Answers to IELTS Writing Task 1 Synonyms Exercise

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Hi guys,

Here are the answers to yesterday’s exercise about using synonyms in IELTS writing task 1. I think it was a good exercise because I see many students have different answers and are unclear about collocations. Mistakes in vocabulary will lower your score.

Let me know if the lesson was useful 🙂

Questions

Are the verbs correct in the sentences below? Are they Right or Wrong?

  1. More boys than girls enjoyed sport.
  2. Fewer girls participated in tennis than boys.
  3. Almost twice the number of boys played cycling.
  4. More girls took part in swimming compared to boys.
  5. The majority of boys engaged in football.
  6. More girls competed in badminton than boys.

Answers

  1. W = Wrong. The chart is about playing sport but about enjoying it. The chart does not give information about how boys or girls felt. This would be marked as a mistake.
  2. R = Right. The verb “participate in” works well as a synonyms for “play” when referring to sport.
  3. W = Wrong. The verb “play” is not possible with the noun “cycling”. This is a mistake with vocabulary – an incorrect collocation. When writing or talking about cycling, we can use the verb “do”.
  4. R = Right. The verb “take part in” works well as a paraphrase for “play” in this context.
  5. W = Wrong. The verb “engage” is incorrect when writing about sport.
  6. W = Wrong. The verb “compete” is about competitions. This chart is about playing sports, not competing in sports. This would be marked as a vocabulary mistake.

Comment

You can see that paraphrasing is about deciding if nouns and verbs match. It is about understanding the context. It is about choosing correctly.  Some words will be repeated – this is normal in English.

Paraphrasing Video

Watch this video to learn more about being careful with paraphrases.

 

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IELTS Writing Task 1 Synonyms Practice Exercise

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It is important to use synonyms in IELTS writing task 1. Paraphrasing will help you get a higher band score for writing task 1. However, you need to be careful not to make mistakes.

Look at the chart below and then answer the questions.

IELTS Bar Chart Synonyms

Synonyms Practice Exercise

The bar chart above is about “playing sport”. The list of sports are: tennis, badminton, cycling, swimming, football and hockey.  The verbs below are in past tense as the date is 2012.

Decide if the following synonyms are Right (R) or Wrong (W).

  1. More boys than girls enjoyed sport.   (enjoyed sport = Right or Wrong?)
  2. Fewer girls participated in tennis than boys. (participated in tennis = R or W?)
  3. Almost twice the number of boys played cycling. (played cycling = R or W?)
  4. More girls took part in swimming compared to boys. (took part in swimming – R or W?)
  5. The majority of boys engaged in football. (engaged in football- R or W?)
  6. More girls competed in badminton than boys. (competed in badminton = R or W?)

Answers

See the answers: Click here: Answers to this Exercise

To see model answers and tips for IELTS writing task 1, click: IELTS Writing Task 1 Page

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Opening Line for IELTS GT Letter WT1

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The opening line in IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 Letter. You need to change the opening line for your letter depending on whether you are writing formally, to a company or another organisation, or if you are writing informally, for example to a friend.

Below are some sample opening lines for an IELTS GT writing task 1 letter: both formal and informal. You can also read how the opening statement sets the tone of your IELTS letter.

Formal Letter Opening Statement

In a formal letter, the opening sentence should indicate the aim of your letter. The first line of a formal letter will show if you are writing a complaint letter, requesting information, answering an invitation, applying for a position, making a formal apology or making arrangements. You will also see that the letter might start “Dear Sir” or Dear Mr …”. IELTS will give you instructions on your test paper about how to start your letter.

Below is are examples of how to begin your letter:

Dear Sir / Madam,

I am writing to complain about … / to request information about … / to apply for … / to enquiry after ….  / to inform you … /  to thank you …

Full Opening Statement: I am writing to apply for the position of manager in your company which you recently advertised in the Times newspaper on June 4th.

