IELTS Writing Task 1: A Guide
Graphs, charts, processes and maps — or a letter — practised by Philo and Sophia.
•Writing Task 1, at a glance
Writing lasts 60 minutes for two tasks. Task 1 needs at least 150 words, and you should spend about 20 minutes on it. Task 2 counts for twice as much, so don’t spend longer.
Academic: describe a visual
- A line graph, bar chart, pie chart or table
- A process or cycle (how something is made or works)
- A map showing changes to a place
- Summarise the main features and compare: no opinions!
General Training: write a letter
- Formal (to a company or official), semi-formal (to someone you know a little) or informal (to a friend)
- Three bullet points to cover: answer all three
- Choose the right tone, opening and closing
Useful language
Trends
- "rose sharply / steadily"
- "fell slightly / dramatically"
- "remained stable"
- "peaked at…"
- "reached a low of…"
Comparing
- "twice as many as…"
- "the highest proportion of…"
- "whereas…"
- "by contrast…"
Overview
- "Overall, it is clear that…"
- "The most striking feature is…"
Letters
- "Dear Sir or Madam, … Yours faithfully"
- "Dear Mr Smith, … Yours sincerely"
- "Hi Tom, … Best wishes"
Worked example — an Academic overview
The chart shows the number of scrolls copied at the Library each year, 280–240 BC, in three subjects.
Philo
The bar chart compares the number of scrolls copied in medicine, mathematics and poetry at the Library between 280 and 240 BC. Overall, the number of copies rose in all three subjects, but poetry remained by far the most copied throughout the period. Copies of medical texts increased the most sharply, roughly tripling from about 200 to 600, whereas mathematics grew only steadily, from 300 to around 450.
Tips for Task 1
- Always write an overview: the main trends in one or two sentences. Without it, you can’t get above band 5 for task achievement.
- Select the key figures; don’t list every number.
- Paraphrase the question in your introduction: don’t copy it.
- Letters: cover all three bullet points, and keep the same tone from start to finish.
Task 1: what separates the bands
What separates the bands, in plain English
Band 5Describes details mechanically, with no clear overview; limited range of language and frequent errors.
Band 6Has an overview, but some details are irrelevant or inaccurate; linking can be mechanical.
Band 7A clear overview and well-selected key features; good range of vocabulary for trends, with some errors.
Band 8Covers all requirements fully; skilful selection and comparison; occasional slips only.
Both Writing tasks are marked on four criteria: Task Achievement (Task Response in Task 2), Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy.
Based on the published IELTS test format. Score conversions are approximate and vary slightly from test to test. Always check ielts.org for the latest information.