Describing a Graph Over Time

This lesson explains how to describe a line graph or bar chart for IELTS task 1 that is over time. This uses an example of a bar chart, but it will be the same for a line graph. When you get a chart or graph to describe, it is always important to check whether there is a time frame or not. If there is, you will need to use the language of change. However, it is not enough just to describe the changes of each element (ActiveX, Java and Net in this case) on their own and ignore how they relate to each other. Look at the question you are asked to compare the data as well. So you must also compare the elements where relevant in your IELTS task 1. You must also group datatogether to make sure you have a well organized and coherent answer. To do this, you need to look for similarities and differences when you first analyze the graph for IELTS task 1, and decide what can be logically put together or not. Now look at the bar chart below and read the IELTS task 1 model answer. The bar chart shows the number of times per week (in 1000s), over five weeks, that three computer packages were downloaded from the internet. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

Model Answer The bar chart illustrates the download rate per week of ActiveX, Java and Net computer packages over a period of five weeks. It can clearly be seen that ActiveX was the most popular computer package to download, whilst Net was the least popular of the three. To begin, ActiveX and Java showed a similar pattern, with both gradually increasing from week 1 to week 5. However, the purchases of Active X remained significantly higher than for the other product over this time frame. In week 1, purchases of ActiveX stood at around 75,000, while those for Java were about 30,000 lower. With the exception of a slight fall in week 4, downloading of ActiveX kept increasing until it reached a peak in the final week of just over 120,000. Java also increased at a steady rate, finishing the period at 80,000. The product that was downloaded the least was Net. This began at slightly under 40,000, and, in contrast to the other two products, fell over the next two weeks to reach a low of approximately 25,000. It then increased sharply over the following two weeks to finish at about 50,000, which was well below that of ActiveX. (Words 197)

Language of Change

As you can see, there are several examples of this in the graph, so it is important to learn how to use these correctly in order to successfully write an IELTS task 1 chart over time. Here are some examples: gradually increasing a slight fall kept rising reached a peak increased at a steady rate fell increased sharply a low of finish at stood at finishing the period at You will need to practice this type of language, and also make sure you know a variety of structures to get a better score if you keep repeating the same kind of phrases this will show you have a more limited range of lexis and grammar.

Making Comparisons
In IELTS task 1, you must also compare the data as you are asked to do in the rubric. If you just write about what happened to ActiveX, what happened to Java, and what happened to Net, without showing any relationship between them, this wont be enough. Here are some examples of where comparisons are made between the products in the IELTS task 1 graph, and the language of comparison is highlighted in black: It can clearly be seen that ActiveX was the most popularcomputer package to download, whilst Net was the least popular of the three ActiveX and Java showed a similar trend, with bothgradually increasing from week 1 to week 5 However, the purchases of Active X remained significantlyhigher than for the other product over this time frame. In week 1, purchases of ActiveX stood at around 75,000,while those for Java were about 30,000 lower Java also increased at a steady rate, finishing the period at 80,000 The product that was downloaded the least was Net. This began at slightly under 40,000, and, in contrast to the other two products, fell over the next two weeks

It then increased sharply over the following two weeks to finish at about 50,000, which was well below that of ActiveX

Grouping the Data

It is a good idea to divide your answer into paragraphs so it is well organized. To do this, you should group similar things together into paragraphs or sections. If you look at the chart, you will see that ActiveX and Java have a similar pattern, both steadily increasing over the period (apart from the slight fall of ActiveX in week 4), so these could be put together: To begin, ActiveX and Java showed a similar trend, with both gradually increasing from week 1 to week 5. However, the purchases of Active X remained significantly higher than for the other product over this time frame. In week 1, purchases of ActiveX stood at around 75,000, while those for Java were about 30,000 lower. With the exception of a slight fall in week 4, downloading of ActiveX kept rising until it reached a peak in the final week of just over 120,000. Java also increased at a steady rate, finishing the period at 80,000. On the other hand, Net is the lowest and it has a different pattern falling and then rising again. So this could be described in another paragraph: The product that was downloaded the least was Net. This began at slightly under 40,000, and, in contrast to the other two products, fell over the next two weeks to a low of approximately 25,000. It then increased sharply over the following two weeks to finish at about 50,000, which was well below that of ActiveX. There is usually more than one way to group the data for an IELTS task 1, so this needs to be your decision. As long as it is logical and makes your answer easy to follow and read, this should be ok.

