WRITING TASK 1

I. Formal and informal

Should you choose to enter a college or university, most of your academic papers will have to be
in formal style. Your opinion articles however will remain to be informal.
Formal style
- Differences in vocabulary (Allow instead of let; beverages, not drinks; appropriate, not proper). See
formal and informal vocabulary for more!
- No contracted forms of words (He is, not he’s; We are not we’re; there are not there’re)
- Use of passive constructions to make the statement sound less categorical. This includes distancing (also
known as hedging) and passive voice:
1.1 Distancing/hedging is a way to make the saying vaguer, to distance yourself from the opinion you
express. It makes you sound like a messenger rather than the author of this opinion
Examples: Some people think that alcohol should be made illegal
1.2 Use it to make your expression more tactful and politer.
Examples: It seems that you have forgotten to greet the guests; You might want to park your car on the
other side of the street next time, it is forbidden to leave your vehicles here
1.3 Hedging comes in handy to communicate information that is unconfirmed. This way the speaker will
feel responsible should the information he gives turns out to be false.
Examples: It is believed that the troops will leave the country in two weeks; They seem to be supportive of
our ideas
2. Use of passive voice to move the focus of sentence to action rather than the thing or person.
Examples: I was forced to go to that party; The food has been bought by my mother; The money had been
paid in full
- Multiple clauses within one sentence. (President Obama thought that this situation should be dealt with
assertively and as soon as the conflict is over the country’s foreign policy has to be reconsidered)
- Such unnecessarily long sentences are typical for formal writing. I advice whenever possible to make
your sentences more concise, easier to read.
- Avoiding use of phrasal verbs when possible (To continue, not to go on; To concede, not to give up)
PARAPHRASE:
Introduction: Highlighting Data:
The graph/table/chart/diagram depicts... The data underscores...
The graph/table/chart/diagram presents... The data emphasizes...
The graph/table/chart/diagram demonstrates... The data brings to light...
The graph/table/chart/diagram outlines... The data showcases...
The graph/table/chart/diagram illustrates... The data highlights...
The graph/table/chart/diagram provides insights The data points out...
into... The data delineates...
General Trends: Specific Data Points:
- There is a significant/pronounced/substantial - The number of... climbed/ascended/escalated
increase/decrease in... to...
- A steady/consistent upward/downward trend is - The percentage of...
evident... declined/diminished/plummeted to...
- The data reveals a - ...attained/reached its highest point at...
notable/persistent/rising/falling trend in... - ...peaked/plateaued at...
- One can observe a gradual/sustained/clear - ...maintained a constant/consistent level at...
rise/fall in... - ...held steady/remained unchanged at...
- The overall pattern suggests/reflects/shows... - ...stabilized/stayed the same at...
- The general trend points to a
continuous/progressive/growing decline in...
- An increasing/decreasing tendency is noticeable
in...
Comparisons: Describing Rates and Proportions:
1. Compared to... 1. The rate of... stands at...
Relative to... The rate of... is positioned at...
In comparison with... The rate of... remains at...
When compared with... The rate of... holds steady at...
In relation to... 2....constitutes/makes up/represents...
2. In contrast to... ...comprises/forms/amounts to...
Contrary to... ...accounts for/corresponds to/denotes...
Unlike... ...encompasses/signifies/totals...
As opposed to... 3. A minority/majority of...
Differing from... A small/large portion of...
3. Similarly, /Conversely/While/Whereas... A lesser/greater part of...
Likewise, /On the other A minor/major segment of...
hand/However/Although... 4. ...accounted for...
In a similar manner/In contrast/Whereas... ...comprised...
Correspondingly/Inversely/While... ...represented...
4. A higher/lower proportion of... ...made up...
A greater/lesser percentage of... ...formed...
A larger/smaller share of...
An increased/reduced fraction of...
A more substantial/less significant amount of...
Describing Changes Over Time: Conclusion:
1. Over the period, there has been a... 1. In summary, the data indicates that...
Throughout the period, there has been a... To summarize, the information suggests that...
During the timeframe, a... has occurred. Overall, the analysis shows that...
Over the course of time, a... has been observed. 2. In conclusion, it can be seen that...
2. Over the years, the trend has... Ultimately, it is evident that...
Throughout the years, the trend has... To conclude, the evidence demonstrates that...
In recent years, the trend has... 3. The findings reveal that...
Over the decades, the trend has... The results highlight that...
3. A gradual/steady/sudden increase/decrease has The observations point to...
been noted... 4. Therefore, it can be concluded that...
A progressive/consistent/abrupt rise/fall has been Hence, it can be inferred that...
recorded... Consequently, it is clear that...
A slow/continuous/sharp growth/decline has been 5. The overall pattern suggests that...
observed... The general trend indicates that...
4. The data shows a shift/change from... to... The data collectively points to...
The figures illustrate a transition from... to... 6. This analysis confirms that...
The statistics indicate a movement from... to... This overview substantiates that...
The trend reflects a change from... to... The data validates that...
5. Over time, there has been a significant/marked
change in...
As time has passed, a notable/considerable shift
in... has been seen.
With the passage of time, a substantial/remarkable
alteration in... has occurred.
Add something: Compare:
And Compared to
Moreover In contrast to
Furthermore Similarly
In addition Conversely
Additionally While
Besides Whereas
As well as Like
Also Just as
Not only... but also As opposed to
Along with On the other hand,
Still
Therewith
On top of that

Contrast Emphases:
Although Indeed
(and) yet In fact
(and) at the same time Certainly
despite that Above all
even though Undoubtedly
however Obviously
in contrast Clearly
instead Particularly
in spite of Especially
nevertheless Notably
on the other hand In particular
though Primarily
Emphatically
Most importantly
Unquestionably
Give example Show equality:
For example Equally
For instance Similarly
Such as Likewise
Including In the same way
Like Just as
Namely As well as
In particular Correspondingly
To illustrate In an identical manner
Specifically In like manner
As an example, To the same degree
Summarize: Conclusion:
In summary Consequently
In conclusion As a result
To summarize Finally
To conclude In essence
Overall To recap
All in all On the whole
Ultimately In a nutshell
In brief To put it briefly
In short In the end
To sum up To draw to a close
Therefore Altogether
 Thus In final analysis

II. Features of academic writing

1. Hedging
It is often believed that academic writing, particularly scientific writing, is factual, simply to convey facts
and information. However, it is now recognised that an important feature of academic writing is the
concept of cautious language, often called "hedging" or "vague language". In other words, it is necessary to
make decisions about your stance on a particular subject, or the strength of the claims you are making.
Different subjects prefer to do this in different ways.

Language used in hedging:

1. Introductory verbs: e.g. seem, tend, look like, appear to be, think, believe, doubt, be sure, indicate, suggest
2. Certain lexical verbs e.g. believe, assume, suggest
3. Certain modal verbs: e.g. will, must, would, may, might, could
4. Adverbs of frequency e.g. often, sometimes, usually
4. Modal adverbs e.g. certainly, definitely, clearly, probably, possibly, perhaps, conceivably, …
5. Modal adjectives e.g. certain, definite, clear, probable, possible
6. Modal nouns e.g. assumption, possibility, probability
7. That clauses e.g. It could be the case that.
e.g. It might be suggested that.
e.g. There is every hope that.
8. To-clause + adjective e.g. It may be possible to obtain.
e.g. It is important to develop.
e.g. It is useful to study.

1. It may be said that the commitment to some of the social and economic concepts was less strong
than it is now.
The commitment to some of the social and economic concepts was less strong than it is now.
2. The lives they chose may seem overly ascetic and self-denying to most women today.
The lives they chose seem overly ascetic and self-denying to most women today.
3. Weismann suggested that animals become old because, if they did not, there could be no
successive replacement of individuals and hence no evolution.
Weismann proved that animals become old because, if they did not, there could be no successive
replacement of individuals and hence no evolution.
4. Yet often it cannot have been the case that a recalcitrant trustee remained in possession of the
property entrusted to him.
Yet a recalcitrant trustee did not remain in possession of the property entrusted to him.
5. Recent work on the religious demography of Northern Ireland indicates a separating out of
protestant and catholic, with the catholic population drifting westwards and vice versa.
Recent work on the religious demography of Northern Ireland shows a separating out of protestant
and catholic, with the catholic population drifting westwards and vice versa.
6. By analogy, it may be possible to walk from one point in hilly country to another by a path which
is always level or uphill, and yet a straight line between the points would cross a valley.
By analogy, one can walk from one point in hilly country to another by a path which is always
level or uphill, and yet a straight line between the points would cross a valley.
7. There are certainly cases where this would seem to have been the only possible method of
transmission.
There are cases where this would have been the only possible method of transmission.
8. Nowadays the urinary symptoms seem to be of a lesser order.
Nowadays the urinary symptoms are of a lesser order.
 ______________________________________________________________________________

III. IELTS Writing Task 1

 Useful vocabulary and structures:
o In describing the chart, we can use some suggested sentence patterns as follows:
1. (Time period) + Subject + Verb to describe change + Adverb to describe the degree/ the speed
of change.
-> Between May and October, sales decreased slightly.
2. (Time period) + “There” to introduce the subject + article + Adjective to describe the degree/
speed of change + Noun to describe change + in “what”
-> From May to October, there was a slight decrease in sales.
VOCABULARY FOR DESCRIBING TRENDS
I. Verbs to describe a general increase: rise (dramatically/sharply/rapidly/steeply) / increase / go up /
uplift sth / climb / improve / jump / leap / move upward / escalate / grow
-> (N): a rise of / an increase in / a growth in/of / a jump / an improvement in/on/to / a climb

II. Verbs to describe a sudden, large increase: surge / skyrocket / shoot up / leap / soar
-> (N): a quantum/great/huge etc leap in / a surge in/of / a soar

III. Verbs to describe a general decrease: fall (sharply/steeply) / decrease / decline / drop / slum / slide /
dive
-> (N): a fall in/of % / a decrease / a decline / a downward tendency / a drop / a slide in/be on the slide

IV. Verbs to describe a large decrease: plummet / plunge / go into free-fall / collapse / tumble
-> (N): a plummet in sth / a plunge in / a collapse in / take a tumble
 V. Verbs to describe a steadiness: stay unchanged / remain constant / remain steady / plateau / remain
static
-> (N): a steadiness / a plateau / a stability / a static
VI. Describe a rapid change: Rapidly / Swiftly / Immediately / Suddenly / Abruptly / Instantaneously /
Promptly / Hastily / Expeditiously / Briskly
VII. Describe a moderate change: Gradually/ Progressively / Incrementally/ Gently / Unhurriedly /
Moderately / Sequentially
VIII. Describe a steady change: steadily / ceaselessly
IX. Describe a slight change: slightly / slowly / mildly / tediously
X. Describe a change that happens by approximately the same amount each month/year etc…:
Consistently / Regularly / Uniformly / Evenly / Constantly / Persistently / Unvaryingly / Routinely
 CHÚ Ý
o “Soar “and “rocket” là hai động từ rất mạnh mẽ mô tả tăng lên khá cao. “Rocket” là bất ngờ hơn.
Khi sử dụng từ này bạn không cần thêm trạng từ
o “Leap” cho thấy một sự gia tăng lớn và đột ngột. Với động từ này cũng không cần thêm trạng từ.
o “Climb” là một động từ tương đối trung lập có thể được sử dụng với các trạng từ bên dưới.
o “Plummet” là từ mạnh nhất để miêu tả sự giảm xuống. Nó có nghĩa là giảm rất nhanh chóng và
một chặng đường dài. “Drop” and “drop” are normally used for fairly small decreases
o “Drop” and “Dip” cũng thường được dùng như một danh từ. Ví dụ như “a slight dip”, “a sudden
drop”
o “sudden” and “sharp” có thể được dùng cho những thay đổi nhẹ nhưng diễn ra đột ngột.
o “spectacular” and “dramatic” là những tính từ mạnh dùng miêu tả những thay đổi rất rất lớn.
o “marginal” is a particularly useful word for describing very small changes
o “overall” có thể được dùng để miêu tả sự thay đổi trong suốt thời gian dài, rất hữu ích và hay
được sử dụng trong phần mở bài và phần kết luận.
o “upward” and “downward” là những tính từ, trạng từ của nó là “upwards” and “downwards”
XI. FURTHERMORE:
- If a value goes up and down repeatedly, we say it fluctuates.
E.g.: Prices were volatile, fluctuating between $20 and $40.
The number of children in the school fluctuates around 100.
Insect populations fluctuate wildly from year to year.

+ Another way:
Oscillate: The value oscillates between peaks and troughs.
Vary: The value varies unpredictably.
Cycle: The value follows a cyclical pattern of rise and fall.
Alternate: The value alternates between increases and decreases.
Change: The value undergoes continuous changes.
Swing: The value swings back and forth.
Undulate: The value undulates, showing a wave-like pattern.
- If it fluctuates, then stops fluctuating, we can say it stabilises or levels off.
E.g.: Stabilize: "After weeks of uncertainty, the currency exchange rate finally stabilized, providing
relief to investors."
Level off: "The temperature fluctuations finally leveled off, maintaining a steady 25 degrees
Celsius throughout the afternoon."

+ Another way:
"Subsequently, the data remains relatively steady."
"Following the stabilization, the trend shows little variation."
"From [specific year] onwards, the data maintains a consistent level."
"At the outset, the data exhibits significant fluctuations."
"During the early years, there is noticeable variability in the trend."
"However, from [specific time point], the trend stabilizes."
"By [specific year], the data settles into a more consistent pattern."
"After [specific event or time period], fluctuations in the data come to an end."
- If a number reaches a high point and then drops back again, we can say it peaks at a certain number or
reaches a peak.
For example, ‘the share price peaked at $115’ or ‘the share price reached a peak of $115.’ Again, be
careful to use the correct prepositions.

+ Another way:
"The number peaks at [highest value] and subsequently declines."
"After reaching its highest point, the number begins to decrease."
"The data reaches a pinnacle, followed by a downward trend."
"It climbs steadily to its maximum and then falls sharply."
"Having reached its peak, the number experiences a rapid decline."
"The trend ascends to its highest level before descending again."
"It reaches a high before dropping back to previous levels."
"After attaining its peak, there is a noticeable decline."
"Following a peak, the number declines steadily.
"The number peaks early on and subsequently decreases."
"After peaking, there is a visible downturn."
"The data hits a high point, then starts to decrease."
 - If a number drops a lot, then stops falling we can say it bottoms out.

+ Another way:
"After a significant drop, the trend levels off."
"It plummets to its lowest point and then plateaus."
"After plummeting, the number remains constant."
"The data shows a dramatic plunge, followed by a period of stability."
"It falls steeply and then levels out."
"After a steep fall, there is a period of little change."
"Following the steep decline, the trend flattens."

