Level 4

IELTS Writing Task 1

Task 1 – Temporal Graphs Task 1 on the IELTS exam requires you to transfer information from a chart into a written report. You need to be able to give a clear interpretation of the data in the chart. You need to produce a report that gives an introduction and a body paragraph for each of the data sources. In this section you will:

practice identifying trends in a bar/line chart

practice writing about changes in a bar/line chart

To get a band 5 or 5.5 in IELTS, you need to:-

• write an overview

• describe the main information in the chart(s) correctly

• make some comparisons

• organise your writing in a clear and logical way

• use some good linking words

• use suitable vocabulary with good range, spelling and correct word forms

• have some simple sentences, some compound sentences (using linking words like and

& but), and some complex sentences (e.g. …., which was the highest figure in the

period, …, after which…)

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Temporal Graphs Graph A Graph B Directions - Look at the graphs above and answer the questions below. 1. Is Graph A a line graph or a bar chart?

2. Is Graph B a line graph or a bar chart?

3. Do both graphs show the same information?

4. When is the information in the graphs about?

5. Is this in the past, present or future?

6. What do the numbers in the graphs show?

7. Were the tourists from or going to the three European countries, France, Germany and Italy?

8. Do the graphs show information about one point in time or more than one point in time?

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Tourists Visiting Three European Countries in 2008

Sentence Types

Two of the main sentence types for this kind of writing are those using verb/adverb and adjective/noun combinations. Directions - Look at the chart on the number of tourists visiting three European countries in 2008 and fill in the gaps below with the correct countries. 1. The number of tourists in _____________________ increased dramatically in October. 2. The number of tourists in _____________________ dropped steadily from January to June. 3. There was a dramatic increase in the number of tourists in ____________________ in October. 4. There was a steady drop in the number of tourists in _____________________ from January to June.

Directions - Which of these 4 sentences use verb/adverb and which use adjective/noun? Circle the verb/adverb and adjective/noun combinations and match them with sentence type (A) or (B) below. (A) Sentences using verbs of change subject + verb + adverb + other important details (B) Sentences using nouns of change there + be verb + article + adjective + noun + in + noun + other important details

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800

900

January March May July September

Nu

mb

er

of

To

uri

sts

(in

T

ho

usan

ds)

Month

France

Germany

Italy

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Key vocabulary

Directions - Write the present and past tense of the verbs, and the adjectives of the adverbs.

Nouns Present tense verbs

Past tense verbs

Adverbs Adjectives

START POINT

- begin at - -

- stand at - -

- start at - -

UP rise rapidly

increase dramatically

climb sharply

- go up gradually

DOWN

fall steadily

decrease moderately

decline slowly

drop slightly

- go down

SAME

- remain constant

- -

- stay the same - -

no change - -

UP and DOWN

fluctuation upwards downwards

peak - -

plateau - -

Introductory Verbs Others

show around just over / just under

illustrate approximately slightly more than / slightly less than

indicate about

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Directions - Using the vocabulary from the chart, look at the line charts and complete the sentences using the correct adverb and verb or adjective and noun.

The number of homes owning more than one TV ________ ________ during September and then __________ ________ between October and November.

TV ratings ________ at ten million on June 30th.

There was a _________ ___________ in sales of Play Station 3 in March

and then a ____________ _____________ during April.

The number of people investing in houses ______________ during the months of February and March.

Sales of crude oil ________________ ________________ between

2 and 2.5 million barrels from May to September.

The number of students attending Oxford University _________ _________ between 1997 and 2000.

There was a ___________ __________ in stocks in computer chips from

November to December.

The amount of rainfall in the UAE ________ ____________ in July.

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Directions - Change the sentences below from (verb + adverb) to (there was a + adjective + noun) or the other way. The first one has been done as an example.

1. The number of students attending Oxford University increased steadily between 1997 and

2000. There was a steady increase in the number of students attending Oxford university between 1997 and 2000. 2. There was a slight rise in stocks in computer chips from November to December.

_____________________________________________________________________________

3. The amount of rainfall in the UAE dropped dramatically in July. _____________________________________________________________________________ 4. The number of homes owning more than one TV climbed sharply during September and then

did not change between October and November. _____________________________________________________________________________ 5. TV ratings peaked at ten million on June 30th. _____________________________________________________________________________ 6. There was a slight fall in sales of Play Station 3 in March and then a rapid climb during April. _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ 7. The number of people investing in houses plateaued during the months of February and

March. _____________________________________________________________________________ 8. Sales of crude oil fluctuated upwards between 2 and 2.5 million barrels from May to

September. _____________________________________________________________________________

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Task 1 Analysis and Planning Directions- Look at the graph and answer the following questions

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500

1000

1500

2000

2500

1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

Am

ou

nt

of r

ice

(in

to

ns)

Years

Amount of rice grown in 3 countries

China

Japan

India

1. What kind of chart is it?

2. What is the overall trend for each country?

3. How would you organise the information in each of the paragraphs in the boxes below?

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Model Report:

The bar graph shows the amount of rice grown in three countries, which were

China, Japan and India from 1920 to 2000. As an overall trend, the amount of rice for

both China and India increased, while the amount for Japan decreased over the period.