Dear Mr Brown,

I am writing to you regarding my recent stay at your hotel … / regarding an article you wrote …. / 

Full Opening Statement: I am writing to you regarding the road works that are being carried out in Church Street, where I currently reside.

Dear Mrs Jones,

I am writing in reply to … 

Full Opening Statement: I am writing in reply to your invitation to the seminar which you will be holding on “Historical Artefacts in the Ancient World” on Saturday, June 26th.

Comments: You can see, above, that the first line of your IELTS formal letter is very structured. There is little variety. This is normal. Formal letters are not creative or descriptive, they are informative and without personal reference.

Informal Letter Opening Line

In an IELTS informal letter, your first line will often start with a friendly remark or comment. The beginning of the letter doesn’t always show the aim, it shows your relationship with the person. This means there is a variety you can choose from.

See some examples below for the beginning of an informal IELTS letter:

Hi Dave,

How are you and your family? It feels like forever since we last got together for a catch up … / How are things going? It’s been ages since we were last in touch.

Hi Sophie,

How are you? It was great seeing you again this summer.

Hi Frank,

It was so good seeing you last weekend. I just wanted to drop you a line and thank you for such a great time.

Comments: You can see that most of the opening lines are offering greetings or just small talk. It’s a chance to for you reestablish your friendship before getting into the aims of the letter.

Signing Off IELTS Letters

To learn about signing off, for example Your faithfully or Your sincerely, please see my essential tips page: IELTS Letter Essential Tips. You can also learn about types of IELTS letters and much more useful information.

More IELTS General Training Lessons

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IELTS Writing Task 1: Tenses & Grammar

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What tenses to use and grammar tips for IELTS Writing Task 1. Grammar counts for 25% of your marks in IELTS writing task 1 and that includes the correct use of tenses based on the information given in the task. You can get tasks based in the past, present or future so tenses are essential to get right. 

Below you will find:

  1. Grammar for IELTS Writing Task 1 Academic
  2. Tenses for IELTS Writing Task 1 General Training (bottom of page)

IELTS Writing Task 1: Grammar

For IELTS writing task 1 (Academic Test), you may be given a map, a diagram, a bar chart, a line graph, a table or a pie chart in the academic test. The IELTS examiner will mark you on the following (each worth 25% of task 1)

  • Task Achievement: information, overview, accurate of data
  • Coherence & Cohesion: Paragraphing, Linking Words
  • Vocabulary: Collocations, Spelling and Accuracy
  • Grammar: Sentence structures, tenses, grammatical range and accuracy

So, you can see that using the right tense is important in IELTS writing task 1 because it falls into the marking criterion of Grammar. You can read more about marking here: IELTS WRITING TASK 1 BAND SCORES EXPLAINED WITH TIPS

DATES & TENSES

On your IELTS writing task 1 graph, chart, map, diagram or table, you might find dates. These will tell you what tense to use. 

  • Dates in the Past = Past Tense
  • Dates in the Future = Future Forms
  • Dates spanning both Past and Future = both Past Tense and Future Forms

Example Sentences for Tenses:

  1. In 2010, the number of sales stood at 2 million and is forecast to rise to a peak of 10 million by 2050.
  2. The maps shows that in 1962, the village, located in the west was small. However, currently, it has expanded to join together with the neighbouring town.
  3. The number of people visiting a music cafe increased from 10,000 to reach 20,000 in 1975. By 2030, this number is predicted to hit 34,000. 
  4. Today, the number of people visiting the Dali museum stands at 100,000. In previous years, the figure was only 90,000.

What if NO DATE is given in the IELTS chart?

If there is no date given on your IELTS chart, graph table etc, then you will use the present tense.

PASSIVE VOICE

There are candidates who have been told by some teachers that they will get a high score if they use the passive voice. This is not true. No tense is more valuable than another. You can only use the passive voice when it is appropriate and correct to do so. Most writing task 1 will not give you this opportunity. For example, the majority of all bar charts, line graphs, tables and pie charts will unlikely use the passive voice and to attempt to force it into your writing will probably result in an error. However, if you get a diagram or a map, they are often a combination of passive and active voice. Look at the paragraph below and see how the passive voice (red) is used along side the active voice (blue).