______________________________________________________________________________
In IELTS Writing Task 1 Academic, you have to describe a graph or chart, a map or room layout, or a
process. Your written work has to be at least 150 words long. You have about 20 minutes to complete the
task. Here you will find useful phrases, techniques, tips, and examples of IELTS Academic Writing Task
1.
This task is intended to check your ability to see main trends and provide a description of the data you are
given, to compare it with other information, to highlight changes, or to describe a process. All in all, there
are twelve (12) distinct types of tasks:
 Line graph requires you to describe changes in the graph over a period of time.
"The line graph illustrates the change in average global temperatures from 1900 to 2020."
+ Simple Line Graphs: Show trends over time with a single line.
+ Multiple Line Graphs: Compare trends over time with multiple lines.
 Tables chart present data in a grid format.
"The table provides information on the annual sales figures of various car models."
 Bar chart and pie chart tasks are about comparing numbers that you are given.
"The bar chart shows the population of different countries in 2020."
"The pie chart depicts the market share of different smartphone brands in 2021."

- Bar chart:
+ Vertical Bar Charts: Display data with rectangular bars oriented vertically.
+ Horizontal Bar Charts: Display data with rectangular bars oriented horizontally.
+ Grouped Bar Charts: Show multiple sets of data side by side.
+ Stacked Bar Charts: Display parts of a whole by stacking bars on top of each other.

- Pie chart:
 + Simple Pie Charts: Represent data as slices of a circle, showing proportions.
+ 3D Pie Charts: Add a three-dimensional effect to a pie chart.
+ Exploded Pie Charts: Highlight individual slices by separating them slightly from the rest.
 Process description (diagram) involves describing the sequence of stages involved in a process.
"The diagram shows the process of recycling paper."
 Map and room layout description – features and objects’ relative positions and respective
changes over time.
"The maps illustrate the changes in a coastal town from 1990 to 2020."
"The diagrams depict the layout of a student apartment in 2010 and the proposed changes for
2020. "
 Mixed chart combines two or more types of charts (e.g., a bar chart with a line graph).
"The combined bar and line graph compare the sales and profit trends of a company over five
years."

 Odds chart use to display probabilities or odds, often utilized in contexts such as gambling, sports
betting, or statistical analysis.
"The odds chart presents the probabilities of various teams winning the football championship,
based on performance data from the previous season."
 Flow charts show steps in a process or the flow of information.
"The flow chart outlines the process involved in recycling plastic bottles, from collection to the
production of new items."
 Scatter Plots display relationships between two variables using dots.
"The scatter plot illustrates the correlation between the number of hours studied and the exam
scores achieved by university students."
 Area Charts similar to line graphs, but the area under the line is filled in.
"The area chart illustrates the population growth in three cities (City A, City B, and City C) over a
30-year period, from 1990 to 2020."
 Gantt Charts used for project scheduling, displaying tasks over time.
"The Gantt chart outlines the project timeline for the construction of a new bridge, detailing the
various phases and their durations."
 Venn Diagrams show logical relationships between different sets with overlapping circles.
"The Venn diagram highlights the overlapping skills necessary for three distinct job roles,
indicating both shared and unique competencies."

1. Line Graph
- We will be using this graph to go over the basics of the IELTS Line Graph. The process of describing bar
charts, pie charts, and tables isn’t much different.
- First and foremost, you have to get the main idea of the graph.
- Try to understand the key features of the graph. What does it show? What numbers are the biggest? Are
there any trends?
- You are encouraged to use your pen to circle and underline the main features of the graph.
Ideally, you should find one dominant trend and one or two secondary trends (if there are any).

General tips on describing a graph

+ Do not try to analyse or explain everything in the graph.
+ Try to establish the main trend or trends.
+ Group the data
- Circle the important parts: how trends begin and end, sudden changes, low and high points, differences
between trends, and differences over periods of time.
IELTS Writing Task 1 Vocabulary
As you are going to be describing certain changes and processes, you will need to use vocabulary that
denotes those changes. In order to avoid word repetition, it is a good idea to memorise as many such words
and phrases as you can.
Verbs of movement, up (preposition) – usage Verbs of movement, down (preposition) –
Climbed (to) – neutral usage
Went up (by) – neutral Fell (by/to) – neutral
Increased (to/by/fold - Twofold – twice, threefold Dwindled (by/to) – neutral
– three times; and so on) – neutral Subside (to) – neutral
Rose (to/by) – neutral Declined (by/to) – neutral
Skyrocketed (to) – strong, inf. Pitched (at) – neutral
Gained (no preposition) – neutral Decreased (by/to) – neutral
Recovered (to) – after a previous fall Dropped (by/to) – strong
Shot up (no preposition) – strong, inf. Sank (to) – strong
Surged (no preposition) – strong Plummeted (no preposition) – strong
Collapsed (no preposition) – strong
No change in the graph Tops and Bottoms
Remained constant/unchanged/stable etc. Peaked (at)
Levelled out (at) Reached a peak (of)
 Evened out (at) Topped (at)
Stabilized (at) Bottomed (at)
Reached the bottom (at)
Verbs: Indicating Synonyms for “number”
Show Mark
Display Level
Demonstrate Volume
Experience (as in “to go through”) High/low (to reach a new high/low)
Boast (about high figures) Point
Examples: words and prepositions Adverbs and intensifiers
From 1990 to 2000 Slightly (weak)
Over the next decade Gradually (weak)
Went up/down by a quarter Marginally (weak)
Increased twofold Considerably (strong)
Reduced to 100,000 Dramatically (strong)
During the next twenty years Drastically (strong)
Over the whole period in the graph Sharply (strong)
Steeply (strong)
Abruptly (strong)
Remember: reusing the same expressions over and over again will reduce your lexical resource
mark.
EXAMPLE:
The graph shows the change in average salaries across various spheres of employment in the US over a
period of 40 years.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and making comparisons.

The graph shows salary dynamics in various spheres over a period of 40 years.
Here are the main ideas that we can point out:
+Salaries in IT and engineering have been increasing.
+ Salaries in IT have displayed most prominent rise over the whole period.
+ Despite fluctuation, salaries in sports have been higher than in the other two spheres.
+ Salaries in sports witnessed a sharp decline in the year 2000.
The graph presents the changes in the amount of money people were earning in three different industries
over the period of 1970 to 2010. => Introduction

The industries of IT and engineering both displayed gradual increases over the whole graph period.
While engineers’ salary growth was marginal, going from 55 to 70 thousand over the course of 40 years,
the paycheck of IT workers showed a much more pronounced increase, going from 35 to 100 thousand in
the same period. Both industries experienced no downward movement in their salary figures.

The area of professional sports showed a slight fluctuation in numbers during the period from 1970 to
2000. Despite that, it still remained the highest-paying occupation throughout the whole graph, with a
peak salary of 145 thousand in the year 2000. Over the next decade the numbers sank, reaching the 110
thousand mark.

In conclusion, the IT industry showed the fastest-growing salary figures, and engineering had the slowest
change in pay. Despite the sports salary decline in 2000, it still remained the best paid occupation of the
three.

(171 words)

I want you to pay attention to the words in bold. They are examples of synonym usage to get a higher
lexical resource score (show-display-experience-present; numbers-figures-mark; industry-job-occupation).
Underlined fragments are examples of words and phrases from the graph vocabulary table.

When writing your introductory paragraph, you may be tempted to simply copy the task description.
Don’t – the copied part will not count towards your total number of words. Instead, paraphrase the task.

Original: The graph below shows the change in median salaries in various spheres of employment in the
US over a period of 40 years
-> Paraphrased: The graph presents the changes in the amount of money people were earning in three
different industries…

IT and engineering are grouped and described in the first body paragraph because they display similar
dynamics. As it was said before, you only have to mention graph features that stand out the most:
minimums and maximums, turning points and pattern deviations.
-> Group and describe (general)
-> Mention features that stand out the most

Paragraph two is dedicated to sports careers because the chart behaves in a different way and the salaries
are considerably higher there despite the end-graph plunge. Both the plunge and the fluctuation are worth
noting in your writing, although this doesn’t mean that you have to put down the number for every
fluctuation swing.

Your conclusion can be a brief comparison or an overview of the salary dynamics. Again, it’s worth
grouping industries with similar figures, as I did. Try to make your summary at least two sentences
long, though it can be quite difficult to come up with a relevant follow-up sentence. If you find yourself at
a loss for the second sentence, just paraphrase the introduction and add a generalising statement that
refers to the graph.

2. Chart comparison
This task focuses on juxtaposing or comparing the chart data. The main difference between a line graph
and a chart comparison is that there is no dynamic in the latter. Instead, you match different numbers
against each other. These numbers can represent many things — city population, prices, market shares, and
so on.

EXAMPLE:
The chart below shows the market share of mobile phones in each country in 2015.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and making comparisons.

In order to keep your writing under 150 words, you have to group data. The data presented in this chart
could be grouped in two different ways:
+ By country (UK and USA have pretty similar statistics, Germany and China are alike too)
+ By platform (iOS, Android and Windows)

- For this particular chart, I would recommend the second option. The reason for this is that grouping by
country would be difficult; the data in this graph is very diverse. Grouping by platform is easier, as the
trends are more obvious.
- Grouping by platform will require three body paragraphs, one for each brand. The order of paragraphs
should relate to the importance of their respective brands. As Android’s presence is the largest, it makes
sense to dedicate first paragraph to its data. Then come iOS and Windows in the second and third
paragraphs, respectively.
- Choosing to have three body paragraphs means that our description has to be very brief. Make sure you
read about keeping your narrative concise.

The chart described below shows the mobile phone market situation around the world. The data is
structured to indicate the share of all three major mobile platforms in each country mentioned.

Android devices are dominant in all the countries presented, reaching the highest mark of 91% in Brazil.
Mobile devices of this brand constitute more than half of the total market share, with the lowest figure of
51.5% in the UK.

Mobile devices based on iOS are the second most popular, with the highest presence figures in the US
and the UK at 43% and 40% respectively. The lowest mark for iOS-based devices is registered in Brazil,
where it gets as low as 4%, outperformed by the third most popular brand – Windows.
Windows-operated gadgets are the least widespread, with a mere 9% of the market in Germany, 7.5% in
the UK, and only 1% in China.

Overall, the market is divided unevenly among the brands, with Android towering over the other two
brands. Even though iOS-based units have a substantial presence in some countries, they are dwarfed by
the leader’s figures. Windows platform numbers are far lower than those of its competitors.
(172 words)

In this text, I went slightly over the word limit. You are not penalised for that. However, keep in mind that
more words mean more time spent on the text and more potential mistakes in it.

What you should be worried about is falling short of the 150 mark; texts that are seriously underlength
(less than 145 words — a rough but sensible estimate, not the official figure) get a reduced score. If you
struggle to reach the 150 mark, then you are doing something wrong, either missing a trend or not giving
enough information about the graph. Usually, keeping it under 150 is the real challenge, which, however,
can be made much easier by writing in a more concise manner.

3. Process description
In process Description, you write about a process that can be shown in the form of either a flowchart or
picture. This task focuses on your ability to group smaller stages and to describe their sequence, or how
they go one after another.

EXAMPLE:

There are several challenges that set this type of IELTS Writing Task from others. As you will be
describing processes — shown as a diagram or a flowchart — you will have to deal with the following
difficulties:

- Grouping the process stages. It is necessary that you group your information; this will allow for easier
paragraphing and make your text more readable. There should be at least two stages; three is the optimum
figure. We will look into this in the example task below.
- Sequencing – tenses and vocabulary. Any process involves several things that happen one after another.
To get more points for grammar and vocabulary, it is important to use various ways of expressing this
order of actions. See the article about tenses for more information.
- Description vocabulary. To describe a process, you have to know what certain involved components are
called and what they do. Again, look at the example task below for clarification.

Looking at the example task, we can divide the process into three larger stages: preparation, processing,
and refining. If you want, you can combine the two last stages into one.

The production of olive oil can be divided into three major stages. The first stage is cleaning and
preparing the olives. Stages two and three process and refine the product, respectively.

During the first stage, the olives are poured into a funnel that sends them on the escalator, lifting the fruit
to the washing machine. These get washed and then, with the help of the moving band, transported to the
leaf separation device.

Ready-to-use olives are then pushed into the crusher, turning them into pulp, which is mixed by the
melaxer right after. The resulting substance is then sent to decanter, where the pulp is filtered and turned
into liquid. At the same time, the residual pomace is produced during the filtering.

The final stage is refining the resulting liquid. Said liquid is poured into the oil polisher, where water and
oil are separated. The water is discarded into sewage, while the clean oil is put in containers.

(159 words)

In this text, I went with the three-body paragraph structure because of the three distinct stages that
comprise the process.

The introduction clearly stated that by naming all three stages. It is good practice to make your reader
aware of what the text is about before he continues to the body paragraphs.

Now look at the marked words. Underlined parts of the text are verbs that describe transitions or changes
that take place during the course of the process. Do not resort to a couple of verbs like “it goes to” and “it
moves”. In this particular text, pay attention to the use of passive tense. Olives do not move by themselves;
they are moved.

Words in bold are used for sequencing — order of things that take place in the picture. There aren’t that
many synonyms for such words, so whenever possible, you should try to omit them, using the context as an
indicator of what happens after what. Take a look at the first body paragraph. No sequence words were
used there, but the order of stages is clear from the context.
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Task achievement
Task one, Academic: How logically and clearly you group and present the trends, stages or differences in
the task material; how clearly and appropriately you illustrate all of the points required by the task.

Task two: How fully address the ideas mentioned in the task; how well you develop your position on the
question; how appropriately you use points and ideas to support your opinion and their relevance to the
task.
2. Coherence and cohesion
Task one and two: How clearly and logically you sequence (organize) your essay; how diversely and
appropriately you use cohesive devices; how you use paragraphing to structure your essay.
3. Lexical resource
 Task one and two: How varied and flexible your vocabulary is; How precise and accurate your word
choice is, including such aspects as word register and style; How good your spelling and word-formation
skills are.
4. Grammatical range and accuracy
Task one and two: How diverse your choice of various grammatical structures is and how appropriately
you use them.

