IN THIS UNIT YOU WILL

LEARN HOW TO
• select key features of different types of graph, chart
and table in order to describe them accurately
• use suitable verbs, adjectives and adverbs
to describe trends in different ways
• compare different graphs or
information in the same graph .ce•
and write a summary of
the main features.

I LEAD·IN I @ In Writing Part 1, you could be

given graphs/charts or tables to
[Qiia Look at these examples of the types of diagram you might encounter in write about, so it is important to
the IELTS exam. Then label the diagrams with words from the box. be very familiar with this kind of
vocabulary.
row line graph bar chart column horizontal axis key title
bar pie chart segment table vertical axis line
4
500 ./
-/ 6
400 �

,------=��lliiiiii::_=-_-±____ 300 _,_

=I
-
20,000 111
0
--
�
2 15,000 -t--"'�-----\, v, 200 -- �

100 -- --
�
� 10,000 �---------..:::::::::::::::;::;;:;:::=::::::;;;;:;:::;:;;:::;.___ -
5,000------------------- -- - - = -
Chocolate Vanilla Strawberry
Ice-cream sellers
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
• arpo Chico .,,._Gro uch o
1 __l_in_e.,,..rg _a..__ph__
Years
3 _____ ----·-·--------1-----, _ _ _ _ _ _
5 7 ------------

8 ____________ Favourite type of movie Keyword Visits Avg. Time %New Bounce
on Site Visits Rate
comedy: 4 (20%) 1 idealist 33,103 00:10:05 19.84% 12.73%
2 idealist.erg 27,105 00:11:07 21.26% 12.26%
3 volunteer 12,908 00:03:35 84.76% 53.31%
drama: 1 (5%) 4 volunteer work 6,721 00:02:42 90.55% 59.75%
5 volunteerine:.ore: 5.363 00:03:20 86.41% 61.78%
6 non profit jobs 5,203 00:09:04 47.01% 18.68%
action: 5 (25%) www.idealist.org 4,733 00:10:45 15.63% 12.57%
8 volunteering 3,645 00:03:15 87.46% 56.24%
13
9 idealist.com 3,341 00:10:39 31.94% 14.43%
10
11
nonprofit jobs 2,865 00:08:35
-
12
37.38% 15.78%
I SELECTING KEY FEATURES I
� Study these graphs and make notes about their main features -
use questions 1-12 to help you. World's most expensive cities (2015)
How much can you buy for one million dollars?
so-.-���������������-
1 What does the title say the graph is about?
� 4 -t-����������-==-���­
2 What does the vertical axis describe? 0
a,
c.
3 What does the horizontal axis describe? � 30-1-����������
4 What do the columns/bars represent?
5 Which is the tallest and shortest bar?
e
·;:
20-1----­

6 How do the bars compare to one another? � 10

·;;..
� 0
Monaco Hong Kong London New York Singapore
Home ownership rates in selected European countries Cities
120

100
7 What does the title say the graph is about?
(I)
80
8 What does the vertical axis describe?
a, 60 9 What does the horizontal axis describe?
40 10 What do the highest/lowest points of the line show?
11 What is the general trend of the line?
20 12 Are there any sharp decreases or increases?
0
Romania Italy UK France Germany Switzerland
Countries
Average house size in selected countries

•
•
Canada

USA
13 What does the title say the graph is about?

•
Australia
14 What do the segments represent?

•
Hong Kong
15 Which is the largest/smallest segment?
16 Are some segments similar in size? Japan

Average house size in selected European countries

Country Size
United Kingdom 76m2
17 What does the title say about the table?
France 112 m2 18 How many columns are there? What do they represent?
Denmark 137m2 19 Which country has the biggest average house size?
Germany 109m2 20 Which country has the smallest average house size?
21 Which countries have a similar average house size?
Italy 61m2
Spain 97m2
Greece 126m2

UNIT 01 / WRITING m
 I USING ACCURATE DATA I @ It is very important that the
information you provide in your
� The sample answer describes the pie chart and table in exercise 2. answer accurately reflects the
Rewrite the sample answer, correcting any errors in data. information given in the text.

tion about the average house

The pie chart and table provide informa
pie chart, the Australians have the
_............,___si_ z_e _ wo= rldwide.. According to the
1 ________ being 214 m2 • This is perhaps
most space with the average house size
nd largest houses are in
because it is such a large country. The seco2
g 201 m The country with the
___c_a=nada with the average size bein
•

2 -------- ences being an average

smallest houses is Hong Kong, with resid
of just 45 m-2.
age house size in all.------,.----1- 4 ------- -
In comparison, the table illustrates the aver
--------

and Italy have the smallest

European countries. The United Kingdom
largest. The average house
houses and Denmark and Greece have the
2
size in Denmark is 137 m •
hs, it is easily apparent that
In conclusion, when comparing the two grap
in non- European countries.
____h_ou _ s_ es_ in Europ_e_are much smaller than
5 _
_______ and lialy_ has the smallest. ------ 6 ________
Overall, Australia has the biggest houses
country.
This is most probably due to the size of each

@H:a Did the writer make any other errors, not related to data? If so, what were they?