Paragraph: Rain is collected as it falls on the roof tops of houses. This water then passes through the drains and is eventually transferred to a water filter. The water is filtered to remove impurities before it then goes to a storage tank. From the tank it travels along pipes to reach the water treatment where it is treated with chemicals.

To see the model answer, click here: Diagram Model Answer

Articles: Using THE in grammar

In writing task 1, you are often given bar charts, line graphs and tables that refer to different countries and different nationalities. One of the biggest problems with this is the use of “the” with country names. Lets see how good you are with this. 

Which options below are wrong?

  1. the British
  2. the UK
  3. the America
  4. the Britain
  5. the English
  6. the US
  7. the Americans
  8. the England

ANSWERS

Click below for answers and for information about using “the” with country names.

Answers
  • Number 3 “the America” is wrong
  • Number 4 “the Britain” is wrong
  • Number 8 “the England” is wrong.

Details:

Almost all country names do not require the article “the”. We refer to France, England, Britain, Vietnam, Canada, China, India – all without “the”.

However, there are exceptions. Countries that are made up of a group of states or islands use “the”, such as the Philippines and the US. Any country that uses the words “states” or “united” or “republic” also use “the”, for example the UK, the US, the Republic of China. So, we would write “the UK” because it contains the word “united”, but we would write “Britain” without “the. Please note, the word “Britain” is not a synonym for England. Britain means the UK. Britain refers to the group of countries that make up the UK: England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. The word “Britain” actually means “Great Britain”.

We also need to use the article “the” when referring to nationalities as a group of people: the British, the Americans, the Chinese, the Vietnamese, the English. 

You can find full training for articles in essay writing in my Grammar E-book.

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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 Tenses

The examiner will mark you using the same criteria as the AC test, but with one difference in Task Achievement. The IELTS examiner will mark you on the following (each worth 25% of task 1). See below:

    • Task Achievement: Purpose, tone and expanding points
    • Coherence & Cohesion: Paragraphing, Linking Words
    • Vocabulary: Collocations, Spelling and Accuracy
    • Grammar: Sentence structure, tenses, punctuation, grammar range and accuracy

For students taking the General Training test. You will use a range of tenses in your letter depending on the aims and purpose. Below are some sample sentences:

  • I am writing to …. (present continuous)
  • I visited your store … (past simple)
  • …the poor service I have received (present perfect)
  • I hope the problem will be resolved … (future form and future passive)
  • I had hoped that … (past perfect)

Tips for IELTS Writing Task 1

Academic writing task 1 tips, click below:

All Tips, Model Answers, Free Video Lessons & Practice for IELTS writing task 1

GT writing task 1 tips, click below:

Essential 10 tips

Differences between GT and Academic Writing Task 1

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IELTS Writing Task 1 Answer 2017

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Below is an IELTS writing task 1 answer for 2017. The bar charts were reported by a student in February 2017 and recreated as accurately as possible. Please remember that IELTS do not release question or answers for each test. So, all reported tasks and questions are from students who have recently taken the test and have recreated their questions.

You can find links to more model answers for writing task 1 on this page: IELTS Writing Task 1, model answers & tips

IELTS Writing Task 1 Bar charts 2017

Download the above writing task 1 as pdf: IELTS 2017 Writing Task 1

IELTS Writing Task 1 Answer 2017

The two bar charts illustrate the population growth as well as the birth and death rates in England and Wales between 1700 and 2000. The population is given in millions, while the birth and death rates are per 1000 people.

Overall, there was a dramatic increase in the population of England and Wales over the 400 years. The birth and death rates initially witnessed a growth but then steadily declined over the period given. The birth rate was constantly higher than the death rate over the period given.

The population of England and Wales stood at under 10 million in 1700 which then doubled to around 15 million in 1800. By 2000, the figure had reached a high of almost 50 million, almost 5 times that of the population in 1700.

