Pie Chart and Bar Chart for IELTS Writing Task 1

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It is possible to be given two charts together in IELTS writing task 1. Below you will see two pie charts followed by a bar chart. This exercise will focus on how to structure your report and how to highlight the key features of both charts in one overview.

The charts below show the males and females arrested over 5 years and the reasons for the most recent arrests.

two IELTS charts

Source: The above charts were not created by IELTS Liz.

Two Charts: Structure and Overview

Answer the questions below in order to decide your paragraphing for your task 1 report.

  1. Will you put the introduction separately?
  2. Will you have an overview or conclusion?
  3. How many body paragraphs will you have?
  4. What order will you put your paragraphs in?
  5. Will your body paragraphs be equal lengths?
Answers
  1. Yes, the introduction should go in a separate paragraph.
  2. You must have an overview not a conclusion. The overview can go after the introduction.
  3. You should have 4 paragraphs in total.
  4. You should have an introduction, an overview, one body paragraph for the pie chart detail and one body paragraph for the bar chart detail.
  5. The body paragraph with pie chart detail will be shorter than the body paragraph with details about the bar chart

 

Now write your overview. this paragraph must contain key features from both charts. This means you must write one sentence about the key features of the pie charts and one sentence for the key features of the other chart. After you have written your overview, check the sample overview. Model Overview

Overall, over the five year period finishing in 1994, there were significantly more males arrested than females. The majority of arrests were due to public drinking while no answer was given for the least number of arrests for both genders.

 

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IELTS Writing Task 1: Essential Preparation Tips

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Below are the Essential Preparation Tips for IELTS Writing Task 1 (Academic Paper). Although writing task 1 counts for only about 33% of your marks, it is the key to hitting band 7. For many people, it is writing task 1 that sinks their score. Luckily, task 1 has very specific tasks which can learned if you take the time. Click here for GT Writing Task 1 Tips

12 KEY STEPS FOR IELTS WRITING TASK 1 PREPARATION

Go through each of the points below to make sure you are preparing fully for your task 1.

1. Understanding Task 1

  • Task 1 is a report, not an essay.
  • Reports have set structures, set language, set key features – they are more formulaic than an essay. This is important because it means with the right preparation you can nail a high score.
  • Your report will be based on a bar chart, line graph, table, map, diagram or pie chart.
  • Instruction: “write at least 150 words”. This means you must write over 150 words. Usually between 170 and 190 words. Over 210 will lower your score.
  • Write your report in 20 mins (this is only a recommendation, but one I agree with).

 2. Practice Tests – Practice Charts

You can get the IELTS Cambridge Test books from local education bookshops or Amazon, which contain real tests published by IELTS.

I also have a collection of Sample Charts, Diagrams etc for you to practice at home with. Click here: SAMPLE PRACTICE CHARTS FOR WRITING TASK 1

3. Task 1 Band Scores and Marking Criteria

Understand the band scores for each criterion in writing task 1. The IELTS examiner will mark you on:

  • Task Achievement (25%)
  • Coherence and Cohesion (25%)
  • Vocabulary (25%)
  • Grammatical Range and Accuracy (25%)

Task Achievement relates to key features, accurate information and not getting lost in too much detail It includes finishing the task.

Coherence & Cohesion is about the structure of your report. Your paragraphs, your flow of information and also the use of linking words.

Vocabulary needs to be flexible but most importantly, appropriate to the task. For example, line graphs are typically vocabulary rich reports. You must know a variety of specific words relating to line graphs. This is not the case wit bar charts and tables which depend on the topic. Click here: for Vocabulary for Line Graphs 

You also need to know what will cause your score to go up or go down depending on each of the above marking criteria. This way, you’ll know for sure what you must do and what you must avoid. Click here: WRITING TASK 1 BAND SCORES 5-8 EXPLAINED

4. Types of Task 1

Learn the 6 main types of charts that can be given in writing task 1 (maps, diagrams, bar charts, tables, line graphs and pie charts). You should practice writing reports for all types of task 1 by using sample IELTS charts. It is also possible to get a combination of two types, for example a bar chart with a pie chart.

