6 guides · Band 8 samples

IELTS Writing Task 1, one chart type at a time

Task 1 is 150 words in about 20 minutes, describing a graph, chart, table, process or map. Each type needs slightly different language, so each guide below has its own practice task, a Band 8 sample and the phrases that do the work.

Line graph

A line graph shows change over time, so your report is about trends: what went up, what went down, what stayed flat, and which lines crossed. You don't need every number. You need the big picture first and the right numbers to prove it.

13 Cambridge tests of this type

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Bar chart

Bar charts usually compare categories rather than show change over time, so your job is to group and compare: which is biggest, which is smallest, which categories are similar, and where the surprises are.

28 Cambridge tests of this type

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Pie chart

Pie charts show proportions of a whole, and they usually come in pairs, so the report is about two things: which slices are largest, and how the proportions changed between the charts.

5 Cambridge tests of this type

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Table

A table gives you lots of exact numbers and no picture, which tempts people to copy all of them. Don't. Read the table for its story first: the highest and lowest, the biggest change, and anything that breaks the pattern.

14 Cambridge tests of this type

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Process diagram

A process has no numbers and no trends, so the language changes completely: sequence words (first, next, once, finally) and the passive voice (the bottles are collected, the glass is melted).

12 Cambridge tests of this type

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Map

Map tasks usually show the same place at two times, so the report is about change: what was built, removed, replaced, extended or turned into something else. Location language matters too: to the north of, next to, in the centre.

13 Cambridge tests of this type

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Three rules for every Task 1

Write at least 150 words. Around 170 to 190 is the sweet spot: enough to cover the key features, not so long you lose time for Task 2.
Always write an overview: two sentences on the main trends or features, with no numbers. It's the single biggest factor in Task Achievement.
Report, don't explain. Task 1 describes what the data shows. Reasons and opinions belong in Task 2.

IELTS Writing Task 2 IELTS Writing practice tests