IELTS CORE – LESSON 1

WRITING TASK 1 – LINE GRAPH

A. ABOUT THE IELTS WRITING TEST
Tas Time Task
Task types
k /Format focus

Pie chart Line graph

This task
assesses
the
candidate’s
ability to
identify
Bar chart Table
the most
important
and
relevant
20 mins
informatio
150-word n and
report, trends in a
1 describing or graph,
explaining a Process Map chart, table
table/diagra or diagram,
m and to
give a
well-
organized
overview
of it using
language
accurately
in an
academic
register or
style.
 This task
assesses
the
candidate’
s ability to
present a
clear,
40 mins relevant,
 Discuss both views and give opinion well-
250 word-  Advantages/Disadvantages organized
essay,  To what extent do you agree or disagree argument,
2 responding  What is your opinion/What do you think giving
to a written  Problems (Causes/Efffects) and solutions evidence
opinion,  Two part questions or
problem examples
to support
their
ideas, and
to use
language
accurately
.

B. LINE GRAPH – DESCRIBING TRENDS AND MOVEMENTS

SAMPLE ANALYSIS
The line graph shows the percentage of New Zealand population from 1950 to 2050.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.
[Introduction]The line graph illustrates the demographic trends in New Zealand over a
span of 100 years, starting in 1950. [Overview] Overall, it can be clearly seen that most
people in New Zealand are over 65 years old during this period. However, the
population in this country is anticipated to become younger by 2050.
[Body]
In 1950, the elderly made up the largest percentage of the population in New Zealand,
at 60%, almost three times as high as the figures for the 25-37 age group and the 38-45
age group, at around 22%. The proportion of citizens aged under 15, however, was
lowest, at 5% and remained at this level until 1990. During the same period of time,
there were sharp increases in the figures for those over 65 and those between 38 and
45, to their peaks of 70% and nearly 50%, respectively. This period also witnessed a
significant decline in the number of people aged from 25 to 37, to only 10%.
By 2050, the percentage of the youngest group is expected to grow dramatically to
20%. By contrast, all the figures for the other age groups are forecast to fall, with the
most notable decrease being recorded for the 25-37 age group, to a mere 1% while the
proportion of senior people and the 38-45 age group is likely to fall accordingly to 55%
and 40%.

1. Verbs and nouns to describe changes.

Upward trend - rise (v)/ (witness/ experience/see..) a rise (n)
- increase (v)/ an increase (n)
- grow (v)/ a growth (n)
- go up (v)
- climb (v)/ a climb (n)

Extreme (no adjective)

- surge (v)/ a surge (n)/ upsurge (n) – great, sudden
- leap (v)/ a leap (n)- sudden, quick
- soar (v)- quick, to a high level
- an upturn (n)- great

Prepositions: (__________ : số liệu)

- from ______ | to ________ (điểm đầu- điểm cuối )
- by ______ (hiệu số điểm đầu-điểm cuối) – verb
The number of students increased by 20%
- of _______ (hiệu số điểm đầu-điểm cuối) – noun
The number of students saw an increase of 20%

Downward - decline (v)/ a decline (n)

trend - decrease (v)/ a decrease (n)
- drop (v)/ a drop (n)
- fall (v)/ a fall (n)
- go down (v)

- plummet (v)/ a plummet (n)- sudden, quick, great

- slump (v)/ a slump (n)- sudden
- tumble (v)/ a tumble (n) – quick, great
- plunge (v)/ a plunge (n)- sudden, quick, great

Prepositions: (__________ : số liệu)

- from ______ | to ________ (điểm đầu- điểm cuối )
- by ______ (hiệu số điểm đầu-điểm cuối) – verb
- of _______ (hiệu số điểm đầu-điểm cuối) – noun

Stability - not change (v)- no change (n)

- remain/ stay/keep (v) + stable/ constant/ steady/
unchanged/(at)the same level (n)
- level out (cuối biểu đồ)/ level off (giữa biểu đồ) (v)
- stabilize (v)
- plateau (v)- hit a plateau (n)

