IELTS Academic Writing Task 1. Graphs

A graph is a type of visual representation of certain numerical information. On IELTS, graphs show the relation between two sets of data, usually for several categories. If the graphs in your task illustrate a period in the past, you can use either the past tense or the present to describe a graph, but it’s an absolute must that you use only one of these tenses throughout your writing piece. However, if the graphs depict future trends as well, you should also use the future tense along with other ways of expressing the future.

At the planning stage, you need to identify:

• what the horizontal and vertical axes present;
• if you can group some categories based on their similarity;
• the most noticeable trends and details for each category;
• the most striking similarities and differences between categories.

Here’s how you can organize a report based on information illustrated in graphs (with three alternative options for organizing the main body depending on the number of graphs):

1. Introduction: in the first paragraph of your essay, restate the topic of the task in your own words and explain what information is represented by the graphs.
2. Main body: 
• for two line graphs: you can break the main body into two to three paragraphs based on time periods. In this case, discuss the developments of the two line graphs in every period of time, including their starting points, rises and falls, stable periods and fluctuations.
• for two to four line graphs: you can break the main body into two to three paragraphs. In the first paragraph you should describe the main features of the graphs, like rising or falling trends. In the second and third paragraphs, talk about the categories in more detail, supporting your words with numbers.
• for five or more line graphs: if you can, group the categories based on their similarities. Talk about every category/group of categories in separate paragraphs, beginning with common trends and moving on to important developments and details. (This approach could also work for three line graphs; in this case, there’s no need to group them. Otherwise, follow the above-mentioned guidelines).
3. Conclusion: compare the most prominent features across the categories.

Sample task

The graph below gives information about the proportions of three age groups in the USA from 1900 to 2000.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

Sample answer

The graph shows how the population age structure of Americans over 20 years old changed between 1900 and 2000.

20 to 44-year-olds is the dominant age group throughout this period. From 38% in 1900, the group showed a gradual increase until 1910. After that it remained relatively stable until 1940, the year which started a substantial fall. From 1970 the group percentage picked up sharply until it peaked in 1990, but then there was a downturn, to 36% in 2000.

The proportion of 45 to 64-year-olds increased steadily, starting with 15% and finishing with 22% in 2000. Although it dropped slightly in 1990, overall there was a steady rise.

The age group representing people aged 65 years old and over began with 4%, rising to 15% in 1990. It then evened out and maintained this level until 2000.

All in all, despite the fact that the group of US citizens aged 20 to 44 years old has seen significant fluctuations in number, it remained the largest of the three. However, the other two groups rose noticeably, each of them up by over 10% in 2000.