The birth rate was just under 10 per 1000 in 1700 and rose dramatically to peak at over 20 per 1000 in 1800 before dropping to slightly over 10 in the final century. The death rate showed a similar trend but was between 5 and 10 per 1000 less than the birth rate at all times.

187 words (I have put the word count for you. You shouldn’t do this in the test.)

Would you like to see more model answers for writing task 1? See the main pages below and click on IELTS Writing Task 1

Main IELTS Pages

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IELTS Writing Task 1 Sample Answer Bar Chart & Pie Charts

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Below is model answer for an IELTS bar chart and pie chart together for Writing Task 1. The sample answer is estimated at about band score 8.  The sample answer contains some grammar errors – can you find them? Answers below. This is a typical multiple chart task that continues to appear in the test every year (updated 2024).

IELTS Writing Task 1: Multiple Charts

ielts multiple charts bar chart pie charts

Sample Answer

Estimated at band score 8. It contains a few mistakes which is why it isn’t band 9.

Can you find the mistakes?

The bar chart and pie charts illustrate the percentage of people in Glasgow having three levels of education (university, school and those with no qualifications) in 2010. Information is divided into five age groups in the bar chart and by gender in the pie charts.

Overall, the majority of people with university education were in younger age groups, while in the oldest age group most people did not have any qualifications. The proportions of men and women were similar and showed little different between the levels of education.

The percentage of people with university education was up to 76% in the younger three age groups compared to only 50% in those ages 50 to 75 and just 25% in those over 75. This trend was reversed in those with no qualifications (9% in younger people rising to 72% in the oldest age group). The figure for those with school education was relatively constant at around 20% but was as low as 3% in the over 75’s.

The proportion of men and women in each level of education was around one third with only a slightly difference of 3% in university graduates as well as those who didn’t have educational qualifications.

Words = 198

There are a few grammar mistakes in this writing. Can you find them? Answers provided below

Answers

Answers to Grammar Mistakes in the above sample answer – click below to open:

ANSWERS TO SPOT THE MISTAKES ABOVE

Paragraph 2: in younger age groups = in the younger age groups

Paragraph 2: little different = little difference

Paragraph 3: in those ages 50 to 75 = in those aged 50 to 75

Paragraph 4: a slightly difference = a slight difference

Paragraph 4: didn’t = did not

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Writing Task 1 Reported Dec 2016

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The IELTS writing task 1 was reported this month (December 2016) in the IELTS test in Azerbaijan and also in the UK. This task is a vertical bar chart and two pie charts. The task was kindly reported and created by a student called Ruzigar in Baku, Azerbaijan and also reported by Mary, in the UK.

You can download a free copy of this task below.

IELTS Writing Task 1 for December 2016

ielts-writing-task-1-reported-dec-2016

Download: ielts-writing-task-1-december-2016

You can find practice charts for IELTS on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-sample-chart-for-writing-task-1/

You can find tips, model answers and practice for IELTS Writing Task 1 on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/

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Is Cursive Writing Recommended for IELTS?

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Many students have been asking me about cursive handwriting and the best style of handwriting to use in the IELTS test. So, I want to explain to you what the examiner is looking for in your essay and how your handwriting will affect your score.

Can you use cursive script in IELTS writing?

Yes, you can use any style of handwriting you want. It is completely your choice.

Is it better to use cursive writing?

It is neither better nor worse. It makes no difference to your score.

HOWEVER, if your writing is difficult to read, you might lose points. If the examiner can’t read it, he or she won’t be able to give you a high score. Your writing MUST be clear and easy to read at all times!!

More Hand Writing Tips:

See the following link for Tips on Using Pen or Pencil. If you want to learn about practicing your hand writing on the answer sheet for IELTS writing, see this link: Official IELTS Writing Task 2 Paper & Tips. 

Should you indent your paragraphs? See this page to learn about indenting or leaving an empty line between paragraphs:

You can find more tips and model essays for writing task 2 on the Main Writing Task 2 Page.

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