Preposition: +at

Others - fluctuate (v)/ fluctuation(s) (biến động) (n) | vary (v) - variation (n)
 + between ______ (điểm đầu) and ______ (điểm cuối)
+ around (điểm chính giữa)
- peak (v) – at _______
reach a/its peak of ______
reach the highest point of ______
reach a high(est) (point) of ______
- reach the lowest point of ______
reach/hit a low of
- bottom out at ______ (thấp nhất, kéo dài đến hết giai đoạn)
- start at/ finish at ______
- stand at ______before + Ving

2. Adjectives and Adverbs to describe changes.

Exercise 1- The adjectives in the boxes below are usually used to describe degree
of change or speech of change in a graph. Change them into their adverb form.

Degree of change

Adjectives Adverbs

Very extensive change dramatic dramatically

sharp sharply

huge hugely (rarely

used)

enormous enormously

considerabl considerably
e

remarkable remarkably
 significant significantly

noticeable noticeably

marked markedly

moderate moderately

slight slightly
Small change

small

minimal minimally

Speed of change

Adjectives Adverbs

Very quick rapid

change

swift
 quick

sudden

steady

gradual

slow

Exercise 2 – Underline the expressions of movement in the sentences below.

Match each movement/group of movements (pictures A–G) with the most
appropriate description (sentences 1–7).

1. Journey numbers fell

minimally. B

2. There were significant

fluctuations in the number
of trips made by
passengers. A

3. The number of journeys

made by passengers saw
an upward trend, and then
peaked in the last year. D
 4. There was a downward trend
in the number of passenger
journeys to reach the lowest
point in year 6. G

5. Passenger numbers
remained fairly stable. F

6. The number of passenger

journeys grew sharply. E
3. Sentence Structures.
Exercise 3 - Rewrite the sentences using the following structures so that the
meanings stay the same.

There are 3 ways to construct a simple sentence describing movements.

1. There was a moderate increase in the number of trips in 2000.
=> (time phrase) There + be + (a/an) + adjective + noun (change) + in Smt + (time
phrase).

2. The number of trips witnessed/saw/experienced a moderate increase in 1990.

(2.1) Smt + reporting verb (witnessed/saw/experienced) + (an/a) + adjective + noun
(change) + (time phrase).
(2.2) passive voice: A moderate increase was seen in the number of trips in 1990.
=> (A/an) + adjective + noun (change) + be + reporting Vpp + in Smt + (time
phrase).
(2.3) The year 1990 saw a moderate increase in the number of trips.
=> The + time phrase + reporting verb (witnessed/saw/experienced) + (an/a) +
adjective + noun (change) in Smt + (time phrase)

3. The number of trips increased moderately in 1990.

=> Smt + V + adverb + (Time phrase)
Note: Smt= Lượng từ + chủ thể (trips)
The number of students; the percentage of exported products; the amount of
money
the figure of + N

1. By the beginning of 2009, the price of oil had dropped by roughly $90.

2. There were significant fluctuations in the number of people purchasing black cars

in 2009.

3. A dramatic increase in both commodity prices was seen from 2007 to 2008
FORMING MORE COMPLEX SENTENCE STRUCTURES

Eg: The number of passenger journeys fell minimally.

The number of passenger journeys witnessed a moderate increase.

1. before
 S + V + adv + before +V -ing + adv
1 1 2 2

The number of passenger journeys fell minimally before increasing moderately.

The number of passenger journeys fell minimally before witnessing a moderate
increase.
 There + be + adj + N + before + adj + N
1 1 2 2

There was a minimal fall in the number of passenger journeys before a moderate
increase.
 S + saw/experienced/witnessed + adj + N + before + adj + N
1 1 2 2

The number of passenger journeys saw a minimal fall before a moderate increase.

2. but later
 S + V + adv + but later +V + adv
1 1 2 2

The number of passenger journeys fell minimally but later increased moderately.

3. (which was) followed by

 There + be + adj + N + (which was) followed by + adj + N
1 1 2 2

There was a minimal fall in the number of passenger journeys (which was) followed
by a moderate increase.
 S + saw/experienced/witnessed + adj + N + which was followed by + adj +
1 1 2

N 2

The number of passenger journeys fell moderately (which was) followed by a

moderate increase.
4. Despite, in spite of, although => nhượng bộ

Although the number of passenger journeys saw a minimal fall, it still witnessed a
moderate increase.
Despite / In spite of a minimal fall in the number of passenger journeys, it still
witnessed a moderate increase.