IELTS Writing Task 1: Don’t do this

- Don’t try to analyze the figures in the graph. You are not required to share your vision for the trends
and directions they take. Doing so won’t get you any points, but it will eat up the word limit. All you have
to do is describe what is going on in a clear, easy-to-understand manner. Your opinion can be voiced later
in Writing Task 2.
- Don’t try writing a draft version of your essay first. You won’t have time to write both the draft and
the fair copy. Instead, you simply go through your essay after you have finished writing it and correct all
the mistakes or imperfections you find. You will not be penalized for self-correcting as long as it is easy to
make out what you have written or corrected.
- Don’t write more than you should. As it was mentioned above, more writing means more mistakes that
are likely to pop up. Unless you really have to, refrain from going over the set word limit of 150 words in
Task 1 and 250 words in Task 2.
- Don’t waste your time counting your words. A better way to do that is to count how many words you
have in one line and then multiply it by the number of lines. It will give you a rough but reliable number.
- Don’t be biased towards the information in the graph. That includes both the personal attitude
mentioned above and a reasonable distribution of text space. Body paragraphs should be of fairly equal
size. Do not let one body paragraph overpower the others in volume.
IELTS Task 1 Writing Tips
- Pay attention to prepositions. There is a difference between “decreased by 50” and “decreased to 50”. In
the first one, it went down by 50, so if it was 500 it became 450. In the second, one it became 50, no matter
how big the original number was.
- To avoid repeating more colloquial expressions, refer to this list of synonyms for the most overused
words.
- If you write about something that has no relation to the topic, it is possible that these words will not count
towards your total number of words. Stay on topic!
- For more ideas about structuring your writing and other aspects of the written part of your English exam,
see this article on essay writing.
_____________________________________________________________________________________

SAMPLE
 The graph below gives information about the percentage of the population in four Asian countries
living in cities from 1970 to 2020, with predictions for 2030 and 2040.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and making comparisons where
relevant.
The line chart shows how urban residency has changed in four Asian countries from 1970 to 2040. Overall,
it is clear that urban living will increase in all countries, especially Malaysia and the Philippines. By 2040,
Malaysia will have the highest percentage of people living in cities.

In 1970, the Philippines and Malaysia had similar urban residency rates, around 31% and 30%,
respectively. Thailand and Indonesia had lower rates, with Thailand at 19% and Indonesia at 12%. Over
the next 20 years, Malaysia’s rate went up and down, surpassing the Philippines rate by around 40% before
rapidly increasing in 1990. It is projected to reach over 80% by 2040. On the other hand, the Philippines
saw a moderate decline after 1980 but is expected to recover and reach above 50% by 2040.

Indonesia has seen significant growth in urban residency, surpassing Thailand in 2000 (28%) and the
Philippines in 2010 (42%). It is projected to reach 55%, the second-highest among all countries. Finally,
Thailand has experienced a gradual increase, currently at around 30%. It is expected to rise to over 40% in
the next 17 years. (186 words)
2. The chart below shows the expenditure of two countries on consumer goods in 2010.

The bar chart provides information on five different areas of expenditure in the UK and France in 2010.
Relatively more money was spent by the UK on cars, books, and cameras than France. In the former
category, the UK spent just over 450,000 pounds, whereas France used about 55,000 pounds less. For
books, the expenditure gap widened, but both countries expended less than they did on cars: approximately
400,000 and 300,000 pounds for the UK and France, respectively. The margin in spending was the largest
for cameras, with the figure for France being more than two times smaller (150,000 pounds) than that for
the UK (slightly over 350,000 pounds).

However, France’s expense on computers and perfume was higher than the UK’s. About 380,000 pounds
was spent by France on computers as opposed to 350,000 pounds by the UK, but the amounts for perfume
were a lot lower with the respective figures of 200,000 and just under 150,000 pounds.

Overall, the UK spent more money on cars, books, and cameras, whereas France did so on the other two
categories: computers and perfume. It is also apparent that both of these nations spent the most money on
automobiles, and the biggest difference in expenditure was recorded in cameras. (205 words)
 3. The pie chart gives information on the proportion of carbohydrates, protein and fat in
three different diets.

The pie charts compare the amount of electricity produced using five different sources of fuel in two
countries over two separate years.

Total electricity production increased dramatically from 1980 to 2000 in both Australia and France. While
the totals for both countries were similar, there were big differences in the fuel sources used.

Coal was used to produce 50 of the total 100 units of electricity in Australia in 1980, rising to 130 out of
170 units in 2000. By contrast, nuclear power became the most important fuel source in France in 2000,
producing almost 75% of the country’s electricity.

Australia depended on hydropower for just under 25% of its electricity in both years, but the amount of
electricity produced using this type of power fell from 5 to only 2 units in France. Oil, on the other hand,
remained a relatively important fuel source in France, but its use declined in Australia. Both countries
relied on natural gas for electricity production significantly more in 1980 than in 2000. (170 words)
 4. The table with the percentage of students in six different departments in 2011.
The given table illustrates data on different aspects of undergraduates who took six different majors at an
Australian university in 2011.

Overall, while the social science departments attracted the majority of female students, there were a large
number of undergraduates who preferred learning IT and engineering at university.

Specifically, most females were in favor of humanities majors (72%) and the educational sector (68%).
While slightly more than half of this population studied science and physics (52% and 56%, respectively),
they seemed less appealing to technological majors such as information technology and engineering, which
accounted for roughly 15%.

It is also clear that the proportion of non-native English speakers and overseas undergraduates took the
leading position in science and technology majors. In particular, approximately half of students whose first
language was not English enrolled in the IT department, which was followed by science (45%) and
engineering (42%). Whereas the physics department experienced 38% of enrolment in this group,
humanities and pedagogy attracted nearly 15% of undergraduates.

The same pattern can be observed in the percentage of students born in other foreign countries. The physics
and IT departments had the highest percentage of enrolment (56%), and engineering held second place
with 48%. Other departments were listed in decreasing order as follows: science, education, and
humanities, with 31%, 23%, and 20%, respectively. (201)
5. The diagram below shows how the Australian Bureau of Meteorology collects up-to-the-minute
information on the weather in order to produce reliable forecasts.
The figure illustrates the process used by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology to forecast the weather.

There are four stages in the process, beginning with the collection of information about the weather. This
information is then analyzed, prepared for presentation, and finally broadcast to the public.

Looking at the first and second stages of the process, there are three ways of collecting weather data and
three ways of analyzing it. Firstly, incoming information can be received by satellite and presented for
analysis as a satellite photo. The same data can also be passed to a radar station and presented on a radar
screen or synoptic chart. Secondly, incoming information may be collected directly by radar and analyzed
on a radar screen or synoptic chart. Finally, drifting buoys also receive data, which can be shown on a
synoptic chart.

At the third stage of the process, the weather broadcast is prepared on computers. Finally, it is delivered to
the public on television, on the radio, or as a recorded telephone announcement. (170 words)
6. The diagram shows how electricity is generated by a hydroelectric dam.

The diagram illustrates the production of power through the use of a hydroelectric dam.
The process begins with water in a reservoir and ends with the transmission of power via long-distance
power lines.

In order to generate hydroelectricity, the first step is to collect water in a reservoir. When power generation
begins, the water passes through an intake at the bottom of the dam and then enters a long tunnel called a
penstock. On the other hand, when power is not being produced, the intake is blocked by a large gate that
prevents the flow of water. However, when the intake is opened, the water flows down the penstock, and
the pressure it creates is used to spin a turbine, which is connected to a generator in a place referred to as
the powerhouse. At the same time, the water that has gone through the turbine flows out into the river
below the dam. Finally, the generator in the powerhouse is connected to power lines, which are used to
transport the electricity over long distances. (175 words)
7. The given pie charts compare the expenses in 7 different categories in 1966 and 1996 by American
Citizens.

a) The pie charts compare the expenditure on seven categories by American citizens in 1966 and 1996.
Overall, the figures showed that the Americans spent more money on food and cars than other remaining
items in both years. Nevertheless, there were numerous changes in American people’s expenses from 1966
to 1996.

In the year 1966, food and cars were two goods that the citizens mostly used their budget to purchase, at
about 44% for food and 23% for cars. In contrast, people are less likely to spend on four other categories
with similar percentages, including 9% on gasoline, 7% on restaurants, 10% on furniture, and only 6% on
books. Likewise, computers were the least expensive category by exactly 1% in 1966.

In 1996, the figures for car expenditure increased by twofold, at 45%, compared to those in 1966. On the
contrary, the consumption of food decreased dramatically to 14% and was equal to that of restaurants,
which jumped double since 1966. Meanwhile, the proportion of two categories, petrol and furniture, almost
stayed the same, at 8% for both. Another visible trend was that computer expenditure surged to 10% while
that of books dropped to 1%. 199 words

b) The pie charts illustrate the expenditure of US citizens in six different categories in 1966 and 1996.
Overall, food and cars accounted for the largest proportion in 1966 and 1996, respectively. Additionally,
there was a reduction in the amount of money US inhabitants spent on food, gasoline, furniture, and books,
whereas cars, restaurants, and computers experienced an increase over the period shown.

In 1966, food was the primary source of expenses, at 44%; however, its number decreased remarkably by
30% to only 14%, which was the second highest together with restaurants in the year 1996. During the
period of 30 years, the figure for expenditure on furniture remained relatively constant, at about 10% and
8% in 1966 and 1996, respectively. Over the same period of time, books saw a slight decrease of precisely
5%, which accounted for the lowest percentage in 1996.

In terms of cars, its figure witnessed a significant growth from 23% to 45% and remained the highest point
in the year 1996. Likewise, US residents spent more money on restaurants than they did previously, at
exactly 14% in 1996. In addition, computers accounted for the lowest proportion in 1966; however, 30
years later, their percentage increased dramatically, climbing to 10% in 1996. Meanwhile, there was a
small change of 1% in the amount of money spent on gasoline by US inhabitants, from 9% to 8% in 1966
and 1996, respectively
8. The charts below show the percentage of water used for different purposes in six areas of the
world.

The pie charts compare the proportion of water consumption for industry, agriculture, and domestic
purpose in six separate regions of the world. Overall, it is clear that water used for agriculture accounts for
the largest proportion, except for North America and Europe, mainly providing for industrial use.

With regard to agricultural use, Central Asia is the area that uses the greatest level of water, at exactly
88%, followed by the figure for Africa and South East Asia, at 84% and 81% respectively. South America
needs a smaller rate, with 71%, compared to one-third of the total consumption in Europe.

In contrast, Europe area primarily uses water for industry, making up the highest percentage among the
remaining regions, over a half of the total.
 Likewise, 48% of water is prioritized this purpose in North America, contrasting to 10% of that in South
America. A noticeable pattern is that all six areas use an inconsiderable percentage of water for domestic
purpose, apart from South America, with 19%, being the most significant consumption level.
9. The chart below shows the changes that took place in three different areas of crime in New Port
city center from 2003-2012.

The line graph illustrates the fluctuation of crime rates in three various types in Newport City over a period
of nine years, from 2003 to 2012.
Overall, all kinds of crime experienced frequent changes over the past nine years at different levels. While
the rates of car theft and robbery fluctuated slightly during the 9-year period, the number of incidents
reported due to burglary saw a significant downward trend.

In 2013, starting at the point of nearly 3500 incidents, the figures for burglary reached their peak at
approximately 3750 incidents in 2004. The following 4 years followed a sharp decline before hitting its
bottom of around 1200 incidents. The rates of burglary in the remaining period increased a little bit and
remained nearly unchanged around the point of 1400 incidents.

Theft relating to cars stayed constant for 2 years at about 2800 incidents before its sudden drop in 2006 to
just above 2000 incidents. The rest of time witnessed a gradual increase to nearly the same level in 2003,
with 2750 incidents. There was a significant change that could be seen in robbery, the type of crime that
had the lowest number of incidents, at around 650 incidents. 196 words

 b) The line graph compares three different types of crime in terms of the number of incidents in the center
of Newport City between 2003 and 2012.

It is clear that the number of robbery incidents was by far the lowest figure during the research period.
Additionally, the figure for burglaries experienced the most dramatic change from 2003 to 2012.

In 2003, the quantity of burglaries was highest, at nearly 3500, while the figure for robberies was
significantly lower, at around 700. At the same time, about 2800 incidents were car thefts. From 2003 to
2008, the number of burglary incidents decreased remarkably and reached its lowest point at roughly 1200.
Meanwhile, Newport City Center witnessed slight declines in the figures for car thefts and robberies.
In the following four-year period, the number of car theft incidents rose gradually to slightly more than
2700 and became the highest figure in the chart. The figure for robberies seemed to remain stable at just
over 500, while there was an insignificant increase to approximately 1300 in the number of incidents
caused by burglars. 180 words
10. The pie chart below shows the main reasons why agricultural land becomes less productive. The
table shows how these causes affected three regions of the world during the 1990s.

a) The pie chart illustrates four main reasons for the degradation of agricultural land. The table shows the
percentage of land in three specific regions that was affected by these causes in the year 1990.

Overall, it is clear that overgrazing was the primary factor causing degradation. Moreover, Europe was by
far the region that was influenced the most by the total land degradation.

From the pie chart, overgrazing accounted for the largest proportion, at 35%, which was the major cause
leading to degradation. Meanwhile, the second most notable reason was deforestation (30%), which was
slightly higher than the proportion of overcultivation by 2%.

According to the table, Europe had the highest rate of land degraded by deforestation, with 9.8%, while the
impact on Oceania and North America was minimal, at 1.7 and 0.2, respectively. In the data on land
degraded by overcultivation, 7.7% of Europe's land decreased in productivity, and 3.3% of North America
experienced the same influence. Interestingly, overcultivation had no effect on Oceania. In contrast,
Oceania had 11.3% of degraded farmland because of overgrazing. The figures for Europe and North
America were lower, at 5.5% and 1.5%, respectively.

1. b) The charts illustrate the four main factors that resulted in farmland degradation all over the
world and depict the percentage of those in three separate regions.

Overall, it is evident that Europe suffered more from land degradation than the two other lands, and the two
main causes of this were deforestation and overgrazing.
65% of the world's degradation of land has its roots in overgrazing and deforestation, constituting 35% and
30%, respectively. In addition, 28% of global degradation is due to overcultivation. Other causes account
for only 7%.
In the 1990s, due to deforestation, 9.8% of the land in Europe was degraded, while the impact of this on
Oceania and North America was minimal, at only 1.7% and 0.2%, respectively. There was 13% of
degraded farmland in Oceania, caused mainly by overgrazing. Meanwhile, the total degraded land in North
America made up the lowest proportion, and the main causes were over-cultivation (3.3%) and over-
grazing (1.8%). In contrast, Europe had the largest percentage of land degradation (23%) as well as a
significant proportion of overcultivation (7.7%) and overgrazing (5.5%).
11. The chart below gives information about the most common sports played in New' Zealand in
2002.

The bar chart provides information about the proportion of two genders who participated in different sports
in New Zealand in 2002.

Overall, it is clear that there were significant differences in the percentage of boys and girls who took part
in most of these sports. However, the proportion of those who played basketball and tennis was similar.

Among girls, 25% played netball, and a slightly lower percentage (22%) enjoyed swimming. The
proportion of girls who took part in basketball and tennis was 6% and 7%, respectively. These were
followed by soccer, athletics, and martial arts, which were 6%, 5%, and less than 5%, respectively. Finally,
participation in other sports totaled around 10%.

In contrast, among boys, only 1% played netball, while the sport with the highest participation figure was
soccer, at 25%. Around 13% and 11% of boys took part in swimming and cricket, respectively. Sports that
all had figures of between 3% and 9% were tennis, basketball, and martial arts. About 18% of boys
participated in other sports.

12. The chart below shows information about changes in average house prices in five different cities
between 1990 and 2002 compared with the average house prices in 1989.
The bar chart compares data on 5 various cities in 5 different countries in terms of changes in house prices
from 1990 to 2002 compared to those in 1989.

