IELTS Diagram Recently Reported in the Exam

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The IELTS diagram below was reported by a student called Fay in her IELTS test, Oct 10th in the USA. The diagram has been drawn by Fay. This is for the IELTS academic test, not the GT test.

Please note:

This diagram has been altered and is now available to see on this page: IELTS Rainwater Diagram

A model answer is currently available on this page: IELTS Rainwater Diagram

The diagram shows how rain water is collected and prepared for use as drinking water for an Australian town.

IELTS Diagram Reported 2015

I will post a model for this diagram soon. Meanwhile, feel free to post your own writing.

 

Tips:

  • You must introduce the diagram by paraphrasing the information given in the rubric.
  • Your overview must contain the key stages of the process.
  • You must divide the detail into two body paragraphs if you are aiming for a high score.
  • You should use linking devices to show the order of stages.
  • There is no need to compare information. IELTS ask you to compare where relevant and diagrams do not contain information that needs comparing. Your task is to report what is presented in the diagram.
  • You should not express your opinions.
  • You should use the vocabulary given to you. Collocations are important to get right.

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Filed Under: IELTS Writing Task 1

IELTS Writing Scoring: Are task 1 and task 2 equal value?

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Learn about how your IELTS writing test is scored. Many students ask me if writing task 1 and task 2 are worth the same points and how the examiner gives a final total score. This page will explain how your score is calculated for IELTS writing.

Are IELTS writing task 1 and task 2 marked individually?

Yes. The marking criteria for task 1 are slightly different to task 2. The same examiner will mark both your task 1 report and your task 2 essay. After that, your final IELTS writing band score is calculated.

Are IELTS writing task 1 and writing task 2 worth the same points?

No, they are not. Writing task 2 is worth more than writing task 1. You get twice the points for writing task 2 than you get for writing task 1. In other words, writing task 2 is about 66% of your marks and writing task 1 is about 33%. For this reason, you are advised to spend about 20 mins in task 1 and about 40 mins on task 2. However, even though task 1 is worth a lot less, it is often the marks for task 1 that can cause you to fail to get the score you want. So, task 1 is still crucial to prepare for.

Example of IELTS Writing Scoring:

For example:

  • Writing task 1 = band score 8
  • Writing Task 2 = band score 6
  • Total Writing Score = 6.5

Please note that these scores are only estimated calculations. Your estimated score will be accurate within 0.5 band score.

Will IELTS tell you your score for task 1 and task 2?

Almost all test centers do not offer a break down of your scores. However, I have heard of one or two centers that do in some countries. So, it is worth checking with your test center.

Are writing task 1 and writing task 2 marked using the same criteria?

No. Each writing task 1 is scored using 4 assessment criteria. Each of the criteria is worth 25% of your marks for that task. 3 of those marking criteria are the same for task 1 and task 2. But one of the marking criteria is different See below:

  • Task Achievement (Writing Task 1 Only): Information, Overview, Key Features
  • Task Response (Writing Task 2 Only): Ideas, Addressing the Task, Conclusion, Developing Ideas
  • Coherence & Cohesion: Paragraphing, Linking and Referencing
  • Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Sentence Structures, Tenses, Punctuation, Number of Errors
  • Lexical Resource: Vocabulary, Collocations, Spelling, Number of Errors

Differences between Band Scores 5 to 8 & How to Improve your Scores:

IELTS Writing Task 2 Scoring & Tips

IELTS Writing Task 1 Scoring & Tips

All IELTS Band Scores Explained

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IELTS Writing Task 1: Life Cycle Diagram

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IELTS writing task 1 life cycle diagram model with two diagrams. This lesson focuses on the use of plural and singular nouns as well as using the correct verb form. You will also see how to write an introduction and overview for a diagram report.

IELTS Life Cycle Diagram with Two Diagrams

IELTS Lady Bird Diagram

Source: Each diagram above was sourced from google and compiled to create this diagram for IELTS practice.

IELTS Diagram Model Answer & Practice

This gap fill gives the first two paragraphs of the above IELTS practice diagram.

Use the words listed to fill in the gaps. You may need to alter the form of the word to ensure the sentence is grammatically correct, for example singular or plural nouns or verb form. Not all words are used.

wing     fix     spot    remain     hatch      end     behind      stage      emerge      eggs       lay         structure        elytra      finish     curl      over      

The first diagram illustrates the (1)……………. in the life of a lady bird, while the second diagram shows its body (2)……………………………

Overall, there are four stages in the life cycle of a lady bird from (3)………………….. to adult insect. The lady bird’s anatomy is characterised by colourful (4)………………. of red with black dots that cover its abdomen.

Initially, eggs are (5)…………………. on the underside of a leaf and (6) …………………. there for between two to five days. After this, larvae (7)……………… from the eggs and continue in that form for 21 days. At the end of the three weeks, the pupa stage begins where the larvae pupate by (8)……………… into a pupa on the backside of a leaf and this lasts for 7 days. At the (9)…………… of this stage, an adult lady bird emerges and the life cycle starts again.

