National Contest WRITING SECTION

MODULE 1: LINE GRAPHS

Understanding task requirement
1. Examine the following task. Underline KEY words in the task requirement.

The graph shows the impact of vaccinations on the incidence of whooping cough, a childhood
illness, between 1940 and 1990 in Britain.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons
where relevant.

2. Now read a sample response.

The line graph shows the changing number of cases of whooping cough in Britain from 1940 to 1990, and how the
introduction and use of a vaccine for the disease affected the pattern.

Overall, there was a direct link between the administration of the vaccine and the number of cases of whooping cough among
children during this period in history.

To be specific, the number of cases fell from a high of 170,000 to almost zero. However, there were significant fluctuations
in the trend. For example, just after 1940, there was a surge in the number of cases from 50,000 to approximately
170,000. Although the figure fell back in the next few years, it peaked again in the early 1950s and fluctuated considerably
until the introduction of a vaccination in the late 1950s.

Following this, the number of cases dropped sharply to well below 20,000 in the mid-1970s, until a sudden fall in
vaccinations, from 81% to 30%, resulted in a parallel rise in the incidence of the illnesses. Figures then went up again to
60,000 around 1980, but gradually fell back to their earlier level as vaccinations were resumed. By 1990. 94% of children
were being vaccinated against whooping cough, and there were few, if any, cases.

1 Thuy Tran/ HSGQG

 National Contest WRITING SECTION

Comment on the following points:

a. Length
b. Number of paragraph
c. A summary of the trend
d. Language use

EXAM KNOW-HOW

Organization of an effective response

Example 1:

2 Thuy Tran/ HSGQG

 National Contest WRITING SECTION

Example 2:

3 Thuy Tran/ HSGQG

 National Contest WRITING SECTION

Fill in the gaps with the following words:

produced, reaching fell, responsible, saw, considerably, terms, drop, dramatic

4 Thuy Tran/ HSGQG

 National Contest WRITING SECTION

Language for describing line graphs

1. [Handout]
2. Introductory and summary expressions

Let’s practice
Exercise 1: Make all possible matches between the expressions in the tables on the left
with those on the right.
1. The graph shows/ indicates
a) that the population of Alia grew in the
2. It is clear from the table
20th century.
3. It can be seen from the graph
b) the growth in the size of population of
4. As the table shows
Alia.
5. As can be seen from the graph
c) the population of Alia grew in the 20th
6. As is shown/ illustrated by the graph
century.
7. From the graph, it is clear

5 Thuy Tran/ HSGQG

 National Contest WRITING SECTION

PRACTICE
Activity 1: Identifying trends.

1.1.

1.2.

1.3.

6 Thuy Tran/ HSGQG

 National Contest WRITING SECTION

1.4

Activity 2: Using appropriate language

2.1.

1. In the last three months of the year, attendances were off their September peak, falling
back by 30,000 visitors a month till the end of the year.
2. During last year, the trend was obviously upwards.
3. Numbers picked up in June, rocketing by almost 400%.
7 Thuy Tran/ HSGQG
 National Contest WRITING SECTION

4. There was a marked improvement in July with the number of visitors surging 500%.
5. From May through to September, the number people visiting the theme park monthly rose
by approximately 70%.
6. During the first four months, visitor numbers rose gradually.
7. The gradual rise in visitor numbers from 30,000 to approximately 45,000 in the first four
months was followed by a sharper increase in May.
8. Between April and May, the increase in the number of visitors was at a much slower pace
than in the previous three months.
9. It is clear that for most of the year, monthly attendances were above trend.
10. In July, the number of visitors shot up dramatically.
11. In July, there was a dramatic increase in visitor numbers to just short of 140,000 people,
followed by a sudden decline in August.
12. In July, visitor numbers soared and then suddenly fell back again the following month.
13. August saw a sharp turnaround in attendances with numbers leaping from just under
80,000 to 140,000 people.
14. The period between May and September saw a steady growth in the number of visitors
from 70,000 to 140,000.
15. Attendances at the theme park can be divided into three distinct periods: January to May,
June to September, and October to December.
2.2.

