IELTS Writing

IELTS Writing Task 1 · 2026

Report the data — accurately, and in your own structure.

Academic Task 1 asks you to describe visual information (a graph, chart, table, process, or map) in your own words in at least 150 words, in about 20 minutes. General Training Task 1 is a letter instead. You are NOT asked for opinions or reasons — only an accurate, well-organised description. The single biggest lever from Band 6 to Band 7+ is a clear OVERVIEW: one or two sentences naming the main trends or differences, with no data.

Time
~20 minutes
Length
150+ words (aim 160–190)
Weight
≈ 1/3 of your Writing band
No
opinions, reasons, or a conclusion

How it's marked

  • Task Achievement. Covers the key features with an accurate overview and appropriate data; meets 150 words.
  • Coherence & Cohesion. Logical grouping (intro → overview → detail), clear paragraphing and linking.
  • Lexical Resource. Precise data language (trends, comparisons, proportions) without repetition.
  • Grammatical Range & Accuracy. Varied structures — comparatives, passive (for processes), time clauses — with few errors.

General strategy

  • Spend 2–3 minutes reading and planning: identify the chart type, units, and time frame.
  • Pick the 2–4 most significant features (biggest, smallest, fastest change, clear groups).
  • Write an intro (paraphrase the prompt) → an overview (main trends, no numbers) → 2 detail paragraphs (grouped data with figures).
  • Compare and group data rather than listing every number in sequence.
  • Leave 2 minutes to check tenses, articles, singular/plural and word count.

Question types

Line graph (trends over time)

One or more lines showing how values change over a period. Tests trend language and comparison across time.

How to answer

  1. 1State what the graph shows, the units, and the time span in the introduction.
  2. 2In the overview, name the overall trends (rose overall, most volatile, highest throughout).
  3. 3Group lines that behave similarly; describe movement with figures at key points.
  4. 4Use the right tense — past for past dates, future forms for projections.

Plan (before you write)

Underline start value, end value, peaks/troughs and any crossover points before writing.

Structure

  1. Intro — paraphrase: what, where, units, period.
  2. Overview — the 1–2 biggest trends across all lines (no data).
  3. Body 1 — the line(s) with the most notable movement, with figures.
  4. Body 2 — the remaining line(s) and any comparison/crossover.

Useful language

  • rose/increased/climbed; fell/declined/dropped; fluctuated; levelled off; peaked at; bottomed out at
  • a sharp/steady/gradual/marginal + increase (noun) · increased sharply/steadily (adverb)
  • roughly, just under/over, approximately; over the following decade; by the end of the period
  • whereas, while, in contrast, compared with; overtook, surpassed

Common mistakes

  • No overview, or an overview stuffed with numbers.
  • Describing every single data point instead of selecting key features.
  • Wrong preposition/tense: 'increased of 20%', 'in 1990 it will rise'.

Sample question

The line graph below shows the number of visitors (in millions) to three London museums between 2010 and 2020. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Band 9Model answer

The line graph illustrates how many people, in millions, visited three museums in London — the British Museum, the National Gallery and the Tate Modern — over a ten-year period from 2010 to 2020. Overall, visitor numbers rose at all three museums across the decade, with the British Museum remaining the most popular throughout. The Tate Modern, however, saw the steepest growth and closed the gap on its rivals by 2020. In 2010, the British Museum attracted around 5.8 million visitors, comfortably ahead of the National Gallery at approximately 4.9 million. Both figures climbed steadily, and by 2020 the British Museum had reached roughly 6.6 million while the National Gallery stood at about 5.8 million. The Tate Modern began the period as the least visited of the three, with just 4.7 million visitors in 2010. Its numbers then increased far more rapidly than the others, overtaking the National Gallery briefly around 2018 before finishing at approximately 5.9 million — almost level with the two long-established galleries.

Why it scores

  • A clear, data-free overview names the two main trends (all rose; Tate grew fastest).
  • Data is grouped and compared, not listed; figures are hedged ('around', 'approximately').
  • Range of trend language and comparatives; accurate past tense throughout.

Bar chart (comparisons)

Bars comparing quantities across categories (and sometimes across time). Tests comparison and grouping.

How to answer

  1. 1Identify whether it compares categories, time, or both.
  2. 2Overview the biggest and smallest, and any clear pattern across groups.
  3. 3Group similar bars; use superlatives and comparatives with figures.

Plan (before you write)

Rank the bars high-to-low and circle the extremes and any group that stands out.

Structure

  1. Intro — what is compared and the units.
  2. Overview — the highest/lowest and the overall pattern.
  3. Body 1 — the leading categories with figures.
  4. Body 2 — the lower categories and comparisons.

Useful language

  • the highest/lowest; by far the most/least; more than twice as many as; a fraction of
  • accounted for; represented; stood at; was followed by
  • significantly, considerably, slightly higher/lower than

Common mistakes

  • Confusing a bar chart's categories with a time trend.
  • Repeating 'higher than' instead of varying comparison language.

