IELTS Writing

IELTS Writing Compact
GRAPH REVIEW
(Academic Task 1)
www.ielts-iran.org
Alireza Ramedani
(IELTS cert., TESOL cert., TEFL cert., D.O.S with RP)
www.IELTS-IRAN.org
Graphs, charts, and tables
Unit 1
Diachronic Graphs
In these graphs we deal with variables which increase, decrease, fluctuate or stay
constant over a period of time. As a result we need vocabulary which shows change.
! ! ! Verbs and nouns show the direction of change.

! ! ! Adjectives and adverbs show the degree of change.
Compare these sentences:

! ! The number of tourists increased by 500,000.
! ! The number of tourists increased dramatically by 500,000.
The second sentence gives us more information about the degree of change (i.e.
dramatically). Using adjectives and adverbs is like using colors. If you only employ
verbs and nouns in your report it is as if you used only black and white in your painting.
Adjectives and adverbs are like colors which give your composition vitality and
vibrance.
List one: Verbs
rise decline oscillate stay constant
go up go down be erratic stay static
improve drop vacillate level off/out
pick up fall (back) be unpredictable maintain the same level
climb decrease fluctuate reach a plateau
increase reduce plateau (v)
boom plunge stabilize
leap slump hold steady
rocket dive
shoot (up) plummet
soar go into a nosedive
surge
How to use “by” and “to”:
In IELTS writing task 1, you might need to use verbs like increase, decrease, rise and
fall. These verbs can be followed by the words 'by' and 'to', but what's the difference?
Let us use these figures:

! ! Company profit in 2005 = £20,000
! ! Company profit in 2010 = £25,000
9
Academic IELTS Writing Alireza Ramedani
Now compare these sentences:

! ! - Company profit rose to £25,000 in 2010.
! ! - Company profit rose by £5,000 between 2005 and 2010.
It's easy: 'to' is used before the new figure, and 'by' is used to show the change. It's the
same when you are talking about a fall.
List two: Nouns
When describing
changes I prefer
to avoid words
like soar, rocket
rise decline oscillation stability
and plummet
because they are growth reduction vacillation leveling out/off
too
"sensationalist" - increase decrease fluctuation plateau
they exaggerate
improvement drop
too much, and
are more surge fall
journalistic than
academic in upsurge downturn
style. So be
careful about boom dive
them and use
leap
them with care
jump
Try to show a good command of English grammar by using both noun and
verb forms.
- London saw a significant increase in the cost of homes. (noun)

- The cost of homes in London increased significantly. (verb)
- There was a rise in house prices between 1990 and 1995. (noun)
- House prices rose between 1990 and 1995. (verb)
- There was a 7% fall in the average house price in Tokyo. (noun)

- The average Tokyo house price fell by 7%. (verb)
List three: Adjectives
a high degree of a medium degree of a low degree of

change change change
dramatic moderate slow
steep steady slight
sharp progressive insignificant
significant constant negligible
marked gradual
exponential marginal
remarkable minimal
10

sudden
radical
✎Exercise 1.1.1
Complete sentences 1-10 with a word from the box below. Make any necessary
changes.
surge breakdown fluctuate remain steady trend
show
decline plummet downward noticeable
1 The most ..................... feature of the chart was the sharp fall in theater
attendances.
2 The graph ..................... the increase in the market share of Modern TEC
compared to the other two sites.
3 Shopper numbers ..................... over most of the year , but the last three
months were less erratic.
4 There was a ..................... in visitors to the site during the holiday period
with numbers almost doubling.
5 The amount of energy used ..................... throughout the first nine

months and then it began to increase.
6 Sales ..................... in September, hitting a low for the year.
7 There was a gradual ..................... in profits over last year.
8 The trend for two of the sites was upward, with the other being
clearly .....................
9 There was very little difference between ..................... in sales for all five
companies, with the exception of Iran Khodro.
10 The chart provides a ..................... of the number of passenger miles

travelled according to different modes of transportation.
List four: Adverbs

dramatically moderately slowly
steeply steadily slightly
sharply progressively insignificantly
significantly constantly negligibly
markedly gradually
11

exponentially marginally
remarkably minimally
suddenly
radically
Look at the following picture and check the vocabulary used:
✎Exercise 1.1.2
Underline the two adverbs that have a similar meaning.
1 Sales figures dropped sharply/suddenly/gradually in April 2007.

2 The amount of time spent on leisure activities was exactly/approximately/roughly
20%.
3 Membership rose steeply/slightly/significantly during the summer month.
4 The number of accidents fell rapidly/steadily/progressively during 2009.
5 The percentage was relatively/comparatively/marginally higher in the following
year.
6 The figure in 1997 was vastly/somewhat/rather lower to the 1996 figure.
How to change adjective+noun structures to verb+ adverbs:
You can change the form of the words by using an adjective+noun combination instead
of a verb+adverb
12
• There is/was/has been + a/an+ (adverb) + adjective + noun
! ! ! The number of attendees rose dramatically.! !

! ! ! There was a dramatic rise in the number of attendees.
• There are/were/have been + (adverb) + adjective + noun
" " " The prices fluctuated wildly during the last few months.
! ! ! There were wild fluctuations during the last few months.
✎Exercise 1.1.3
Rewrite the following sentences by changing the verb in italics into a noun.
1 The number of people owning mobile phones rose dramatically between 1990 and
1995.
There ............................................ the number of people owning mobile phones

between 1990 and 1995.
2 Migration from rural regions to urban centers has leveled out over the last ten years.
Over the last ten years there ..................................... migration from rural regions to
urban centers.
3 The amount of time spent on leisure activities fell slightly in 2008.
2008 saw ................................ the amount of time spent on leisure activities.
4 Newspaper circulation during 1990s fluctuated considerably.
There ................................. newspaper circulation during the 1990s.
5 The rate of application for the nursing profession plateaued between 2001 and 2007.
The rate of applications for the nursing profession .................................. between 2001
and 2007.
13
Unit 2
Synchronic Graphs
Synchronic graphs are about comparisons. Here you have to use comparative and
superlative adjectives frequently. Check your grammar references and review how such
adjectives are made.
1 How to make comparisons

more + noun + than: More males than females chose the TV.
adjective+ -er+ than: The price of an apartment was lower in 1946 than 1999.
fewer +noun + than: Fewer females than males chose the TV.
more/less + adjectives+ than: The TV was more popular among males than females.
the most/least + adjective: The most popular form of communication was the Internet.
the+ adjective+ -est: The fastest means of communication is emailing.
as many …… as: As many females as males chose the computer.
not as many …… as: Not as many males as females chose the radio
Look at the following examples:
✎Exercise 1.2.1
True or False
1 More males than females chose the TV.
2 Fewer males than females chose the TV.
3 The TV was more popular among females than males.
4 The most popular form of communication was the mobile phone.
14
✎Exercise 1.2.2
Fill in the blanks.
! a More females ...................... males chose the bicycle.

! b The bicycle was more ...................... than any other invention.
! c The car was ...................... popular among females than males.
! d ...................... invention among both genders was the TV.
! e ...................... women than men voted for the mobile phone.
! f ...................... invention among both genders was the bicycle.
! g ...................... males than females picked the radio.
! h The computer was ...................... for women than for men.
! i More people selected the bicycle ...................... any other invention.
! j The TV was ...................... popular than any other invention.
2 Adverbs in comparison
In order to make comparisons more accurate consider using adverbs to modify
the words you use to compare items.
slightly more/less …… than ……
considerably more/less …… than ……
many more …… than ……
substantially more/less
significantly fewer + count nouns
far fewer/more +count nouns
much more/less + adjective
nearly as many …… as ……
quite as many ........ as .......
practically as many …… as
✎Exercise 1.2.3
Look at the following examples and underline the adverbs to comparison.
1 Slightly more women than men voted for the bicycle.

2 In the past, considerably more people lived in the countryside than towns.
3 Many more people can use a computer today than thirty years ago.
4 Substantially less time is now spent doing housework than before.
5 There are significantly fewer people now working in manufacturing than in the past.
6 Sports programs are watched by practically as many people now as in the past.
7 The exhibition about cinema attracted far fewer visitors than expected.
8 Illiteracy is much less common than in previous generations.
9 Nearly as many children as adults watch programs about ancient history.
15
✎Exercise 1.2.4
Now look at the following graph and answer the questions.
1. ........................ monthly profit began higher than that of ........................

