WRITING TASK 1 - LESSON 1

Lesson focus Introduction to Writing Task 1

Graphs with changes in time

I. TỔNG QUAN VỀ WRITING TASK 1

- Thời gian: 20 phút
- Số từ tối thiểu: 150 từ
- Số từ tối đa: cố gắng viết không quá 200 từ
- Cách tính điểm: chiếm 1/3 tổng điểm của kỹ năng Writing. Thí sinh được đánh giá theo 4 tiêu
chí:
o Task achievement (TA): The examiner will check your information, overview, detail and
accuracy.

▪ DON’T include any personal opinions

▪ DON’T try to include everything

▪ Writing an OVERVIEW is a must – DO NOT include figures in the overview

o Coherence and Cohesion (CC): Your organization of information, paraphrasing, and your
use of linking devices will be marked.

▪ Use 4-paragraph structure

▪ Use linking devices

o Lexical resource (LR): Your use of vocabulary, spelling, and the number of mistakes will
affect your score
o Grammatical range and Accuracy (GRA): you will get a band score for you sentence
structures, tenses, control of grammar and the number of mistakes.

▪ Be careful of verb tenses.

- Important notes:
o KHÔNG viết tắt
o KHÔNG “I”, “You”

- Các dạng biểu đồ trong IELTS Writing Task 1

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 Line graph Mixed chart

Bar chart

Pie chart Maps

Process
Table

B. TỪ VỰNG – CẤU TRÚC VỀ WRITING TASK 1 DẠNG BIỂU ĐỒ CÓ THỜI GIAN

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Language of change

Table 1: Common language of change

Trend Verb Noun

Tăng
● increase ● increase

● rise ● rise

● grow ● growth

● go up ● upward trend

Giảm
● decrease ● decrease

● decline ● decline

● fall ● fall

● drop ● drop

● downward trend

Giữ nguyên
● remain stable ● stability

● remain unchanged

● stabilize

Dao động (lên xuống)

● fluctuate ● fluctuation

Tăng đến điểm cao nhất

● hit the highest point

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 ● reach a peak

Giảm đến điểm thấp nhất

● hit the lowest point

● hit a low

Table 2: Language to describe degree and speed of change

Mức độ thay đổi Tính từ Trạng từ

Strong Dramatic Dramatically

Sharp Sharply

Enormous Enormously

Steep Steeply

Substantial Substantially

Considerable Considerably

Significant Significantly

Weak Rapid Rapidly

Moderate Moderately

Gradual Gradually

Slight Slightly

Minimal Minimally

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Chú ý: Những từ như “rocket, surge >< plummet or plunge” thường KHÔNG đi kèm với từ chỉ mức độ
thay đổi.

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Structures to describe changes:

Structure 1 Subject + verb + adverb + number+ time period

🡪 The number of students at HCM school increased significantly to 2,000 in 2016.

Structure 2 Subject + experienced/ saw/ witnessed + a/an + adj + noun + number + time
period

🡪 The number of students at HCM school witnessed a significant increase of 500 in 2016.

Structure 3 There be + a/an + adjective + noun + number + in + “what” + complements time

period

🡪 There was a significant increase in the number of students at HCM school to 2000 in 2016.

Complex/compound sentence grammar points (advanced):

▪ … before / prior to + Ving: The percentage of city dwellers in Australia reached 99% in 1989,
before significantly declining to 60% in the early 2000s.

▪ …, and (then)…: The percentage of city dwellers in Australia reached 99% in 1989, and then
significantly declined to 60% in the early 2000s.

▪ …, but later …: The percentage of city dwellers in Australia reached 99% in 1989, but later
significantly declined to 60% in the early 2000s.

▪ …, after which…: The percentage of city dwellers in Australia reached 99% in 1989, after which
it experienced a significant decline to 60% in the early 2000s.

▪ …, followed by + N.phr: The percentage of city dwellers in Australia reached 99% in 1989,
followed by a significant decline to 60% in the early 2000s.

▪ While … , …: The percentage of city dwellers in Australia reached 99% in 1989, while later it
significantly declined to 60% in the early 2000s.

▪ … , whereas …: The percentage of city dwellers in Australia reached 99% in 1989, whereas it
significantly declined to 60% in the early 2000s.

▪ …, Ving …: The percentage of city dwellers in Australia dropped dramatically, declining to 60%
in the early 2000s

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▪ …, with + N + Ving: The percentage of city dwellers in Australia dropped dramatically, with a
reduction to 60% in the early 2000s.

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 Table 3: Prepositions used in describing data

Preps Usage Example

- stand at ...
At (tại/ở) ● The crime rate stood at 5% in 2000.

- remain stable/remained
● The figure for rice export in Vietnam remained stable at $15
the same at ...
million in 2015.

(verb) peak at ... ● The amount of electricity peaked at 10,000 units

- (verb) increase/decrease to The number of students:

...
Year 2000 2005

- (noun) an The number of students 100 120

To (đến) increase/decrease to ...

● The number of students increased to 120 in 2005.

● The number of students saw an increase to 120 in 2005.

(verb) increase/decrease
● The number of students increased by 20 in 2005.
By (thêm/ by...
bớt)

(noun) an increase/decrease
● The number of students saw an increase of 20 in 2005.
of ...
Of
Reach the peak/ a high/ a
low of …

- fluctuate/a fluctuation
● The unemployment rate of Vietnam fluctuated around 10%
around/ around ...
from 2007 to 2010.
between… - fluctuate/a fluctuation
● The unemployment rate of Vietnam fluctuated between 8%
and… between… and….:
and 12% from 2007 to 2010.