5. Introduction Paragraph

Practice writing the introduction statement. Here are two examples, which one do you think it best?

  1. Here we can see that the graph represented information regarding the number of sales of two companies in two years
  2. The chart illustrates the number of sales of two companies (Marks Ltd and Bumper Store) in 2000 and 2010.
Answers
The second introduction statement is best. The first example contains non-academic language (Here we can see …”) and also does not contain enough information about the companies or which years.

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The introduction is usually very quick to write and quite formulaic (standard) in content. Here’s a link to see how to write an introduction for a bar chart.

6. Overviews for Writing Task 1

Practice identifying key features for all kinds of charts. The key features make up the content of the overview which is the most essential paragraph in your task 1 report. The key features for most charts are the highest and lowest categories as well as the most significant differences between categories. However, for diagrams the key stages can be harder to identify so here a link to a sample introduction and overview for an IELTS diagram. Many students get confused whether to have a conclusion or an overview – make sure you get it right.

7. Vocabulary

Get a list of useful vocabulary for each type of writing task. This is particularly important for line graphs, maps and pie charts. The line graph is the type of writing task 1 which has the biggest range of possible vocabulary that can be used. Here’s a link to vocabulary for line graphs.

To get a good score in writing task 1, it is important to use a range of words which means  you need to paraphrase when possible. However, as mistakes can cause you to lose points, it is important not to take chances with your vocabulary. Spelling is also checked so make sure you don’t make mistakes with your spelling.

8. Grammar

To get a good score, you will also need to work on complex sentence structures. For students aiming for band score 6 and above, this is essential. Luckily sentence structures for task 1 can be learnt and then adapted to fit each individual task  (to some extent). Here’s a link to the 4 main sentence structures for a line graph. Along with grammar is accuracy. The more mistakes you make the lower your score will be so getting rid of common errors is important. Here is a link to spotting grammar mistakes for a pie chart. If you have frequent errors, you may get band score 5 for grammar.

9. Structure for Writing Task 1

You need to make sure you structure your report correctly as the examiner will pay attention to the organisation of information and paragraphing. Here’s a link to the structure for IELTS writing task 1 report. Make sure you follow this as it is easy to get a good score for organisation. Structure and linking devices are part of the criterion of Coherence and Cohesion which makes up 25% of your marks.

10. Linking Devices

Linking is also very important. You will need to show the examiner a range of linking devices that connect information together and compare information in a coherent way. Again, linking is very easy to learn so make sure you pay attention to this. Different charts use different linkers so make sure you review each type of task to see the best linking devices to use.

11. Model Answers for IELTS Writing Task 1

Follow safe models. There are a lot of sample answers for you to follow on the internet, but following a safe model which fulfills the requirement set by IELTS is essential. Here’s a link to a complete lesson on how to write a pie chart report paragraph by paragraph.

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IELTS Letter Writing Tips: Essential Top 10 Tips

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Essential IELTS Letter Writing Tips for General Training Writing Task 1. Learn the right approach and techniques to get a high score in your IELTS GT letter. This page was last updated in 2023.

On this page, you will find:

  1. Instructions about IELTS Letter Writing with Tips
  2. Types of IELTS Letters
  3. Letter Aims
  4. Opening your Letter
  5. Signing Off
  6. Grammar
  7. Vocabulary
  8. Spelling
  9. Structure & Paragraphs
  10. Planning your Letter
  11. Model Letters

1. Instructions for IELTS Letters

You will be given instructions and three points to include in your letter.Below is an example of the type of instructions you can get:

You recently had a holiday visiting your friends and you stayed in their house.

