IELTS Task 1 Academic Writing: Language Use
1) Introduce the Graph
You need to begin with one or two sentences that state what the IELTS
writing task 1 shows. To do this, paraphrase the title of the graph, making
sure you put in a time frame if there is one.
Language for the introduction:
Ex: The given diagram shows…
Introductory words Type of visual Verb
The given bar graph picture compares
The supplied chart pie chart delineates
The presented column presentation depicts
The shown data process table describes
The provided diagram table data enumerates
diagram expresses
map pie chart and gives
figure table gives data on
flow chart gives information on
graph bar graph and illustrates
illustration pie chart indicates
information outlines
line graph shows
shows data about
presents
presents information
about
provides
represents
summarizes
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2) Give an Overview
You also need to state what the main trend or trends in the graph are. Don’t
give detail such as data here – you are just looking for something that
describes what is happening overall.
Language for the Overview
Ex. Overall, the consumption of fish and chips declined over the period,
whereas the amount of pizza and hamburgers that were eaten increased.
Overview Language
As a general trend, Generally speaking,
As can be seen, In common,
As is observed, In general,
As is presented, It can be clearly seen that
As an overall trend, It is obvious that
At the first glance, it is clear Overall
3) Give the Detail
• You can now give more specific detail in the body paragraphs.
• When you give the detail in your body paragraphs in your IELTS writing task
1, you must make reference to the data.
• The key to organizing your body paragraphs for an IELTS writing task 1 is
to group data together where there are patterns.
• To do this you need to identify any similarities and differences.
• Look at the graph – what things are similar and what things are different?
Language to Similarities / differences
Exactly the same Almost the Same Not the same
absolutely the same as about the same as The reverse is the
equal to almost identical to case...
exactly the same as almost the same as It is quite the
nearly the same as opposite/ reverse...
identical to
just the same as practically the same
as
precisely the same
the same as
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Language to describe changes on a graph
Ex: Pizza consumption increased gradually until it overtook the consumption
of fish and chips in 1990. It then levelled off from 1995 to 2000
Increase Decrease No change
Fast Fast leveled out
doubled Collapse / a collapse plateaued / plateau
jump / a jump dive remained constant
leap / a leap drop / a drop in remained stable/ a
move upward go into free-fall halved stability
rocket(ed) plummet remain static
shot up plunge remained steady /
skyrocket take a nosedive steadiness
soar remained the same
surge Neutral was unchanged
tripled decline / a decline in
upsurge decrease/ a decrease in Ups and Downs
fall / a fall • changes Intermittently
Neutral go down / a downward
Climb / a climb trend • change sporadically
go up / an upward slide / a slide • erratically -erratic
trend reduce / a reduction • fluctuate
improve / an Slow • irregularly - irregular
improvement dip
increase / an increase slump • rise and fall
in a downward trend •
rise / a rise in a downward tendency a
Slow descending trend
an upward trend
an upward tendency
Language to describe low and high points on a graph
Low point High point
hit rock bottom culminated at
the bottommost point culmination of
the lowest point hit the peak
touch the lowest point / reached peak – the peak
the nadir reached the peak
reached the apex
reached the vertex
touched the highest point
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Adverbs/Adjectives to describe changes on a graph
Rapid/Huge Moderate Steady Slight
considerably-considerable moderately- steadily-steady fractionally-
dramatically-dramatic moderate ceaselessly-ceaseless fractional
enormous-enormously gradually-gradual mildly-mild
hurriedly-hurried progressively- slightly-slight
noticeably-noticeable progressive slowly-slow
overwhelmingly- sequentially- tediously-tedious
overwhelming sequential
quickly-quick
rapidly-rapid
sharply-sharp
significantly-significant
speedily-speedy
substantially-substantial
swiftly-swift
Words and Phrases of approximation
Language of approximation
about a little more than
almost a little less than
approximately more or less
around nearly
just about practically the same
just below roughly
just over roughly the same
just under well above
well below
Words and Phrases to show time
1. Between ... (year/ month) ... and ... (year/ month) ...
2. From ... (year/ month/ day/date) ...to ... (year/month/day /date) …
3. In... (year/ month) ...
4. On ... (day/ day of the week/ a date) ...
5. At ......, In ......, By ......
6. During ... (year)...
7. Over the period/ over the century/ later half of the year/ the year...
8. Over the next/past/previous days/weeks/months/years/ decades …
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Language for presenting percentages
You can present a percentage data in one of the three different ways. It is
suggested that you use all these formats in your report writing instead of
repeating the same style to show percentages in your writing.
% = In percentage / in %. % = In proportion % = In fraction
20% of One out of five, One fifth of
ten percent of One out of ten One tenth of
50% fifty percent of One out of two One half of
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Adjective & Adverbs
Large Changes
Adjectives Adverbs
significant significantly
rapid rapidly
dramatic dramatically
considerable considerably
sharp sharply
sudden suddenly
steep steeply
Small or Moderate Changes
Adjectives Adverbs
slight slightly
slow slowly
steady steadily
gradual gradually
moderate moderately
marginal marginally
Verbs & Nouns
Upward Movement
Verbs Nouns
to increase an increase
to rise a rise
to improve an improvement
to grow growth
to climb a climb
to jump a jump
to peak a peak
to go up
Downward Movement
Verbs Nouns
to decrease a decrease
to fall a fall
to decline a decline
to drop a drop
to dip a dip
to go down
to plummet
Upward & Downward Movements
Verbs Nouns
to fluctuate a fluctuation
to vary a variation
Little or No Change
Verbs Nouns
to remain the same a period of stability
to remain static
to remain unchanged
to stabilize
to level out
Collocations
Verb + Adverb Adjective + Noun
increased significantly a dramatic improvement
rose steeply a sudden increase
improved considerably a rapid rise
jumped suddenly a steady growth
fluctuated slightly a slight fluctuation
fell rapidly a gradual decrease
dropped dramatically a steep drop
dipped sharply a sharp decline
Other Useful Phrases
upward trend compare to
downward trend in comparison with
highest point relative to
lowest point second/third highest/lowest
Approximations
Approximate More Less
roughly more than less than
approximately well over well below
almost just above just below
nearly just over just under
about a little more than slightly less than
around a large proportion a small proportion
exactly a significant majority a insignificant minority
Percentages
6% - a small proportion 53% - more than half
23% - just under a quarter 72% - slightly less than three quarters
27% - approximately a quarter 77% - roughly three quarters
48% - almost a half 85% - well over three quarters
50% - exactly a half 96% - a significant majority