2. By the end of the financial year ........................ monthly profit was three times what
it was at the beginning of the year...
3. .. whereas the monthly profit of ........................ had almost halved.
4. The worst quarter1 for Acme Sports Cars was from ........................
to ........................
5. The best two months for Branson Motors were between ........................
and ........................
6. The profit situation for Branson Motors fluctuated between ........................
and ........................
7. The introduction of the luxury goods tax badly affected ........................
8. The monthly profit of Acme Sports Cars peaked at ........................
3 IELTS Grammar: 'highest' or 'the highest'

Most grammar books will tell you that you need "the" before a superlative like "highest"
or "lowest", but this is not always true.
We use "the" when there is a noun after the adjective e.g. the highest number,
the highest proportion.
When we put the noun before, we don't need "the" e.g. the number was
highest, the proportion was highest.
So, compare these 2 sentences:
! The UK had the highest rate of unemployment.

! The unemployment rate was highest in the UK.
1 A period of three months
16
Unit 3
How to Use ...

1 How to use expressions of approximation
In order to show approximate numbers we can use the following expressions:
X is just under ....

X is just over ....
X is well under ....
X is well over ....
X is approximately ....
X is roughly ...
X is about ....
Now put the expressions above in this table
- (less) +/- (about the same) + (more)
What is the difference between well over and just over?
✎Exercise 1.3.1
Rewrite the sentences replacing the exact numbers with approximate ones using
just/well over and just/well under.
1 Last year we sold 90,083 mobile phones in Italy.

...................................................................................................................................
2 14.8% of the people asked said they were unhappy with the new design.
..................................................................................................................................
3 We will be spending € 1.98 m on this technology.

..................................................................................................................................
4 Our laboratory says that the ideal temperature is 18.1°C.

..................................................................................................................................
5 It will cost $3.97 to produce this item.

..................................................................................................................................
6 The new office is 389 m2.

..................................................................................................................................
2 How to talk about the highs and the lows

X reached an all time high of...(amount)... in/at/on ...(time)...
X reached a peak at ...(amount)... in /at/on ...(time)...
X peaked at ...(amount)... in /at/on ...(time)...
e.g. Visitor numbers reached an all time high of 20,000 in the summer months.
e.g. Sales peaked at 2,000,000 dollars in the first half of the year.
17
X reached an all time low of ...(amount)... in /at/on ...(time)...

X bottomed out at ...(amount)... in /at/on ...(time)...
X hit a low of ...(amount)... in /at/on ...(time)...
e.g. The temperature bottomed out at minus three degrees on July 4.
NB The expression X dipped at ...(amount)... in ...(time)... means that the value of

something has dropped down and then rose to its former position again.
✎Exercise 1.3.2
Look at example 1.2.4 Try to make sentences about the highest and lowest
profits.
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
3 How to use expressions of time

! !
! ! From January to July
! ! In 1987/2000/2040
! ! In the winter months
! ! In the first quarter of the year (3 months)
! ! In the first/second half of the year
! ! In years to come
! ! In the future
Expressions of time can come either at the beginning or the end of the sentence.
✤ In 2000, 40 percent of parents were able to afford extracurricular activities

for their children.
✤ 40 percent of parents were able to afford extracurricular activities for their
children in 2000.
NB! we can use the verb “see” to talk about a particular year, month, etc.
✤ 2000 saw a drop in the number of visitors to the art museum.

✤ Britain saw a dramatic increase in CD sales in the 1980s.
✤The 1980s saw a dramatic increase in CD sales in Britain.
✤ British shops saw CD sales increase dramatically in the 1980s.
Using ‘in’ and ‘by’

Look at the following example first:
In 2002, the cost of an average house in the UK was around £130,000. By

2007, the average house price had risen to almost £190,000, but it fell back
to just under £150,000 in 2008.
18
Notice the verbs used with "in" and "by":
• "In" is used with the past simple (was, fell).

• "by" is used with the past perfect (had risen) to give the idea that the increase
had happened in the years leading up to 2007.
• To avoid worrying about "by + past perfect" you could write: "Between 2002
and 2007, the average house price rose to 190,000 pounds.
4 How to talk about the future

Sometimes the graph is in the future. It is time we learnt about using future tenses.
1. Future with 'Will'
Use future simple to make a future prediction or show you are thinking about future
possibilities.
2. Future Continuous (Subject+will be+ ...ing)
Use future continuous to speak about an activity that will be happening at a precise
point in time in the future.
3. Future Perfect (Subject+will have+pp)
Use future perfect to express something that will have been done up to a precise point
in time in the future.
5 How to use expressions of the future

We can start our sentences using expressions that show we are predicting something.
Let us first take a look at how such expressions are made first. There are some nouns
and verbs we can use to make these expressions:
nouns prediction forecast anticipation projection
verbs predict forecast anticipate project

"
" "
The following phrases can be used to introduce data in your report:
" " 1 It is anticipated that ...

! ! 2 It is forecast that ...
! ! 3 It is projected that ...
! ! 4 The chart shows forecast that ...
! ! 5 The forecast for ... is that ...
! ! 6 .... is set to ....
! ! 7 The expectations are that ...
! ! 8 .... is likely to be ...
Now let us take a look at how we can write about future and compare it to the
past.
Past:
19
In 1999, the proportion of people using the Internet in the USA was about 20%. The
Note: figures for Canada and Mexico were lower, at about 10% and 5% respectively. In 2005,
Remember that Internet usage in both the USA and Canada rose to around 70% of the population,
there is no plural ‘- while the figure for Mexico reached just over 25%.
s’ in million,
thousand, etc: Future:
e.g. 10 million In 2015, the proportion of people using the Internet in the USA is expected to be about
people 20%. The figures for Canada and Mexico are likely to be lower, at about 10% and 5%
20 thousand dollars respectively. In 2025, it is predicted that Internet usage in both the USA and Canada
will rise to around 70% of the population, while the figure for Mexico should reach just
but when “of” is over 25%.
added to phrase
then it can have a
plural ‘-s’:
✎Exercise 1.3.3
Use appropriate words to fill in the blanks (will, predict, prediction).
e.g. hundreds of 1 The number of solar-powered buildings .......... increase to 500 million in 2025.
thousands of 2 It is .......... that the number of solar-powered buildings ............... increase in the
people future.
3 The .............. is that the number of buildings powered by solar energy ..............
increase.
4 The number is ................ to increase to 500 million in 2025.
✎Exercise 1.3.4
Complete sentences 1-8 with the correct forms of the verbs in brackets (present
simple/future simple).
1 It ................. predicted that in 2025, solar energy .................... (provide) energy for
500 million buildings worldwide.
2 In 2015, about 25 million buildings ...................... (expect) to receive energy from
wind power.
Be careful not to 3 In 2025, much more energy to power buildings .................. (come) from solar energy
misinterpret the compared to wind power.
information or 4 In the future, solar energy .................. (forecast) to be a much greater source of
you will be energy than wind power.
severely 5 In years to come, it ...................... (projected) that wind power ...............(be) a less
penalized. important source of energy than solar energy.
Numbers should 6 In the future, wind power ................. (not expected) to be as great a source of power
be represented as solar energy.
7 Solar energy ................. (set) to assume greater importance as a source of energy in
correctly. Any
the future.
carelessness in 8 In 2015, it ................... (anticipate) that solar energy and wind power
reporting exact each ...................... (provide) approximately the same amount of energy.
figures will also
be penalized.
✎Exercise 1.3.5
Complete sentences 1-5 with the correct form of the verbs in brackets (future
with ‘will’, future progressive, future perfect).
1 By 2020, it is expected that 20 million buildings ................ (use) wind power.