The pie charts illustrate the primary reasons that people came to and left the UK in 2007. At first glance it is clear that the main factor influencing this decision was employment. Having a definite job accounted for 30 per cent of immigration to the UK, and this figure was very similar for emigration, at 29%. A large number of people, 22%, also emigrated because they were looking for a job, though the proportion of people entering the UK for this purpose was noticeably lower at less than a fifth. Another major factor influencing a move to the UK was for formal study, with over a quarter of people immigrating for this reason. However, interestingly, only a small minority, 4%, left for this. The proportions of those moving to join a family member were quite similar for immigration and emigration, at 15% and 13% respectively. Although a significant number of people (32%) gave other reasons or did not give a reason why they emigrated, this accounted for only 17% with regards to immigration. 173 words _________________________________________

As you can see, the pie chart description is easy to follow. Here are some key points in organizing your answer.

Choose the most important points to write about first

These will be the largest ones. As you can see in the model answer,definite job, looking for work, and formal study were all written about first, in order of importance, as these are the main reasons that were chosen for moving. Items such as other are usually less important and account for small amounts, so can be left till the end.

Make it easy to read

When you write a task 1, you should always group information in a logical way to make it easy to follow and read. With an IELTS pie chart, the most logical thing to do is usually tocompare categories together across the charts, focusing on similarities and differences, rather than writing about each chart separately. If you write about each one separately, the person reading it will have to keep looking between the paragraphs in order to see how each category differs.

Vary your language

As with any task 1, this is important. You should not keep repeating the same structures. The key language when you write about pie charts is proportions and percentages. Common phrases to see are "the proportion of" or "the percentage of" However, you can also use other words and fractions. These are some examples from the model answer: A large number of people over a quarter of people a small minority A significant number of people less than a fifth This table presents some examples of how you can change percentages to fractions or ratios:

Percentage 80% 75% 70% 65% 60% 55% 50% 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5%

Fraction four-fifths three-quarters seven in ten two-thirds three-fifths more than half half more than two fifths two-fifths more than a third less than a third a quarter a fifth less than a fifth one in ten one in twenty

Practice these phrases in a quiz If the percentages are not exact as above, then you can usequalifiers to make sure your description remains accurate. Here are some examples:

Percentage 77% 77% 49% 49% 32%

Qualifier just over three quarters approximately three quarters just under a half nearly a half almost a third

This table presents some examples of how you can change percentages to other phrases:

Percentage 75% - 85%

proportion / number / amount / majority / minority a very large majority

65% - 75% 10% - 15% 5%

a significant proportion a minority a very small number

Practice these phrases in a quiz

The words above are interchageable, though number is forcountable nouns and amount is for uncountable nouns. Follow this link to the writing pages to see another IELTS pie chart:

Process

What is an IELTS Process Diagram?

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.

A process will have a number of stages that are in time order. So you should start at the beginning, and describe each stage through to the last one. In the example above, this is fairly clear. It begins with the digging of the clay, and ends with delivery. Processes are not always this clear, and you may have to look more carefully to spot the beginning, and there may also be two things happening at the same time. So it is important that you look at other sample processes to get a good understanding of how they can vary.

Introduce the Diagram

As with any task 1, you can begin by paraphrasing the rubric: The diagram explains the way in which bricks are made for the building industry. As you can see, this has been taken from the question, but it has not been copied. You need to write it in your own words.

