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IELTS Writing Examples

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27 views7 pages

IELTS Writing Examples

Uploaded by

sallygoh
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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The chart below shows the total number of minutes (in

billions) of telephone calls in the UK, divided into three


categories, from 1995–2002.

Here is the suggested outline for a 4-paragraph report:


1. Introduction: rewrite the question statement in your
own words.
2. Overview: point out which category was highest in each
year, which was lowest, and which saw the biggest
changes.
3. Details: compare the 3 categories in 1995, then say what
happened up until 1999.
4. Details: notice what happened to local calls from 1999
onwards, and contrast this with the other 2 categories.
Finish with a comparison of the figures in 2002.
Answer:

The bar chart compares the amount of time spent by people in


the UK on three different types of phone call 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 call 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 call continued. In 2002,
the number of minutes of national / international landline calls
passed 60 billion, while the figure for mobiles rose to around
45 billion minutes.
(197 words)

Line graph: Car ownership


The graph below gives information about car ownership in
Britain from 1971 to 2007.

Model answer:
The graph shows changes in the number of cars per household
in Great Britain over a period of 36 years.
Overall, car ownership in Britain increased between 1971 and
2007. In particular, the percentage of households with two
cars rose, while the figure for households without a car fell.
In 1971, almost half of all British households did not have
regular use of a car. Around 44% of households had one car,
but only about 7% had two cars. It was uncommon for
families to own three or more cars, with around 2% of
households falling into this category.
The one-car household was the most common type from the
late 1970s onwards, although there was little change in the
figures for this category. The biggest change was seen in the
proportion of households without a car, which fell steadily
over the 36-year period to around 25% in 2007. In contrast,
the proportion of two-car families rose steadily, reaching
about 26% in 2007, and the proportion of households with
more than two cars rose by around 5%.
(176 words)
Analysis
Structure: 4 paragraphs, 9 sentences in total
The introduction paraphrases the question:
• gives information about → shows changes in

• car ownership → the number of cars per household

• from 1971 to 2007 → over a period of 36 years

The overview contains two sentences that describe three main


points:
1. Total car ownership increased.
2. The percentage of two-car households rose.
3. The percentage of no-car households fell.
Paragraph 3 compares all of the categories in the first year
shown: 1971.
Paragraph 4 describes changes in the figures for each
category, with a focus on the final year shown: 2007.
Vocabulary and Grammar
Here are some useful phrases from my answer:
• over a period of

• the percentage of x rose

• the figure for y fell

• almost half of all

• it was uncommon for

• with around 2% of households falling into this category

• x was the most common type

• from the late 1970s onwards

• there was little change in the figure for

• the biggest change was seen in

• which fell steadily… to…

• rose steadily, reaching…

• Comparisons using: while, but, although, which, and

__________________________________________________
________________________________
ELTS Writing Task 1: line graph overview
The 'overview' is an important part of your task 1 essay. It is a
summary of the main things that you can see on the graph or
chart, and I suggest that you write two sentences
describing two main things that you notice. What are the two
main things would you choose for the graph below?
The graph below shows the average number of UK
commuters travelling each day by car, bus or train between
1970 and 2030.
Tip: Don't look for particular years or numbers. Look at the
overall trend over the whole 60-year period.
The line graph shows the number of people who used
different communication services in the world.

The line graph gives data about the number of users of five
different communication services worldwide from 1998 to
2008.
Overall, all services experienced some growth over the 10-
year period, with cell phone and Internet services
experiencing the most growth and becoming the most popular
forms of communication.
In 1998, the figures for cell phone and Internet users started at
around 5% of the population. They both increased over the
remaining years, with cell phone service gaining the highest
position in 2008, with more than 60% percent of the
population using this type of service. This number was
approximately three times as much as that of Internet service
in the same year.
Meanwhile, throughout the 10-year period, little change was
seen in the use of landline services, at about 15% of the
population. Also, the use of mobile and fixed broadband
services was minimal before 2002. The figures for these two
services rose slightly to roughly 5% of the population by the
last year.
Did you know that getting a Band 9 score on Task 1 writing
usually only requires 2 or 3 different verb tenses? Which
ones should you use?
Here are some guidelines to help.
Rule 1: Use present simple to write about the graphic in
the introduction and about processes.
Basic Example: “The graph/map/diagram shows…” or “The
table displays…” or “First, the truck picks up…”

Comment: Whenever you write directly about a graphic


including a table, chart, graph, map, etc. you should use the
present simple tense. Use the same tense for process
diagrams.
Band 9 Example: “The line graph compares three companies
in terms of their waste output between the years 2000 and
2015.”

Rule 2: Use past simple (e.g. “increased) to write about the


past.
Basic Example: “The number of people increased…” or
“Several houses were built in the northern area…”

Comment: Whenever you are writing about the past, use past
simple (e.g. “was”, “increased”). It’s no problem if you use
present perfect (e.g. “have increased) or past perfect (e.g. “had
increased”) if it’s correct, but most of the time it’s
unnecessary.
Band 9 Example: “Overall, there was a general decrease in
the percentage of people who donated money over the two
time periods (Rule 2). However, the pattern differs between
the three age groups before 50 and the two age groups after
the age of 50. (Rule 1)”

Rule 3: Use passive voice (e.g. “is sent”) often to write


about processes, predictions, and sometimes maps.
Basic Examples:
1. “After that, the electrical current is sent to…” (Rule 3)
2. “The number of people that own cars is predicted to
increase…” (Rules 1 and 3)
3. “Several houses were built in the central area…” (Rules
2 and 3)

Comment: Passives are very useful for processes,


predictions, and maps because we often do not know or do not
care “who” or “what” is the cause of the action. For example,
we do not care what sends the electrical currents, who makes
the prediction, or who built the houses.
Band 9 Example: ““After that, electricity from the
generator is transferred to a transformer where the
electricity can be changed to a form that is ready to be sent to
the grid to power homes and industry (Rule 3). Hot
water makes its way to a cooling tower, condenses, and
then returns to the turbine or can flow into the cold-water
source. (Rule 1)”
Question: “Can I use other tenses?”
Of course, you can. But you do not have to.
The point of this article is to show you that even high-level
writing uses very simple tenses and that these tenses have
simple rules.

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