IELTS Writing Task 1
Complete Reference Guide
1. Structure (4-Paragraph Model)
Paragraph Purpose Content
1 — Introduction Paraphrase the question Restate what the graph/chart/map shows.
Never copy the question wording directly.
2 — Overview 2-4 biggest trends No numbers here. Just the “headline” —
what stands out overall.
3 — Body 1 First data group Detailed figures for one logical chunk of data
4 — Body 2 Second data group Detailed figures for the remaining chunk
Rule: Overview = big picture, no specific numbers. Body paragraphs = specific numbers, no new trends that
weren't mentioned in the overview.
2. Paragraph 1 — Paraphrasing
Techniques to paraphrase the question (use 2-3 combined, not just one):
• Synonym swap: shows → illustrates, depicts, presents, displays
• Word form change: “the number increased” → “an increase in the number”
• Sentence restructure: active → passive, or reorder clauses
• Time period rewording: “from 2010 to 2020” → “over the ten-year period” / “between 2010 and 2020”
Useful opening verbs (rotate them, don't reuse “shows” every time):
illustrates, depicts, presents, displays, gives information about, provides a comparison of, outlines
3. Paragraph 2 — Overview
Template:
“Overall, it is clear that [trend 1] and [trend 2], while [trend 3].”
Pick from these depending on chart type:
• Percentages fell/rose over the period
• A steady rise/decline was observed in X, while Y remained stable
• The most notable feature is...
• X and Y followed opposite trends
4. Core Vocabulary by Direction
Going UP
Verb Noun form Example
increase an increase (in/of) Sales increased by 20%.
grow growth There was steady growth in exports.
rise a rise (in/of) Prices rose sharply.
climb — Numbers climbed to 500.
surge a surge Demand surged after 2015.
soar — Profits soared to record highs.
jump a jump There was a jump of 15%.
Note: surge, soar, jump = sudden/large increases. Don't use them for small, gradual changes.
Going DOWN
Verb Noun form Example
decrease a decrease (in/of) Numbers decreased by 10%.
decline a decline A gradual decline was seen.
fall a fall (in/of) There was a fall of 5 units.
drop a drop Sales dropped sharply.
dip a dip A brief dip occurred in 2018.
plunge — Prices plunged after the crash.
diminish — (spelling fix: not “deminished”)
Note: plunge/plummet = sudden and large. dip = small and brief.
Staying the SAME
stabilise / stability, plateau, remain steady, remain (relatively) stable, level off, hold constant
Fluctuating (up and down, no clear direction)
fluctuate / fluctuation(s), vary, differ / differences, be volatile, rise and fall repeatedly
5. Adverbs — Two Different Categories
This is where most students lose marks.
A. Magnitude Adverbs — “how much”
Strength Adverbs
Large dramatically, drastically, sharply, substantially, significantly,
considerably, markedly, steeply
Small slightly, marginally, moderately, a little
Use with a change verb: increased dramatically / fell slightly
B. Pace/Manner Adverbs — “how fast”
Pace Adverbs
Fast rapidly, suddenly, abruptly, sharply (double-use: also means fast +
large)
Slow steadily, gradually, progressively, consistently
Use with a change verb: rose steadily (slow, consistent climb) vs rose sharply (fast, large jump)
Common mistake: “increased slightly and rapidly” — contradictory. Slightly = small amount, rapidly = fast
speed. They can combine (a small change can still be fast), but don't confuse magnitude with speed when
choosing words.
Adjective Forms (for noun sentences)
a sharp increase / a slight decline / a steady rise / a gradual fall / a dramatic drop / a marginal change
6. Varying Your Verbs
Avoid repeating “increased/decreased” every sentence:
Phrase Best used for
experienced a noticeable drop/rise bar charts, tables, pie charts
witnessed a change bar charts, tables, pie charts
saw an increase/decrease bar charts, tables, line graphs
has undergone changes map questions (describing structural change
Phrase Best used for
between two maps)
was converted into / was replaced by / was map questions specifically
demolished
7. Task Type Cheat Sheet
Approach differs by chart type:
Type Approach
Line graph Trend + rate of change over time. Use magnitude + pace adverbs heavily.
Bar chart Comparison between categories. Focus on highest/lowest, differences.
Pie chart Proportions. Use percentages, “accounted for,” “made up.”
Table Same as bar chart but denser — group and select, don't describe every
cell.
Map Describe changes between two time points. Use passive voice: “was
built,” “was replaced by.” No overview of “trends,” instead overview of
“key changes.”
Process diagram Sequential, no time-trend language at all. Use passive voice +
sequencing connectors (first, following this, subsequently, finally).
Typically a fixed number of stages — describe start to end in order.
8. Band 7+ Checklist
• Don't list every number — group data logically (2-3 items per body paragraph)
• Use linking words to compare: whereas, while, in contrast, similarly, on the other hand
• No personal opinion — Task 1 is purely descriptive
• Mix sentence structures: some starting with the subject, some with a time phrase (“Between 2015 and
2020, ...”)
• Always report a specific figure in body paragraphs (numbers = data accuracy = higher score)
• Keep the overview number-free; keep body paragraphs number-heavy