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:

  • thank your friend for staying with them
  • tell them what you enjoyed most about the holiday
  • explain you are sending photos of the holiday with the letter

Tips for IELTS letter writing:

  1. Spend 20 mins on this letter. Spend 3 -5 mins planning and then the rest writing. Always leave 2 mins to check your letter for spelling or grammar mistakes. You will need a full 40 mins for task 2, so don’t go over 20 mins for task 1. It is your responsibility to control the time in your writing test. Keep your eye on the clock.
  2. You should write over 150 words (aim for between 160 and 180 to be safe). Writing a letter over 200 words is a waste of time. You don’t get a higher score for length.
  3. Your letter is worth 33% of your final writing score. See this page: How your final writing score is calculated
  4. You do NOT need to write an address on the letter. The first words will probably be “Dear” and then a name or title.
  5. Pay close attention to who you are writing to and the relationship you have with that person. This will decide your style of writing and your tone.
  6. Pay attention to the aim and purpose of the letter. You must fulfil the purpose of the letter.
  7. It is essential that you use the three bullet points to structure your letter and provide the foundation for the information. This doesn’t mean that you write in bullet points, it means that you use the bullet points to create the content for paragraphs, for example the information for the first bullet point will be one paragraph.
  8. All points must be included clearly in your letter. If you fail to include all the points in your letter, your band score will be lower. This relates to Task Achievement which is 25% of your marks.
  9. You must use your imagination to fill in details and decide the names of the people in your letter.
  10. Begin your letter by addressing the person and then an opening line. Always sign off appropriately. The way you address the person and the opening line will change depending on the style of letter, the person you are writing to and the purpose of the letter.

2. Types of IELTS Letter

There are three different types of letters: personal (informal), semi-formal and formal. Each type of letter will use different language. It will have a different beginning and a different way of signing off.  Before you start writing, you should decide which type of letter you must write by identifying the task given. Below are examples of the three different types of letters.

Informal Letter (or Personal Letter)

You would like to invite a foreign friend to visit you for your birthday

Write a letter inviting your friend. In your letter:

  • tell your friend about your birthday
  • explain how much the visit would mean to you
  • suggest that your friend stays at your house for the visit

A personal letter is to someone you have a personal relationship, a friend who you meet or used to meet in your free time to socialise with inside your home. The content is about something social or personal, such as a holiday, party. Both the person and content are informal in nature.

Semi-formal Letter

You give advice to your friend who is seeking work.

Write a letter advising your friend about a job

    • tell your friend which job it is
    • explain why you think it is a suitable job
    • advise your friend about the application process

You would like to ask your boss for time off work.

Write a letter requesting time off work. In your letter:

    • explain why you are requesting time off work
    • give details of dates
    • explain how you will ensure you will keep up with your work

As you can see, I’ve provided two examples of a Semi-Formal letter. Both are semi-formal, but one is slightly more informal and the other is slightly more formal.

  1. Semi-Formal / Informal: This means it is not 100% informal. Your relationship with the person is informal but the letter content is very serious, such as about work or education. Your letter might start with “Dear John” or “Hi John”, this means a more informal style of writing, but with much more serious content.
  2. Semi-Formal / Formal: This means the letter is not 100% formal because you know the person. But you don’t know this person in your private life or home life so this relationship is not informal. This person is someone you know professionally, such as a colleague, boss, teacher, or a neighbour.  The style will be more formal, but your language will not be completely the same as a fully formal letter. The way you address the person might vary: your colleague “Dear Bob”, but your boss or neighbour “Dear Mr Brown”.

Note: You might find teachers vary slightly in how they categorise letters. Some teachers only have two categories of letters (Formal and Informal) and some teachers have three categorise but they might vary from mine. Teachers do not do this to confuse you. Each teacher chooses their categories because they think it is the best way to help you understand the letter style and content. Therefore, choose the categorisation that works best for you to have a clear understanding.

Formal Letter

You are interested in applying for a scholarship program to study at a foreign University.