2 By 2025, very few people ................... (live) in the countryside.
3 In 2020, more bicycles .................... (sell).
4 By 2020, it is predicted that many animals ...................... (become) extinct.
5 By the year 2015, it is anticipated that many natural habitats ................... (destroy).
20
✎Exercise 1.3.6
Note: A Look at the Charts then answer questions a-f.
Do not use
abbreviations in
your reports
a Which chart provides more general information?

b What trends can you see considering the reforestation process?
c Which region has the most striking figures?
d What tenses can we use to describe these charts?
e Which chart contains information which can be used for a conclusion?
f In general, are people concerned about reforestation or not?
B Now fill in the blanks using the correct data from the chart.
The charts show forecast for the annual 2006 to ......... percent and then rise more
reforestation rate in selected regions and sharply to 1.1 percent.
Note:
worldwide, together with the current attitude
It is also worth noting that the reforestation
Pie charts are towards concern for tree loss.
usually used in rate in Thailand is anticipated to be exactly
the conclusion Generally, it is forecast that the reforestation in line with the worldwide average for both
paragraph
rate in the four regions will grow 2015 and ........., 1 percent and 1.3 percent
until ............, though at varying rates. It is respectively. Meanwhile Hungary will be
projected that Ireland will have the highest below the international rates, while both
rate in 2025 at ........ percent followed closely Ireland and Tasmania will exceed them.
by Tasmania. The forecast for both regions is
From the pie chart, it can be seen that there
the same at ......... in 2015. Hungary, by
is some obvious concern about the need for
contrast, with the lowest projected rate
planting trees (‘concerned’ .......... percent, and
throughout the period, will experience the
‘very concerned’ ......... percent), while at the
greatest overall increase. It is anticipated
same time there is a sizable proportion of
that the figure will climb from ....... percent in
people who are not concerned.
21
C Answer the following questions:

Note:
1. What expression is used to start the report?
the comma placed 2. What word is used to link the two graphs in the introduction?
before respectively 3. What words in the second paragraph mean ‘increase’?
is optional. 4. What is the difference between “percent” and “percentage”?
5. What is the difference between “percent” and “per cent”?
6. What does ‘at varying rates’ in paragraph 2 mean?
7. How the word ‘respectively’ is used in paragraph 3?
8. What does the transition ‘meanwhile’ in paragraph 3 suggest?
What is what?
look at the following signs which you may come across in section 1. See if you can say
what they stand for.
sign stands for ... sign stands for ...

m ......... ......... $ .........
000s ......... % .........
bn ......... € .........
m2 ......... £ .........
m3 ......... ￠ .........
6 How to talk about age groups

Often the graphs employ age groups to break down a total amount. Here we can use
the following expressions:
1 age group/profile/bracket/range
half of 20-30 age profile expressed their dissatisfaction.
2 the younger/older/youngest/oldest age group/profile/range/bracket

The younger age group are significantly more involved in various societies.
3 People aged ....

People aged 40 or more are more willing to invest in stable industries.
4 ....-.... year-olds
20-30 year-olds pay more attention to their physical appearance.
22
✎Exercise 1.3.7
This chart is about how much support employees receive for pursuing their
education at different ages. Write four sentences about this chart using the four
different styles introduced above.
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
7 How to talk about numbers and statistics
1. Using numbers, fractions, or percentages:

Look at the following table that shows the price of X in different years.
year 1990 1995
value $1200 $1800
• The price of X went up by 600, from $1200 to $1800. (numbers)

• The price of X went up by half, from $1200 to $1800. (fractions)
• The price of X went up 50%, from $1200 to $1800. (percentages)
2. Using ‘ double’ , ‘treble’, ‘-fold’, and times:
Compare how each word/phrase is used in the following examples:
'double' (verb)
The number of unemployed people doubled between 2005 and 2009.
'twice as...as/compared to', 'three times as...as/compared to'
23
There were twice as many unemployed people in 2009 as in 2005.

Twice as many people were unemployed in 2009 compared to 2005.
'twofold', 'threefold' (adjective or adverb)
There was a twofold increase in the number of unemployed people between 2005
and 2009. (adjective with the noun 'increase')
The number of unemployed people increased twofold between 2005 and 2009.
(adverb with the verb 'increase')
Now look at some more examples here:
1992 1994 1996 1998
500 1000 3000 12000
• The figure doubled between 1992 and 1994.

• The figure trebled between 1994 and 1996.
• The figure quadrupled from 1996 to 1998.
• There was a twofold increase between 1992 and 1994.

• The number went up sixfold between 1992 and 1996.
• The number in 1996 was six times more than the 1992 figure.
• The figure in 1998 was four times the 1996 figure.
"
3. Using Fractions:
1992 1994 1996 1998
1000 800 400 100
• Between 1992 and 1994, the figure fell by one-fifth.

• Between 1994 and 1996, the figure went down by a half.
• The figure in 1998 was one-tenth the 1992 total.
Now let us take a brief look at how fractions are formed.
singular plural
a half two halves
one-third two-thirds
a quarter two quarters
one-fifth two-fifths
one-sixth two-sixths
4. Using adjectives to modify numbers:
24
adjective usage example

hefty/staggering/ use for big numbers a hefty 90 percent of ...
massive a massive 85 percent of ...
modest use for percentages a modest 20 percent of ...
between 15 and 40%
mere/tiny use for small numbers a mere 10 percent of ...
a tiny 10 percent of ...
overwhelming use with the word an overwhelming majority of ...
“majority”
small/tiny use with the word a small minority of ...
“minority”
IELTS Grammar: number, amount, proportion, figure
number:
- Use "the number of + plural noun" e.g. the number of visitors.
- Do not use it to describe percentages or uncountable nouns e.g. money.
amount:
- Use "the amount of + uncountable noun" e.g. the amount of money.
- Do not use it with countable nouns e.g. the amount of person/people.
proportion:
- Only use this to describe percentages (not numbers).
- Use "the proportion of + plural noun" e.g. the proportion of people.
How would you define 'majority', 'few' and 'many' in percentages?
'Majority' normally means more than 50%. 'Few' and 'many' are normally used with
numbers rather than percentages: a small percentage of people could still refer to a
large number of (many) people. 'Many' and 'few' are difficult to define because it
depends on the context, but in general they refer to large and small numbers
respectively.
figure:
- Use "the figure for + plural noun" e.g. the figure for visitors to the UK.
- Use it with uncountable nouns e.g. the figure for unemployment.
- Use it with countries e.g. the figure for Canada.
- Use it with percentages e.g. the figure (for...) rose to 10%.
✎Exercise 1.3.8
Rewrite the sentences, replacing the phrases in italics with an alternative
expression.
✤ We see from the chart that 23 percent of the students failed to finish their
university degree.
✤ In 1990, nine out of ten engineering students were male, but by 2000 this
figure had fallen to exactly three quarters.
✤ in 1960, 34 percent of science graduates went into the teaching profession

but in 1970, the figure was just ten percent.
25
✤ Exactly one half of the student population were members of the union in
2001, but five years later the figure was 64 percent.
✤ Ninety-two percent of people surveyed felt that mixed schools were not
preferable.
8 How to use prefabricated forms

The following expressions are worth being memorized. They help you improve
your report.
! 1 It is evident that ...

! 2 It is noticeable that ...
! 3 We can see from the data that ...
! 4 From the pie chart it can be seen that ...
! 5 It is worth noting that ...
! 6 The pattern is a complete reverse when it comes to ...
! 7 For ... the pattern is reversed.
! 8 ... clearly appeals more to ...
! 9 on a weekly/monthly/... basis
! 10 During the same period, ...
! 11 ... at a slower/faster pace
! 12 to show in percentage terms ...
!
9 word family for ‘compare‘
Let's look at the word family for 'compare'. Remember that we are looking at usage, not
meaning (I'm sure you know the meaning of these words). To compare to is to point
out or imply resemblances between objects regarded as essentially of a different order
to compare with is mainly to point out differences between objects regarded as
essentially of the same order.
Thus, life has been compared to a pilgrimage, to a drama, to a battle; Congress may
be compared with the British Parliament. Paris has been compared to ancient
Athens; it may be compared with modern London.
• The graph compares the number of males and females...

• 10% of males were unemployed, compared to only 8% of females.
• The unemployment rate was high in 2008 compared with previous years.
• The unemployment rate was high in 2008 in comparison with...
• By/in comparison, the unemployment rate in 2008 increased to...
• Figures for the USA were comparable with/to those for the UK.
• The figure for females was comparatively low, at only 8%.
You have probably noticed that this word family is really useful for writing task 1.
10 How to use ‘proportion’:

A proportion is concerned with the relationship among the parts that make up a whole.
Like a ratio, it can compare one part to another part in terms of number. It can also
compare parts in terms of importance, size, degree, or other factors.
26
! the largest proportion of undergraduates is made up of women.
The two adjectives( proportional and proportionate) and their adverbs are
interchangeable.
! An enormous TV took up a disproportionally large area of the room.