I DESCRIBING TRENDS I
� ;;;;,�1::: ��;ords with the missing letters. Can you think of any more words for
g

1 Rise 7 Fall 14 Maintain

2 In 8 Deer 15 Remain
3 Cl 9 16 Stay
4 Go 10 God � ,/'
--
� - .
5 Ro 11 Plu � ::"/:·:�.,...���:,\
6 12 Plun
13

� Answer these questions.

1 Which of the verbs in the boxes are used todescr'1be a sudden increase?
.
2 Wh ·ich of the verbs in the boxes are used todescribe a sudden decrease?
� When using these verbs, it is important that you also consider the tense used.
Look at this example.
The number of young people buying property plummet last year. �
The number of young people buying property plummeted last year. II'
Complete the sentences using the verb in brackets in the correct tense. There may be
more than one correct form of the verb.
1 Last year house prices _______ (rise) by 5%.
2 Monaco's property market (remain) stable.
3 The line graph illustrates that since 2010 home ownership _______
(decrease).
4 House prices _______ (go up) next year.
5 In Ireland, property prices (rocket) substantially this year.

I USEFUL ADVERBS AND ADJECTIVES I

Once you know the common verbs used to
describe charts and graphs, it is important to
add adverbs and adjectives to your sentences in
order to demonstrate your range of vocabulary.

I USEFUL ADJECTIVES I
Adjectives can be used to demonstrate your range of vocabulary. Adjectives describe nouns and
usually come before the noun.
Note: these verbs are also commonly used as nouns.

to rise/ a rise to fall I a fall to decrease/ a decrease

to increase/ an increase to drop I a drop to dip/ a dip
to decline/ a decline to peak I a peak

� Complete the table with the adjectives from the box.

Make sure you know how to spell
slight modest significant dramatic these adjectives correctly as it is
stable steady* substantial unchanged* common for students to make
errors with these.
*These adjectives usually go after the noun.
Big change Small change Gradual or no change

UNIT 01 WRITING
� Complete the sentences using adjectives from the box in exercise 8 and following the prompts
in the brackets. More than one answer may be possible.
1 Over the last year, Hong Kong has experienced a _______ (big) rise-in house prices.
2 There has been a _______ (gradual) increase in the number of young people
buying houses.
3 The rental market has seen a _______ (small) decrease over the last six months.
4 The graph illustrates that the rental market is (no change) at the moment.

I USEFUL ADVERBS I
Adverbs describe how something happens and usually follow a verb.
@ For example:
1 Last year house prices rose significantly.
2 Last year house prices rose slightly.
3 Last year house prices rose steadily.

� Match sentences 1-3 with graphs A-C.

6
�
_
[!] 2-:_.____ [[14
3
4
2
2
1

0 0
2014 2015 2016 2014 2015 2014 2015

� Complete the table using the adverbs from the box.

Make sure you know how to
spell these adverbs correctly
eonsiderabl� consistently sharply gradually moderately
as it is common for students to
substantially dramatically slowly rapidly
make errors with them.

Big change Small change Gradual change Quick change

significantly slightly steadily quickly
considerably

[!gD Complete the sentences using the adverbs from exercise 11 and following the prompts
in the brackets. More than one answer may be possible.
1 Home ownership has decreased _______ (big) over the last five years.
2 Property prices have increased (small) over the last six months.
3 The property market is growing (gradual) in this area.
4 Interest rates have increased (quick) recently.
 PART 1: DESCRIBING TRENDS ]
� Look at the trends illustrated by the graphs and charts.
Discuss them with a partner using the language you have learnt in this lesson.

Average house prices in London

0900,000
800,000
700,000
600,000 - ..

; 500,000
g
Q.
400,000
300,000 -
200,000
100,000
0 I I I I I I I I
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Years

r:,
-
House price change in Dubai House price change in Hong Kong
-
L.:.J ::-+-1---.��������������
02015
-
2014 -
20
'$.
0 �....i.--,.......,........s;;.....i..--1,,;;.....:..----=--==--.........-.
2013
-
..,
c:
41
� 2012
-
�41 -20-1-�-1-:,1-�����������-
c..
2011
-
2010
-
2009
2008
-
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 -2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Percent%
Years

Match descriptions 1-3 with the graphs and charts A-C, then complete the first gap in
each sentence with the correct country name.
1 Since 2008, house prices in _______ have fluctuated heavily.
In 2008 prices by just over 40% and then _______
to-40%.
2 Since 2008, house price increases in _______ have _______
under 11% each year. In 2008 prices reached a _______ , with a
_______ of just over 10%.
3 Since 2010, house prices in have _______ . In 2009,
prices , by almost £100,000, but again
rapidly in 2010 to approximately £600,000.

� Complete the sentences in exercise 14 using the words and phrases in the box.

decreased substantially increased steadily remained peak rise

plummeted dramatically went up fluctuatee went up

UNIT 01/ WRITING m

 EXAM SKILLS]
� Use the information and language from this lesson to answer this Writing Part 1 task.
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
Do not give your
The chart below gives information about how people aged 25-34 are housed in the UK. opinion, just the facts.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting on the main features,
and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

How people aged 25-34 are housed in the UK

an introduction and
conclusion in your
answer.

50

40
....c:
Cl>
Cl>
Q.

30

20

10

0
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Years
• Home Owners
• Renters