Highlight the main points

An IELTS process diagram is different to 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. The public band 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 itbegins and ends: Overall, there are eight stages in the process, beginning with the digging up of clay and culminating in delivery.

Giving the detail

Now you need to explain the IELTS process diagram, and there are two key aspects of language associated with this: Time Connectors 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): 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. These connectors are the same you would use to write a graph over time when you explain a series of changes.

These are some common IELTS process diagram connectors:

To begin Following this Next Then After After that Before** Subsequently Finally

** If you use before, this means that you will be mentioning a later stage before an earlier stage, so you need to use it carefully. If you can use it properly though, it will get noticed. 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. The Passive When we describe an IELTS process, the focus is on the activities, NOT the person doing them. 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.

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. Also, as you will see from the description, it is more usual to to comment on who or what is doing the action so the 'by...." phrase is excluded. Here is the same example description with uses of the passive highlighted: To begin, the clay (which is) used to make the bricks is dug up from the ground by a large digger. This clay is thenplaced 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.

Varying your Language

Sometimes it may be appropriate just to use the same language that you are given in the IELTS process diagram to describe it, but you should try to vary it. You may be able to use nouns from the diagram as your verbs. For example, the noun packaging in stage seven becomes: Finally, the bricks are packed Follow this link from the model task 1 pages to see a full IELTS process diagram model answer for this process.

Take a look at the question and the graph:

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The line graph shows visits to and from the UK from 1979 to 1999, and the bar graph shows the most popular countries visited by UK residents in 1999. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

These are the steps you need to take to describe a bar and line graph together (or any two graphs) that may differ slightly from when you describe one graph.

Introduction
When you state what the graph shows, mention both of them. Here is a sample first sentence of the introduction: The line graph illustrates the number of visitors in millions from the UK who went abroad and those that came to the UK between 1979 and 1999, while the bar chart shows which countries were the most popular for UK residents to visit in 1999. Remember to write this in your own words and not to copy from the question. Next you need to mention the key points from the graph. When you do this, mention the most interesting things from each: Overall, it can be seen that visits to and from the UK increased, and that France was the most popular countryto go to.

Body Paragraphs
If there are two graphs and a lot of information, you will have to be careful not to describe everything as you may then have too much information. Also, the examiner is looking to see that you can select the important things and not describe every single detail. So the key skill when you have two graphs is being able to pick out the important information or summarize things in a concise way, otherwise you will end up writing too much and probably run out of time. Here is an example description for the bar and line graph: To begin, the number of visits abroad by UK residents was higher than for those that came to the UK, and this remained so throughout the period. The figures started at a similar amount, around 10 million, but visits abroad increased significantly to over 50 million, whereas the number of overseas residents rose steadily to reach just under 30 million. By far the most popular countries to visit in 1999 were France at approximately 11 million visitors, followed by Spain at 9 million. The USA, Greece, and Turkey were far less popular at around 4, 3 and 2 million visitors respectively. As you can see, the first paragraph discusses the line graph, and the second the bar chart.

You will not usually need to mix up the descriptions. This will only make things complicated and difficult to follow. Writing about the first one and then the second one is ok. As with any task 1, you will need to make sure you use the right language, make comparisons, and group data appropriately. Follow this link to view the full graph with its model answer.

Vocabulary for Describing Graph Trends

Word Part of Speech Example Sentence Total verb: to increase, is expenditureincreased from increasing, has increased, $33,611m to $39,165m from increased 1995 to 1996. noun: an increase of$5,554m an increase in spending of $5,554m verb: to decrease, is decreasing, has decreased, decreased decrease noun: a decrease of0.7% a decrease in spending of 0.7% From 1995 to 1996 there was an increase inexpenditure of $5,554m. Expenditure on primary education decreasedfrom 22.2% to 21.5% from 1995 to 1996. From 1995 to 1996 there was a decrease inexpenditure of 0.7%.