! Each roommate had a proportionate amount of space in the closet.
Note:
Also you can use the two expressions in proportion and out of proportion.
Remember,
however, that
you should
paraphrase
the words and
phrases in the
question.
Copying the
exact words
and phrases
from the
question onto
the answer
sheet results
in a huge
penalty.
27
Unit 4
How to write reports on graphs
single graphs
introduction Here you should state what the graph shows.
short body State the most important piece of information here

paragraph (summary/overview*)
main body Here you need to make comparisons and state the
paragraphs important features of the graph.(usually 2
paragraphs)
* include all the details which are relevant. Remember that this paragraph can
be written as our conclusion too. It is a personal choice where to put it.
double graphs
introduction Write one sentence, but introduce each chart

separately e.g. "The first bar chart shows..., and the
second chart illustrates..
short body Write 2 sentences. If the information in the charts is

paragraph not connected, find one main point or general trend
for each chart. If the charts are connected, try to
make comparisons.
main body If the 2 charts are completely different (e.g. a graph

paragraphs and a table), write a separate paragraph about each.
If the charts are the same, and show the same

information (e.g. 2 pie charts), do not describe them
separately; the examiner will want to see
comparisons. In this case, you could write one
paragraph describing all of the information, but it is
still more preferable to write 2 paragraphs because it
makes the essay look more organized.
This is just one possible model to do this task. In this book other varieties are
also explored in examples and exercises. Please pay attention those layouts as
well.
How to write a good introduction:

Writing a good introduction is a no-brainer. There are various methods to write an
introduction. The simplest and by far the most effective though is this:
single graphs:
The bar graph/pie chart/ line graph/table provides information about ...(+ what
+ where+ when)...
28
double graphs:
+ where+ when)..., while the line/bar/pie chart indicates ....... (+ what+
where+ when)! !
+ where+ when)..., with the line/bar/pie chart indicating ....... (+ what+
where+ when)
Changing the question prompt

In order to change the prompt one of or all the following methods can be used:
1 Use derivatives of a word:
! ! contribute (v): contribution (n)

Young people contributed to the plan significantly:
The contribution of young people to the plan was significant.
2 Convert active sentences into passive ones and vice versa:
Children used the books more eagerly when they were illustrated.
The books were used more eagerly (by children) when they were illustrated.
NB Try to avoid replacing too many active verbs with passive verbs; active verbs are
preferable because they are stronger than passive verbs.
3 Use synonyms and antonyms:
The graph provides information on the number of cars bought per head of population in
China.
The graph provides information on the number of cars purchased per head of
population in China.
NB It is not a good idea to use synonyms for concept words, technical terms, or
proper nouns (words that begin with capital letters, such as names)
4 Using how much, how many and how+...
Look at the following examples to see how such phrases can help you in paraphrasing
the question and can be used in place of prompt instructions:
29
• The bar graph shows the number of students who visited the museum in the past
month.
The bar graph shows how many (countable noun) students visited the museum in the
past month.
• The pie charts show the amount of water used for domestic purposes.
The pie charts show how much water was used for domestic purposes.
• The table shows different devices which were used to access the Internet by
university students in a dormitory over the last year.
The table shows how the Internet was accessed by university students in a dormitory
over the last year.
Substitutes of “show”
In order to avoid repetition, you may want to replace “show” with verbs such as present,
provide, compare, indicate, or illustrate.
Example 1
Look at the following graph and the introduction written for it.
Introduction:
The pie charts compare the proportion of carbohydrates, protein and fat in three
different diets (what), namely an average diet, a healthy diet, and a healthy diet for
sport.
30
My suggestion: Don't try to 'show off' in your introduction. Just use 'show',
'compare' or 'illustrate'; don't use words like 'depict'.
Example 2
Tip:
"The figure for /
figures for" is a
great phrase
that not many
people use
(e.g. the graph
shows figures
Introduction: for
unemployment
The bar graph provides information about the distribution of internet users in four in three
different age brackets (what) in Thailand (where) over three consecutive years countries).
(1998-2000) (when).
Example 3
Indicators Canada Japan Peru Zaire

Annual income per person (in $US) 11100 15760 160 130
Life expectancy at birth 76 78 51 47
Daily calorie supply per person 3326 2846 1927 1749
Adult literacy rate (%) 99 99 68 34
Introduction:
A glance at four indicators of economic and social conditions in four countries, Canada,
Japan, Peru and Zaire (where), in 1994 (when) reflects the great differences that exist
between wealthier and poorer nations (what).
Example 4
31
Introduction:
The double bar chart provides information about how many unpaid work hours (what)
men and women in different categories (where) spend in a week (when). These
categories are based on how many children they have.
✎Exercise 1.4
Write a good introduction paragraph for this graph.
The graph below shows in percentage terms the changing patterns of domestic
access to modern technology in homes in the UK.
How to use percentages
Let's look at a few ways to write a sentence that describes a percentage.
...
You could either put the percentage at the beginning of the sentence (example 1), or
put it at the end of the sentence (example 2):
1. 6% of single aged people were living in poverty.

2. The level of poverty among single aged people stood at 6%.
You could also add a comparison:
32
1. 6% of single aged people were living in poverty, compared to only 4% of aged

couples.
2. The level of poverty among single aged people stood at 6%, whereas the
figure for aged couples was only 4%.
Which sentence do you think is clearer? Also, why have "people" and "couples" are
used in these sentences when the table says "person" and "couple"?
Some prefer to
include the
overview in their Paraphrasing
introduction. Still
another possibility
is to bring the The easiest way to start your Task 1 essay is by paraphrasing the question.
overview in the Paraphrasing means writing something in a different way (using your own words).
conclusion. It in
fact does not Here are some simple changes you can make:
matter where it is
placed as far as it • graph = line/bar graph
is included in your • chart = line/bar chart
report.
• diagram = figure
• shows = illustrates (or 'compares' if the graph is comparing)
• proportion = percentage
• information = data (data is plural and requires a plural verb)
• the number of = the figure for
• the proportion of = the figure for
• people in the USA = Americans
• from 1999 to 2009 = between 1999 and 2009
• from 1999 to 2009 = over a period of 10 years
• how to produce = the process of producing
• in three countries = in the UK, France and Spain (i.e. name the countries)
33
Unit 5
How to write good body paragraphs:

The key to writing a good body paragraph is to find relevant information. Keep the
following hints in mind when looking for such information:
• No variable should be left out. You must include all the variables.
• Instead of giving each piece of information separately (which makes your report dull)
categorize them into packages to eliminate unnecessary repetition.
• There is usually a trend or an overall statement that needs to be clearly stated. This
is called the overview. Failing to state the overview clearly results in a huge penalty.
Synthesizing
When we have information which can be packaged together to produce more holistic
sentences packed with information we call it synthesis. It is effective to produce longer
sentences. Below you can find several examples of how it is done.
1. Only five percent of PhD level students read between one and five articles, whereas
the average for all students in this category is a hefty 67 percent.
2. Most read six or more articles per week (99 percent), but out of this total 24 percent
read twelve or more, which is almost a third of the corresponding figure for PhD level
students. (the last pie chart)
34
Note:
Don't worry
about the ✎Exercise 1.5.1
repetition of Now try to do the same thing for the figure below.
"incidents and
injuries" in this
essay. There
are no perfect
synonyms for
these words,
although we
managed to use
"problems" and
"such events"
later in the
essay. The
most important
thing is to
describe the
data clearly and
make some
good
comparisons.
Let us look at a full report on this graph:
The chart below shows numbers of incidents and injuries per 100 million
passenger miles travelled (PMT) by transportation type in 2002.
35
Tips
It is not
important
whether you
use
American or
British
English
when you
write.
However,
you most
keep your
language
consistent.
The bar chart compares the number of incidents and injuries for every 100 million
passenger miles travelled 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 travelled, 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
equalled 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.
(165 words, band 9)
✎Exercise 1.5.2
Now try to fill in the blanks using the information given in the box.
The graph shows Internet Usage in Taiwan by Age Group, 1998-2000.
1998 45% 30 1999
8% half of 37% 2000
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and
make comparisons where relevant.
36
• You should write at least 150 words.

• You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
model answer:
The graph shows changes in the age profile of Internet users in Taiwan between ..........
and ........... .
The main users of the Internet in Taiwan were young adults between 16 and ..........
years old. In 1998, they accounted for more than .......... all users. In 1999 the number
dropped slightly to .......... , but even in 2000 they were the biggest group.
The second biggest group of users was aged between 31 and 50. They made up 41%
in 1998, falling slightly to ........... in 2000. When combined with the 16-30 age group,
over 94% of users in 1998 were between 16 and 50. However, this number dropped
steadily as more children and older users logged on. In ..........., the number of children
online quadrupled 2 from 2% to .........., and it continued to increase in 2000. There were
similar increases for older users, rising from 4% in 1998 to 10% in 2000.
In summary, while adults between 16 and 50 represent the great majority of Internet
users in Taiwan, their share was declining as more children and older users joined the
web.
✎Exercise 1.5.3
Reorder the words in italics in the model text below.
2 increased four times
37
The bar charts provide information from a Teachers/as/regards/role/and/models, the