Sample question

The bar chart shows the percentage of households with internet access in four countries in 2005 and 2020. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Band 9Model answer

The bar chart compares the proportion of households with internet access in four countries — the UK, Japan, Brazil and Kenya — in the years 2005 and 2020. Overall, access increased markedly in every country over the fifteen-year period. The UK and Japan led throughout, whereas Kenya, despite the largest relative gain, remained the least connected. In 2005, around 60% of British and Japanese households had internet access, roughly double the figure for Brazil (about 30%) and far ahead of Kenya, where only 8% were connected. By 2020, the UK and Japan had converged at approximately 95%, near-universal coverage. Brazil experienced strong growth to reach about 75% by 2020, narrowing the gap with the leaders. Kenya saw the most dramatic proportional rise — from 8% to roughly 40% — yet it still lagged well behind the other three nations by the end of the period.

Why it scores

  • Overview captures both the universal rise and the persistent ranking.
  • Precise proportion and comparison language; no bar left unaddressed but data is grouped.

Pie chart (proportions)

Segments of a whole (usually percentages). Often two or more pies to compare proportions or time.

How to answer

  1. 1Describe the largest and smallest slices first.
  2. 2With multiple pies, focus on what changed most between them.
  3. 3Use proportion language and make sure percentages are handled precisely.

Plan (before you write)

Note the biggest slice in each pie and the biggest change between pies.

Structure

  1. Intro — what the pie(s) divide up.
  2. Overview — the dominant category and the biggest change (if comparing).
  3. Body 1 — the largest segments.
  4. Body 2 — the smaller segments / the second pie's differences.

Useful language

  • accounted for/made up/constituted; the largest share; a quarter/a third/half of
  • the proportion of … rose/fell; the remainder; a negligible/tiny fraction

Common mistakes

  • Listing every slice equally instead of prioritising.
  • Mixing up 'percentage' and 'number' when only proportions are shown.

Sample question

The two pie charts show the proportion of energy produced from five sources in a country in 2000 and 2020. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Band 9Model answer

The two pie charts illustrate how a country's energy was generated across five sources — coal, gas, nuclear, hydro and renewables — in 2000 and 2020. Overall, the energy mix shifted substantially away from coal towards renewables over the two decades, although gas remained a significant contributor throughout. In 2000, coal was the dominant source, accounting for almost half of all energy produced (48%), followed by gas at roughly a quarter (26%). Nuclear and hydro made up 14% and 8% respectively, while renewables were negligible at just 4%. By 2020, the picture had changed markedly. Coal's share had more than halved to 20%, and renewables had surged to become the second-largest source at 28%, behind gas, which had grown slightly to 30%. Nuclear and hydro remained broadly stable, together representing under a fifth of the total.

Why it scores

  • Overview states the structural shift rather than reciting numbers.
  • Fractions and proportions varied naturally; the two time points are compared, not described separately.

Table (multiple categories)

Raw figures across rows and columns. Tests your ability to select — tables give more data than you should report.

How to answer

  1. 1Do NOT describe every cell — find the highest, lowest and any striking pattern.
  2. 2Group rows or columns that behave similarly.
  3. 3Round and compare rather than reading numbers aloud.

Plan (before you write)

Scan for the biggest and smallest figures overall and the clearest row/column trend.

Structure

  1. Intro — what the table records.
  2. Overview — the extremes and main pattern.
  3. Body 1 — the leading figures.
  4. Body 2 — the rest / comparisons.

Useful language

  • the highest figure was recorded in/for; at the other end of the scale; broadly similar; a comparable figure

Common mistakes

  • Cell-by-cell description with no selection.
  • Forgetting the overview because 'there's too much data'.

Sample question

The table below shows the average monthly expenditure (in USD) on four items by households in three cities. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Band 9Model answer

The table compares average monthly household spending, in US dollars, on four categories — housing, food, transport and leisure — across three cities: Tokyo, Mumbai and Lagos. Overall, housing was the largest expense in every city, while spending was highest in Tokyo across almost all categories and lowest in Lagos. Households in Tokyo spent by far the most on housing, at around $1,800 per month — roughly three times the figure in Mumbai ($600) and over four times that in Lagos ($420). Food followed a similar pattern, with Tokyo residents spending about $700 against $300 and $250 in the other two cities. Transport and leisure accounted for smaller and more comparable sums. Notably, leisure was the one category where Mumbai ($150) slightly exceeded Lagos ($90), though both remained far below Tokyo's $400.

Why it scores

  • Strong selection — extremes and patterns, not every cell.
  • Ratios ('three times', 'four times') show comparison range.

Process / diagram (how something works)

A sequence of stages (natural cycle or manufacturing) or how a device works. Tests sequencing and the passive voice.

How to answer

  1. 1Count the stages and note where the process begins and ends (or if it's a cycle).
  2. 2Overview: state the number of stages and whether it's natural/man-made, linear/cyclical.
  3. 3Describe each stage in order using sequencers and mostly the passive voice.

Plan (before you write)

Number the stages 1→n and note the input and output of each.