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 Table 4: Suggested linking words

The population of the city increased significantly between 2000 and

. Then, …
2010. Then, there was a gradual decline in the following years.
Over the next two decades, there was a steady rise in the number of
. Over the next … years,…
cars on the roads.
Thereafter, the unemployment rate began to decrease steadily,
. Thereafter, …
reaching its lowest point in 2019.
From 2005 onwards, there was a noticeable surge in tourist arrivals to
. From … onwards, …
the region.
After reaching 99% in 1989, the proportion of urban residents in
. After Ving, …
Australia experienced a significant decline, dropping to 60% in the
early 2000s.
Despite the decrease in overall sales, there was a notable increase in
. Despite / In spite of +
online purchases during the holiday season.
N/Ving, …

Having peaked at 99% in 1989, the percentage of urban residents in

. Having + V3, …
Australia experienced a significant decline, falling to 60% in the early
2000s.
Although the percentage of city dwellers in Australia reached 99% in
. Although … , …
1989, it significantly declined to 60% in the early 2000s.

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Rewrite the following sentences, using the learned structures

1. The development of new products fell gradually from 1990 to 2000.

🡪 The development of new products experienced a gradual fall between 1990 and 2000.

2. The research investment decreased significantly in 2005.

🡪 There was a …………………………………………………………………………………

3. There was a slight fall in the sales of mangos in 2006.

The sales …………………………………………………………………………………

4. There was a quick drop of $3 million in sugar imports in 1988.

A quick drop of $3 million ……………………………………………………

5. There was an upward trend in the number of visitors to the website.

The number of visitors ………………………………………………………………

6. The growth rate fluctuated wildly throughout the years.

There was ………………………………………………………………………………….

7. The number of students applying to the university stabilized over the decade.

A stability …………………………………………………………………………………

8. The year 2000 recorded a gradual growth in accommodation price in London.

Accommodation price in London ……………………………………………………………

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This table shows how many people (in millions) used different forms of public transport in Milan
between 2010 and 2014

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

STRUCTURE OF A TASK 1 ESSAY

1. Introduction
2. Overview
3. Body 1
4. Body 2
5. Body 3 (optional)

ANALYZE THE CHART

● What is the chart about?

● What is the unit?

● Time period? Verb Tense?

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 1. INTRODUCTION

Analyze data:

Subject Verb WHAT WHERE WHEN

The rubric

Paraphrase

Language for Introduction:

Loại biểu đồ Động từ Nội dung trong đề bài

Object Time

The bar/ pie chart Show(s) How much/ many + S + V From … to …

The line graph Illustrate(s) The proportion/ percentage of Between … and …

…
The table Give(s) information
about

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 2. OVERVIEW
- Câu OVERVIEW cần có 2 thông tin chính:
o Main trends
o Main differences
- Không đưa số liệu cụ thể vào phần Overview.
- Có thể viết Overview cuối cùng.

Main trends:

● Tất cả các đối tượng có cùng tăng hoặc cùng giảm trong toàn bộ thời kỳ hay không?

● Nếu không:

o Đối tượng nào tăng?

o Đối tượng nào giảm?

o Đối tượng nào dao động trong toàn bộ thời kỳ?

o Đối tượng nào đi ngang / ít thay đổi trong toàn bộ thời kỳ?

● Cấu trúc: Overall, there were increases / decreases in …, whereas/while the opposite/converse
was true in the case(s) of …

Main differences:

● Có đối tượng nào luôn luôn cao nhất / thấp nhất hay không?

● Có đối tượng nào vượt qua các đường còn lại để trở thành cao nhất hay không?

o the highest/ the lowest

o the most / the least

o the biggest / the largest

o dominant / dominate

o er / more than the others.

Từ vựng dẫn vào Overall: Overall,

Nối 2 câu bằng: Additionally hoặc It is also noteworthy that

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Từ vựng dẫn vào Overall:

Overall, …

According to the Table/ chart, …

As (is) shown in the Diagram, …

As can be seen from the Graph, …

Figures, …

🡪 Write the Overall:

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3. BODY PARAGRAPHS
- A PARAGRAPH IS A GROUP OF SENTENCES THAT DEVELOP ONLY ONE CENTRAL
TOPIC
🡪 gom thông tin lại có chủ đích, gom các số liệu có điểm chung lại.
- Có thể có 2-3 đoạn thân bài.
- Luôn phải đề cập đến số liệu của năm đầu và năm cuối, và 1-2 mốc thời gian quan trọng ở giữa.
- Phần body chỉ nên viết 3-4 câu/ body, nếu có quá nhiều đối tượng thì phải gộp được 2 hoặc 3 đối
tượng có xu hướng tăng/giảm tương tự nhau để tiết kiệm thời gian. Ví dụ:

● The number of A and B witnessed a sharp increase in 2000 to 100 and 150 respectively.

● The number of A, B and C witnessed a sharp increase in 2000 to 100, 150 and 200
respectively.

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This table shows how many people (in millions) used different forms of public transport in Milan
between 2010 and 2014

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PRACTICE

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The graph below shows the consumption of fish and different kinds of meat in a European country
between 1979 and 2004.

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

Write at least 150 words.

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