Overall, the average house price in most of the cities increased. While London had the greatest rise in
average house prices, Tokyo was the only city with a decrease in the cost of accommodation.

From 1990 to 1995, the average house prices in New York experienced a drop of exactly 5% compared to
those in 1989. Likewise, there was a similar decline of about 7% in house prices in Tokyo and London. By
contrast, 3% was the growth in the prices of accommodation in Madrid and Frankfurt.

Throughout the remainder of the period, average house prices still continued to grow in Madrid and
Frankfurt, an increase of below 5% and around 2%, respectively. Accommodation prices in New York
doubled compared to 1989. While the figure for Tokyo remained at about 5% of the decline, there was a
significant increase of over 10% in the figure for London.
13. The diagram below shows the water cycle, which is the continuous movement of water on, above
and below the surface of the Earth.
The diagram that has been presented illustrates the circulation of water on, above, and below the Earth’s
surface. From an overall perspective, there are three main stages shown on the diagram. Ocean water
evaporates, falls down as rain, and finally flows into the ocean again.

To begin with, in the evaporation stage, we can realize that the vast majority of water vapor in the air stems
from the ocean. The heat of the sun makes water evaporate, and then water vapor forms clouds. In the
second procedure, water vapor condensing in the cloud falls as rain or snow.

Eventually, rainwater has several ways to turn back into the ocean. It can fall down and create lakes;
otherwise, water returns to the ocean by osmosis via surface runoff. On the other hand, the flow of
rainwater may filter through the ground and then reach the impervious layer of the planet. After the
saltwater intrusion is shown to have taken place, groundwater returns into the ocean and ends the process
of circulation.
14. The table illustrates the proportion of monthly household income five European countries spend
on food and drink, housing, clothing and entertainment.

The table shows the data on the monthly expenditures of people in five European nations in different
categories. Overall, food and drink, as well as housing, accounted for the biggest expenses in these
countries, while the smaller ones were spent on clothing and entertainment.

The group of countries, including France, Germany, and the UK, invests the largest portion of their
monthly income in housing, with 31 percent, 33 percent, and 37 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, a
smaller one is used for food and drink. In contrast, the other nations, namely Turkey and Spain, allocate
more for food and drink, whereas housing is less preferred by them. In detail, the numbers in Turkey are 36
percent for the former and 20 percent for the latter. Likewise, food and drink account for 31 percent of the
income in Spain, but only 18 percent is spent on housing.

The spending on entertainment is higher than that on clothing in France and Spain. The proportions are
around 15 percent and 8 percent, respectively. Similarly, 19 percent of German citizens’ budget is used for
entertainment, compared to 15 percent for clothing. Moreover, Britain and Turkey see a similar number of
these two categories, at about one-tenth of the monthly income.
15. The two maps below show an island, before and after the construction of some tourist facilities.
The maps illustrate the transformation and changes of an island before and after it was facilitated by many
tourist amenities.

Overall, it is obvious that the island becomes more modern with a variety of resorts and aquatic
entertainment facilities equipped or installed.

Before the construction, the area seemed quite peaceful and tranquil, being surrounded by the sea and
covered with several trees. Meanwhile, there would be a small beach to the west of the island. All of these
figures in the observed region have remained unchanged over the reconstruction period.

After being converted into a tourist destination, many houses are designed within the area for
accommodation. Especially, they are connected with one another by a number of route systems, including
footpaths for pedestrians and vehicles for walking and for roadway vehicles. It is worth noting that there is
also a new restaurant and a reception located on the central island. Surrounding the area, more activities are
activated in the coastal position, which is required to facilitate several essential equipment and
constructions, such as piers and sails nearby the shore.
16. The diagram below shows how coffee is produced and prepared for sale in supermarkets and
shops.
The flow chart shows how coffee is produced from coffee beans. A glance at the graph reveals that there
are 11 distinct steps, beginning with bean-picking and culminating in the packing stage.

In the first phase, coffee beans are carefully picked and then dried on the ground under harsh sunlight.
Before being rapidly cooled, dried beans are brought to a specialized machine to be roasted. Following
that, a grinder is utilized to turn coffee beans into coffee granules. In the next step, the ground coffee is
mixed with hot water, and the resulting mixture is strained through a utensil to remove liquid.

Moving on to the eighth stage, after being passed once again through the grinding machine, the mixture is
frozen. In the subsequent step, the frozen liquid is dried in a large vacuum, which enables water to
evaporate, leaving the coffee granules. These granules, ultimately, are packed into jars and are ready for
delivery to coffee shops.
the changes in annual spending by a particular UK school in 1981, 1991 and 2001.

The pie charts give information on a UK school’s expenditure changes in five categories in three different
years over a period of 20 years. Overall, salaries for teachers and other staff accounted for the largest part
of school spending in all three surveyed years. By contrast, insurance made up the smallest amount of
spending.

In 1981, the school spent 40% of its budget for teachers and another 28% for other workers, making these
two groups the largest outflow of money. Investments in furniture and equipment and learning resources
were equal, at 15% of the total expenditure, while only 2% was paid for insurance services.

The proportion of payment for teachers increased to 50% in 1991 before falling again to 45% in 2001,
whereas that of other school staff decreased by 13% over the 20-year period. Despite a small investment of
5% received in 1991, furniture and equipment attracted nearly a quarter of the school's spending in 2001. It
is interesting to note that while payments for furniture and equipment dropped, those for resources grew,
and vice versa. In the meantime, the proportion of the school budget paid for insurance had risen slightly to
3% in 1991 before ending at 8% 10 years later.
18. The diagram below shows how a central heating system in a house works.

The flow chart illustrates the system of pipes, tanks, and boilers and how they provide heat to house
radiators and water taps. Overall, there are five stages to this system, beginning with the entrance of cold
water into the house and ending with the re-heating process.

At the first stage, the cold water enters the house and is stored in a water storage tank on the roof. From
there, water flows down to the boiler, located on the ground floor of the house in the second stage. In the
third step, the boiler, which is fueled by gas or oil, heats up the water as it passes through it.

At the next stage, the hot water is then pumped around the house through a system of pipes and flows into
the radiators, located in different rooms. The water circulates through the radiators, which have small tubes
inside them to help distribute the heat, and this warms each of the rooms. Some of the water is directed to
the taps to provide hot water for the house. Finally, once the water has been through the pipes and
radiators, it is returned to the boiler to be re-heated and circulated around the house again.
19. The graphs below show the numbers of male and female workers in 1975 and 1995 in several
employment sectors of the Republic of Freedonia.
The line graphs compare the changes in the number of men and women working in six employment fields
in 1975 and 1995.

Overall, women were far behind in employment in Freedonia in 1975, but within 20 years they made a
significant improvement in all sectors and went well ahead of men in communications, wholesale, and
retail trade.

In 1975, the number of women working in Freedonia in six fields of employment was relatively low
compared to men. Male workers predominated in all sectors, especially in finance, banking, and
manufacturing. However, there was a small gap in the number of male and female’ workers in
communications.

After 20 years, the employment sectors of Freedonia saw a significant change. In the fields of finance,
banking, and defense-related public sectors, female employees caught up with males in terms of
representation. The number of women working in communications, wholesale, and retail trade increased
sharply and overtook the men’s in these sectors. However, men still went ahead of women in the
manufacturing and non-defense-related public sectors.
20. The map below is of the town of Garlsdon. A new supermarket (S) is planned for the town. The
map shows two possible sites for the supermarket.
The map shows the possible locations for constructing a new supermarket in Garlsdon Town, which has
65,000 local residents.

As it is shown in the graph, the most significant difference between the two positions is that their places are
set in urban and rural areas.

The S1 supermarket is set to be built in the countryside of the north-west of Garlson, next to the residential
area. It would lie between the main road and the railway, just 6 km from the nearest town, Hindon, with
10,000 residents.

The other planned supermarket, the S2, is considered to be built in the Towa center, which has no traffic
zone but a railway going through on the north side. From this situation, there are main roads to Brandon
(16 km) in the west and Cransdon (25 km) in the east, as well as to Hindon (12 km). The first two locations
had a higher population than Hindon's, with 15000 for the former and 29,000 for the latter, compared to
only 10,000 citizens of Hindon. The S2 is also closer to the industry area than its counterpart, especially
the one in the South.
21. The diagram shows the changes that have taken place at West Park Secondary School since its
construction in 1950.
The given diagrams demonstrate how different West Park Secondary School has been since its original
design in 1950. Overall, the school main building and its science block were the major structures that
remained unchanged over the given period. The school’s land has been completely used for educational
purposes since 1980.

Its initial construction in 1950 contained four main components: houses, farmland, a school, and a
playground. However, over the next 30 years, the two zones catering to housing and agriculture were
substituted for a new car park and a sports field. The car park and the school, including its main building
and a science block, stood facing the Main Road.

In 2010, the general structure of the school saw a slight re-distribution in terms of land. The space for
sports fields was reduced to make way for the expansion of the car park. The students’ residence was also
smaller, while the main building and its science block remained intact.
22. The maps below show the changes experienced by the town of Lakeside at the beginning of the
21st Century.
The maps illustrate how Lakeside developed between 2000 and 2009. Overall, Lakeside underwent a
complete transformation, with new additions to the town instead of derelict warehouses, the Old Town, and
the Art Center. Moreover, woodland has decreased in size considerably to make way for a larger industrial
complex.

Looking to the north of the river, the residential area in the northwest corner remained unchanged, while
the derelict warehouses and Old Town on the right of this area were demolished and replaced by a car park
and offices. Additionally, an art center, which was located in the south of the derelict warehouses and
opposite the residential area in 2000, was knocked down and made way for a multi-screen cinema by 2009.
On the northeast side of the river, a lake in the middle of the woodland was drained and turned into a pond
by 2009. To the west of the pond, further developments included the construction of a university and many
schools next to the offices.

As can be seen from the south of the river, a residential area and part of the woodland area were removed,
and then the industrial complex was expanded dramatically.
23. The diagrams below show the development of the horse over a period of 40 million years.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons
where relevant.

a) The diagram delineates the development of prehistoric and modern horses, with special emphasis on
the formation of the feet. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that as horses
became larger in size, their feet elongated and broadened until they fused to become distinctive hoofs.

The prehistoric horse from 40 million years ago was termed an Eohippus and is distinguishable by its
smaller body and paw, which contain four thin phalanges. The next stage of evolution (30 million years
ago) resulted in the Mesohippus, which had a larger body more similar to today’s horse and three
distinct digits, the middle one being bulkier and slightly longer.

By 15 million years ago, the Merychippus had emerged, recognizable by a still larger body and the
increased size of the middle digit. This leads directly to the modern-day horse, which is the largest in size,
has a full mane, and the separate digits have, by this time, merged into a single hoof capable
of supporting a larger frame.
 b) The diagram illustrates the evolution of the horse over a geologic time scale of 40 million years,
transforming the small-sized Eohippus into the modern horse.
Overall, the lineage leading from Eohippus to the modern-day horse exhibits notable evolutionary trends,
including an increase in size, a reduction in the number of toes, lengthening of the legs, and elongation of
the muzzle.

About 40 million years ago (MYA), Eohippus, with a relatively short head and neck, had five toes, of
which four were equipped with small hooves, while the fifth was off the ground. By approximately 30
MYA, Mesohippus emerged as an intermediate form between Eohippus-like horses and more modern
horses. Mesohippus was slightly larger and leggier, walking on three toes.

By 15 MYA, Mesohippus had evolved into Merychippus, representing a significant milestone in the
evolution of horses. Although it retained the primitive character of three toes, it began to resemble modern
horses, featuring a long face and a newly-developed mane. Finally, the modern-day horse, which evolved
from Merychippus, now has a single hoof, slender legs, a long head, a relatively long neck, and a long tail.
24. The picture below shows how a hot balloon works. Summarize the information by selecting and
reporting the main features. Write at least 150 words.

The diagram depicts the construction of a hot air balloon and its working mechanism.

Overall, the construction consists of several parts, including the envelope, the skirt, the burner, and the
basket. It is also clear from the diagrams that the mechanism of a typical hot-air balloon involves the
upward circulation of hot air.

As can be seen from the picture, the balloon, also called the envelope, is the largest part, and this is a
combination of multiple strips of fabric called gores. These gores are made of many nylon panels sewn
together. The gores altogether form the balloon shape when fully inflated. On top of the envelope is a
parachute valve, whose function is to open or close like a sealing flap. This allows hot air to escape in a
controlled manner. The skirt is at the base of the envelope, and the inside is made from a flame-resistant
material to withstand the heat from the burners. The burners are fixed to a metal frame below the skirt and
above the basket, which provides seats for passengers and the propane cylinders. These burners function as
engines, mixing propane with oxygen to generate hot air for the balloon.

As for the working mechanism, hot air is fed into the envelope by the burners. The hot air inside is lighter
than the cold air outside, thus providing a buoyant force to lift the entire structure.
25. The diagram below shows the development of the cutting tool in the Stone Age. summarize the
information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

The presented pictures illustrate how cutting tools in the Stone Age evolved from 1.4 million years ago to
0.8 million years ago.

Overall, it can be concluded that in over 0.6 million years, the tools witnessed a dramatic change both in
size and shape. In addition, these developments increased the effectiveness of the cutting instruments.

Regarding the front view, tool A had rough edges and no clear shape, whereas tool B had a symmetrical
tear-like shape along with a pointy tip. This feature would give tool B an edge over tool A when it comes
to cutting food or penetrating things.

In terms of the side view and back view, tool B proved to be significantly larger as compared to tool A,
which would come in handy when cutting large products. With regard to the edges, tool A and tool B
showed a manifest difference. While the former’s edges were rugged and blunt, the latter were
significantly sharper, more refined, and knife-like.
26. The diagram shows the design of a modern landfill for household waste.
The diagram shows the life cycle of a modern landfill used for the disposal of household waste. There are
three main stages in the life of a land: construction, use,, and closure.

Firstly, a giant hole is dug in the earth above a bed of natural rock. Once the hole has been dug, it is then
lined with a thick layer of clay, followed by a layer of synthetic material, which helps to stop toxic waste
substances from leaching into the surrounding earth. Drainage pipes and a drainage tank are also installed
in order to remove the toxic waste liquids from the bottom of the landfill.

Once the landfill has been built, it is ready to be filled with household waste. During the usage stage of the
landfill, waste liquids will sink to the bottom, where they will be held in the drainage tank and removed via
the drainage pipes in order to minimize a buildup of gas. Once the land is full, it is covered with a thick
layer of clay. As the waste degrades over time, waste gases are emitted from the landfill.
27. THE MAP BELOW SHOWS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE VILLAGE OF RYEMOUTH
BETWEEN 1995 AND PRESENT.