Structure

  1. Intro — what the process produces/shows.
  2. Overview — number of stages, start and end, linear or cyclical.
  3. Body 1 — the first half of the stages.
  4. Body 2 — the remaining stages.

Useful language

  • first, initially; then, next, subsequently, after that; finally, at the final stage
  • is/are + past participle (is collected, are transported, is heated); once … has been …; this results in

Common mistakes

  • Using active voice throughout ('they heat the water') instead of the passive.
  • No overview of how many stages / where it starts and ends.

Sample question

The diagram below shows how glass bottles are recycled. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features.

Band 9Model answer

The diagram illustrates the process by which used glass bottles are recycled and returned to shops as new products. Overall, recycling glass is a linear process comprising seven main stages, beginning with the collection of used bottles and ending with the distribution of newly manufactured glassware to retailers. At the first stage, used glass bottles are collected from households and deposited in recycling banks. They are then transported by lorry to a processing plant, where the glass is washed thoroughly to remove any impurities. Once cleaned, the bottles are sorted according to colour. In the subsequent stages, the sorted glass is crushed into small fragments known as cullet. This cullet is then melted in a furnace at extremely high temperatures until it becomes molten. Finally, the molten glass is moulded into new bottles, which are packaged and delivered to shops, ready to be used once again.

Why it scores

  • Overview gives stage count, start, end and linear nature.
  • Passive voice used accurately and consistently; strong sequencers connect the stages.

Map (changes over time / two locations)

Usually two maps of the same place at different times, or two proposed sites. Tests location language and change verbs.

How to answer

  1. 1Orient the reader (a town, north/south, a river, the coast).
  2. 2Overview the overall character of the change (more developed, more residential, greener).
  3. 3Describe what was added, removed, replaced, expanded or relocated, area by area.

Plan (before you write)

Mark on each map what appeared, disappeared and changed; work through it geographically.

Structure

  1. Intro — the place and the two dates.
  2. Overview — the overall transformation.
  3. Body 1 — one part of the map (e.g. the north).
  4. Body 2 — the other part.

Useful language

  • was demolished/removed; was replaced by; was converted into; was constructed/built; underwent expansion
  • to the north/south of; on the outskirts; adjacent to; in the vicinity of; where the … had stood
  • past passive for change over time (a car park was built)

Common mistakes

  • Describing each map separately instead of the change between them.
  • Vague location language ('here', 'there').

Sample question

The two maps below show a coastal village in 1990 and in the present day. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Band 9Model answer

The two maps depict the changes that took place in a small coastal village between 1990 and the present day. Overall, the village was transformed from a quiet, largely rural settlement into a developed tourist destination, with agricultural land giving way to housing and leisure facilities. In 1990, the village consisted of a small cluster of houses in the centre, surrounded by farmland to the west and woodland to the east. A single road ran north to south, connecting the village to the coast, where there was an undeveloped beach. By the present day, the area had been substantially built up. The farmland to the west had been cleared to make way for a large housing estate, while a hotel and a car park had been constructed near the beach to accommodate visitors. The original road had been widened, and a new road was added to the east, although the woodland was preserved. The beach itself had been developed with a pier extending into the sea.

Why it scores

  • Overview captures the rural-to-tourist transformation.
  • Consistent past passive for changes; precise, varied location language.

Multiple / mixed charts

Two different visuals together (e.g. a pie plus a table, or a line graph plus a bar chart). Tests selection and linking across sources.

How to answer

  1. 1Introduce both visuals in the intro.
  2. 2Write ONE overview covering the main feature of each.
  3. 3Devote one body paragraph to each visual — don't try to merge everything.

Plan (before you write)

Give each visual its own body paragraph; find one headline feature from each for the overview.

Structure

  1. Intro — both visuals.
  2. Overview — the key feature of each.
  3. Body 1 — visual A.
  4. Body 2 — visual B.

Useful language

  • the first chart shows … while the second …; turning to the …; as for the …

Common mistakes

  • Only describing one of the two visuals.
  • A muddled overview that mixes both without clarity.

Sample question

The pie chart shows the reasons people gave for choosing a holiday destination, and the table shows the average spend per trip by age group. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Band 9Model answer

The pie chart illustrates the main reasons travellers gave for selecting a holiday destination, while the accompanying table sets out the average amount spent per trip by four age groups. Overall, cost was the single most influential factor in choosing a destination, and spending per trip rose consistently with age, peaking among the oldest travellers. According to the pie chart, price was decisive for 40% of respondents, well ahead of the weather (25%) and local attractions (20%); recommendations from friends and other reasons made up the remaining 15%. The table reveals a clear upward pattern in expenditure by age. Travellers aged 18–29 spent the least, at an average of $600 per trip, rising to $900 for those aged 30–49 and $1,300 for the 50–64 group. Those aged 65 and over spent the most, averaging $1,600 — more than double the youngest group.

Why it scores

  • One combined overview, then a clean paragraph per visual.
  • Both sources fully but selectively reported; comparison ('more than double') included.

References & further reading

Authoritative IELTS sources used to align this guide.

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