Greek survey about reasons/the/for/main/ relative importance of each was again the
career/a/choosing among two age groups. other way around. Nine/fifteen/and/
respectively/group/percent/for/younger/the,
It is clear that the two groups the/influenced/
and fourteen and eleven per cent for the
were/various/by/factors to different degrees,
older.
with the most influential factors which
contributed to career choice for the 20-25 age similarity/only/the/the/two/groups/between/
group being money (approximately 27%) and age was that friends had less influence over
then parents (23%). However, the factors the/ career choice for the older and younger
age/were/for/reverse/group/the/40-50,with groups factors/than/any/other, seven and ten
parents affecting them most at 30 percent. percent respectively.
Answer the following questions:
1 ‘It is clear that’ is a stock phrase. What other substitute can you suggest for it?
2 What does ‘the other way around’ mean?
3 What does the word ‘contribute’ mean?
4 What about “as regards”? What other synonyms do you know for it?
Repetition! Is it a crime?
Students often worry about repeating the same words in writing task 1. No! Repeating a key
word or phrase a few times is not a problem; sometimes it is necessary to show that you are
consistently talking about the same thing. If you try to use too much variety, there is a danger
that you will confuse the reader or write something that does not mean what you want it to
mean.
It's fine to either repeat the key words or make small changes. Look at these examples of
small changes which can be made to the phrase average weekly spending:
• spent on average
38
• average expenditure
• weekly spending figures
• levels of spending
• spent per week
• expenditure per week
✎Exercise 1.5.4
Write a good introduction and body paragraph for this graph.
The graph below shows the contribution of three sectors- agriculture,

manufacturing, and business and financial services- to the Uk economy
in the twentieth century.
39
Unit 6
How to write a good overview paragraph
Remember that you do not need to write a conclusion for IELTS writing task 1. You can
write an "overview" of the information. An overview is the most important message a
graph tries to convey. In fact, it is a description of the most important fact(s) in your
report. Generally, trends and correlations are the best indicators of your overview.
Sometimes some writers prefer to write the overview immediately after the introduction
in a separate paragraph.
But why do not you need to write a conclusion? What's the difference between a
conclusion and an overview?
First, a conclusion is really a final judgement, decision or opinion. This is perfect for the
task 2 essay, but task 1 asks you to write a description without analysis or opinions. On
the other hand, an "overview" is a simple description of the main points. It is a summary
of the information shown in the graph or chart.
Second, a conclusion should be at the end of a piece of writing. An overview or general

summary could go either at the end or near the beginning. Admittedly, it's a good idea
to describe the main features of the graph or chart near the beginning of your essay.
Look at the following graph and its overview:
It is clear that the proportion of people who study for career purposes is far higher
among the younger age groups, and decreases steadily with age. The need for
employer support also decreases with age, but only up to the point when employees
enter their forties.
40
Trend
We have two trends: upward and downward
There was an upward trend over

the period.
There was a downward trend over

the period.
Now look at this example
Look at life expectance in the graph above. We can see that the figure in 1970 stood at
60 and 22 years later it rose to 70. There is an upward trend for life expectancy. Now
take a look at the other variable- infant mortality. In 1970, the figure was 70 per 1000
births. It then declined to 20. There is a downward trend here.
Let us now review some important points again:
• An overview is simply a summary of the main things you can see.

• Because the overview is so important, I recommend putting it at the beginning
of your essay, just after the introduction sentence.
• I write two overview sentences. A one-sentence overview is not really enough.
• Try not to include specific numbers in the overview. Save the specifics for later
paragraphs.
• Look at the 'big picture' e.g. the overall change from the first year to the last
year (if years are shown on the chart), the differences between whole
categories rather than single numbers, or the total number of stages in a
process.
41
✎Exercise 1.6
The graph provides information about the income

trends of four cafes over the last year. match options a-g with
gaps 1-7 in the model text.
There are two basic general trends: downward and
upwards . As regards the first, the earnings for The a steadily
Tea room were down over the year, falling ....1...... from b then rocketed
almost 160,000 earnings a month to just under $50,000 c doubled
in December. d significantly
e also ended the year up
By contrast, the income for the other three cafes went f a steady fall
up by varying degrees. There was .....2..... in Cafe g a rise
Cool’s sales over the first ten months, followed by a
sudden increase to $120,000. Furthermore, the income
for both Internet Express and Wi-Fi Cafe .....3..... in
December. The former experienced ....5...... to June, but after that, income rose .....4..... ending the
year at approximately $130,000. Likewise, the trend for Wi-fi was upward. Between January to
July, earnings .....6..... from $50,000 to $100,000 and .....7..... to around $190,000.
It is noticeable that the income for The Tea Room is lower in the winter months than for other
three cafes.
Correlation"
What is a correlation? A correlation is a relationship between two things, two variables. For
example, it is generally true that the more junk food you eat, the fatter you get. This is a positive
correlation- there is a strong relationship.
A negative correlation means that there is a strong relationship between two variables, but in
the opposite direction. For example, the older a second-hand car is, the lower the price.
Zero correlation happens when there is a strong relationship between two things-
when they do not affect each other. For example, the number of times you go to the
movies a year is probably not related to the number of brothers and sisters you have ...
or is it?
42
Unit 7
Tables
Tables seem difficult when they contain a lot of numbers. Here's some advice:
• Try to write 4 paragraphs - introduction, summary of main points, 2 detail

paragraphs.
• Before you start writing, highlight some key numbers. Choose the biggest
number in each category in the table (i.e. in each column and row). If the table
shows years, look for the biggest changes in numbers over the time period.
You could also mention the smallest numbers, but you can ignore 'middle'
numbers (neither biggest nor smallest).
• For your summary paragraph, try to compare whole categories (columns or

rows) rather than individual 'cells' in the table. If you can't compare whole
categories, compare the biggest and smallest number. Write 2 sentences for
the summary.
• In your two 'details' paragraphs, never describe each category (column or row)
separately. The examiner wants to see comparisons. Try to organize the
numbers you highlighted into 2 groups - one for each paragraph (e.g. highest
numbers for all categories together, and lowest numbers together).
• Describe / compare the numbers you highlighted - include at least 3 numbers

in each paragraph.
• Use the past simple for past years, and 'will' or 'is expected/predicted to' for
future years. If no time is shown, use the present simple.
The chart below shows average hours and minutes spent by UK males and
females on different daily activities.
43
✎Exercise 1.7
FIll in the blanks using the given words
doing, up, over, spent, while, sleeping, sleep, twice, amount, takes
The table compares the average ______ of time per day that men and women in the
UK spend ______ different activities.
It is clear that people in the UK spend more time ______ than doing any other daily
activity. Also, there are significant differences between the time ______ by men and
women on employment/study and housework.
On average, men and women in the UK ______ for about 8 hours per day. Leisure
______ ______ the second largest proportion of their time. Men spend 5 hours and 25
minutes doing various leisure activities, such as watching TV or doing sport, ______
women have 4 hours and 53 minutes of leisure time.
It is noticeable that men work or study for an average of 79 minutes more than women
every day. By contrast, women spend 79 minutes more than men doing housework,
and they spend ______ ______ as much time looking after children.
My thinking steps
Example 1
I am going to explain my thinking process when I answer an IELTS Writing Task 1
question. We will use this question (Cambridge IELTS 7, page 30):
The table below gives information on consumer spending on different items in

five different countries in 2002.
Percentage of national consumer expenditure by category - 2002
Before I worry about what language to use, it is really important to understand the
information, and decide how to organize it. This is what I'm thinking:
1. I know that I can write a short introduction by paraphrasing the question.

