students has the ...
Describing a bar chart
The chart shows the sales revenue of a selection of home video entertainment formats in the USA in 2017. It also shows the percentage change from the previous year. Online video streaming was the most popular format in 2017. US consumers spent $9.8 billion on services such as Netflix, which was a rise of 32 per cent from the previous year.
IELTS bar chart writing task 1 overview and tips
1. Introduction to IELTS Bar Chart Writing Task 1. Bar chart or Bar graph, in IELTS Writing Task 1, share several similar features with Line chart which has two axes (x-axe and y-axe). This feature helps people see how a trend has changed over time. On the other hand, instead of lines, IELTS Bar chart Writing Task 1 contains rectangular bars in ...
IELTS Bar Chart: Tips for a High Score
The best way is from model answers: IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answers. 6. Linking devices. You should use a range of linking devices. For example, while / whereas / as opposed to / compared to / in comparison with. All these will help you get a higher score in Coherence and Cohesion which is 25% of your marks.
How to Structure IELTS Writing Task 1 Essays
Whether you are writing about a line graph or a table, you can pretty much use this IELTS writing task 1 template: Paragraph #1. Explain the basic facts of the image. Describe the general trend. Paragraph #2. Describe the first group of information. Paragraph #3. Describe the second group of information.
IELTS Writing Task 1: How to describe BAR GRAPHS · engVid
It's not important. spend a small amount of time examining the bar graph to understand what it is showing. Ask yourself what is important in the bar graph and what are some key features of the bar graph or trends. Then you can start writing or planning your writing. write your opinion on the bar graph. copy the words of the question exactly ...
IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
A bar chart with categories on the x axis; A bar chart with dates or years on the axis (functions as a line graph) Two bar charts presented; Each scenario requires you to write the report differently. This post will cover all scenarios. Let's start with our first bar chart lesson! IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 - Bar Charts Lesson 1. In this ...
IELTS Writing task 1: Bar chart lesson
Learn how to describe bar charts in IELTS Writing task 1 to get a band 9 for your writing! In this tutorial you will see a sample bar chart question + useful...
IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
In this video, you are going to learn how to describe a bar chart that you'll find in the IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 questions.To watch all of our IELTS v...
Academic IELTS Writing Task 1
So he made this video to show you the right way to answer the Academic Writing Task 1. By watching this video, you will. - learn how to describe bar charts in your Academic Writing Task 1. - know how to organise the information in your answer. - save time on Writing Task 1 and use it for Writing Task 2, which carries more weight.
IELTS Writing Task 1
IELTS Writing Task 1 Academic bar chart essay example that is a band score 8. The question is > The chart shows the percentage of drugs taken by girls and boys in a school in New Zealand. ... If you would like to learn how to structure a charts and graphs essay please click the button below > how to write a chart/graph essay. Take a look at the ...
Writing about a bar chart
I like using charts and graphs in certain situations only, like in math, geography or economy. They are a lot less overwhelming than raw numbers. However, they can be confusing when used incorrectly. Plus, graphs and charts can be made to be misleading: a pie chart can say 40% when the actual percentage is 20%. This is, unfortunately, used a ...
IELTS Writing Task 1: Structure and template for describing graphs
In this case the structure will look like this: 1§ Introduction: Paraphrase the Task (1 sentence) 2§ Overall statement (general trend/what's the same and what's different) 3§ Main features with Comparisons. 4§ Main features with Comparisons. 5§ Main features with Comparisons - ЭТОТ ПАРАГРАФ НЕ ОБЯЗАТЕЛЬНО)
Describe IELTS Bar Graph Task 1: Sample Questions & Answer
Language and Structure: Use a variety of vocabulary to describe trends (e.g., increase, decrease, fluctuate) and appropriate sentence structures. Ensure coherence and cohesion in your writing. ... IELTS Bar Chart Sample Answer. The chart depicts the expenditure on five consumer goods (cars, computers, books, perfume, and cameras) in France and ...
A Guide To Multiple Graph Essays
The process for planning and writing IELTS multiple graph essays is the same as for any other Academic Task 1 essay. Here is the 5 steps process I recommend that you use: 1) Analyse the question. 2) Identify the main features. 3) Write an introduction. 4) Write an overview. 5) Write the details paragraphs.
IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Describing Graphs, Tables, Charts
In the first part of IELTS Academic Writing, you can come across different types of graphs: a line or bar graph, a table, a map, a process, two graphs or two tables. You select words and grammatical constructions depending on the type of graph you are writing about. For example, if you got a process (e.g. water cycle on Earth) you use words ...
PDF How to Describe a Bar Chart [Ielts Writing Task 1]
4. Plan your essay structure. 5. Write your essay carefully. 6. Check your answer for mistakes. If you follow this basic routine, you will have a good chance of providing a strong answer to the question. LANGUAGE FOR DESCRIBING BAR CHARTS . In the past, I have talked about the language required to describe the following IELTS writing task 1 ...
IELTS Academic Writing Task
The bar chart below shows numbers of seals, whales and dolphins recorded in the Gormez Straits from 2006 to 2018. ... Essay - Discover 3 reasons why you must plan, the 4 simple steps of essay planning and learn a simple 4 part essay structure. Vocabulary for Task 1 Essays ...
IELTS Writing Task 1: bar chart overview
The bar chart compares how often people consumed in fast food restaurants across USA in three different years. It is clear that most people went to fast good restaurants once a week or once a month in three separate years while the minority of people never turned up or ate every day in fast food restaurants. In these three separate years, less ...
IELTS Writing Task 1
It is best practice to learn how to answer each one of the various types of writing task 1 questions, from bar charts, line graphs, maps, process etc. If you would like to learn how to structure a map essay please click the button below > how to write a maps essay. Take a look at the IELTS Writing Task 1 Academic essay example below >>
Bỏ túi cách viết Writing Task 1 dạng Bar chart
Cách viết Writing Task 1 dạng Bar chart chỉ với 3 bước cực hiệu quả. Cách viết dạng Bar chart trong Writing Task 1 được IDP cập nhật chi tiết trong bài viết sau! Hãy cùng theo dõi ngay để biết cách phân tích đề bài, lên outline và triển khai từng phần cho dạng câu hỏi nhận xét ...