Exercise 4 – Combine the following sentences using the suggested

words/phrases to form more complex ones.
The percentage of Cola consumers remained fairly stable from 1990 to 2000. There
were significant fluctuations in the percentage of Cola consumers until 2010.
1. (no change, before)

2. (before, see)

3. (but later, significantly)

4. (no change, followed by)

Exercise 5 - Write sentences using the given words and phrases.

The graph below shows the changes in number of viewers per day for four TV
news programs over the last year.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make
comparisons where relevant.
a. stable/for the first 10 months/but later/increase/October until the end of the year

b. Fluctuate/before/lowest point/November

c. Despite/downward/led other programs/popularity/most of the year

d. From January to May/steady increase/a high of/followed by/significant

drop/until/lowest point/August

e. recover/September/and then/gradually increase/December

f. Soar/August/before/decline sharply

C. LINE GRAPH – THE STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT’S INTRODUCTION

1. Change introductory expressions

- the graph/chart/table/diagram
- gives information about/on
- provides information about/on
- shows
- illustrates
- represents
- depicts (hơi đặc tả bằng hình ảnh)
- gives reason why (only if graph provides reasons for smth)
- explains why (only if graph provides explanation for smth)
- compares (only if several items are compared)

2. Time phrases
 - From 8am to 10am, visits rose dramatically.
- Between January and March, there was a significant drop in sales.
- Throughout the whole period, sales rose steadily.
- In 1995/September, sales stood at 20,000.
- The 1992 to 1996 period saw a sharp drop in sales.
- Over a five hour period, visits remained stable.
- From that point, sales started to increase.
- Over the following/next six months, sales leveled off.
- Over a course of 5 years
- Over the time frame= over the given period

3. Quantity Phrase
- the number of + N (số nhiều)
- the amount of + N (không đếm được)
- the figure for/of + N (đếm được số nhiều/ không đếm được)
- the percentage of/ the proportion of (tỉ lệ phần trăm) + N (đếm được số nhiều/
không đếm được)

Exercise 6 – Write the introduction for the following task.

The graph below shows the proportion of four different materials that were
recycled from 1982 to 2010 in a particular country.

Intro + overview:

The provided chart compares the rate of recycling for 4 select materials between 1982 and 2010.
Overall, it can be observed that by 2010, while public awareness about recycling had been
improved relatively, that for aluminum cans had been much more remarkable.
[Graph name- table, line graph, bar chart, pie chart, map, process, diagram] +
[Reporting verbs- illustrate/demonstrate/give information about/ give data on/
depict/…] + [WHAT] + [WHERE] + [WHEN].

+ WHAT 1: how + Smt (lượng từ + chủ thể) + changed

+ WHAT 2: the changes in + Smt

+ WHAT 3: SMT (lượng từ + chủ thể)

+ WHAT 4: how many/much + S + V

2. Writing an overview.
+ 1-2 sentences
+ based on 4 criteria

⇒ All/Both (cho 2 đường) the numbers/amounts/percentages/figures of A,B, and C

Criterion 1: Trend: Same trend for all lines

increased/decreased during the research period.

Note: Sử dụng linh hoạt các cấu trúc câu đơn đã được học.

⇒ While the numbers/amounts of A and B both fell/decreased, there were

Criterion 2: Trend: Different trends for lines

increases/rises in the figures of C and D (in the given/mentioned/research period).

⇒ The number/amount/percentage/figure of A was by far lowest/highest during the

Criterion 3: The always highest/lowest line(s)

research period.
Criterion 4: Line with the most noticeable change
=> The number/amount/percentage/figure of A experienced the most
dramatic/noticeable change.

Exercise 7 – Write an introduction and an overview sentence for the following

exercise.

The graph below compares the number of visits to two new music sites on the
web.
Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below.
You should write at least 150 words.
Introduction: The line graph

Overview: It is clear that