2. I look for an overall trend. I can see that the food/drinks/tobacco category has
the highest percentages, and leisure/education has the lowest.
3. Now I want to write two main body paragraphs. I need to select something to
say about each country. Remember, there is no rule about what information
you select; everyone will do this differently.
44
4. I look for the highest figures in each category: I can see that Turkey has the
highest figure for food/drinks/tobacco AND for education/leisure. Italy has the
highest figure for clothing/footwear.
5. So, I'll write a paragraph about Turkey and Italy.
6. My final paragraph needs to talk about Ireland, Spain and Sweden.
7. Maybe I'll point out that Ireland has a high figure for the first category, Spain
has the lowest figure for education/leisure, and Sweden has the lowest figures
for the first AND second categories.
8. I don't need a conclusion because I have already mentioned a general trend in
point 2.
Now let us take a closer look at a good report.
The table shows percentages of consumer expenditure for three categories of products
and services in five countries in 2002.
It is clear that the largest proportion of consumer spending in each country went on
food, drinks and tobacco. On the other hand, the leisure/education category has the
lowest percentages in the table.
Out of the five countries, consumer spending on food, drinks and tobacco was noticeably
higher in Turkey, at 32.14%, and Ireland, at nearly 29%. The proportion of spending on
leisure and education was also highest in Turkey, at 4.35%, while expenditure on
clothing and footwear was significantly higher in Italy (9%,) than in any of the other
countries.
It can be seen that Sweden had the lowest percentages of national consumer
expenditure for food/drinks/tobacco and for clothing/footwear, at nearly 16% and just
over 5% respectively. Spain had slightly higher figures for these categories, but the lowest
figure for leisure/education, at only 1.98%.
Example 2
The table below shows the proportion of different categories of families living in
poverty in Australia in 1999.
45
The table gives information about poverty rates among six types of household in
Australia in the year 1999.
It is noticeable that levels of poverty were higher for single people than for couples, and
people with children were more likely to be poor than those without. Poverty rates were
considerably lower among elderly people.
Overall, 11% of Australians, or 1,837,000 people, were living in poverty in 1999. Aged
people were the least likely to be poor, with poverty levels of 6% and 4% for single aged
people and aged couples respectively.
Just over one fifth of single parents were living in poverty, whereas only 12% of parents
living with a partner were classed as poor. The same pattern can be seen for people with
no children: while 19% of single people in this group were living below the poverty line,
the figure for couples was much lower, at only 7%.
Example 3
The table below shows the amount of waste production (in millions of tonnes)
in six different countries in three different years over a twenty-year period.
Here are my thinking steps for this questions:
1. It's fine to repeat the word 'waste' because there isn't really an ideal synonym
('rubbish' and 'garbage' have a more limited meaning). However, we can vary
our sentences by writing things like 'waste output', 'waste materials' or 'the
waste that was produced'.
2. The most noticeable feature must be that the US produced by far the most
waste in all 3 years. Use this idea in you 'overview' paragraph.
3. The general trend is that waste production rose in every country apart from
Korea. This could be your second 'overview' idea.
4. I would write one main paragraph comparing the 3 countries with the highest
figures (US, Japan, Korea), and a separate paragraph about Ireland, Poland
and Portugal. Try to use some 'comparing' language when describing the
countries (e.g. while, whereas, by contrast) and some 'trend' language when
describing the years (e.g. increased, rose, fell).
46
Unit 8
Further Samples and Exercises
Example 1
The graph below shows the proportion of the population aged 65 and over
between 1940 and 2040 in three different countries.
Here are the steps I would follow to write my essay:
1. Introduction: write one sentence to introduce what the graph shows. Just
paraphrase the question statement (i.e. change a few words).
2. Summary: describe 2 main things e.g. the overall trend for all 3 countries, and
the biggest change that you can see.
3. Details: compare all 3 countries in 1940, then in 1990.
4. Details: describe the dramatic increase predicted for Japan, and compare all 3
countries in 2040.
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 increases 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 proportions 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
47
more, while the figures for Sweden and the USA will be slightly lower, at about 25% and
23% respectively.
(178 words, band 9)
Example 2
The question below comes from Cambridge IELTS book 7. Students tend to find this
question difficult.
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.
Some advice:
• Introduction: paraphrase the question.

• Summary: compare the two periods (prices fell overall from 1990-95, but rose
from 1996-2002), and mention that London prices changed the most.
• Details: write one paragraph about each period.
• Note: don't write -5%, write "fell by 5%".
Now look at the model answer done for you:
The bar chart compares the cost of an average house in five major cities over a period
of 13 years from 1989.
We can see that house prices fell overall between 1990 and 1995, but most of the cities
saw rising prices between 1996 and 2002. London experienced by far the greatest
changes in house prices over the 13-year period.
Over the 5 years after 1989, the cost of average homes in Tokyo and London dropped
by around 7%, while New York house prices went down by 5%. By contrast, prices rose
by approximately 2% in both Madrid and Frankfurt.
Between 1996 and 2002, London house prices jumped to around 12% above the 1989
average. Homebuyers in New York also had to pay significantly more, with prices rising
to 5% above the 1989 average, but homes in Tokyo remained cheaper than they were
48
in 1989. The cost of an average home in Madrid rose by a further 2%, while prices in
Frankfurt remained stable.
Example 3
Now it is your turn to describe this graph:
The graph below gives information about fossil fuel energy demand and
availability in the country of Freedonia from 1980 to 2060 (projected).
...........................................................................................................................................
A final word of advice:

Here are some mistakes that can really affect your IELTS score:
1. Writing less than 150 words. My advice: count how many words you write, on
average, per line. If you write about 10 words per line, make sure that you write
more than 15 lines for writing task 1.
2. Not separating paragraphs. Your score will immediately drop if you do not
separate paragraphs clearly. My advice: leave a full line between paragraphs.
3. Not answering the question. My advice: in the writing exam, keep checking the
question to make sure you are answering it fully.
49
Chapter 2
Processes
50
Processes
Unit 9
What is a process?
To begin, look at this question:
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The diagram illustrates the process that is used to manufacture bricks for the
building industry.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make
comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
It is less common in the writing test, but sometimes you will get a process diagram to
describe. An IELTS process diagram is different from a line, bar, pie chart or table in
that there are not usually key changes or trends to identify. However, you should still
give an overview of what is taking place.
Enumeration
A process is a series of events, one taking place after the other. Therefore, to connect
your stages, you should use ‘time connectors’. Here is the rest of the answer with the
time connectors highlighted (notice that you simply go from the beginning to the end of
the process):
51
To begin, the clay used to make the bricks is dug up from the ground by a
large digger. This clay is then placed onto a metal grid, which is used to break
up the clay into smaller pieces. A roller assists in this process.
Following this, sand and water are added to the clay, and this mixture is
turned into bricks by either placing it into a mould or using a wire cutter. Next,
these bricks are placed in an oven to dry for 24 – 48 hours.
In the subsequent stage, the bricks go through a heating and cooling

process. They are heated in a kiln at a moderate and then a high temperature
(ranging from 200c to 1300c), followed by a cooling process in a chamber for
2 – 3 days. Finally, the bricks are packed and delivered to their destinations.
Here is an example using stages four and five:
Before being dried in the oven, the mixture is turned into bricks by either
placing it into a mould or using a wire cutter.
Now let us take a look at enumerators in detail. There are generally two types of
enumerators. Pay attention to how punctuation is applied to either group:
Group 1
" " First/To begin, there is ...
" " Second, ....
" " Third, ....
" " Fourth/Next/Then, ...
" " Following that,
" " Finally, .....
Group 2
" " The first stage is ...
" " The second phase is ...
" " The third/next step is ...
" " In the subsequent stage ...
Note: " " The last stage is ...
" "
These
connectors are Model Paragraph for Enumeration
the same you
would use to There are three basic kinds of materials that can be found in any good library. First, there
are books on all subjects, both in English and in many other languages. These books are
write a graph
organized according to subject, title, and author in a central file called the card catalog.
over time when
Books can be generally checked out of library and taken home for a period of two to four
you explain a weeks. Second, there are reference works, which include encyclopedias, dictionaries,
series of bibliographies, atlases, and so forth, and which generally must be used in the library itself.
changes. Third, there are periodicals - magazines, newspapers, pamphlets - which are filed
alphabetically in racks, or which have been microfilmed to conserve space. Like reference
works, periodicals usually cannot be removed from the library.
CLAUSES OF TIME
SIMULTANEOUS ACTIONS (while/as) are used to show that a shorter action happen
in the middle of a longer action:
As/While the butter is melting, break three eggs into a bowl.
SEQUENTIAL ACTIONS (when, before, after, until) are used to show that one action
follows another action:
52
Processes
After/when the eggs thicken/have thickened , serve them with toast.

(first action)! (second action)
The eggs must thicken BEFORE you serve them.

(first action)! (second action)
Do not serve the eggs UNTIL they thicken/have thickened.