The village of Ryemouth has witnessed significant changes since 1995, with many green spaces
disappearing and new infrastructure emerging to meet the demands of a growing population and increased
tourism.
In 1995, the village was located to the north of the sea, with a main road running from west to east along
the coast and another road intersecting it from southeast to northwest. In the northeast, there was a forest
park and farmland, which have now been replaced by a golf course and tennis courts. Additionally, the
northwest has seen the expansion of a road and the construction of new houses, although the main road
remains unchanged.
Presently, several shops and fish markets in the southwest have been demolished to make way for
restaurants and apartments near the beach, and the fishing port has disappeared. Despite these changes, the
hotel and café in the northeast still stand, with a new car park added beside the hotel. Overall, Ryemouth
has transformed from a primarily green area to one with more service-oriented facilities.
28. The map below shows the plan of a proposed new town. Summarize the information by selecting
and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
 The graphic depicts how a town will be planned for future development.

Overall, the town is expected to feature a predominantly residential and industrial landscape, with
housing units and public facilities distributed around a central ring road, coupled with two distinct
industrial zones located at different sites within the town.

The town is divided into four sections by a large intersection, with a unique square-shaped central
area rather than a typical roundabout. This central square hosts several key amenities, including
two parking lots and two bus stations positioned at each corner. Surrounding the central square,
recreational buildings are primarily located along the southern exit, providing residents with easy
access to leisure activities. Another significant feature is a ring road that encircles the town,
ensuring efficient connectivity between different zones.

In the western section, the majority of the space is allocated for residential purposes, with the
exception of an industrial zone planned for the northwest corner. Similarly, the northeastern
section is dedicated entirely to housing. The southeastern part stands out as it is almost fully
occupied by an expansive industrial park, indicating a significant focus on industrial activities in
this area.

29. The diagram below shows the typical stages of consumer goods manufacturing, including
the process by which information is fed back to earlier stages to enable adjustment.
The given diagram shows the steps of the consumer product manufacturing process. As is clearly
shown in the diagram, good manufacturing is a complex process from the collection of raw
materials to the end product.

As the process clearly shows, the first stage of product development is the collection and storage
of raw materials and manufacturing components. The second stage involves the design of the
products and production planning, and it’s a lengthy process that includes supervision and
monitoring the design progress frequently. Before market surveys, it is necessary to test the
product to be aware of its quality. If the product is quality-wise good, then the next stage is
packing the product and advertising it for sale. In this production and manufacturing process,
there are mainly two types of processes: the flow of the manufacturing process and the flow of
information feedback.

In summary, it is a value chain development process that starts from the collection of raw
materials to the end or final product for sale. In each stage of this manufacturing process, value is
added to products.

30. The graph below shows information on employment rates across six countries in 1995
and 2005.
a) The supplied bar graph compares the employment rates between men and female in 6 different countries
for the years 1995 and 2005. As is observed from the given data, the employment rate among men was
higher than that of females in all of the given six countries and the overall employment conditions in
Iceland, Switzerland was comparatively better than the other four countries.

As is given in the diagram, initially in 1995, more than 65% males were employed in Switzerland and in
Iceland while in other four countries this rate was less than 60%. After a decade, the male employment
percentage reached over 70% except in Australia. On the contrary, in 1995, the female employment rate
was over 50% only in Switzerland and for the rest of the countries, this was from 28% to 58%. This quota
also improved over the 10 years, and in 2005, female employee rate reached to almost 70% in Switzerland
and for the rest of the countries, it was 50%.

In summary, the male had a better employment record than the female and in 10 years the employment
opportunity for both male and female increased.
b) The column graph shows employment rate variations in six countries, namely, Australia, Switzerland,
Ireland, UK, New Zealand and the USA between 1995 and 2005. As is observed, employment rates in
these countries improved and there have been notable advancements for women in the workforce.

It is obvious that women had lower employment rates in most of the countries. For example, in Australia in
1995, 57 percent of men had a job, but only 27 percent of women were employed. In this year, the highest
employment rates for women (70%) was in Iceland where more than 80% men were working class.

The second biggest trend in the graph is the improvement in employment between 1995 and 2005. In all
countries shown, figures for both men and women employment rates improved. The biggest change was in
the United Kingdom, from 55 percent of men in 1995 to 73 percent over the ten years period. Furthermore,
the increases in employment rates for women were much higher in New Zealand. The percentage of
working women jumped from 25 percent to 42 percent, and in the United States from 45 percent to 61
percent over the decade. In these countries, at least a 12 percent increased both for men and women over
the ten years.
31. The chart below shows the amount spent on six consumer goods in four European countries.
The bar chart compares the expenditure on different consumer goods by the people of four European
countries; namely Britain, France, Italy and Germany.

At the first glance, British spent more money on consumer products while Germans spent the least.

It is worth noticing that, British spent more than 170-thousand-pound sterling for photographic films which
is the highest amount spent on any consumer goods. British also spent more than 160 thousand for
purchasing Toys and CDs, which is higher than that of by any other nation. For perfumes, tennis racquets
and personal stereos, they spent more than other nations as well. On the other hand, French people spent
around 165 thousand for purchasing photographic films, which makes it the highest amount they spent on
consumer goods.

French citizens spent about 158 thousand on toys which is a tie with Italians. For photographic films, toys
and CDs, their spending totaled second highest among the given four nations. Finally, they spent less than
150 thousand on remaining consumer goods.

Italian citizens spent around 150 thousand on personal stereos, tennis racquets and CDs while they spent
about 5 thousand more on photographic films and toys. Finally, Germans spent the fewer amount in all
consumer items than any other nation and their average spending was 145 thousand.
32. The table below gives data on the hour of leisure time per year for people in Someland.

a) The data presented in the table outlines how much leisure time people from different age groups spend
yearly in Someland. It is obvious that watching TV is a popular form of free-time activity for Somelanders.
According to the figures, watching TV is a common recreation among people in Someland, teenagers and
elder people watch TV even more. They spend over a thousand hours per year to watch different TV
programmes while it ranges from 400 to 700 hours among others. Young people have more friends to
socialize while this number decreases when they grow up. Teens spend as much as 350 hours socializing
with 4 or more friends while it is only 25 to 50 hours for adults and elders. On the contrary, people in their
thirties spend the highest time socializing with fewer people. Individual exercise is preferred by people in
their 30s and 40s while group exercise is more popular among teenagers. Elder people mostly refrain from
doing exercises in their free time. Watching cinema is not a common leisure activity among Somelanders
and teenagers spend 100 hours doing so which is higher than time spent in this pursuit by citizens of other
ages.
b) The table shows how people in different age groups spend their leisure time in Someland over the course
of a year. Overall, the amount of leisure time available varies considerably across the age groups and
people of different age levels have very different ways of spending their leisure time.

According to the figures, as people age in Someland, their time for socialising reduces. Teenagers and
people in their twenties spend around 500 and 350 hours per year on socialising with a group of more than
4 people. Although the total hours of socialising in their 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s are fairly constant (between
300-350), socialising with more than 4 people drops dramatically to 50 hours in the 30s and 40s age
groups. Group and individual exercise follow a similar pattern.

People of all ages spend a good part of their leisure time on entertainment such as enjoying TV/ video and
cinema. In both cases, teenagers and retired people spend around twice as much time as those who are at
working age. Home entertainment ranges from just over a thousand hours for teenagers and retired people
and an average of 600 hours for everyone else. Cinema accounts for 100 hours of the teenagers and retired
people’s leisure and 25-50 hours for the rest. It is worth noticing that there is a significant trend towards
solitary and smaller group activities as people grow older.
33. The table below provides information on rental charges and salaries in three areas of London.

a) The table compares the property rent per week in three areas in London and also shows the required
salary to be able to afford to hire these properties. A quick glance at the table reveals that Notting Hill is
the most expensive area among the three in terms of its property rent while it is comparatively cheaper to
rent an accommodation in Fulham.

Now turning back to the details, the weekly rent of one-bed property in Notting Hill is around £375 which
increases to £485 for a two-bedroom apartment and as high as over £700 for a three-bedroom house. To be
able to support the property cost in Notting Hill it is suggested that someone has to earn from around
£99,000 to £195,000 per annum. The house rent in Regent’s Park starts from £325 for a small house and
ends at £650 for a big house. It is clear that the rent in this area is comparatively cheaper than that of
Notting Hill and the salary that someone should earn to hire properties in Regent’s Park ranges from
roughly £85,000 to £170,000. Finally, the property rent in Fulham is the cheapest among the three areas of
London which vary from £215 to £600 for a one to three-bedroom apartment. The earning requirement to
live here also decreased and ranges from £56,000 to £157,000 per year.

b) The table shows two sets of related information- the relative weekly cost, in pounds, for renting a
property with one, two or three bedrooms in three different suburbs of London and an indication of the
kind of annual salary someone would need to be able to rent property in these areas.

Of the three areas mentioned, Notting Hill is the most expensive area with weekly rents starting at £375
(salary required approximately £99,000 per year) and rising to £738 per week for a three-bedroom property
and to afford a large apartment a Londoner would require a salary of £200,000 per annum. Alternatively,
Fulham is the cheapest area shown with rents ranging from £215 per week for a one-bedroom property to
£600 per week for a three-bedroom property. To rent in this area, salaries need to be somewhere between
£56,000 and £158,000 depending on the number of bedrooms required. For those able to pay in the middle
price range for accommodation, Regent's Park might be a more suitable district with its house rent from
325 to 650 pound per week.
34. The diagram below gives the information about the Hawaiian island chain in the centre of the
Pacific Ocean.

The map portrays the Hawaiian island chain, which is located in the heart of the Pacific Ocean and roughly
2,700 kilometres in length. As is presented, it is formed of volcanoes and the active ones are at the south-
east tip of the archipelago, where Hawaii itself is situated. It also shows the how the volcano eruption
occurs.

It is pointed out that the chain began to form almost 80 million years ago on solid dense rock bed and each
island started to evolve after an eruption on the seafloor. First, a `hot spot' existed on the ocean bed, which
let out a plume of the material called 'magma'. Further, hot spot remained stable. Hence, magma spume
was formed. This magma may originate as deep as 2,883 km below the ocean bed. Next, further eruptions
took place, which built up the volcano. Eventually, it emerged above the surface of the ocean.

Afterward, the spume of magma has remained immobile as the Pacific tectonic plate moves in a north-west
direction across it at an annual speed of 7-9 centimeter. As it moves, a volcano forms as it passes over the
hotspot and then become inactive when it has passed it. The other major islands in the Pacific Ocean are
Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, Lanai and Kahoolawe which are 0-100 kilometers away from each
other.
35. The diagram shows the components of a neuron and how it works. Summarize the information
by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
The given diagram demonstrates the form as well as the functions of a single working neuron inside our
nervous system.

Overall, there are two separated parts of a neuron with two different functions: one is for receiving
information from other cells, and the other is reserved for spreading it.

First and foremost, the core of the cell is formed into a branching system surrounding the rounded core cell
body (also called the soma). The thin nerves at the end of the branch, which are called the dendrites,
undertake the task of receiving and transferring information from other cells to the soma for analysis.

After the recievant process, the analyzed information is then transferred through a process called Action
potential in electrical signal form. The information travels through a tube-shaped nerve named Axon,
which is protected by a capsule-shaped Myelin sheath, into the physical system, such as other neurons,
muscles, or glands. By the end of the process, the flow moves to another branching system called Terminal
buttons to form junctions with other cells.
36. The illustration shows information about how an igloo is built from snow.

The diagram illustrates the process that is used to build an igloo from snow.
There are five main stages in this process, starting with finding an area covered by hard-packed snow and
culminating in covering the entrance hole with snow blocks.

As can be seen from the process, after a surface of hard-packed snow is found, a snow saw is used to cut
large blocks to the appropriate size to build the base. The edges of the blocks are then smoothed with the
saw and placed in a circle, and a hole is dug under the wall to make an entrance. Next, a slightly oversized
block is precisely shaped and placed on the top of the igloo.

Out of the remaining steps, snow is shoveled onto the outside of the igloo and packed into all crevices,
while the internal surface of the igloo is smoothed by hand. Any excess snow is also removed from the
inside of the igloo. And finally, a hole is dug in the shape of the entrance, which is then covered with snow
blocks to complete the igloo.
b) The given diagram illustrates the process of building an igloo, a type of dwelling made by the Inuit
people. It can be seen that the igloo is made solely of snow and that at least 10 steps are required to create
this sort of shelter.

Initially, only hard-packed snow can be used to make igloos because of its toughness and thickness. After
being collected, the snow is sawed into rectangular blocks, of which the largest ones are used to form the
base of the igloo. When the base is complete, the next blocks will have their edges smoothed by the builder
and placed on top of one another until a dome-like structure is formed. Then, a hole is dug under the
igloo’s wall in order to make an entrance, and on top of the dome, a significantly large block of snow will
be used to cover the final opening. Thus, an igloo is formed.

In the subsequent steps, softer snow is shoveled upon the igloo to provide further coverage, after which the
builder makes sure that this snow is also packed tightly into all crevices between blocks. The inside of the
igloo is burned by hand, and afterward, the shelter’s entrance hole is covered with more snow blocks to
prevent exposure to the cold. To conclude the process, small holes will be poked in the dwelling’s wall and
roof to allow ventilation.37. The diagram below shows the loading and unloading operation of
container ships. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features.

a) The diagram shows how goods are transferred within a harbor. It can be seen that two cranes, namely
the quay crane and the RMG crane, play a vital role in handling goods.

Initially, when a freighter docks, a gigantic quay crane is utilized to help the vessel unload cargo. The quay
crane does this by picking up items from the vessel’s cargo compartment, followed by moving them back
onto land. On land, the cargo is subsequently taken by vehicles to the yard, where it is stacked and
arranged by a machine called the RMG crane onto vehicles that take it to the gate. Afterwards, the goods
are transported either by rail or by road to their next destination.
The process of placing cargo on a freighter works inversely, as goods are first delivered to the harbor’s
gate by truck and train, then brought to the yard. There, they are also stacked and arranged by the RMG
crane to prepare them for the last loading stage. Finally, at the quayside, freight is loaded by the quay crane
onto the vessel.
38. The diagram shows how an LED (light emitting diode) flashlight works. Summarise the
information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant

The diagram displays the detailed cross-section of a light-emitting diode flashlight. From the illustration, it
can be inferred that the device makes use of an electrical circuit, with the batteries and the switch as its
variable components.

At the bottom of the light is a metal spring, whose top end is connected to the anode of the batteries. The
battery's cathode, meanwhile, contacts the light bulb to form one half of the circuit. To complete the
circuit’s other half, a switch is placed on the flashlight’s handle and linked with both the light bulb and the
spring by electrical wiring. Outwardly, the device is covered by a plastic case for insulation.

Only when the switch is on and the batteries are inserted properly does the flashlight produce illumination.
As electricity enters the negative pole and exits the positive, batteries have to be placed so that the cathode
faces the light bulb and the anode touches the spring. To turn off the device, the user slides the switch away
from the LED, which severs the connection between the switch’s metal contacts and the light.
39. The diagrams below give information about two road tunnels in two Australian cities.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons
where relevant.
The given maps illustrate two different underground tunnel systems for cars in two Australian cities.