Looking at the amount of rice grown in China, it is clear to see that it went up

over the period. It stood at approximately 300 tons in 1920. From 1920 to 1960, the

amount of rice grew slightly from 300 tons to 500 tons, after which it remained constant

from 1960 to 1980. Then, between 1980 and 2000, there was a sharp rise in the amount

from 500 tons to 2,400 tons, which was the highest figure in the period.

Similarly, the amount of rice in India climbed during the same 80 years. It began

at 750 tons in 1920. Following this, there was a fluctuation in the amount of rice grown

at around 800 tons between 1920 and 1960, after which the amount rose steadily from

800 tons to 1,500 tons between 1960 and 1990. Finally, the figure stayed the same from

1990 to 2000.

Unlike China and India, there was an overall drop in the amount of rice grown in

Japan. It started at about 1,600 tons in 1920, before rising slightly to a peak of 1,800

tons between 1920 and 1930. Next, from 1930 to 1960, it fell steadily from 1,800 tons

to about 1,300 tons. After that, it remained constant from 1960 to 2000.

Focus on Structure and Organisation Directions- Look at the report and answer the following questions.

1. How many paragraphs are there?

2. How are the paragraphs organised?

3. Where is the overview found? Underline/highlight the sentences(s) that are the overview.

4. Does the overview have any details such as data or numbers?

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5. Which sentences in the body paragraphs 2 and 3 are comparisons? What are the sentences

comparing?

6. Write down all the linking words that are used to order data information according to time.

____________________ _____________ ____________________ _____________

_____________ _____________ _____________

7. In each body paragraph, is all data described?

8. Are there any explanations/opinions about the information in the graph?

Focus on Vocabulary and Grammar

9. What verb tense is used in the report? Why?

10. In each body paragraph, what verb is used to describe the first data point? Write these verbs

below:

_____________________ _____________________ _____________________

11. Look at body paragraph 1. How many verbs can you find that have the same meaning as

increased? Underline/highlight them. Are the verbs the same or different from each other?

12. Do most of the sentences use verb/adverb or adjective/noun combinations? Write down some

examples of:-

a. verb/adverb combinations ___________________________

___________________________ ___________________________

b. adjective/noun combinations ___________________________

___________________________ ___________________________

13. Look at body paragraph 2. Write down the different ways of referring to “the amount of rice

grown”. ____________________ ____________________ ____________________

14. Underline/highlight the complex structures used in the example report.

15. Below are some common phrases, fill in each gap with 1 word only.

a. As ___________ overall trend,

b. From 1920 ___________ 1960,

c. Between 1980 ___________ 2000,

d. ……..decreased over ___________ period.

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e. Looking ___________ the amount of rice grown in China, ………….

f. ………….it is clear to see ___________ it went up ……………..

g. It started ___________ 750 tons …………

h. there was an overall drop ___________ the amount………………

i. …………………___________ 1920 and 930.

j. Next, ___________ 1930 to 1960,…………………..

k. … it fell steadily ___________ 1,800 tons ___________ about 1,300 tons

Additional things to think about when writing reports:

Check that you have an overview and that it is correct.

Make sure you give some numbers but don’t write any numbers in the overview

Be careful of spellings – learn the vocabulary table.

Use the correct tense for verbs and vary them

Make sure you use a variety of sentence patterns.

Use the correct adverbs to describe trends.

Put your time phrases in different parts of the sentence (front/back).

Steps to writing a report

1. Select information- Before you write think of what to include

2. Look at the main features- tops/bottoms, beginning/ends, common

patterns, changes, identify the important trends.

3. Compare- similarities and differences

4. Report- Write what you see- No opinion, not an essay

5. Summarize information- need to leave out some information, don’t give

too much information.

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Practice

Task 1: You should spend 20 minutes on this task.

The bar chart below illustrates the number of students who played three sports at UAEU from 2000 to 2008. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and making comparisons where relevant. You should write at least 150 words.

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Name:__________________________________ ID:__________________________

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Temporal Task 1 Practice Writing

For each of the practice tasks below, you can do any or all of the following:-

plan and write the overview

write the introduction write the first sentence of each body paragraph write the full report in 20 minutes

Practice 1 The bar chart below illustrates the coal produced by three countries.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where

relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

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700

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01

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09

Am

ou

nt

of

Co

al (

in T

on

s)

Year

Amount of Coal Produced in Three Countries

England

Scotland

Wales

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Practice 3

The graph below shows male unemployment rates in each country of the United Kingdom from 1999 to

2014.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where

relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

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Practice 4 (Extension) The chart shows student expenditure over a three-year period in the United Kingdom.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where

relevant.

Write at least 150 words.