(second action) (first action)
Participial phrases are used to make a longer complex sentence shorter by omitting
the repeated subject and converting its verb into a gerund.
Clause: while you are melting the butter, break three eggs into a bowl.
Phrase: while melting the butter, break three eggs into a bowl.
Clause: After/when you have beaten the eggs, pour them into the pan.
Phrase: having beaten the eggs, ………
After having beaten the eggs, …………
Clause: you must beat the eggs before you pour them into the pan.
Phrase: ……………… before pouring them into the pan.
✎Exercise 2.9.1
Now read the following paragraph and try to fill in the blanks with the given
words.
How to make a computer functional
First When therefore following

Next However Finally after
When a computer is purchased, normally the software and applications needed to

run it are not installed. The ………… thing one needs to do is installing an
operating system such as Windows or Linux. The operating system, also called
OS, is a set of programs that is necessary to make the commands and functions
applicable. The user needs to choose one of these systems he is acquainted with
and install it on his or her computer. …………you want to install such a program,
you need a bootable CD/DVD inserted in your CD/DVD ROM. ………… the simple
instructions provided by the programming company and choosing the drive on
which you install the program, you can finish the process with no difficulty.
…………, you need to install all the drivers such as the graphic card, the sound
card and the motherboard on your PC or Laptop. This may take some time. Our
computer is now ready. …………, we need to install some essential programs
hereafter in order to do different tasks. …………, we choose the set of programs
that are necessary for everyday use and our jobs and install them one by one.
…………, we can restart the computer for the operating system to apply the
changes. ………… the system rebooted, it is ready for use.
53
How to write reports on processes

single processes
Type 1:
introduction Here you should state what the process shows.
body State the overview
conclusion Start from the first stage and move from step to step.
Do not skip any stages.
Type 2:
introduction Here you should state what the process shows.
body Start from the first stage and move from step to step.
Do not skip any stages.
conclusion State what the outcome of the process is (linear

processes) or
State that the process repeats itself (circular
processes)
double processes3
introduction Here you should state what each process or the

process and graph show.
body Paragraph 1: Here describe the first process in an

organized fashion.
Paragraph 2: Now turn to the second process/graph

and describe it
conclusion Establish the relationship between the first and the

second process/graph.
Types of processes:
! !
1 Natural processes: !
Natural processes take place in the nature. We use active sentences to describe them.
These processes might be circular or linear. A good illustration of linear natural process
is the process in which coal was formed, and an example of a circular natural process
is the formation of rain.
3 You may have a combination of two processes or a process and a graph
54
Processes
✎Exercise 2.9.2
Look at the diagram below and fill in the blanks using the given words.
a died and dropped

b was formed e was trapped
c lived g is now mined
d was covered h built up
e was trapped f turned
The diagram shows the process by
which coal .....1......over a period of
millions of years. First of all, large
plants .....2...... in enormous swamps
a long time ago. These .....3......to the
bottom of the water. Over the years,
the dead plants formed a layer, which
became deeper and deeper. More
and more earth and dirt ......4..... on
top of this layer. Subsequently, this
layer ......5..... by rocks and dirt, and
so the energy of the dead plants .....
6...... underneath. As the pressure
and heat grew over time, the layer of
dead plants ......7..... into coal.
Seams of coal were formed, and
coal .....8......
2 Manufacturing processes:
In these processes, a product is made in a factory or workshop. Because the person/
people who do the process are not very important to us we use passive voice in our
report. Take a look at the example below and how the report is done for you. Choose
the correct alternative.
Some useful terminology to be used in process are as follows:
to run a turbine to distill to powder

conveyor belt to condense to package
to pipe something to contract to ship
to heat something to power generators raw material
to cool something to expand ingredients
blasts of cold air to evaporate byproduct
furnace to add/mix/blend to apply pressure
slag a mixture/blend to apply heat
Process diagram summary

When describing a process diagram, most students have no problem describing the
stages in the process step by step. However, not many students are able to write a
good summary (or 'overview') of the process as a whole. The ‘public band
55
descriptors’ state that to achieve a band 6 or more for ‘task response’ the student
must provide an overview in a task 1. As there are no trends to comment on, you can
make a comment on, for example, the number of stages in the process and how it
begins and ends:
Overall, there are eight stages in the process, beginning with the digging up of clay and
culminating in delivery.
Note:
"
Manufacturing
✎Exercise 2.9.3
and natural
processes
can be either
circular or
linear
Look at the following natural process and write a report on it.
56
Processes
✎Exercise 2.9.4
The diagram below shows how coffee is produced and prepared for sale
in supermarkets and shops.
Write a summary paragraph for the above diagram.
57
✎Exercise 2.9.5
Choose the correct word or phrase.
The diagram shows the various stages in drive a gas turbine. The turbine in turn/
the production of clean energy from coal. afterwards/therefore powers a generator,
producing electricity. The gas turbine
First of all/At first/One, the coal is mined
also produces hot exhaust gases. These
in deep pits underground and then
are then/therefore/consequently piped to a
carried to the surface. Furthermore/After
heat recovery steam generator, which
that/As a result, it is carried along a
converts the heat into steam. The steam is
conveyor belt to a power plant when/
consequently/subsequent/subsequently
where/then it is burned in a large
used to power a steam turbine, which
furnace to which oxygen is added.
again is used to generate electricity.
Otherwise/From this/Therefore, raw
syngas is produced. At the next stage of The energy is clean because the harmful
the process harmful substances such as products are removed and the coal is not
carbon dioxide, mercury, and sulfur are transported to another site to produce
removed. Following that/Following/ electricity.
Subsequent, the purified gas is used to
58
Processes
✎Exercise 2.9.6
Look at the following diagram from Cambridge 8 and try to write a report on it.
Linear and circular processes:

Those processes in which there is a point of commencement and a point of termination
are called linear processes. These processes have an output which cannot, in turn,
produce the ingredients necessary to restart the process. Circular processes are those
processes which can continue non-stop. There is no point of commencement and no
point of termination.
There are several phrases you can use to make your paragraph more coherent:
1. At the first stage of this process …………
2. After ……………, in the next stage, …………
3. Following that, …………

4. Subsequently, ……………
5. At the next phase of this process, ……………
6. Finally/ ultimately, ……………
7. In turn
8. Consequently
59
✎Exercise 2.
The diagram below shows how salt is removed from sea water to make it
drinkable.
How to use the passive voice
When we describe an IELTS process, the focus is on the activities, NOT the person
doing them (especially in manufacturing processes). When this is the case, we use the
passive voice, not the active. This is a brief explanation of how to use the passive
voice, but if you are new or unsure about using it, you should do some further study
and practice.
Most sentences use this structure:

Subject + Verb + Object
(S) A large digger (V) digs up (O) the clay in the ground.
In the active voice (as above), the digger is doing the verb i.e. the digger is doing the
digging.
When we use the passive voice, we make the object (the clay) the subject, and make
the subject (the digger) the object. We also add in the verb ‘to be’ and the past
participle (or Verb 3).
(S) The clay in the ground (V) is dug up (O) by the digger.
60
Processes
So throughout most of your description for your IELTS process diagram, you should be
using the passive voice.
This is difficult as some verbs cannot take the passive. For example, 'to go' cannot be
passive, so it is kept in the active voice:
...the bricks go through a heating and cooling process.
This is why you need to make sure you practice the passive so you know exactly how
to use it.
Here is the same example description with uses of the passive highlighted:
Now let us take a look at how different passive tenses are formed:
Present Simple
am
………… is past participle…………
are
We are always divided into three teams by the coach.
The immigration rules and regulations are changed every September.
Your own example:

! ……………………………………………………………………………………………
!
Present'Continuous'
am'
…………' is' being' past'participle+'…………'
are'
!
The Beethoven’s 5th symphony is being played at the moment.
The measures are being taken smoothly.
Your own example:

……………………………………………………………………………………………
61
Past Simple
was
………… past participle+ …………
were
The trees were cut by the villagers to make room for new farms.
Jews were massacred by Nazis.
He was discriminated against because of his race.
Your own example:

……………………………………………………………………………………………
!
Past%Continuous%
was%
…………% being% past%participle+%…………%
were%
!
She was being taken to the hospital when I arrived there.
Your own example:
……………………………………………………………………………………
!
Present'Perfect'
have'
…………' been' past'participle+'…………'
has'
!
We have been forced into accepting whatever they say.
The mother has been diagnosed with AIDS.
Your own example:

……………………………………………………………………………………………
Past Perfect
…………had been past participle+ …………
He had been murdered when the police arrived at the premises.
She had been arrested four times before she was killed in a bank robbery.
62
Processes
Your own example:

……………………………………………………………………………………………
Modals
modal
………… be past participle+…………
verb
The substance can be kept in a cool environment.
She may be admitted at our university due to her excellent research background.
Your own example:

……………………………………………………………………………………………
Some advice
• Write the introduction by paraphrasing the question (rewrite it by
changing some of the words).
• For your summary, first say how many steps there are in the process.
Then say where/how the process begins and ends (look at the first and
last stages).
• Describe the process step by step. Include the first and last steps that
you mentioned in the summary, but try to describe them in more detail
or in a different way.
• You could describe the steps in one paragraph, but it looks more
organized if you break the description into two paragraphs. Just start
paragraph 4 somewhere in the middle of the process.
• Mention every stage in the process.
• Use 'sequencing' language e.g. at the first / second / following / final
stage of the process, next, after that, then, finally etc.
• Times (e.g. past dates) are not usually shown, so use the present
simple tense.
• It's usually a good idea to use the passive e.g. 'At the final stage, the
product is delivered to shops' (because we don't need to know who
delivered the product).
63
Academic IELTS Writing
Chapter 3
Maps
64
Maps
Unit 10
Describing a map
Types of maps
Generally there are two types of maps in the IELTS test. First, they may give us two
maps of the same place but in different times (e.g 1940, 2010). They ask us to right a
report on how this place had changed over time. Let’s call such maps diachronic.
Second, they give us one single map and ask us to describe two locations on them or
even compare them. Let’s call them synchronic maps.
How to write reports on maps