8 Thuy Tran/ HSGQG

 National Contest WRITING SECTION

Activity 3: Writing practice

Topic 1:

9 Thuy Tran/ HSGQG

 National Contest WRITING SECTION

Topic 2: The graph below shows car ownership in Britain from 1971 to 2007.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparison where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

Topic 3: The graph below shows international migration in the UK from 1999 to 2008.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparison where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

10 Thuy Tran/ HSGQG

 National Contest WRITING SECTION

Topic 4:

The graph provides information about how many trips were made by passengers on three railway
systems in Great Britain between 1950 and 2004/5.

It is clear that the trends for all three networks are upward with the most striking feature being
the similarity between the National rail network and the London Underground.

For example, numbers for the former fell from approximately one billion passengers in 1950 to
about 750 million in the early 1980s. Likewise, the London Underground experienced a parallel,
but less pronounced, decline over the same period (from approximately 700 million to about 500
million). Thereafter, both followed a very similar pattern as they climbed towards the billion
passenger mark, with the 1980s and the early 2000s seeing the sharpest increases. The National
rail network reached a high of approximately 1.1 billion passenger journeys in 2004/05.

By comparison, after their introduction in the 1960s, the light railway and metro systems carried
fewer passengers than the other two networks, no more than around ten million over the first 15
years. However, in 1980 the number of journeys made by passengers picked up, reaching nearly
200 million in 2004/05.

11 Thuy Tran/ HSGQG

 National Contest WRITING SECTION

MORE SAMPLES

12 Thuy Tran/ HSGQG

 National Contest WRITING SECTION

WRITING TASKS

Topic 1:

13 Thuy Tran/ HSGQG

 National Contest WRITING SECTION

Topic 2:

14 Thuy Tran/ HSGQG

Master IELTS Visuals IELTS Academic Writing Task One

A) Verbs and nouns for describing trends and changes:

Trend Verbs Nouns

 rise (rose-risen) [to/by]  a rise [of]

 increase [to/by]  an increase [of]
 go (went-gone) up [to/by]  a growth [of]
 climb [to/by]  an upward trend
 grow (grew-grown) [to/by]
 a doubling in + n.
 double  a trebling in + n.
 treble/triple
 a boom
 boom
 a surge
 surge
 soar
 rocket [to/by]

 fall (fell-fallen) [to/by]  a fall [of]

 decline [to/by]  a decline [of]
 decrease [to/by]  a decrease [of]
 dip (dipped) [to/by]  a drop [of]
 drop (dropped) [to/by]  a reduction
 go (went-gone) down [to/by]
 a slump
 plummet [to/by]
 a plunge
 plunge [to/by]
 a plummet
 dive [to/by]
 deteriorate
 slump [to/by]

 do (did) not change  no change

 remain/stay + stable/steady/static/unchanged [at]
 maintain the same level

 stood at/was  a levelling off [at]

 a plateau [at]
 level (levelled) off [at]
 plateau (plateaued) [at]  reached a high/peak of
Position  level (levelled) out [at]  reached a low of
 stabilise [at]
 peaked [at]
 reached

Constant  a fluctuation
 fluctuated [around]
Change

Ebrahim Tahasoni Page 8 [Link]

Master IELTS Visuals IELTS Academic Writing Task One

B) Adjectives and adverbs for degree of change:

Degree Adjective Adverb

dramatic dramatically
huge n/a
Very extensive change
enormous enormously
tremendous tremendously

substantial substantially
considerable considerably
Extensive change
significant significantly
remarkable remarkably

noticeable noticeably
Average change marked markedly
moderate moderately

slight slightly
Small change small n/a
minimal minimally

C) Adjectives and adverbs for speed of change:

Speed Adjective Adverb

rapid rapidly
quick quickly
Quick change sharp sharply
swift swiftly
steep steeply

steady steadily
Slow change gradual gradually
slow slowly

sudden suddenly
Unexpected change unexpected unexpectedly
abrupt abruptly

Ebrahim Tahasoni Page 9 [Link]