The second diagram shows that the lady bird has bright red elytra with black (10)…………….. that cover both the wings and the abdomen. It also has six legs in total, three on each side. On its head, it has eyes and antennae, while just (11)……………. the head there is the pronotum.

ANSWERS

Answers
  1. stages
  2. structure
  3. egg
  4. elytra
  5. laid
  6. remain
  7. emerge
  8. curling
  9. end
  10. spots
  11. behind

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IELTS Line Graph and Bar Chart Model Answer (Band 9)

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An IELTS line graph and bar chart model answer with examiner comments. Describing two charts together for IELTS writing task 1 academic paper is easy when you know how. Dual charts like the one below are very common in IELTS Writing Task 1 and appear each year.

IELTS Line Graph & Bar Chart

The line graph shows visits to and from the UK from 1979 to 1999. The bar chart shows the most popular countries visited by UK residents in 1999.

ielts-Line-and-bar-graph

Source: IELTS Cambridge English Test Books

Line Graph & Bar Chart Model Answer

The line graph illustrates the number of UK residents going abroad from the UK and overseas residents visiting the UK between 1979 and 1999. The bar chart gives information about how many UK residents travelled to five of the most popular countries in 1999. Units are measured in millions of people.

Overall, there was an increase in the number of visits to and from the UK and there were more visits abroad by UK residents than visits to the UK by overseas residents over the period given. Furthermore, the most popular country to visit by UK residents was France in 1999.

According to the line graph, the number of UK residents visiting overseas  began at just under 15 million in 1979 and rose significantly to reach over 50 million in 1999. Around 10 million overseas residents visited the UK in the first year before climbing steadily to just under 30 million by the final year.

Regarding the bar chart, in 1999, the two most popular countries were France and Spain (visited by 10 million UK residents and approximately 9 million respectively). The USA and Greece had about 4 million and 3 million visitors. The least popular country visited was Turkey, which had only about 2 million UK residents going there.

Examiner Comments

This IELTS writing task 1 report describing both a chart and a graph is organised into logical paragraphs. The introduction introduces both charts and the overview contains the key features of both chart. Detail in the body paragraphs is supported by data. The right language is used for the line graph and there are a range of sentence structures used throughout.

Paraphrasing

  • shows = illustrates / gives information about
  • the number = how many
  • visits abroad by UK residents = UK residents going abroad = UK residents travelling to…
  • from 1979 to 1999 = between 1979 and 1999 = over the period given
  • rose = climbed
  • about = approximately = around

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Dairy Product IELTS Line Graph Practice Exercise

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This lesson is to practice vocabulary for line graphs.

The graph below shows the consumption of four types of dairy products in the USA from 1970 to 2010.

cheese-dairy-consumption-graph

Source: IELTS Liz did not design the above graph.

Questions 1-6

Complete the details using no more than three words for each gap.

The amount of cheese eaten by people from the USA (1)…………….. (2)…………………….. from about 7 pounds in 1970 to reach a (3)…………… of over 20 pounds in 2010. Likewise, the consumption of yoghurt (4)………………. from just over 0 to just under 10 pounds in the final year. There was (5)………………… in the amount of full-fat ice cream eaten of about 2 pounds to reach about 9 pounds in 2010. The consumption of low-fat ice cream(6) …………. at around 4 pounds over the period given.

Answers
  1. rose / climbed / increased / went up
  2. steadily / significantly / considerably
  3. peak
  4. rose / climbed / increased / went up
  5. a decrease / a fall / a decline / a drop  /  a slight  fall / a marginal decrease / a minimal drop
  6. fluctuated

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IELTS Complaint Letter: Error Correction

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Below are sentences written by students for an IELTS complaint letter for writing task 1 (General Training Paper). Can you re-write the sentences correctly? The more errors you have in your writing, the lower your score will be for grammar and vocabulary.

Complaint Letter Sentences: Find the Mistakes

  1. Last week I bought a TV from your store but from the first day it is not working properly.
  2. I called so many times to the customer services but they ignored the request.
  3. I request to the store manager to find the solution for TV, he told me that he will send the technician to fix the problem, but he didn’t.
  4. I am very disappointed from the services of your company.
  5. I need that someone from you fix the TV problem or replace the current TV to the new one within one or two days.
Answers
  1. Last week I bought a TV from your store but from the very first day it did not work properly.
  2. I called many times to customer services but I was either put on hold for over 30 minutes or they put the phone down on me. This is completely unacceptable.
  3. I requested that the store manager find a solution for the TV and he told me that he would send a technician to fix the problem. However, he failed to do this and I have been waiting for over one week now with no positive outcome.
  4. I am very disappointed with the services of your company. / I am exceedingly disappointed with the customer services that your company provides.
  5. I expect someone from your company to fix this problem or replace the current TV  within one to two days. (Please note that using “I expect…” is when you want to show annoyance, otherwise just use “I would like …”)

 

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Practice Exercise for IELTS Diagrams Writing Grammar

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Below is a practice exercise to help you improve your IELTS diagrams. You need to fill in the gaps in the paragraph below with the appropriate article (a / an / the / nothing) to match the noun given. These are the most common mistakes that students make with IELTS diagram descriptions. Articles are one of the main reasons people get a low score in Grammar.