increase

rise

Total expenditure rosefrom verb: to rise, is rising, has $33,611m to $39,165m from risen, rose 1995 to 1996. noun: a rise of $5,554m a rise in spending of $5,554m From 1995 to 1996 there was a rise in expenditure of $5,554m.

fall

Expenditure on primary verb: to fall, is falling, has education fell from 22.2% to fallen, fell 21.5% from 1995 to 1996. noun: a fall of 0.7% a fall in spending of 0.7% From 1995 to 1996 there was a fall in expenditure of 0.7%.

drop

verb: to drop, is dropping, Expenditure on primary has dropped, dropped education dropped from

22.2% to 21.5% from 1995 to 1996. noun: a drop of 0.7% a drop in spending of 0.7% After an introductory clause that includes some analysis; e.g. 'Spending rose in all three years', an '_ing' form can be used to describe numbers and dates. From 1995 to 1996 there was a drop inexpenditure of 0.7%. Spending rose in all three years, increasing from 17.6% to 18% from 1995 to 1996, and then risingagain to 18.2% in 1997-8.

-ing forms

Lesson 8: Compare and Contrast Language for graphs

The purpose of this lesson is to introduce you to compare and contrast language which is needed to write about graphs. To begin, take a look at the graph below. 1. Which country has the highest level of pollution? 2. Which country has the lowest?

The country with the higest level of pollution is USA and the country with the lowest is New Zealand.

Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

Being able to compare and contrast data is an essential skill for IELTS writing, especially in Task 1. Comparatives and superlatives are one common way to do this. Comparatives are used to compare two things: Leopards are faster than tigers. Superlatives are used to compare one thing against a group of others: The leopard is the largest of the four big cats. Here are the basics of how they are formed: Example Comparative Superlative Word Words with one syllable high higher more productive less productive wealthy wealthier the highest the most productive the least productive the wealthiest the hottest the best

Words with three syllables or more

productive

Words ending in y

Short words ending with a hot consonant/vowel/consonant Irregular good

hotter better

Other Important Language

Comparatives and superlatives are useful to compare and contrast, but they won't be enough.

Here are some other useful words and structures: Transitions 1. The Middle East produces high levels of oil; however, Japan produces none. 2. The USA produces large amounts of natural gas. In contrast, South Korea produces none. 3. European countries make great use of solar power. On the other hand, most Asian countries us this method of power generation very little. Subordinating Conjunctions 1. The Middle East produces high levels of oil, whereas / whileJapan produces none. 2. Whereas / While the Middle East produces high levels of oil, Japan produces none. 3. Although the Middle East produced 100 tons oil, Japan produced none. Other Structures 1. Developing countries are more reliant on alternative energy production than developed countries. 2. Solar power accounts for far less of the total energy production than gas or coal does. 3. Hydropower is not as efficient as wind power. 4. Like Japan, South Korea does not produce any natural gas. 5. The Middle East produces twice as much oil as Europe. 6. Western countries consume three times more oil than the Middle East. 7. Russia consumes slightly more oil than Germany. 8. The UAE produced the same amount of oil as Saudi Arabia.

Using Approximate Data

When you compare and contrast, you also need to learn phrases so you can refer to data that is not exact. For example:

7.1 65.6

just over 7 million tonnes approximately 7 million tonnes nearly 70 million tonnes

almost 70 million tonnes

Compare and Contrast Language Practice

Look at the table below. What is being compared?

Natural Gas Consumption and Production, 2001 Consumption* Country The USA The United Kingdom The Former Soviet Union The UAE Australia Japan New Zealand South Korea China 588.9 86.1 7.1 30.0 19.1 68.6 4.9 18.9 24.3 500.0 97.3 0.4 35.9 28.0 0 5.1 0 25.0 *in millions of tonnes Production*

Lesson 9: IELTS Graphs A common mistake

Look carefully at the IELTS graphs below and their titles. Underneath each is a brief descriptive sentence about the graphs. What is wrong with them?