Write a letter to inquire about the course. In your letter:

  • explain which course you are interested in
  • tell what you know about the University
  • explain why you should receive the scholarship

A formal letter is to someone you have no relationship with about a very formal matter. The person is actually a position in a company, organisation or university. So, you are writing to the position, rather than a person. Examples of formal letters are to a magazine editor, hotel manager, local council, a college or university (not a teacher) or customer services department at a company.  You would address the letter as “Dear Sir/Madam” because you don’t even know the gender of the person you are writing to. To sum up, the person is unknown and content is formal.

3. Letter Aims

Letters can be based on different content which will affect the style of the letter. Below is a list of some of the common contents for letters. Although there are hints about whether the letters are usually formal or not, please note that you will know the style by reading the instructions given to you.

  • complaints (usually formal)
  • invitations (usually personal or semi-formal)
  • applications or resignations (usually formal)
  • request (any style common)
  • making arrangements (often formal)
  • explanation (sometimes semi-formal or personal)
  • informative / news letter (often personal/ semi-formal but formal can also appear)
  • apology (could be any style)

 4. Letter Openings

Letters usually start with an opening statement which explains the reason for writing the letter. This opening statement varies depending on whether you are writing a formal or informal letter. Below are two examples of an opening statement. Can you spot which one is formal, semi-formal and informal?

A)  I am writing this letter with regards to the scholarship program to study at London University which I read in Sunday Times on December 1st, 2014.

B)  It’s been so long since we last were in touch but I haven’t forgotten all the wonderful times we spent together last year. It’s my birthday coming up and I wanted to invite you over to stay at my place for the celebration.

C) I’m just writing to say thank you for the offer of joining your company.

Answer

A is formal to a college (not a colleague) and you don’t know the person’s name. B is personal (informal) letter to a friend. C is semi-formal / formal letter to someone you have met before and whose name you know, but they are not your friend or colleague.

5. Signing Off

Depending on the style and aim of the letter, you will need to adapt your sign off. Below you can see how the salutations (the way you address the person at the start) matches the sign off.

  • Dear Sir / Madam = Yours faithfully,  (formal letters – to a hotel manager, magazine editor, company complains department)
  • Dear Mr Robson = Yours sincerely, (semi-formal / formal letters – to a boss, teacher, neighbour)
  • Dear John = Best regards (semi-formal / formal – to a colleague at work)
  • Dear John = Best wishes (semi-formal / informal letters – to a friend about work or something serious)
  • Dear Dave = Best wishes (informal- to a friend about something social)

Note:

  1. As you can see, some sign offs use a Sir/Madam, sometimes we use the title with the surname (family name) and sometimes we use the first name (given name) without a title.
  2. You use Sir/Madam when you don’t know the name of the person you are writing to. But please note, not to use such a title in your speaking test.
  3. If you have a semi formal relationship with the person whose name you know, who you have met and who you know, you use “Mr Brown”. This is to a person who you don’t know social with in your private life and who is in a position of authority above you, such as a boss, teacher etc.
  4. You can use “Dear John” with a semi-formal / formal letter to a colleague. Certainly, you don’t socialise with this person outside of work, but they are on the same level as you at work and you have more relaxed working relationship with them.
  5. We use no title and no last name when we write to a friend. We only use their first name (given name).

Below are some examples of final comments before signing off, can you tell which ones are formal and which not?

It’ll be great to catch up again soon. Give my best to everyone in the family. (informal)

I look forward to hearing from you. (formal)

Note: there are other ways of giving a final comment but it depends on the content of the letter you are writing. See my model letters (links below) to see this.

Names 

You should write a name at the end of your letter. You can use your name or you can invent one. Likewise, to address the person you are writing to, you can invent a name.

6. Grammar: Formal and Informal

Formal and informal (friendly) letters contain different language and style of writing. While informal letters can contain contractions (I’m writing …), these contractions are unacceptable in formal writing so you need to write the words in full (I am writing …. …).