Master IELTS Visuals IELTS Academic Writing Task One

1. Past:
Simple past (to report actions happening after each other)

2. Present:
a) If the task represents changes or actions which happen regularly (such as a process or
a chart displaying general average values):

 Simple present (for graphs, charts and tables)

 Simple present and present perfect (for processes and cycles)

b) If the trend starts in the past, reaches now and has a break point at the present time:

Present perfect for the trend that begins in the past


Simple present for reporting its present value

Example:

1983 1993 2003 2013 2023

It stood at 20 in 1983 and doubled over the next 10 years to level off at 40, after which it remained
constant until 2003. Since then, there has been a considerable increase and it now stands at 50.
However, there will probably be a rapid fall in the last 10 years and it is expected to reach 30.

Ebrahim Tahasoni Page 10 [Link]

Master IELTS Visuals IELTS Academic Writing Task One

c) If the trend start in the past, passes now into the future and has a breakpoint sometime
in the future

Present perfect for the trend that begins in the past


Future structures (look at number 3 below) to report the value it will reach in
the first future breakpoint

Example:

1990 2000 2010 2020 2030

In 1985 it stood at 20 and doubled over the next 10 years to level off at 40 and remained constant
until 2005. Since then, it has experienced a considerable increase and is expected to reach 50 in
2020 (or:  …and  predictions  show  that it will reach 50 in 2020). However, there will be a rapid fall in
the last 10 years and it will reach 30.

Ebrahim Tahasoni Page 11 [Link]

Master IELTS Visuals IELTS Academic Writing Task One

3. Future:

“Will”  future  and  other  academic  structures  for  predicting  the  future

Generally, use “will”  future  for  future  events.  Structures  like  “should”,  “be  likely  to”, “seem
likely to/that” and the following can also be used:

Structure set 1:

Predictions
Expectations
Anticipations show
Forecasts reveal [that] it will drop dramatically.
Estimates indicate
Evaluations
Calculations

Structure set 2:

predicted
expected
anticipated
It is forecast that gold prices will drop dramatically.
estimated
evaluated
calculated

Structure set 3:

predicted
expected
anticipated
Gold prices are forecast to drop dramatically.
estimated
evaluated
calculated

Ebrahim Tahasoni Page 12 [Link]

Master IELTS Visuals IELTS Academic Writing Task One

Notice how the verbs in the following paragraphs have been changed from past forms into
future forms:

In 1999, the proportion of people using the Internet in the USA was about 20%.
The figures for Canada and Mexico were lower, at about 10% and 5%
respectively. In 2005, Internet usage in both the USA and Canada rose to
around 70% of the population, while the figure for Mexico reached just over
25%.


In 2015, the proportion of people using the Internet in the USA is expected to
be about 20%. The figures for Canada and Mexico are likely to be lower, at
about 10% and 5% respectively. In 2025, it is predicted that Internet usage in
both the USA and Canada will rise to around 70% of the population, while the
figure for Mexico should reach just over 25%.

Ebrahim Tahasoni Page 13 [Link]

Master IELTS Visuals IELTS Academic Writing Task One

1. First event:
At/In the beginning,
At first,

In the first year,

In the first month,

In 1999,
In January,

In the first year, 1999,

In the first year (1999),

2. Middle events:
Then,
Next,
After this/that,
Following this/that,
Afterwards,

This is followed by + <n/n.p>

…following  which…
…after  which…

…which  is  followed  by…  +  <n/n.p>

…until…after  which…
…until…following  which…
…until…when…

…before…  +  <sentence or n.p.>

during/over  the  next…years

…years  later,

3. Final event:
Finally,
Ultimately,

Ebrahim Tahasoni Page 14 [Link]

Master IELTS Visuals IELTS Academic Writing Task One

1. x  y

2.  x  ±  Δ

3. Proportional changes

4. Rounding

– For Trends:
relatively

rather

almost

– For Values:
Roughly

Almost

About

Approximately

Around

Just about

Well/just below

Well/just above

A little/slightly more than

A little/slightly less than

5. Referencing

Ebrahim Tahasoni Page 15 [Link]