Overall, there are a number of differences between the two tunnel systems in terms of cost, size, length,
time of construction, and the surrounding environment. The first tunnel cost approximately half as much as
the second tunnel to construct; however, the first tunnel was significantly smaller in terms of length and
vehicle capacity. The first tunnel also took much longer to construct.

The first tunnel, which took twelve years to construct between 1986 and 1998, cost $555 million and was
built underneath a body of water and sand. Meanwhile, the second tunnel only took four years for
completion but cost twice as much, at $1.1 billion, and was constructed beneath a layer of stone and clay.

The size of the tunnels was also substantially different, with the first tunnel being 1.5 meters high and 2.2
kilometers long and the second tunnel being 2.5 meters high and 3.6 kilometers long. The first tunnel
system is four lanes wide, while the second tunnel system is six lanes wide.
40. The Pictures below show three different kinds of bridges. Summarize the information by
selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.
The pictures illustrate three kinds of bridges that are used for different bodies of water, with a full technical
display of the structural elements and their dimensions. Overall, the three bridges are designed according to
the water body where they are situated and thus differ greatly in terms of size and structures.

Lakes with a limited depth are where an arch bridge is constructed. The arch bridge typically stretches no
more than 200 meters in length, with the center of its arch at a maximum height of 100 meters above the
lake bed, which should allow small ships to maneuver underneath. In the case of deeper waters like a river,
a concrete girder bridge is more fitting. It consists of an upper deck supported by an unlimited row of piers
below, each of which is spaced at intervals of 200 meters from one another. The deck provides surface for
traveling vehicles on the bridge as well as being high enough (300 meters maximum) from the river bed for
middle-size ships to sail through.

The suspension bridge lends itself more to vast seas of immense depth. Regarding its structure, two piers of
enormous scale are placed from 400 meters to 2000 meters apart, which are further supported by cable
suspenders. The deck held by these piers is placed high enough above the water to leave room for passing
large ships.

______________________________________________________________________________________
 BAND 9:
Some advice to help you avoid common mistakes in IELTS writing task 1:
1. Don't copy the question for your introduction. You should paraphrase the question (i.e., rewrite it using
some different words).
2. Don't forget to separate your paragraphs clearly.
3. Don't forget to write a good summary or overview of the information. A quick, one-sentence conclusion
is not good enough. I prefer to put the overview straight after the introduction, and I try to write two
sentences describing the information in general. You won’t get a high score if you don't write a good
overview.
4. Don't describe items separately (e.g., 2 lines on a graph). You should always try to compare things if it is
possible to do so. Instead of describing two lines separately, compare the two lines at key points.
5. Don't try to describe every number on a chart or graph (unless there are only a few numbers). A key skill
in task 1 is being able to select the key information and describe or compare it well. I usually mention
around 6 or 7 numbers in my main paragraphs.
6. Don't spend longer than 20 minutes on task 1. Practice spending minutes on each of your 4 paragraphs.
Stop yourself after 20 minutes; remember that task 2 is worth more marks.

• The overview or summary is a very important part of your Task 1 report. Many people have no trouble
describing specific details, but they find it difficult to describe the general features of a graph, chart, or
diagram. So here are my tips on how to write a good overview:
1. Always try to write two sentences. This forces you to describe two main or general features of the graph,
chart, or diagram.
2. Don't put any numbers in your overview. Save specific numbers for the 'details' paragraphs.
3. If the graph or chart shows a time period (e.g., years), look for the overall change from the beginning to
the end of the period (e.g., from the first year to the last year).
4. Look for overall trends and ignore individual figures that don't fit the trend. For example, if a graph
shows a rising trend overall, you can ignore a specific year when the figures decreased; save that year for
your 'details' paragraphs.
5. If no time period is shown, you can't look for trends. Instead, look for differences and similarities
between items.
6. Don't look for individual 'highest' or 'lowest' figures, such as a 'peak' on a line graph. Instead, describe
the highest and lowest items overall (e.g., which line on the graph was the highest for the whole or most of
the period?).
7. Start your overview with a simple phrase that clearly shows the examiner that this is your summary
paragraph, e.g. It is clear that... It is noticeable that... Overall, we can see that...
8. If there are two different charts, write one overview sentence about each chart.
9. If there are more than two charts, they must be connected in some way, so look for two main features
overall.
10. If the task is to describe a diagram or map that compares things, you can mention the main differences
and maybe the number of differences and/or similarities between the two diagrams.
11. If the task is to describe a process diagram, you can mention the total number of stages in the process
and say where or how the process begins and ends.
 I. LINE GRAPH:
1. The first chart below gives information about the money spent by British parents on their
children’s sports between 2008 and 2014. The second chart shows the number of children who
participated in three sports in Britain over the same time period.

The line graphs show the average monthly amount that parents in Britain spent on their children’s sporting
activities and the number of British children who took part in three different sports from 2008 to 2014.
It is clear that parents spent more money each year on their children’s participation in sports over the six-
year period. In terms of the number of children taking part, football was significantly more popular than
athletics and swimming.
In 2008, British parents spent an average of around £20 per month on their children’s sporting activities.
Parents’ spending on children’s sports increased gradually over the following six years, and by 2014, the
average monthly amount had risen to just over £30.
Looking at participation numbers, in 2008, approximately 8 million British children played football, while
only 2 million children were enrolled in swimming clubs and less than 1 million practiced athletics. The
figures for football participation remained relatively stable over the following six years. By contrast,
participation in swimming almost doubled, to nearly 4 million children, and there was a near fivefold
increase in the number of children doing athletics.
2. The graph below shows the amounts of waste produced by three companies over a period of 15
years.
The line graph compares three companies in terms of their waste output between the years 2000 and 2015.
It is clear that there were significant changes in the amounts of waste produced by all three companies
shown on the graph. While companies and B saw waste output fall over the 15-year period, the amount of
waste produced by company C increased considerably.
In 2000, company A produced 12 metric tons of waste, while companies B and C produced around 8
metric tons and 4 metric tons of waste material, respectively. Over the following 5 years, the waste output
of companies B and C rose by around 2 tons, but the figure for company A fell by approximately 1 tons.
From 2005 to 2015, company A cut waste production by roughly 3 tons, and company B reduced its waste
by around 7 tons. By contrast, company C saw an increase in waste production of approximately 4 metric
tons over the same 10-year period. By 2015, company C’s waste output had risen to 10 metric tons, while
the respective amounts of waste from companies A and B had dropped to 8 metric tons and only 3 metric
tons, respectively.
3. The graph below shows the proportion of the population aged 65 and over between 1940 and 2040
in three different countries.

The line graph compares the percentage of people aged 65 or more in three countries over a period of 100
years.
It is clear that the proportion of elderly people increased in each country between 1940 and 2040. Japan is
expected to see the most dramatic changes in its elderly population.
In 1940, around 9% of Americans were aged 65 or over, compared to about 7% of Swedish people and
5% of Japanese people. The proportion of elderly people in the USA and Sweden rose gradually over the
next 50 years, reaching just under 15% in 1990. By contrast, the figures for Japan remained below 5% until
the early 2000s.
Looking into the future, a sudden increase in the percentage of elderly people is predicted for Japan,
with a jump of over 15% in just 10 years from 2030 to 2040. By 2040, it is thought that around 27% of the
Japanese population will be 65 years old or older, while the figures for Sweden and the USA will be
slightly lower, at about 25% and 23%, respectively.
4. The graph below shows the average number of UK commuters traveling each day by car, bus, or
train between 1970 and 2030.

The line graph compares figures for daily travel by workers in the UK using three different forms of
transport over a period of 60 years.
It is clear that the car is by far the most popular means of transport for UK commuters throughout the
period shown. Also, while the numbers of people who use cars and trains increase gradually, the number
of bus users falls steadily.
In 1970, around 5 million UK commuters traveled by car on a daily basis, while the bus and train were
used by about 4 million and 2 million people, respectively. In the year 2000, the number of people driving
to work rose to 7 million, and the number of commuting rail passengers reached 3 million. However, there
was a small drop of approximately 0.5 million in the number of bus users.
By 2030, the number of people who commute by car is expected to reach almost 9 million, and the number
of train users is also predicted to rise to nearly 5 million. By contrast, buses are predicted to become a less
popular choice, with only 3 million daily users.
6. The graph below shows trends in US meat and poultry consumption.

The line graph shows changes in the per capita consumption of beef, pork, broilers, and turkey in the
United States between 1955 and 2012.
It is noticeable that beef was by far the most popular of the four types of meat for the majority of the 57-
year period. However, a considerable rise can be seen in the consumption of broilers, with figures
eventually surpassing those for beef.
Between 1955 and 1976, US beef consumption rose from around 60 to a peak of 90 pounds per person per
year. During the same period, consumption of broilers also rose, to nearly 30 pounds per person, while the
figures for pork fluctuated between 50 and 40 pounds per person. Turkey was by far the least popular meat,
with figures below 10 pounds per capita each year.
By 2012, the amount of beef consumed by the average American had plummeted to around 50 pounds, but
the consumption of broilers had doubled since the 1970s, to approximately 55 pounds per capita. By
contrast, there were no significant changes in the trends for pork and turkey consumption over the
period as a whole.
7. The graph shows the average Japanese monthly salary (Yen) from 1953 to 1983 and the prices of
black and white televisions and color televisions during the same period.

The given line graph illustrates the average monthly income of Japanese and the prices of televisions
(black, white, and color) from 1953 to 1983.
Overall, it can be seen that while the average Japanese monthly salary rose, television prices experienced
a significant drop during the period. In addition, in the same time frame, TV prices were mostly higher
than the Japanese mean earnings.
Regarding the prices of television, black and white TV cost 110 thousand yen in 1970, which was the
highest figure throughout the period shown. 10 years later, a significant decrease of 70 thousand yen in
this cost was recorded. The prices of this type of TV gradually fell to almost roughly one-fifth thousand
yen in 2000. Similar patterns can be observed in the cost of color TV. Although the price of this means
of entertainment was a hundred when it first appeared in 1980, it declined to only a half at the end of the
period.
In terms of salary, at the beginning of the period, the Japanese only earned 20 thousand yen monthly. This
number gradually increased by 10 thousand in 1995, and at the end of the period, the average monthly
salary of people living in Japan grew to approximately 70 thousand yen in 2000.
8. The chart below gives information about population growth in three major Australian cities from
1992 to 2016.
This line graph shows the change in population for the cities of Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane from
1992 to 2017.
While all cities saw a net increase in annual population growth by 2011, the most dramatic increases
happened between 2007 and 2010. In spite of this overall trend, there were a number of rises and falls in
growth, with all cities showing a decrease in growth in 2011.
Although it started out with the least annual growth, Melbourne’s growth accelerated the most overall,
starting with only a roughly 23k increase in people in 1992 but gaining around 110,000 people in 2017.
Brisbane started out with nearly as little growth as Melbourne but had a lower net gain, rising from
slightly over 23k growth in 1992 to a gain of merely 50,000 by 2017. Sydney started out with the highest
growth rate at 30,000 in a year but ended with 105,000 annual growth by the end of the period, just behind
Melbourne.
9. The line graph below gives information on cinema attendance in the UK.

The provided illustration delineates trends in cinema attendance across various age brackets within the
United Kingdom over a two-decade period.
Commencing with an overview, the most striking feature of the graph is the pronounced inclination of
older age groups to frequent cinemas more than their younger counterparts, a trend that persisted
throughout the years observed. Particularly noteworthy is the age group of 44 to 54, which
consistently exhibited the highest percentages of cinema attendance in the UK.
Delving into specifics, in 1990, a mere 15% of the 14–24 age group were recorded as cinemagoers, a stark
contrast to the over 35% participation rate of those aged over 40. A gradual uptick in cinema attendance
was evident from 1990 to 2010 across all age groups, with a slight decline noted from 1995 to 2000. By
2010, the cohort of 44 to 54-year-olds remained the predominant cinema attendees in the UK.
Furthermore, it is discernible that the turn of the millennium saw an across-the-board increase in cinema
attendance in the UK for all age categories. By the end of the period, on average, there had been a 5% rise
in cinema attendance in the UK from the figures in 2005.
10. The graph below compares the number of visits to two new music sites on the web.
The chart in question meticulously tracks the number of visits to two new music sites over a period of 15
days, presenting an insightful comparison between their digital footprints.
Observing the overarching trends, it's discernible that 'Pop Parade' consistently attracted a larger audience
in comparison to 'Music Choice', with the exception of a narrow window where the roles were
momentarily reversed. This overview captures the essence of the data: a dominant preference for 'Pop
Parade' amidst the vacillations in visitor numbers that both sites experienced.
Focusing on the granular details, 'Pop Parade' launched with an impressive influx of 120,000 enthusiasts,
overshadowing 'Music Choice's initial count of 40,000. The ensuing seven days marked a downward
spiral for 'Pop Parade', hitting just below 40,000, while 'Music Choice' exhibited a volatile visitor pattern,
steadying momentarily at the 20,000 mark. As the graph progressed past the ninth day, a striking
resurgence was noted for 'Pop Parade', catapulting its figures to a towering 140,000, as 'Music Choice'
also hit its stride, peaking at 120,000 on day twelve.
The final segment of the graph illustrates a crescendo in visitor statistics for both websites, with 'Music
Choice' climbing to a high of around 80,000 and 'Pop Parade' substantially leading with an audience tally
that soared beyond 165,000.
11. The graph shows underground station passenger numbers in London.

The graph delineates the fluctuation in Underground Station passenger numbers in London throughout a
typical day.
In terms of overall trends, peak passenger volumes are markedly evident at 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
These times correspond with conventional rush hours, when individuals typically embark on their
commutes to and from work or educational institutions.
Focusing on specifics, at 8:00 a.m., the passenger count reaches its zenith at 400, suggesting a heavy
influx of travelers during the morning commute. Conversely, at 4:00 pm, there is a notable trough in the
graph, with the fewest passengers recorded, possibly indicating an off-peak period before the evening
commute begins. The evening rush hour nearly mirrors the morning's intensity, with 390 passengers
charted at 6:00 p.m.
Interestingly, while 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. represent significant spikes in passenger traffic, the graph also
reveals a consistent midday travel pattern, with around 300 passengers utilizing the service at various
intervals. This might reflect a steady demand for underground transportation for purposes other than the
typical work-related commute.
12. The graph below shows the daily consumption of three spreads per person from 1981 to 2007 in a
country.
The line graph meticulously delineates the daily consumption trends of three distinct spreads—butter,
margarine, and low-fat and reduced spreads—among individuals in a certain country over a period from
1981 to 2007.
At a glance, the graph narrates a tale of evolving dietary preferences over a quarter century, with a
notable pivot towards healthier alternatives. The rise of low-fat and reduced-fat spreads after their
introduction is the most striking trend, overshadowing the declining use of butter and the marginal
fluctuations in margarine consumption.
In the initial year charted, 1981, butter was the preeminent spread, with daily consumption per person
exceeding the 140-gram mark, while margarine's usage was less favorable, falling just shy of 100 grams.
The subsequent half-decade witnessed an uptick in butter's popularity, reaching its zenith, while
margarine's appeal took a slight dip. By the year 1991, the consumption paths of these spreads
intersected, followed by a period of stability for margarine until 1996. During the same interval, butter
saw its fortunes wane dramatically, diminishing to around 65 grams per person.
Entering the scene in 1996, low-fat and reduced-fat spreads rapidly ascended to become the spread of
choice, with daily consumption surging to roughly 80 grams per individual by 2001. This ascent
coincided with a steady decline in the traditional favorites, with butter and margarine's intake dwindling
to about 45 and 40 grams, respectively, by 2007. The graph thus encapsulates a distinct shift in consumer
behavior, with health-conscious decisions evidently influencing the daily consumption of spreads per
person.
13. Eating sweet foods produces acid in the mouth, which can cause tooth decay. (High acid levels are
measured by low pH values.)