In a formal letter, you could write “I am writing with regards to ….”,  whereas for a semi-formal letter you can write “I’m writing about…” or “I’m writing to let you know that ..” or “I just want to tell you that..”. So, it is important to adapt your writing to suit the style of the letter. Also remember to use a range of different sentence structures in order to get a high score.

You’ll also get a score for a range of sentence structure and grammar features as well as tenses. Pay attention to articles(the / a / plural nouns), prepositions, word order etc.

7. Vocabulary: Formal and Informal

For vocabulary, be very careful using academic language in a personal letter. This would be inappropriate and will reduce your band score rather than increase it. Here are some examples of the difference between formal and informal language:

  • You will be collected at the airport = I’ll pick you up at the airport
  • The next available appointment is on Thursday = how about we meet up on Thursday?
  • I would like to invite you to visit my house on…. = Why don’t you pop round to my place on …..
  • I highly recommend that you come in August = it’d be great if you came in August
  • Please respond at the earliest convenience = Get back to me as soon as you can
  • Unfortunately I will not be able to attend  on … = Sorry, but I won’t be able to make it on ….

Details

IELTS will give you bullet points as content. It is your task to expand these bullet points into paragraphs with details. You need to invent those details. And, of course, details require appropriate vocabulary.

8. Spelling and Punctuation

The examiner will check your accuracy in your spelling and your punctuation (this means your use of commas and full stops). If you make frequent errors in spelling or in punctuation it is unlikely to get over band score 6. Spelling is part of the marking criterion of Vocabulary and punctuation is part of the marking criterion of Grammar.

9. Structure and Paragraphs

You must also organise your letter into paragraphs. This is an essential part of your letter writing and the examiner will be marking you on your ability to use effective paragraphing. In IELTS writing task 1 (GT), the letter structure below is most common as it usually follows the three points which you must include in your letter. However you must adapt it to suit the task given to you by IELTS. So spend time reading the instructions and deciding your paragraphing.

Structure:

  • address to the person (name and possibly title as explained previously on this page)
  • opening statement – reason for writing and in an informal letter to a friend it might also include a personal greeting.
  • body paragraph A (first bullet point expanded into a paragraph with detail)
  • body paragraph B (second bullet point expanded into a paragraph with detail)
  • body paragraph C (third bullet point expanded into a paragraph with detail)
  • closing statement (if needed)
  • signing off
  • name (choose a name or use your own)

10. Planning Your Letter

You should spend at least 3 or 4 minutes planning your letter. Covering all the points in your letter, adding details, using the appropriate style of letter writing and using paragraphs well count for about 50% of your marks. So it’s worth taking time to plan your letter well. Follow the points below for a well planned letter:

  1. read the instructions
  2. identify what style of letter you must write
  3. read through the points you must include in your letter
  4. think about how many paragraphs you will have and where to put each point
  5. plan what information you will add to each point
  6. decide how to open the letter
  7. think about the language you will use (both grammar and vocabulary) – it must suit the style of the letter
  8. decide how to close the letter
  9. plan the content of each body paragraph
  10. start writing

11. Model Letters for IELTS GT

Also Review

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Vocabulary for Accurate Data in Writing Task 1

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Using the right vocabulary to present data in IELTS writing task 1 is essential if you are aiming for a high score. The video tutorial below explains why it is important to give accurate data when describing a chart in and provides a range of flexible vocabulary to help you achieve a better score.

Writing Task 1 Vocabulary for Data

Make sure you describe data accurately using a range of vocabulary. Lack of accuracy will lower your score for IELTS writing task 1. This video will help you understand more about this.

Summary

It’s very important that all the information you give is accurate the examiner will check and any mistakes will lower your band score.

Looking at the video, you will see this sentence is possible: In the age group 20 to 30, 28% of men smoked compared to 30% of women.  What is the problem? Can you see any mistake? The problem  is that the data for women is correct 30% but for men we can see it is under 30. We cannot see that it is 28%, but we can write it is about 30% or just under 30% or slightly less than 30%. We need to do is we need to use flexible language to give the accurate information let’s have a look.

