Skip to main content

Describing trends and graphs using nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs | Academic IELTS Writing Task 1








Describing a graph & describing trends | Academic IELTS Writing Task 1

To get a high score in Task 1 of IELTS Academic Writing test you need to show you have a good range of vocabulary to descrive visual information.  You also need to be  accurate when you use adjectives, adverbs and phrases to describe the information.

Here are some useful words and phrases to help describe trends.

Nouns
a rise
an increase
a growth
a surge		 a fall
a decline
a drop
a decrease		 a peak a fluctuation
a variation		 a period of stability a plateau
a plateux
Verbs
to rise
to increse
to grow
to surge		 to fall
to drop
to decline
to decrease		 to peak to fluctuate
to vary		 to stabilize to plateau
Phrases
 to show an upward trend to show a downward trend
to hit the lowest point
to hit a trough		 to reach a peak to show some fluctuation
to show some variation		 to remain stable
to remain constant		 to reach a plateau
to level off
to flatten out
Adjectives & Adverbs
 sharp(ly)
dramatic(lly)
significant(ly)		 steady / steadily relative / relatively considerable / considerably the second highest
the third lowest		 slight / slightly
gentle / gently
a little		 gradual / gradually

Tip:
You don’t need to describe everything the graph shows. The writing question usually asks you to summarize the main point/information/trends which are shown. Your first task is to identify the most important information in the visual information given. For example:
    - What are the most important points?
    - Which are the biggest changes?
    - Are there any significant periods of time?
    - Can you identify the highest/lowest point?
    - Can you identify when there was no change/rapid change/ unusual change?

Remeber, you are not asked to guess or try to explain why something happened/changed. Your task is to report the main points by writing a summary. Do NOT include in your answer any information/data which is not in given in the question.

Strategy:
    - Clearly state the purpose of the chart/graph
    - Write an overview
    - Identify the main trends and features
    - Demonstrate these using figures/numbers/percentages, etc.
    - Conclude with a simple but relevant observation – if possible

Popular posts from this blog

Cambridge 11 Test 1 Writing Task 1 | Writing Practice for IELTS

How would you answer this Cambridge 11 Test 1 Writing Task 1 question? Task 1 Question How to Answer Task 1 Questions Sample Answer Cambridge 11 Writing Task 1 IELTS Writing Task 1 (Academic) tests your written communication skills - how well you can report/describe information. Cambridge 11 Writing Task 1 (Test 1) IELTS Writing Test Task 1 You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The charts below show the percentage of water used for different purposes in six areas of the world. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words. International English Language Testing System How would you answer this IELTS 11 Writing Task 1 question about water used for different purposes? Writing Practice for IELTS Task 1: Sample Answer (useful vocabulary is highlighted ) The pie charts illustrates water usage in six different regions around the worl
Read more

Cambridge 11 Test 2 Writing Task 1 | How to Answer This Question

How would you answer this Cambridge 11 Test 2 Writing Task 1 question: The charts below show the proportions of British students at one university in England who were able to speak other languages in addition to English, in 2000 and 2010? How to answer Cambridge 11 Test 2 Writing Task 1 Question This is a question that many people ask when they are doing IELTS exam prepartion . IELTS Writing Task 1 Structure If you want to do well in IELTS writing, it's important that you know how to answer Task 1 correctly! In this post, we will discuss some of the basics and give advice on how to write your answers for Task 1. IELTS writing Task 1 pie charts are an important part of the IELTS writing task. Pie charts have three main components: a title a description (including what the pie chart is showing) labels for each slice Pie Chart Task 1 Writing Tips Describing pie charts in the IELTS writing test Pie charts have three main parts: a title, desc
Read more

How To Answer Cambridge IELTS 8 Speaking Test 1 | IELTS Exam

Cambridge 8 Speaking Test 1 How to give your opinion in English Here are some questions from Cambridge IELTS Book 8 Speaking Test 1 . They include the IELTS Cue Card Describe a time when you were asked to give your opinion in a questionnaire . A native English speaker gave these sample answers to show you what someone might say. Remember, you can answer these questions in many different ways. Cambridge IELTS 8 Speaking Test 1 Tips for IELTS Speaking Do NOT try to memorize full answers - this is unnatural and IELTS examiners are trained to identify memorized answers. Cambridge IELTS 8 Test 1 Speaking Questions & Answers Part 1 Topic | Neighbours How well do you know the people who live next door to you? I know them quite well because we’ve lived beside each other for a couple of years now. The people who live to the right of me, well, it’s a family wi
Read more