GET TO KNOW IELTS WRITING TASK 1

1. Maximum 20 minutes
2. Minimum 150 words
3. Describe visual information presented in line graphs,
bar charts, pie charts, tables, process diagrams,
maps.
 1 Graphs with a trend

2 Comparative graph
TYPES OF WT1
3 Map
QUESTIONS
4 Process

5 Combined graphs
GRAPH
TREND WITH A TREND
COMPARATIVE
COMPARATIVE
MAP
MAP
PROCESS
PROCESS
COMBINED
COMBINEDGRAPHS
GRAPHS
UNIT 9: WRITING TASK 1
TREND (LINE,BAR GRAPH &
TABLE)
LINE GRAPH
TREND
BAR GRAPH
TREND
TABLE
TREND
STRUCTURE
Structure

INTRODUCTION OVERVIEW BODY 1 BODY 2

1 câu 2 câu 3-4 câu 3-4 câu

No conclusion is needed!
INTRODUCTION
Structure (provides information about the graph)

Graph’s name + V (present simple) + what + where + when

Paraphrase
1. Synonyms
2. General ó specific
3. Grammar structures

The graph shows average annual expenditure on cell phone,

national and international fixed-line services, 2001-2010
INTRODUCTION
Structure (provides information about the graph)

Graph’s name + V (present simple) + what + where + when

The graph shows average annual expenditure on cell phone, national and international fixed-line
services, 2001-2010
1. The graph = the line chart Paraphrase
2. shows = provides information about/illustrates 1. Synonyms

3. average annual expenditure = average yearly 2. General ó specific

spending 3. Grammar structures
4. cellphone, national and international fix-line
services= 3 distinct phone services

5. 2001-2010 = from...to…=between …and…= over a

9-year period = over a period of 9 years.
OVERVIEW
Structure (provides an overall review of the chart)

Lead-in:
“Overall/In general, it is clear from the chart that...”

Sentence 1: Trend

Sentence 2: Order (Highlight)

No specific data is needed!

OVERVIEW
Structure (provides an overall review of the chart)

Lead-in:
“Overall/In general, it is clear from the chart that...”

Sentence 1: Trend

Is it an upward / downward trend?

S + witness an upward/downward trend, while the opposite + be + true for…

Only looking at the first and the last point of the line
 OVERVIEW
Structure (provides an overall review of the chart)

Sentence 1: Trend
Is it an upward / downward trend?
Increase:
- Internet Express
- Wi-fi café
- Café Cool
Decrease:
- The Tea Room

Sentence 1: Trend
Overall, it is clear from the chart that while last year’s income of Internet Express, Wi-fi café and
Café Cool witnessed an upward trend, the opposite was true for the Tea Room’s revenue.
OVERVIEW (provides an overall review of the chart)
Sentence 2: Order (Highlight)
Which category has the highest/lowest/most outstanding/stable figures?
Moreover/ Additionally/Furthermore, Highlight + can be seen/be recorded in + category
+ Moreover, during most of the period, the
highest figure can be seen in The Tea
Room’s income.
+ Additionally, during most of the period,
the lowest figure was recorded in Café
Cool’s income.

+ Additionally, the most significant fluctuation

can be seen in Café Cool’s income.
OVERVIEW (provides an overall review of the chart)
Overall, it is clear from the chart that
while last year’s income of Internet
Express, Wi-fi café and Café Cool
witnessed an upward trend, the
opposite was true for the Tea Room’s
revenue. Moreover, during most of the
period, the highest figure can be seen
in The Tea Room’s income.
 OVERVIEW
Structure (provides an overall review of the chart)

The graph shows average annual

expenditure on cell phone, national
and international fixed-line services,
2001-2010

Overall, it is clear from the chart that while the yearly spending on cell phone and international fixed-line
services witnessed an upward trend, the opposite was true for that of national fixed-line services. Moreover,
during most of the period, the lowest figure can be seen in the figure for international fixed-line services.
 OVERVIEW
Structure (provides an overall review of the chart)
The table below shows the percentages of mobile phone owners using various mobile phone features.
TENSE

a period of time in the past

use the past tense

Ex: The number of cigarettes

consumed by Chinese people
increased from about 100 to 500
billions in 1980
TENSE

a period of time in the future

1. simple future tense

2. passive voice
structures
TENSE Simple future
Prediction(s)
show(s)
Expectation(s)
reveal(s) (that) S + will + V(inf) +O
Anticipation(s)
indicate(s)
Forecast(s)
Passive voice structures

Predicted/expected/
(that) S + will + V(inf) +O
It is anticipated/forecast

Predicted/expected/
+ to Vinf
S + be anticipated/forecast
TENSE

1. simple future tense

Predictions show that the
quantity of cars produced
in Japan will drop to 100
thousands in 2035.
2. passive voice structures

Ex: It is predicted that the

quantity of cars produced in
Japan will drop to 100
thousands in 2035.
BODY (provides details of the chart)
Structure