The graph illustrates the immediate effect that eating sweet foods has on the acid levels in the mouth,
which, if not mitigated, can lead to tooth decay, as represented by pH values.
An overview of the data reveals that the ingestion of sweetened substances instigates a rapid increase in
acidity, with varying degrees of intensity and duration depending on the type of sugar consumed. Notably,
the threshold pH level for safe oral health, above which tooth decay is unlikely, is consistently breached
by all three substances tested.
In particular, the ingestion of cane sugar results in a precipitous drop in pH to 3.5 in a mere five minutes,
with levels remaining below the critical point for upwards of 30 minutes. This indicates a sustained period
during which the teeth are at a high risk of decay. Conversely, fruit sugar causes a less severe but still
significant decline to a pH of nearly 4, with the mouth remaining in this heightened state of acidity for
around 20 minutes. Honey appears to be the least harmful, as it lowers the pH level to just below 5, with
the mouth recovering to safer levels after about 13 minutes.
14. The line graph below shows the population size, birth rate, and death rate of England and Wales
from 1700 to 2000.

The provided line graph meticulously charts the trajectory of population size, birth, and death rates in
England and Wales, spanning a substantial period from 1700 to 2000.
In broad strokes, the data reveals substantial population growth commencing in the 19th century, coupled
with a declining death rate, while the birth rate shows a marked increase post-mid-20th century. These
overarching trends encapsulate the significant shifts in demographic patterns across the three hundred
years under scrutiny.
Delving into specifics, the dawn of the 18th century saw the population at a mere 3 million. This number
then climbed steeply, reaching around 9 million by 1750, only to experience a precipitous drop back to
initial levels at the onset of the 19th century. Following this fluctuation, a dramatic surge ensued, with
the population size escalating to a staggering 50 million by the year 2000. This exponential rise signals a
transformative era in the demographic development of the region.
On examining the birth and death rates, both commenced at similar points in 1700, with 30 and 27 per
1,000 people, respectively. The mid-century saw these figures ascend, with the birth rate peaking at 40 and
the death rate closely tailing at 38. Thereafter, a steady decline was observed, reaching a nadir of just
above 20 in the 1970s, after which the birth rate exhibited a sharp upturn, culminating at 34, whereas the
death rate plateaued at 20 as the millennium closed.
15. The graph below shows waste recycling rates in the U.S. from 1960 to 2011.
The provided graph offers a snapshot of the progression in waste recycling rates in the U.S. from the year
1960 through 2011, delineating a clear trend in both the total waste recovery in million tons and the
percentage of waste that was recycled.
An overview of the data indicates a modest commencement in the 1960s, followed by a striking growth
post-1985 in both the waste recovery and recycling rates. It's noteworthy that while improvements are
evident, a significant volume of waste did not undergo the recycling process.
Delving into specifics, in 1960, the U.S. saw 5.6 million tons of waste recovery with a recycling rate of
only 6.4%. Over the next decade, recovery amounts gently rose to 8 million tons, with a minor uptick in
recycling to 6.6%. By 1980, the recovery had surged to 14.5 million tons, with nearly a tenth being
recycled. The subsequent five years marked a slight increase in the recycling rate to almost 10%.
The trend over the next quarter century showcases a robust upsurge. By 1995, recycling rates had improved
to 16%, and by 2005, an impressive leap to nearly one-third of waste was recycled out of the 79.8 million
tons recovered. In 2011, the culmination of this upward trend was evident when over one-third of waste,
approximately 30 million tons, was recycled from a total recovery of 86.9 million tons, highlighting a
persistent gap wherein a substantial portion of waste remained non-recycled.
II. BAR CHART
1. The chart below shows the amount of time that 10 to 15-year-olds spend chatting on the Internet
and playing on game consoles on an average school day in the UK.

The bar chart compares the time spent by 10 to 15-year-olds in the UK on two activities, namely chatting
online and playing computer games.
Overall, we can see that playing computer games is marginally more popular than chatting on the Internet.
However, completely different trends can be seen if we look at the specific figures for boys and girls.
Boys aged between 10 and 15 clearly favor playing on gaming consoles over chatting online. According to
the chart, while 85% of boys play computer games every day, only 55% chat online daily. Furthermore, the
majority of boys play on their consoles for more than one hour each day, and 10% do this activity for four
hours or more. By contrast, girls prefer chatting online. Close to 70% of 10- to 15-year-old girls engage in
online conversation each day, compared to about 50% of this cohort who play computer games. Of the
girls who do play on consoles, most of them play for less than an hour, whereas most girls who chat online
do so for more than one hour, and nearly 10% chat for four hours or more.
2. The charts below show the levels of participation in education and science in developing and
industrialized countries in 1980 and 1990.
The three bar charts show average years of schooling, numbers of scientists and technicians, and research
and development spending in developing and developed countries. Figures are given for 1980 and 1990.
It is clear from the charts that the figures for developed countries are much higher than those for
developing nations. Also, the charts show an overall increase in participation in education and science from
1980 to 1990.
People in developing nations attended school for an average of around 3 years, with only a slight increase
in years of schooling from 1980 to 1990. On the other hand, the figure for industrialized countries rose
from nearly 9 years of schooling in 1980 to nearly 11 years in 1990.
From 1980 to 1990, the number of scientists and technicians in industrialized countries almost doubled to
about 70 per 1,000 people. Spending on research and development also saw rapid growth in these
countries, reaching $350 billion in 1990. By contrast, the number of science workers in developing
countries remained below 20 per 1,000 people, and research spending fell from about $50 billion to only
$25 billion.
3.
The bar charts compare students of different ages in terms of why they are studying and whether they are
supported by an employer.
It is clear that the proportion of students who study for career purposes is far higher among the younger age
groups, while the oldest students are more likely to study for interest. Employer support is more commonly
given to younger students.
Around 80% of students aged under 26 study to further their careers, whereas only 10% study purely out of
interest. The gap between these two proportions narrows as students get older, and the figures for those in
their forties are the same, at about 40%. Students aged over 49 overwhelmingly study for interest (70%)
rather than for professional reasons (less than 20%).
Just over 60% of students aged under 26 are supported by their employers. By contrast, the 30-39 age
group is the most self-sufficient, with only 30% being given time off and help with fees. The figures rise
slightly for students in their forties and for those aged 50 or more.
4. The chart below shows the numbers of incidents and injuries per 100 million passenger miles
traveled (PMT) by transportation type in 2002.

The bar chart compares the number of incidents and injuries for every 100 million passenger miles traveled
on five different types of public transport in 2002.
It is clear that the most incidents and injuries took place on demand response vehicles. By contrast,
commuter rail services recorded by far the lowest figures.
A total of 225 incidents and 173 injuries per 100 million passenger miles traveled took place on demand-
response transport services. These figures were nearly three times as high as those for the second-highest
category, bus services. There were 76 incidents, and 66 people were injured on buses. Rail services
experienced fewer problems. The number of incidents on light rail trains equaled the figure recorded for
buses, but there were significantly fewer injuries, at only 39. Heavy rail services saw lower numbers of
such events than light rail services, but commuter rail passengers were even less likely to experience
problems. In fact, only 20 incidents and 17 injuries occurred on commuter trains.
5. The chart below shows the total number of Olympic medals won by twelve different countries.

The bar chart compares twelve countries in terms of the overall number of medals that they have won at
the Olympic Games.
It is clear that the USA is by far the most successful Olympic medal- winning nation. It is also noticeable
that the figures for gold, silver, and bronze medals won by any particular country tend to be fairly similar.
The USA has won a total of around 2,300 Olympic medals, including approximately 900 gold medals, 750
silver medals, and 650 bronze medals. In second place on the all-time medals chart is the Soviet Union,
with just over 1,000 medals. Again, the number of gold medals won by this country is slightly higher than
the number of silver or bronze medals.
Only four other countries—the UK, France, Germany, and Italy—have won more than 500 Olympic
medals, all with similar proportions of each medal color. Apart from the USA and the Soviet Union, China
is the only other country with a noticeably higher proportion of gold medals (about 200) compared to silver
and bronze (about 100 each).
6. The bar graph shows the global sales (in billions of dollars) of different types of digital games
between 2000 and 2006.

The bar chart compares the turnover in dollars from sales of video games for four different platforms,
namely mobile phones, online, consoles, and handheld devices, from 2000 to 2006.
It is clear that sales of games for three out of the four platforms rose each year, leading to a significant rise
in total global turnover over the 7-year period. Sales figures for handheld games were at least twice as high
as those for any other platform in almost every year.
In 2000, worldwide sales of handheld games stood at around $11 billion, while console games earned just
under $6 billion. No figures are given for mobile or online games in that year. Over the next 3 years, sales
of handheld video games rose by about $4 billion, but the figure for consoles decreased by $2 billion.
Mobile phones and online games started to become popular, with sales reaching around $3 billion in 2003.
In 2006, sales of handheld, online, and mobile games reached peaks of 17, 9, and 7 billion dollars,
respectively. By contrast, turnover from console games dropped to its lowest point, at around $2.5 billion.
6.

The bar chart shows the number of hot dogs and buns eaten in 15 minutes by the winners of ‘Nathan’s Hot
Dog Eating Contest’ in Brooklyn, USA, between 1980 and 2010.
It is noticeable that the number of hot dogs and buns eaten by the winners of the contest increased
dramatically over the period shown. The majority of winners were American or Japanese, and only one
woman had ever won the contest.
Americans dominated the contest from 1980 to 1996, and the winning number of hot dogs and buns
consumed rose from only 8 to around 21 during that time. 1983 and 1984 were notable exceptions to the
trend for American winners. In 1983, a Mexican won the contest after eating 19.5 hot dogs, almost double
the amount that any previous winner had eaten, and 1984 saw the only female winner, Birgit Felden from
Germany.
A Japanese contestant, Takeru Kobayashi, reigned as hot dog eating champion for six years, from 2001 to
2006. Kobayashi’s winning totals of around 50 hot dogs were roughly double the amount that any previous
winner had managed. However, the current champion, American Joey Chestnut, took hot dog eating to new
heights in 2009 when he consumed an incredible 68 hot dogs and buns in the allotted 15 minutes.
7. The charts below compare the age structure of the populations of France and India in 1984.

The two charts compare the populations of France and India in terms of age distribution by gender in the
year 1984.
It is clear that the population of India was younger than that of France in 1984, with a noticeably larger
proportion of people aged under 20. France, on the other hand, had a significantly larger percentage of
elderly inhabitants.
In India, close to 14% of people were aged 5 or under, and each five-year age bracket above this contained
an increasingly smaller proportion of the population. France’s population, by contrast, was more evenly
distributed across the age ranges, with similar figures (around 7% to 8 % of all people) for each five-year
cohort between the ages of 0 and 40. Somewhere between 10% and 15% of all French people were aged 70
or older, but the equivalent figure for India was only 2%.
Looking more closely at gender, there was a noticeably higher proportion of French women than men in
every cohort from age 50 upwards. For example, almost 3% of French 70- to 75-year-olds were women,
while just under 2% were men. No significant gender differences can be seen on the Indian population
chart.
8. The chart below shows the total number of minutes (in billions) of telephone calls in the UK,
divided into three categories, from 1995 to 2002.

The bar chart compares the amount of time spent by people in the UK on three different types of phone
calls between 1995 and 2002.
It is clear that calls made via local, fixed lines were the most popular type, in terms of overall usage,
throughout the period shown. The lowest figures on the chart are for mobile calls, but this category also
saw the most dramatic increase in user minutes.
In 1995, people in the UK used fixed lines for a total of just over 70 billion minutes for local calls and
about half of that amount of time for national or international calls. By contrast, mobile phones were only
used for around 4 billion minutes. Over the following four years, the figures for all three types of phone
calls increased steadily.
By 1999, the amount of time spent on local calls using landlines had reached a peak at 90 billion minutes.
Subsequently, the figure for this category fell, but the rise in the other two types of phone calls continued.
In 2002, the number of minutes of national and international landline calls passed 60 billion, while the
figure for mobiles rose to around 45 billion minutes.
9. The bar chart below shows money spent on consumer goods in different countries.

The bar chart compares consumer spending on six different items in Germany, Italy, France, and Britain. It
is clear that British people spent significantly more money than people in the other three countries on all
six goods. Of the six items, consumers spent the most money on photographic film.
People in Britain spent just over £170,000 on photographic film, which is the highest figure shown on the
chart. By contrast, Germans were the lowest overall spenders, with roughly the same figures (just under
£150,000) for each of the six products.
The figures for spending on toys were the same in both France and Italy, at nearly £160,000. However,
while French people spent more than Italians on photographic film and CDs, Italians paid out more for
personal stereos, tennis racquets, and perfumes. The amount spent by French people on tennis racquets,
around £145,000, is the lowest figure shown on the chart.
10. The bar shows the percentage of people going to cinemas in one European country on different
days.

The chart illustrates the proportion of people visiting a cinema during seven days of the week in a
European nation from 2003 to 2007.
It is clear that there were only small fluctuations in people’s preferences for which day to go to the cinema
over the examined period. People in this country tended to go to the cinema on the weekend rather than
from Monday to Friday.
In 2003, 40% of people went to cinemas on a Saturday, compared to 30% on Friday or Sunday each. On
the other days, the proportion of moviegoers was higher on Tuesday, at 20%, while the lowest figure can
be seen on Monday, at only 10%.
Over the next four years, the percentage of people going to the cinema on weekends increased slightly to
45% and 35% for Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Similarly, Thursday and Monday became more
popular among cinemagoers, with about 2% more people choosing these days. However, fewer people
went to see movies on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the figures falling to 19% and 9%, respectively.
Finally, the proportion of moviegoers choosing to go to the cinema on a Friday remained at 30% during the
three examined years.
11. The chart below shows the percentage of the population in the UK who consumed the
recommended daily amount of fruit and vegetables in 2002, 2006, and 2010.