Below I have listed useful language to help you present data more accurately and flexibly to avoid repeated words.

Under

  • under
  • below
  • less than
  • just under
  • slightly under
  • nearly
  • almost
  • close to
  • well under
  •  considerably less than

About

  • about
  • approximately
  • around

Over

  • over
  • above
  • more than
  • just over
  • slightly over
  • marginally above
  • well over
  • considerably more than

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A High Score Bar Chart Exercise

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Fill in the gaps to complete the high score bar chart for  IELTS writing task 1. Use the completed bar chart report to model your own writing as it gives the right structure to use and a good range of sentence structures and language.

Below are useful sentence structures which are commonly used for bar charts for each paragraph (the introduction, overview and body paragraphs) to make up a complete task 1 writing model.

You will see a full report for the bar chart below and you must fill in the gaps to complete it by using the correct verb in their appropriate form.

The bar chart below shows the number of research students studying different subject in 2005.

IELTS bar chart

Source: The above chart was not created by IELTS Liz.

Model IELTS Bar Chart Report

Fill in the report below using the following verbs. You must put the verbs in the correct form and tense. Each verb can be used more than once.

to be   /   to see  / to study   /  to  illustrate  /  to show  /  to choose  / to learn  /  to prefer

The bar chart (1).  ………………… how many male and female research students (2). ……………….. six different subjects (linguistics, psychology, natural sciences, engineering, programming and mathematics) in 2005.

Overall, there (3). …………. more male research students than females in 2005. Although the most popular subject for both genders 4. …………..natural sciences, men least (5). …………….. linguistics and women (6). …………. little interest in mathematics. Linguistics was the only subject that 7. ………… favoured by women more than men.

There was a similar number of men and women in three subjects. There were equal numbers in research students (200) (8). ……………….. natural sciences. There was a difference between the genders of about 25 in both psychology and linguistic with more women (9). …………….. linguistics (around 110) and more men taking psychology (200).

A difference of about half (10)………… evident in engineering and programming where 150 men chose both subjects. By contrast, 200 men selected mathematics which was approximately five fold that of women (about 40).

Answers
  1. illustrates
  2. studied
  3. were
  4. was
  5. preferred
  6. showed
  7. was
  8. studying / learning
  9. studying / learning / choosing
  10. was

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Grammar Accuracy for IELTS Writing Task 1

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When you describe a chart, for example a pie chart, in 25% of your marks is based on grammar. In the criteria of grammar, the examiner will check the range of sentence structures and also the accuracy of your grammar. The more mistakes you have, the lower your score will be.

There are a number of common errors which students make with their grammar. Here is a list:

  1. Articles (using a / an / the )
  2. Plurals
  3. Uncountable nouns
  4. Punctuation (commas and full stops)
  5. Noun verb agreement (remember that third person singular in the present tense has an ‘s’)
  6. Verb tense
  7. Prepositions (in / on / at etc)

How does grammar accuracy affect the band scores?

Band Score 5 = frequent errors and there may be mistakes in punctuation. Errors may cause difficulty for the reader.

Band Score 6 = some errors in grammar and punctuation but errors rarely cause communication problems.

Band Score 7 = has good control of grammar and punctuation. Few mistakes made.

Band Score 8 = the majority of sentences are free of errors.There are only occasional errors made.

ielts grammar exercise

Source: The above pie charts were not created by IELTS Liz.

Grammar Accuracy Practice: Spot the Errors

Look at the following sentences and find the grammar mistakes. Each sentence may have one or more mistakes.

1. While the spending on housing was 72.1%  in 2010 the spending was 22%.

2. The spending on food were 11.2% in 1950 and 34% in 2010.

3. The biggest spending in 1950 is 72.1% while in 2010 the majority of money spent is on food.

4. Spending on other items was 4.4% in the first year and 19.2% in the second year.

5. The pie charts shows the typical expenditure of a household in 6 main categories.

6. There was an increase in spending in all area except with housing and education, which showed a downward trend over the period given.

