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1. IELTS Writing Task 1 Approach

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32 views3 pages

1. IELTS Writing Task 1 Approach

Uploaded by

ali abedini
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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IELTS Writing Task 1 Academic: A 3 Stage Process

There are 3 stages you need to go through before you write your report in Task 1.

1. Make sure you understand the diagram.


2. Identify the points to write about (key points).
3. Decide how to organise your writing (group information together).

Understanding The Diagram

1. Types Of Diagram
Have you correctly identified whether it is a bar chart/line graph/pie chart/flow chart/table? Very often you’ll get 2
or more charts/graphs. You should make this clear in your answer and explain how the charts relate to each other.

2. The Time Frame


Have you correctly identified whether the data in the chart relates to past time, a current state of affairs or a future
prediction? Getting tenses wrong is a very common mistake in task 1. It’s very easy to start off in the right tense but
then slip into the wrong tense later. This is one you should definitely check as you write. Put simply

Remember to look at the heading of the chart/graph. Be particularly careful when you two or more charts showing a
change of time in this case you may need the language of trends as well as just the correct tenses.

3. The Subjects
Typically you want to include reference to all the subjects referred to in the chart/graph. Even if you have a bar chart
or table naming 8 different countries for example, you still need to refer to them all in your summary.

This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to write the same about all of them. Some you may refer to briefly.

4. Units Of Measurement
This is a super common mistake. It’s really easy to start too quickly and not read what details the charts/graph show.
These may be units of time (months/years etc), money (millions of £) or simple numbers (10,000s). To do this, you
need to read the x and y axes or the key carefully. You need to include reference to the units of measurement in
your answer.

If there is more than one chart/graph make sure that the units of measurement are the same on both of them.

1
Finding The Main Features

The question will ask you to identify the main features of the chart etc This is perhaps the hardest part of task 1. You
may get 30 or more different bits of information. How can you find the most important ones? The ideas below
should help you discover which ones to include.

5. The Extremes – Highs & Lows / Beginnings & Ends / Biggest & Smallest
Have you included the extremes shown in the diagram? In nearly all charts and graphs these are key features to
include as they give the reader a frame for understanding the chart or graph. When there is a lot of data, you may
not include every extreme so you need to use your judgement.

6. Patterns & Trends


Can you see any patterns.

In dynamic charts (when there is a change in time), it is nearly always important to note whether the general trend is
upwards or downwards.

In static charts (when there is only one time frame), it can be important to note patterns.

7. Exceptions
Is there anything in the chart that is completely different to the general pattern? If so, this too is very likely to be a
key detail that needs to be noted.

Organising Your Answer


You need to organise your writing. Don’t worry that you’ll be wasting time here. If you can organise your writing it
should become much easier to write. You’ll end up saving yourself time. The ideas here are aimed at making the
main features clear

8. Grouping Information Into Paragraphs


You don’t just want paragraphs but you want to try and write ordered paragraphs. Does that sound frightening? It
shouldn’t. It’s really mostly about getting the main points in first. It is no good putting all the right information in if
the keys points are hidden away. This can happen if you follow the order of the chart without thinking. Possible
logical ways of ordering the summary include:

start with the most significant detail

start with the general pattern, then note exceptions

group items that are similar

move from the largest to the smallest


2
move from the first in time to the last in time

9. The Overview (Summary Information)


One of the most common questions is whether you need a conclusion in task 1. It’s not an essay so you don’t need
an essay type conclusion. The best summaries though will have a summary statement which is one clear statement
of the the main feature of the chart/graph. Sometimes this comes at the beginning and not the end.

10. Review Your Report

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