How to score high on a bar graph question in writing task 1

A strategy for bar graph questions

How to choose information from the bar graph?

A bar graph sample question and answer

Sample Answer Bar Graph Essay

Sample Answer Analysis

Some notes on structure

Tips on describing a bar graph in IELTS

Bonus tips to score high on IELTS Bar Graph Questions

Video: How to describe a bar graph

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How to write task 1 bar graph?

How do you write a description of a bar graph?

Audio tutorial: How to describe a bar chart for the IELTS exam

Sample Bar Chart Questions and Model Answers

IELTS Writing Task 1: How to Describe a Bar Chart

Table of Contents

1. Start by Reading the Title

2. Look at the Time Frame

3. Decide What You Are Comparing

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Describing a bar chart

Preparation

Language level

Online courses

IELTS bar chart writing task 1 overview and tips

2. Structure of IELTS Bar Chart Writing Task 1

2.1. Introduction

2.2. Overview

3. Steps to write an IELTS Bar Chart Writing Tasks 1 essay effectively

3.1. Step 1: Analyse the question

3.2. Step 2: Point out main features of the bar graph

3.3. Step 3: Write the essay

3.4. Step 4: Re-check your essay

4. IELTS Bar Chart Writing Tasks 1 Tips

4.1. Making the most of transition words

4.2. Be careful with word and time limit

4.3. Don’t express your point of view

4.4. Use proper vocabulary and grammar

IELTS Bar Chart: Tips for a High Score

IELTS Bar Chart Tips Video Tutorial

IELTS Bar Chart Essential Tips

1. Introduction Paragraph

2. The overview

3. Body Paragraphs

4. Support Sentences with Data

5. Complex Sentences

6. Linking devices

7. Assessment Criteria

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