7. The least amount spent in both years was in health care.

8. There was significant decrease in spending on housing from 71% to 22%.

Answers
  1. There should be a comma after 72.1%. (punctuation)
  2. were = was (noun verb agreement)
  3. is = was (verb tense – this mistake is made twice) / the comma is missing before the word “while”.
  4. item = items (plurals)
  5. shows = show (noun verb agreement)
    1. area = areas (plurals)
    2. with = for (prepositions)
  7. in = on (prepositions)
  8. There was  significant decrease… = There was a significant decrease…(articles)
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Introduction and Overview for an IELTS Bar Chart

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An introduction and overview for an IELTS chart is given below. The introduction is the easiest paragraph to write and the overview is the most important paragraph in your report. Look at the sample paragraphs below for the IELTS chart given and fill in the gaps. This lesson will help you understand introduction and overview content as well as improve your language skills.

The chart below shows the average monthly expenditure by British households in three years.

ielts chart

Introduction and Overview for an IELTS Chart

Fill in the gaps with no more than two words in order to complete the introduction and overview for the above chart. Remember this is about paraphrasing and ensuring information is stated correctly.

Introduction

The (1) ……………………… illustrates the typical (2)  ……………………….. of money spent each month on utility bills, transport, rent, entertainment (3) …………..groceries by households in Britain in three years (1990, 2000 and 2010). Units are (4) …………………. in pounds sterling.

Overview

(5) …………………., the largest expenditure by far was on rent in all three years, (6)  ………………. the least amount of money spent was on utility bills and entertainment. Although there was a significant (7)  …………………. in spending on rent, transport and utility bills, there was little change in the amount spent on the two other items.

Answers & Full Model
  1. chart / bar chart
  2. amount
  3. and
  4. measured
  5. Overall (this is the most appropriate linker to use)
  6. whereas / while
    1. it is not possible to use “in comparison to” or any similar linker due to the grammar structure of the sentence. To use “in comparison to” the sentence must read “…the largest expenditure was on rent in comparison to the least amount of money spent which was on …”
  7. increase / rise / growth

Here is a full model answer with an alternative introduction:

The bar chart illustrates how much money households in Britain spent in an average month on utility bills, transport, rent, entertainment and groceries in 1990, 2000 and 2010. Units are measured in pounds sterling.

Overall, the largest expenditure by far was on rent, whereas the least amount of money spent was on utility bills and entertainment. Although there was a significant rise in spending on rent, transport and utility bills, there was little change in the amount spent on the two other items.

Expenditure on rent increased from around £450 per month in 1990 to £600 by 2010. Likewise, money spent on transport and utility bills climbed by almost £100 to about £250 and £150 respectively.

On the other hand, the typical amount of money spent on groceries in the UK barely changed, remaining at just over £300 over the three year period. The money spent on entertainment showed marginal change dropping only by approximately £10 to £100 in the final year.

Tips & Vocab
Paraphrases:

  • shows = illustrates
  • the average monthly = in a typical month
  • expenditure = amount of money spent / how much money was spent

As you can see paraphrases are minimal. Instead of lots of unnecessary paraphrases, alter the structure of the sentence to showcase your language skills. Over paraphrasing can lead to unnecessary errors which can lower your score.

Tips:

  • Either state how many categories there are or list each category in the introduction.
  • Always give dates in the introduction.
  • Give the units if necessary as a final sentence in the introduction.
  • Put key features together in the overview.
  • The overview is usually a separate paragraph which starts with the linking word “Overall”. This helps the examiner locate the overview quickly which is considered a good aspect of report writing.
  • This IELTS chart is considered a simple chart and all students aiming for band score 6 and above should be able to write this report without many errors.
  • See the recommended links below to help you further.