From 1975 to 2000, hamburgers increased dramatically from 10 to 100 times per year. At the same time, fish and chips fell significantly to just under 40.

While buses fell from just over 25% to around 16% in 2000, cars increased dramatically to over 35%. Meanwhile, bikes fell over this time frame.

Did you find what the errors were? Can hamburgers increase and fish and chips fall? Can a car increase, or a bus and a bike fall? No, but the consumption of hamburgers or fish and chips can fall or rise, and the use of a car, bike or bus can increase or decrease. There are a number of ways that the sentences in the IELTS graphs could have been written correctly, but here are some possibilities: From 1975 to 2000, the consumption of hamburgers increased dramatically from 10 to 100 times per year. At the same time, the number of times that fish and chips were eaten fell significantly to just under 40. While bus usage fell from just over 25% to around 16% in 2000, cars as a mode of travel increased dramatically to over 35%. Meanwhile, the use of bikes fell over this time frame.

Check your subject

When you are analysing your task 1 before you write about it, lookvery carefully to identify what the subject is i.e. what is it exactly that is being measured? A common mistake when writing about IELTS graphs in task 1 of the test is to get the subject wrong. The first graph is about the consumption of fast foods. The second graph is about the use of four types of transport. Getting this wrong will significantly detract from your response to the task.

Practice
Below are some examples of sentences taken from IELTS graphs where the subject is wrong. At the end of the sentence in brackets is a word which is missing. Have a go at writing the corrected sentence in the box using the word (you may have to add in some more information such as 'the number of' or change the form of the missing word).

There are different ways that it can be corrected, but view some possible answers by clicking on the link below each question.

Practice
Look at the IELTS table that you looked at above and answer the questions that follow:

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The following table gives statistics showing the aspects of quality of life in five countries. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information in the table below.

You should write at least 150 words.

Table: The Quality of Life in Four Countries Country GNP per head (1982: US dollars) 140 570 690 580 13160 Daily calorie supply per head 1877 2086 2950 2296 3653 Life Infant expectancy at mortality (per birth (years) 1000 live births 40 132 50 124 56 97 49 87 74 12

Bangladesh Bolivia Egypt Indonesia USA

What is the table measuring? What type of language do you need to use (Change? Comparing and contrasing?) What tense would you use? Which country has the best quality of life and which has the worst? What information could you use for an overview / conclusion?

How could you group the information? How many paragraphs would you have and what you would write about in each one?

Making a Plan
You should always ask yourself these kind of questions before you write your task one. You can then use the answer to these questions to make yourself a quick plan. Here are some notes made by a student during the planning stage:

Topic standard of living, 5 countries Language comparison Time / tense 1982 = past Overview USA far higher Groups USA = highest Egypt, Indo, Bol = similar Bangladesh = very low

Now, take a look at this IELTS table model answer and notice how the organization matches the plan. The groups chosen that are similar are grouped together into paragraphs. The language is focused on the language of comparison and contrast as the table is not over time. The compare and contrast structures have been highlighted so you can see how they are used. Is it similar to the way you would have organized the information? Sample Answer The table uses four economic indicators to show the standard of living in five selected countries in 1982. Overall, it can be seen that the quality of life in the USA was far higher than the other four countries.

To begin, the USA, which is a developed country, had the highestGNP at 13,160 dollars per head. It also had a much higher daily calorie intake and life expectancy, and the lowest rate of infant mortality. The other developing countries had quality of life ratings that weresignificantly lower. The range of indicators for Egypt, Indonesia and Bolivia were similar, with Egypt having the highest quality of life amongst the three. However, the infant mortality rate in Egypts was slightly higher than Indonesias at 97 deaths per 1000compared to 78 in Indonesia. Bangladesh had by far the lowest quality of life in all the indicators. Its GNP was one hundred times smaller than the USAs. Its calorie intake and life expectancy were about half those of the USA, and its infant mortality rate was 10 times greater. Words 178