BODY 1
3-4 câu
~ BODY 2
3-4 câu

The length of 2 bodies should be equal

Useful structures
1. S + Verb (trend) + adv + data + time
rise dramatically
increase
sharply The price went up dramatically
grow
go up considerably
decline significantly
decrease
steadily
drop The price decreased slightly several times
fall gradually
go down
moderately
fluctuate slightly The price fluctuated slightly over the
vary
minimally period
rise and fall
gently
do not change
remain stable at
The price remained stable over the period
remain steady at
stay the same at
 Useful structures
2. There + be + a/an + ADJ + Noun (trend) in + S + data + time
3. S + witnessed/experienced/underwent + ADJ + Noun (trend) + data + time

dramatic rise
sharp increase There was a dramatic rise in the housing price.
considerable growth
significant
steady decline
gradual decrease There was a slight decrease in the housing
moderate drop price.
slight fall
minimal
fluctuation There was a slight fluctuation in the housing
gentle
variation price over the period
rise and fall
Useful structures
1. St + be + data = St + stand + at + data

2. Reach a peak of + data = peak at + data = reach the highest point of + data

3. Hit a low of = hit the lowest point of + data

4. increase/decrease (n/v) to + data (số liệu cuối)

5. increase/decrease (v) by + data (khoảng tăng) = a/an increase/decrease (n) of + data (khoảng tăng)

6. double to + data (số liệu cuối)/ triple to + data (số liệu cuối)
Useful structures
7. By contrast/In contrast/However, SVO

8. Similarly/Likewise, SVO

9. Before/After + Ving/N (+time), S + V + adv

10. S + V, but later/then + (it) + V

11. There + be + a/an + adj + N, followed by + a/an + adj + N

12. Despite + a/an + adj + N, this figure + V + adv

Expressing approximation

• roughly
• approximately
• about
• nearly
• around
• just over
• well over
• just under
• well under
 BODY (provides details of the chart)
Structure
GROUPING INFORMATION INTO BODIES

Option 1: Subject-based division

1. Group based on trends:

Body 1: upward trend

Body 2: downward trend (+ insignificant

change)

Body 1: upward trend: Cell phone services

+ international fixed-line services

Body 2: downward trend: National fixed-line services

 BODY (provides details of the chart)
Structure
GROUPING INFORMATION INTO BODIES

Option 1: Subject-based division

2. Group based on the rankings:

Body 1: higher numbers/most significant change

Body 2: lower numbers/ insignificant change

Body 1: higher numbers: make calls, take photos,

send & receive text messages, search the Internet

Body 2: lower numbers: play games, play music, record video

 BODY (provides details of the chart)
Structure
MAIN FEATURES

1. Data of the first year

2. Lowest/highest data

3. Data of the final year

Body 1: upward trend: Cell phone services
+ international fixed-line services

There was nearly no considerable change

in the expense on international fixed-line
services. It started at 250 dollars and
reamained stable at around 300 dollars
between 2002 and 2010. Meanwhile, in
the first year of the period, the expenditure
on cellphone services stood at 200 dollar,
which was the lowest figure that year.
However, it rose significantly to around
750 dollars to be the highest among all
categories by 2010.
Body 2: downward trend: National fixed-
line services

By contrast, in 2001, the yearly spending

on national fixed-line services was the
highest, at 700 dollars. 5 years later it fell
by approximately 200 dollars which was as
high as the figure for cell phone services in
the same year. This figure continued to
drop to only 400 dollars at the end of the
period.
 BODY (provides details of the chart)
Structure
GROUPING INFORMATION INTO BODIES

2. Group based on the rankings:

Body 1: higher numbers/most significant change

Body 2: lower numbers/ insignificant change

Body 1: higher numbers: make calls, take photos,

send & receive text messages, search the Internet

Body 2: lower numbers: play games, play music, record video

BODY (provides details of the chart)
Structure
Body 1: higher numbers: make calls, take
photos, send & receive text messages, search
the Internet
There was nearly no considerable change in
the percentage of mobile phone owners using
their phones to make calls, at around 100%.
Meanwhile, an increase from 66% to 76% and
73% to 79% was witnessed in the figures for
taking photos and text messaging respectively
over the period. Although no data was available
for users engaging Internet searches in 2006,
there was a dramatic growth of nearly three-
quarters by 2010.
BODY (provides details of the chart)
Structure
Body 2: lower numbers: play games, play
music, record video
Similarly, no data was reported in the figure for
recording video in the first year of the period,
but later it steadily rose to just over one-third
after 4 years. The proportion of people playing
games and listening to music on their phones
also experienced a significant increase. To be
more specific, less than 20% of owners used
phones for these activities in 2006 but these
figures later nearly doubled and tripled to 41%
and 26% respectively in 2010.
HOMEWORK
Structure (TASK 1)

The graph shows the value in US dollars (in millions of dollars) of investment in funds of four
categories from 1988 to 2014.

BODY 1: gold + fine art

BODY 2: company
shares + property
 HOMEWORK
Structure (TASK 1)
BODY 1:
Gold:
- 1988
- 1992: hit a low
- 1992 –2012: increase and peak
- 2014: drop to…
Fine art:
- 1988 -1996: stable
- 1996 – 2006: fluctuate
- 2006– 2014: increase

BODY 2:
Company shares:
- 1988-1996: increase steadily
- From 1996 onwards: increase gradually
Property:
- 1988- 2006: fluctuate
- From 2006 onwards: increase moderately
 HOMEWORK
Structure (TASK 2)

Some people feel that young people should follow the traditions of their society. Others,
however, believe that young people should be free to behave as individuals. Discuss both
views and give your own opinion