Diachronic maps
introduction Here you should state what the maps show.
body Start with the most obvious changes and then try to cover
all the changes.
conclusion State what the direction of change is (is the city more
modernized, has it turned to a tourist attraction/resort, etc.)
Synchronic maps
introduction Here you should state what the map shows.
body Compare the two points
conclusion Depending on what the purpose of those points are, give

an opinion about which one may serve our purpose better
Sample introductory sentence
The maps show the developments which took place in ...(the name of the town/
city).... between ...... and .......
The maps show the developments which ...... (the name of the town/city)......
experienced over a period of ...(the span of time).... years between ......
and .......
Sample conclusion sentence
Overall, a comparison of the two maps reveals a change from ..... to ......
65
Useful Vocabulary
When describing maps the following expressions can be handy:
(of trees) to be chopped, to be cut down, to be cleared, to make way for, to make
room for, to be felled
! to be planted
e.g. The trees north of the river were chopped down to make way for new skyscrapers.
(of buildings) to be demolished, to be erased, to be knocked down, to be cleared, to

be destroyed, to be pulled down
! to be put up, to spring up, to be constructed, to be built
e.g. The rows of houses were cleared to make room for a new factory.
(of roads, railway lines, rivers) to run, a stretch of, along, across
e.g. A new stretch of railway was built running directly north.
(developments) to experience dramatic change, to witness change, changes were

implemented, to be substituted with, to be converted into, to undergo change, to be
renovated
(geographical directions)
Nouns:north, north-east, north-west, south, south-east, south-west, east,
west
Adjectives: northern, north-eastern, north-western, southern, south-eastern,
south-western, eastern, western
Other adjectives: The northernmost/southernmost/easternmost/
westernmost tip/extremity/point of ...
e.g. The northernmost tip of the island is full of trees.
(of places) rural landscape, urban landscape, coastal town, tourist resort, marina,
harbor, warehouse, industrial zone/estate, campus, woodland, banks of a river,
seaside, shores of a lake
✎Exercise 3.10.1
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate form of the verbs in brackets.
1. The row of old houses ................. (knocked down) to make way for a road.
2. The forest ................. (cut down) to build a railway.
3. The area ................. (redeveloped) completely.
4. The factory ................. (converted) into an art gallery.
5. The city center ................. (undergo) a total transformation.
6. The row of old terrace houses in the city ................. (pull down) and .................
(replace) by a block of flats.
7. A sports complex ................. (construct) in the suburbs.
8. A number of spectacular changes ................. (take place)
9. The whole center of the town ................. (transform) by new developments.
66
Maps
Look at the map below:
Now look at the following example report:
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 was improved.
Four periods of development are shown on the map, and each of the
populated areas is near to 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.
67
🔔Spend some time analyzing it:
• In what order was the information described?

• What information was chosen for paragraphs 3 and 4?
• What good vocabulary does the essay contain?
✎Exercise 3.10.2
Now look at the following map and fill in the blanks.
houses experienced noticeable factories developments
comparison residential corner facilities construction
The maps show the developments which Only a few trees north of the river
took place in the coastal town of remained. The woodland was cleared to
Youngsville between 1980 and 2005. make way for a park, a golf course, and
car parking ................. Further
In 1980, the town was a much developments were the ................. of a
greener ................. area with a large stadium near the north-east .................
number of trees and individual houses, of the lake and a new stretch of railway
but during the next 25 years the from the river running directly north. A
town ................. a number of dramatic marina was also built at the mouth of the
changes. The most ................. is that all river.
of the trees south of the River Alanah Overall a ................. of the two maps
were cut down, with all the .................
reveals a change from a largely rural to a
along the railway line being knocked
mainly urban landscape.
down and replaced by skyscrapers.
Moreover, a new industrial estate
with ................ and warehouses sprang
up around the airport and school.
68
Maps
Now look at this example.
The two maps reveal several changes to Riversdale University Between 1973 and 2010.
By 2010, improvements had been made to service facilities. The nature reserve in the campus’s
south west in 1973 made way for a second car park adjacent to a new tram stop. The previous
car park located in the north-east corner had also been extended. In 2010, two bridges joined the
two parts of the campus, compared with only one in 1973. In addition, there was a relocation of
the student union building north of the existing sports centre.
There were also noticeable changes to the educational facilities. The library, which remained in
the centre of the campus, was extended. South of this, a large, new building became the shared
home of Law and Social Sciences. In the 37-year period, there were no changes to the Sciences,
Economics and Administration buildings. In contrast, Fine Arts no longer appeared to exist
and the Information Sciences Faculty took over this facility. A future plan includes the
building of a medical school by 2019.
Overall, by 2010, there was several new developments that showed an improvement to amenities
and reflected new trends in university studies.
69
Now look at these expressions from the report:

1 improvements had been made to ...
2 in the north-east corner of ...
3 a relocation of ...
4 to be adjacent to ...
5 to take over ...
Especial tenses
We can use past perfect (had+pp) to talk about events which took place before a
specific time in the past.
! By 2010, improvements had been made to service facilities.
! By 2005, The block of flats had been turned into a hotel.
Now take a looked at the previous map and see how past perfect was used to identify
changes.
Prepositions
✎Exercise 3.10.3
Choose the right preposition.
1 Several changes took place at/in/on the town of Northgate.

2 North of the town there is a lake surrounded in/of/by trees.
3 A number of new houses were built beside/at/on the railway line.
4 There was a large industrial area located in/on/at the north.
5 A new railway was constructed which ran from/at/in north to south.
6 Two new hotels were erected on/in/at the banks of the river.
7 A large number of new villas were built beside/at/to the sea.
8 A yachting club was set up on/in/at the shores of the lake.
9 20 new wind turbines were placed in the sea, just off/on/to the coastline.
70

IELTS Writing

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

IELTS Writing

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

IELTS Writing Compact

! ! ! Verbs and nouns show the direction of change.

Compare these sentences:

List one: Verbs

rise decline oscillate stay constant

go up go down be erratic stay static

improve drop vacillate level oﬀ/out

pick up fall (back) be unpredictable maintain the same level

climb decrease fluctuate reach a plateau

increase reduce plateau (v)

boom plunge stabilize

leap slump hold steady

shoot (up) plummet

soar go into a nosedive

How to use “by” and “to”:

Let us use these figures:

Now compare these sentences:

List two: Nouns

- London saw a significant increase in the cost of homes. (noun)

- There was a 7% fall in the average house price in Tokyo. (noun)

List three: Adjectives

a high degree of a medium degree of a low degree of

steep steady slight

sharp progressive insignificant

significant constant negligible

a high degree of a medium degree of a low degree of

surge breakdown fluctuate remain steady trend

5 The amount of energy used ..................... throughout the first nine

6 Sales ..................... in September, hitting a low for the year.

7 There was a gradual ..................... in profits over last year.

10 The chart provides a ..................... of the number of passenger miles

List four: Adverbs

a high degree of a medium degree of a low degree of

steeply steadily slightly

sharply progressively insignificantly

significantly constantly negligibly

a high degree of a medium degree of a low degree of

Look at the following picture and check the vocabulary used:

1 Sales figures dropped sharply/suddenly/gradually in April 2007.

How to change adjective+noun structures to verb+ adverbs:

• There is/was/has been + a/an+ (adverb) + adjective + noun

! ! ! The number of attendees rose dramatically.! !

• There are/were/have been + (adverb) + adjective + noun

There ............................................ the number of people owning mobile phones

3 The amount of time spent on leisure activities fell slightly in 2008.

2008 saw ................................ the amount of time spent on leisure activities.

4 Newspaper circulation during 1990s fluctuated considerably.

There ................................. newspaper circulation during the 1990s.

1 How to make comparisons

the+ adjective+ -est: The fastest means of communication is emailing.

as many …… as: As many females as males chose the computer.

Look at the following examples:

! a More females ...................... males chose the bicycle.

slightly more/less …… than ……

considerably more/less …… than ……

many more …… than ……

significantly fewer + count nouns

far fewer/more +count nouns

much more/less + adjective

quite as many ........ as .......

1 Slightly more women than men voted for the bicycle.

1. ........................ monthly profit began higher than that of ........................