The chart illustrates the percentage of men, women, and children who consumed the recommended amount
of fruit and vegetables on a daily basis in three different years.
Overall, women came out first in terms of fruit and vegetable consumption, while the opposite was true for
children.
In all three years, there was a small difference in the percentage of males and females who
consumed enough fruit and vegetables every day. The highest figure for women was 32% in
2006, compared to 28% for men. 2010 witnessed the second highest rank for both women's and men’s
figures. While 27% of women consumed fruit and vegetables, the percentage of men was 24%. And the
smallest figure for both women and men, which was nearly the same as the 2010 figures, was recorded in
2002.
The smallest percentage of people consuming the daily recommended amount of fruit and vegetables was
children, with only 11% in 2002, half as much as that of men and women in the same year. Following that,
the figure for children slightly increased to 16% in 2006 before falling marginally to 14% in the last year.
12. The chart shows fresh fruit exports in 2010.
The charts compare different types of citrus fruit exports from a number of different countries
in 2010.
Overall, oranges were by far the fruit that was exported the most, in terms of weight, followed
by lemons and then grapefruits.
Orange exports were the highest, with South Africa exporting just over 1 million metric tons.
Egypt and the US also exported a large amount of oranges, at 900,000 and 700,000 metric tons
respectively. With regards to lemon exports, Turkey was the main exporter, with 500,000
metric tons, followed by Mexico and Argentina, at approximately 440,000 and 260,000 metrics
tons.
Grapefruits were the third most commonly exported fruit, with the US and South Africa both
exporting around 230,000 tons, while Turkey managed to export around 50,000 tons less than
those countries. In terms of other types of citrus fruits, Mexico was responsible for 450,000
metric tons of exports. The US and Israel made minimal contributions in comparison.
13. The charts below give information on the ages of people when they got married in one
particular country in 1996 and 2008.

The bar charts compare the percentages of males and females getting married in a particular country
according to six different age groups (16–19, 20–24, 25–29, 30-34, 35–39, and 40–44) in 1996 and 2008.
It is clear that the proportion of both men and women getting married under the age of 30 decreased
slightly, while the opposite was true for those aged 30 and older. In addition, 25–29 was the most popular
age range for women to get married, while for men, it was 30-34 and 35–39.
In both years, 16- to 19-year-olds had the lowest percentage of people getting married, with women at less
than 0.5% in 1996 and about 1% in 2008. Noticeably, no men in this age group got married. The figures for
those aged 20–24 also decreased over the years from approximately 6% to 3% for women and just over 2%
to just under 2% for men. Meanwhile, the figure for 25- to 29-year-old women remained unchanged at
about 12%, as opposed to a slight drop to 8% in the figure for men.
Regarding older age groups, a considerable rise to 8% and 11%, respectively, could be seen in the
proportion of 30- to 34-year-old females and males getting married. However, while the number of men
who got married aged 35–39 increased by 4% to 11% in 2008, only 3% of women in that age group
married in 2008. Finally, the figures for both genders in the 40–45 age group remained relatively
unchanged over the examined period.
14. The chart below shows the annual pay (thousands of US dollars) for doctors and other
workers in seven countries in 2004.

The bar chart compares the yearly salaries of doctors and other workers in several countries in 2004.
Overall, it is clear that the pay of US doctors was much higher than that of doctors in other countries. In
each country, the annual salary of doctors was far higher than that of other workers.
The annual pay of doctors in the US was $120,000, whereas in Finland, doctors received a comparatively
low yearly salary of $50,000. In France and Switzerland, doctors earn $70,000 per year, compared with
around $60,000 annually in Italy, Germany, and the Czech Republic.
In contrast, the annual wages of other workers were much lower, at about $45,000 and $40,000 in the US
and Switzerland, respectively. Other workers in France earned $30,000, a little more than other workers in
Finland, who had an annual salary of $25,000. The lowest annual earnings were for other workers in Italy,
Germany, and the Czech Republic, at exactly $20,000
15. The bar chart below shows the top ten countries for the production and consumption of
electricity in 2014.
The bar chart compares the 10 highest-ranking countries in terms of electricity generation and consumption
in 2014.
Overall, the amounts of electricity produced and consumed in China and the US were far higher than those
in other nations. It is also noticeable that Germany was the only country that consumed more electricity
than it generated.
Out of the 10 nations, China ranked first, with the production and consumption of electricity being just
over 5,300 billion kWh each. The US, the second-largest electricity producer and consumer, generated
4,099 billion kWh and consumed 3,866 billion kWh.
Looking at the remaining countries, we can see that Russia was the only nation with electricity generation
and consumption being just over 1,000 billion kWh each, followed by Japan and India, with the figures
being slightly lower, ranging from 698.8 to 1,057 billion kWh. The figures for the other countries show a
difference in production and consumption of electricity at around 50–150 billion kWh, while it is
interesting to note that Germany produced 526.6 billion kWh of electricity but consumed 582.5 billion
kWh.
III. Map
1. The diagrams below show the site of a school in 2004 and the plan for changes to the school site in
2024.

The two pictures compare the layout of a school as it was in 2004 with a proposed site design for 2024.
It is clear that the main change for 2024 involves the addition of a new school building. The school will
then be able to accommodate a considerably larger number of students.
In 2004, there were 600 pupils attending the school, and the two school buildings were separated by a path
running from the main entrance to the sports field. By 2024, it is expected that there will be 1000 pupils,
and a third building will have been constructed. Furthermore, the plan is to join the two original buildings
together, creating a shorter path that links the buildings only.
As the third building and a second car park will be built on the site of the original sports field, a new,
smaller sports field will need to be laid. A new road will also be built from the main entrance to the second
car park. Finally, no changes will be made to the main entrance or the original car park.

The diagrams below are existing and proposed floor plans for the redevelopment of an art gallery.
1. Introduction: paraphrase the question.
2. Summary: the main changes to the gallery (entrance and use of space)
3. Paragraph comparing the entrance, lobby, office, and education area
4. Paragraph comparing the use of space for exhibitions
The first picture shows the layout of an art gallery, and the second shows some proposed changes to the
gallery space.
It is clear that significant changes will be made in terms of the use of floor space in the gallery. There will
be a completely new entrance and more space for exhibitions.
At present, visitors enter the gallery through doors that lead into a lobby. However, the plan is to move the
entrance to the Parkinson Court side of the building, and visitors will walk straight into the exhibition area.
In place of the lobby and office areas, which are shown on the existing plan, the new gallery plan shows an
education area and a small storage area.
The permanent exhibition space in the redeveloped gallery will be about twice as large as it is now because
it will occupy the area that is now used for temporary exhibitions. There will also be a new room for
special exhibitions. This room is shown in red on the existing plan and is not currently part of the gallery.
2. The map below is of the town of Garlsdon. A new supermarket (S) is planned for the town. The
map shows two possible sites for the supermarket.
Here is some advice:
1. Introduction - Just paraphrase the question (instead of 'two possible sites' you could write 'two potential
locations').
2. Summary - The main point is that the first site (S1) is outside the town, whereas the second site is in the
town centre. Also, you could mention that the map shows the position of both sites relative to a railway and
three roads which lead to three smaller towns.
3. Details (2 paragraphs) - Don't write a separate paragraph about each site; it's much better to compare the
sites. I'd write one paragraph comparing the position of each site relative to Garlsdon (mention the different
areas of the town), and another paragraph about the positions relative to transport links with the other three
towns.
The map shows two potential locations (S1 and S2) for a new supermarket in a town called Garlsdon. The
main difference between the two sites is that S1 is outside the town, whereas S2 is in the town center. The
sites can also be compared in terms of access by road or rail and their positions relative to three smaller
towns.
Looking at the information in more detail, S1 is in the countryside to the north-west of Garlsdon, but it is
close to the residential area of the town. S2 is also close to the housing area, which surrounds the town
center.
There are main roads from Hindon, Bransdon, and Cransdon to Garlsdon town center, but this is a no-
traffic zone, so there would be no access to S2 by car. By contrast, S1 lies on the main road to Hindon, but
it would be more difficult to reach from Bransdon and Cransdon. Both supermarket sites are close to the
railway that runs through Garlsdon from Hindon to Cransdon.

3.

Don't just read this essay once. Spend some time analysing it:
In what order did I describe the information shown on the map?
What information did I choose for paragraphs 3 and 4?
What good vocabulary does the essay contain?

The map shows the growth of a village called Chorleywood between 1868 and 1994.
It is clear that the village grew as the transport infrastructure improved. Four periods of development are
shown on the map, and each of the populated areas is near the main roads, the railway, or the motorway.
From 1868 to 1883, Chorleywood covered a small area next to one of the main roads. Chorleywood Park
and Golf Course is now located next to this original village area. The village grew along the main road to
the south between 1883 and 1922, and in 1909, a railway line was built crossing this area from west to east.
Chorleywood station is in this part of the village.
The expansion of Chorleywood continued to the east and west alongside the railway line until 1970. At that
time, a motorway was built to the east of the village, and from 1970 to 1994, further development of the
village took place around motorway intersections with the railway and one of the main roads.

4.

The given map details Port Harbor in the past and alterations made in the present day. Looking from an
overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the harbor has become more accessible through additional
docking options and has generally transitioned from being used for commercial fishing and some private
boating to a mostly recreational waterfront area.

In the past, there was a single dock in the northern section of the harbor, just below a public beach
stretching further northwards. At present, the beach remains the same, but another dock serving passenger
ferries has been added. Slightly south and west of the docks, there was previously a marina for private
yachts, showers, and toilets, and a car park connected to the main road running north to south. The only
change today is that the marina has now been relocated to the immediate south.

In the southwestern section of the harbor, the marina (which replaced an open harbor for fishing boats) is
adjacent to new showers and toilets and a pre-existing second car park linked to the main road. On the
eastern peninsula, the existing lifeboat and private beach are now accompanied by cafes and shops and a
smaller road leading to a new hotel at the furthest eastern point.

5.
 The map details a town now and a proposed future layout. Looking from an overall perspective, it is
readily apparent that the town has become more industrial and accessible with additional roads, though the
majority of the town is largely unchanged in terms of its structures.

In the present day, there is an airfield to the northwest that connects to a long street (A2) that runs south.
The road contains a roundabout from which another road leads east to bisect a railway line near a gas
station. The presented plan would move the roundabout slightly south, and the airfield would be replaced
by an industrial estate with a new road going directly east to the railway. The railway itself would also be
interrupted by a new roundabout near the same gas station.

In the easternmost part of the town, there is currently a town center and built-up area around Ring Road,
both of which will be unaltered in the future. The final additions suggested are a new road (A4) going from
the town center along the southern edge of the town to connect with A2 in the west. There will also be one
further street from the town center that will allow for passage to the east and north of the town.

6.

The floor plan shows how a building has changed from 1958 to the present day. Looking from an overall
perspective, it is readily apparent that the building has served both commercial and residential purposes,
with the only area remaining unchanged being the kitchen. At present, the flower shop has a more open
layout relative to when it was an apartment and office.

In 1958, the building was used as an office, with a meeting room in the top left corner of the floorplan, an
assistant’s and secretary’s office below it, and a toilet in the bottom left corner. In 1985, the meeting room
was extended and turned into a living room, and a large bathroom and shower took the place of the offices
and toilet. The florist shop contained a gift card room in the top left corner, above a large open space for
flowers, and a play area in the bottom left corner.

On the right side, the kitchen in the top corner was unaltered across all iterations of the ground floor. In
comparison, there was a manager’s office on the right-hand side and a reception area in the bottom corner.
These spaces were allocated for bedrooms in the apartment and are now an office and additional space for
flowers.

7.

The map details change that occurred in the town of Willington in the years 1780, 1860, and 2000.
Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the village became more residential and
commercial, including new homes, access roads, a bridge, shops, and areas for recreation and sports at the
expense of natural forests and farms. Only the river remained unchanged.

In 1780, there were only 100 homes in Willington, and a considerable region to the east and south was
occupied by farms and woods. The river ran from north to south alongside the town, a feature that was
unaltered by 2000. By 1860, some farms and forests had been removed to allow for a road leading from the
river to a residential area that had doubled in size (200 homes) in the northeast. There was also the
appearance of a bridge over the river.

In 2000, the number of homes rose to 500, and the farms and forests were entirely cleared. This enabled the
construction of two schools, three sports fields, and numerous shops lining the southern side of the river.
The final addition was a large lake at the south end of the river.
8.

The map describes changes in a city since 1950. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent
that the city has expanded to become considerably more residential and accessible, with the notable
additions of a long lake and nearby business district.
In 1950, the town’s population was 20,000, and it has increased tenfold to 200,000. Previously, there was a
limited area for homes, all to the north of the major road running east to west. At present, the residential
area has greatly grown in all directions, and there are now additional major roads in the southern half of the
city.
Moreover, the narrow river running through the town has been dammed to create a large lake that stretches
from the western to eastern edge of the residential area. The business district, which was confined to the
center of the map, is now larger and includes the northern and southern shores of the lake. The bridge over
the river is now over the lake, and there is another bridge near the dam in the east. Finally, there is
presently a second government building to the south, and the airport located to the east has more than
doubled in size.
9.

The maps detail changes to a town called Lynnfield between 1936 and 2007. Looking from an overall
perspective, it is readily apparent that the town became more residential, commercial, and accessible at the
expense of natural land, agriculture, and smaller shops.

In 1936, to the northwest and northeast of the town were several trees and a river surrounded by untouched
land. By 2007, the number of trees had declined, and the land around the river had become a residential
area. To the southwest of the town, a cycling path was turned into a road for cars, and on the opposite side
of the map, a museum and golf course replaced government offices and farm land.

In terms of the center of the town itself, there was a post office, sweet shop, and butcher’s in a single row,
with a lane separating those businesses from the flower shop, bank, and library. In 2007, only the bank
(slightly expanded in size), library, and post office remained the same. The flower shop had by then been
removed in favor of a travel agent; there was a shopping center in the previously unoccupied space
between businesses; and the sweet shop and butchers were combined and transformed into a large
supermarket.
10.

The maps detail alterations to a science park dating back to 2008. Looking from an overall perspective, it is
readily apparent that the park has expanded to include more areas for research, education, and improved
accessibility.
Considering initially the northern end of the park, in 2008 there was considerable untouched natural land
that has now been replaced with a research and development center (the reception area was also removed
in favor of a university hub, while the adjacent offices remain the same). South of these new facilities, the
car park has reduced in size, the business units are unchanged, and, most significantly, the cyber security
building has been enlarged, overtaking previously undeveloped land.

In the southern section of the park, the circular IT center has been transformed into an innovation center,
and there is a new train station on the southernmost tracks with walkways branching off to various
facilities. Finally, there are additional biking routes along an eastern road and running through the center of
the park past the car park and new buildings, as well as a bus stop on the eastern side of campus.