The  diagram below shows how hydro-electric power is generated.

ielts diagram practice

Source: the diagram above was not designed by IELTS Liz. Source unknown.

Grammar Exercise for IELTS Diagrams

Decide if the noun in brackets should have a, the or no article.

Example

(1) ……..(Electricity)  is generated by (2) ………..(water)  passing through(3) ………….(turbine).

Click for answers: Answers

  • Electricity (no article)
  • water (no article)
  • a turbine (we must use an article here as this is a countable noun and we are introducing it for the first time)

Diagram Exercise: Questions 1-10

It can be seen that (1) ……………………(evaporation) is caused by (2) ………………….(sun’s heat) and results in (3) …………….(cloud formation) which later leads to (4) …………….. (rain). As rain falls, it is collected in (5) ………………… (reservoir) which is controlled by (6) ………….(dam). The flow of the water from (7) ……………(dam), is controlled by (8) ………….. (valve) which opens and closes to allow water to flow to (9) ………….. (turbine) below for (10) ………… (production) of electricity.

ANSWERS

Click below to reveal the answers:

Answers
It can be seen that (1) evaporation is caused by (2) the sun’s heat and results in (3) cloud formation which later leads to (4) rain. As rain falls, it is collected in (5) a reservoir which is controlled by (6) a dam. The flow of the water from (7) the dam, is controlled by (8) a valve which opens and closes to allow water to flow to (9) a turbine below for (10) the production of electricity.

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How many words for IELTS writing? Rules & Advice

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How long should your IELTS writing task 1 &  task 2 be? Learn how the examiner counts your words and the recommended length of your IELTS essay. This page contains information about:

  • IELTS Writing Word Count Rules
  • Recommended Essay Length
  • Word Count Warning
  • Will you get a higher score for a longer essay?

IELTS Writing: Word Count Rules

  1. IELTS have set a task of writing OVER 150 words for IELTS writing task 1 and OVER 250 for writing task 2.
  2. However, there is no upper word limit. But that doesn’t mean a long essay is a good idea.
  3. While the under word count penalty has been removed, writing an essay that is too short will lower your score. Click here: penalty removal and short essays

Recommended Length of an IELTS Essay

  1. The instructions given by IELTS state write at least 150 words (task 1) / at least 250 words (task 2).
  2. The words “at least” mean you should not go below 150 words for task 1 and not write under 250 words for task 2.
  3. Always write over the least recommended word count.
  4. For writing task 1, aim for between 170 words and 190 words. Try not to go over 200 words (max 210 for complicated charts).
  5. For writing task 2, aim for between 270 words and 290 words. Try not to go over 300 words. IELTS essays are designed to be written in 40 mins and to be highly focused with each sentence crucial to the essay.
  6. Writing under 150 words for task 1 and under 250 words for task 2 will not allow you to develop your points enough for a high score.
  7. Aim for quality rather than quantity. This means focus on writing excellent English and organising your information rather than writing a long essay in task 2. The also applies to your report in task 1 academic or your letter in task 1 GT.

How Long Should Your Essay Be? 

Note: This video was made years ago but is still 100% relevant today. Scroll down below the video to keep reading about word count in IELTS writing.

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Will you get a higher score for a longer essay in IELTS?

The answer is very simple = no. IELTS is look for a highly relevant, focused essay. If you try to add information that is not 100% relevant to your task, you will get a lower score.

IELTS writing task 2 essays are designed to be written within 40 mins and to be highly focused. This means each sentence is 100% relevant and critical to the essay. There is no sentence which contains padding (extra, unnecessary information). For writing task 1, if your report gets too long, you will be marked down for getting lost in detail and not focusing on key features.

You do not get a higher score for a longer essay.

Warning for IELTS Writing Word Count

  1. If you copy the information given by IELTS for your introduction, the examiner will not count those words. This means you might be under the word count. So, always paraphrase your introductions. This lesson shows you how to write an introduction for IELTS writing task 2 by paraphrasing.
  2. How to check how many words you have written – you don’t have time to count each word you have written, so you should count the lines instead. Knowing the length of your handwriting on the official writing answer sheet will help. Watch this video lesson to learn about practicing with the official writing answer sheet.
  3. All words are counted. This means each individual word, just the same as word count in a Word Document. For example, “The most important part of a test is understanding the marking system and the requirements” = 15 words.

More IELTS Writing Tips & Lessons

10 Sentences to Avoid in IELTS Writing Task 2

How many Paragraphs for an IELTS Essay

How to use the Official Answer Sheet for IELTS Writing

All IELTS Writing Task 2 Lessons, Model Answers, Tips & Free Videos

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