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Structure & Paragraphs for IELTS Writing Task 1

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Learn how many paragraphs for your IELTS Writing Task 1 with tips about where to put your overview statement. In writing task 1, the examiner will mark you on your structure as part of the marking criterion of Coherence & Cohesion, which is 25% of your marks. Below you learn about how to structure your writing, how to organise information into the right paragraphs and which paragraph is the most important.

IELTS Writing Task 1 Structure

In writing task 1, you will be asked to write a report for a bar chart, line graph, table, pie charts, maps or diagram. All IELTS Writing Task 1 have the same structure, regardless of which task you are given. There are four main paragraphs that you need to use for task one. Only occasionally will there be five.

  1. Introduction Paragraph
  2. Overview Paragraph
  3. Body Paragraph 1
  4. Body Paragraph 2
  5. Body Paragraph 3 (not usual, but occasionally possible)

Remember, IELTS writing task 1 is a report, not an essay. This means the structure will be different and the examiner is looking for an overview, not a conclusion. 

IELTS Writing Task 1 Paragraphs

Below read about the individual paragraphs you need in your writing task 1 report.

Introduction Paragraph

The first paragraph will be your introduction and that contains a description of the graph – what it shows. IELTS will always give you a  description and you can use that information for your introduction but don’t copy it. You need to  paraphrase it. So write it again using your own English.

This is your chance to introduction information such as categories, titles, headings, names, dates etc. Make sure your introduction is complete. It is usually one sentence but sometimes it can also contain a second sentence about the measurement of units. 

Overview Paragraph

This paragraph is the most important paragraph in your IELTS writing task 1 report. This is where you collect all the key features shown in the task  and present them together. This paragraph has a direct impact on your band score for Task Achievement, which is 25% of your score. You can read more about the band scores here: IELTS WRITING TASK 1 BAND SCORES 5-8 TIPS. But to give you an idea:

  • Band Score 5 = key features are very limited or there is no overview 
  • Band Score 6 = a relevant overview is attempted (it is tried but not well done)
  • Band Score 7 = presents a clear overview
  • Band Score 8 = key features are skilfully selected (referring to the overview)

The clearer and more complete your overview paragraph is, the higher your score for Task Achievement. The biggest challenges with the overview are: 

  • not spotting all key features
  • spreading key features into various paragraphs instead of into one overview paragraph
  • presenting only one key feature

You can see examples of key features in all my model answers for writing task 1: ALL MODEL ANSWERS. 

All writing task 2 reports have an overview no matter which task you get. An overview is not the same as a conclusion. Writing task 2 has a conclusion, writing task 1 has an overview. This is clearly stated in the IELTS Band Score Descriptors. An overview has a different function to a conclusion. See the video below:

An oldie, but a goodie. My older videos are still packed with useful tips. All still relevant today.

Overview or Conclusion Video

Body Paragraphs

These paragraphs (usually two) contain the details. If your task contains numbers, such as a chart, you will need to support your sentences with data. Failing to do that will lower your score for Task Achievement. 

You should organise the details of the task into logical body paragraphs based on the key features. You should also take into consideration what type of task you have. For example, a bar chart shows comparisons between two things, such as men and women, for different categories so your aim is to compare men and women within each category. You would then see which categories are most  popular and which are least and then organise categories into body paragraphs. Of course, it might not be about popularity, it might be about which categories have the biggest differences or the least differences. Which ever way you organise the information, it must be logical.

WRITING TASK 1 STRUCTURE & PARAGRAPHING – A SUMMARY

To sum up, it can feel complicated and overwhelming when you first start preparing for your writing task 1. So, I made this video years ago to sum up how to organise your task 1 report. It’s an old video, but of course still relevant today. The test hasn’t changed.

How to Organise Your Writing Task 1 Video

Another oldie which is still great today and reviews the paragraphing for writing task 1.

  • I hope you enjoyed this page and found it useful. I wanted to give you as much as I could because it’s so important to your scores. All the best, Liz

Now it’s time to review model answer for writing task 1 and see what the paragraph looks like. See links below:

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