Academic Task 1 question types
| Type | Main focus |
|---|---|
| Line graph | Change over time: trends, peaks and lows |
| Bar chart | Comparing categories, sometimes over time |
| Pie chart | Each part's share of the whole; the largest and smallest shares |
| Table | Selecting the key figures, not reporting every cell |
| Process | Stages in order, usually in the passive (is heated, is transported) |
| Map | Changes to a place between two times: what was built, removed or moved |
In IELTS General Training, Task 1 is a letter instead of a chart; this guide is for the Academic test.
Answer structure
- Introduction (1 sentence): paraphrase the question — what the chart shows, where and over what period.
- Overview (2 sentences) — the most important part: the main trends or features, without numbers. An answer with no overview rarely scores above 5 for Task Achievement.
- Body 1: one group of data with key figures and comparisons.
- Body 2: the rest of the data or the second time period.
Task 1 has no conclusion and no personal opinion. Do not guess the reasons for changes; only report and compare what the chart shows.
Vocabulary for describing trends
| Meaning | Verb | Noun | Adverb / adjective |
|---|---|---|---|
| Increase | rise, increase, grow, climb | a rise, an increase, growth | sharply, dramatically, steadily, gradually, slightly |
| Decrease | fall, decrease, decline, drop | a fall, a decrease, a decline | significantly, rapidly, moderately, marginally |
| Fluctuate | fluctuate | a fluctuation | — |
| Stay the same | remain stable, level off, plateau | a period of stability | — |
| Reach the highest point | peak at, reach a peak of | a peak | — |
| Reach the lowest point | hit a low of, bottom out | a low | — |
Comparing and referring to figures
- twice as many as / three times higher than
- the highest / the lowest / the largest share
- compared with / whereas / while / by contrast
- respectively — for two figures given in order
- approximately, just over, just under, almost — for approximate figures
- a quarter / a third / the majority / a small minority — for percentages
Sample question and answer (line graph)
Question: The graph below shows the percentage of households with internet access in three countries between 2000 and 2020. The data:
| Year | Country A | Country B | Country C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 40% | 20% | 5% |
| 2005 | 55% | 38% | 10% |
| 2010 | 72% | 55% | 22% |
| 2015 | 85% | 74% | 40% |
| 2020 | 95% | 90% | 60% |
Sample answer (about 170 words):
The line graph compares the proportion of households with internet access in three countries, A, B and C, between 2000 and 2020.
Overall, internet access rose considerably in all three countries over the period. Country A had the highest rate throughout, while Country C, despite starting from a very low level, recorded the largest increase in the second decade.
In 2000, 40% of households in Country A were connected, double the figure for Country B (20%) and eight times that of Country C (5%). Over the next ten years, access in Country A climbed steadily to 72%, and Country B saw a similar rise to 55%. By contrast, Country C grew only slowly, reaching 22% in 2010.
From 2010 onwards, the increase in Country C accelerated, with the figure almost tripling to 60% by 2020. Meanwhile, Countries A and B continued to grow, finishing the period at 95% and 90% respectively, so the gap between them narrowed to just five percentage points.
Why this answer works
- A clear overview: the second paragraph gives three main features with no numbers — growth everywhere, A highest throughout, C's fastest growth in the second decade.
- Selective data: not all 15 figures are reported, only the start, middle and end points that show the trend.
- Comparison: double the figure, eight times that of, respectively, the gap narrowed.
- Varied vocabulary: rose considerably, climbed steadily, grew only slowly, accelerated, almost tripling.
- Logical grouping: the first body paragraph covers the first decade, the second covers the second.
Common mistakes
- No overview, or numbers inside the overview.
- Listing every number instead of comparing.
- Giving an opinion or reasons for the changes.
- Copying the question in the introduction.
- Wrong tenses: past simple for past years, is expected to / is projected to for forecasts.
- Fewer than 150 words, or spending more than 25 minutes and losing time for Task 2.
Write your own Task 1 answer and put it into Kajino's Task 1 correction tool to get an estimated band for each criterion, your errors and suggestions in a PDF.
Task 1 correction Writing mock testIELTS is a registered trademark of the British Council, IDP and Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Kajino is not affiliated with these organisations; the scores Kajino's tools and guides give are estimates for practice.
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