📈 IELTS Writing Task 1 – Describing a Line Graph
Turn a graph of changes over time into a clear four-paragraph report – with the right trend words and the right tenses.
iThe 4-paragraph structure
A line graph shows how one or more things change over time. A Band 7 answer is short and organised – usually four paragraphs:
1Trend language bank
The examiner rewards a range of accurate trend words. Learn these families and stop repeating increase / decrease.
| Movement | Verbs | Strong version |
|---|---|---|
| ▲ Up | rose, increased, climbed, grew, went up | surged, soared, rocketed, jumped |
| ▼ Down | fell, declined, dropped, decreased, went down | plummeted, plunged, slumped, collapsed |
| ▬ Stable | remained stable, stayed constant, held steady | levelled off, plateaued, flattened out |
| ↕ Other | fluctuated (up & down), peaked (highest), overtook | bottomed out (lowest), doubled, halved |
| How big / fast (adverbs) | Noun form |
|---|---|
| Large / fast: sharply, dramatically, rapidly, steeply | a sharp rise / a dramatic fall |
| Medium: steadily, gradually, consistently | a steady increase / a gradual decline |
| Small: slightly, marginally, a little | a slight rise / a marginal drop |
2Drill A – Pick the precise verb auto-graded
Choose the verb that best matches each movement. Precision here is exactly what lifts Lexical Resource from 6 to 7.
3Drill B – Fix the tense auto-graded
Type the correct form of the verb in brackets. Watch the trap in item 5 – you describe the graph in the present, but the data in the past.
4Drill C – Choose the accurate sentence auto-graded
For each question, pick the sentence that is accurate, well-formed and in the right register. These use the graph in Section 5.
5Now write the full answer
The line graph below shows the sales of e-books and printed books, in millions, at a bookstore chain from 2013 to 2023. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words in four paragraphs (intro · overview · body · body).
✅ Band-7 model answer (≈180 words)
INTROThe line graph illustrates changes in the sales of e-books and printed books, measured in millions, at a bookstore chain over the ten years from 2013 to 2023.
OVERVIEWOverall, sales of printed books fell steadily across the period, whereas e-book sales rose sharply, and the two formats swapped positions at around 2018.
BODY 1In 2013, printed books were by far the more popular format, selling 90 million copies. This figure then declined consistently, dropping to 62 million by 2017 and continuing downward to just 40 million in 2023, although the fall levelled off towards the end.
BODY 2E-book sales showed the opposite trend. Beginning at only 20 million in 2013, they climbed rapidly to 55 million in 2017 before overtaking printed books shortly afterwards. By 2023, e-books had reached 88 million – more than double the figure for printed books – though their growth also slowed in the final years.
Notice: present for the graph (illustrates), past simple for every trend (fell, rose, dropped, climbed), a range of verbs (declined, overtaking, levelled off), and comparisons (by far, more than double) – with no opinion and no data in the overview.
📋 How a teacher bands this (IELTS Task 1, 4 criteria)
| Criterion | ≈ Band 5 | ≈ Band 6 | ≈ Band 7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Task Achievement | no clear overview; some data inaccurate or copied | overview present; key features covered but detail uneven | clear overview + accurate key features and comparisons |
| Coherence & Cohesion | weak paragraphing; repetitive linkers | clear progression; linkers sometimes mechanical | logical 4-paragraph organisation; flexible linking |
| Lexical Resource | only increase/decrease; errors strain the reader | some range; occasional inaccuracy | varied, precise trend language; collocations |
| Grammar (Range & Accuracy) | frequent tense errors | mix of forms; errors rarely block meaning | consistent tense; complex forms; frequent error-free sentences |