Task 1では意見を述べずに、グラフの主な特徴を150語以上で報告します。最も大きな傾向をまとめた概要と、選んだ数値、正確な比較表現が鍵です。
In Task 1 you must report the main features of a chart in at least 150 words, without giving opinions. The key is a clear overview of the biggest trends, supported by selected numbers and accurate comparison language.
In IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 you see a chart, graph, table, diagram, map or process, and you must describe it in at least 150 words. You have about 20 minutes. Task 1 is worth less than Task 2, but a clear, accurate report is one of the easiest ways to secure marks.
What Task 1 is — and is not
Task 1 is a report, not an essay. You should:
- describe what the visual shows,
- select and report the main features,
- make comparisons where relevant.
You should not give your opinion, explain causes the chart does not show, or list every number. The first criterion is called Task Achievement, and one of its key requirements is a clear overview.
The four-paragraph plan
1. Introduction (1 sentence). Paraphrase the title: say what the chart shows, for whom, and over what period. "The line graph shows the number of international visitors to three Australian cities between 2000 and 2020."
2. Overview (2 sentences). State the most important trends or differences without numbers. "Overall, visitor numbers rose in all three cities, and Sydney remained the most popular destination throughout the period."
3. Details paragraph 1. Describe one group of features with supporting figures.
4. Details paragraph 2. Describe the remaining important features, again with figures.
Many candidates put the overview at the end as a conclusion. That is acceptable, but writing it second makes sure you do not forget it — and a missing overview usually limits your Task Achievement score.
How to find the overview
Before writing, spend two minutes asking:
- What is the highest and lowest?
- What is the general direction — up, down, stable, fluctuating?
- Are there big differences between categories?
- What changed the most?
The overview answers these questions in general terms. The details paragraphs prove them with numbers.
Language for trends
Use a mix of verb and noun forms, and choose words that match the size of the change:
- Rise: increase, grow, climb, surge (sudden, large)
- Fall: decrease, decline, drop, plummet (sudden, large)
- No change: remain stable, level off, stay at
- Change in both directions: fluctuate
- Highest point: peak
Degree and speed: "rose sharply", "fell slightly", "a steady increase", "a gradual decline".
Language for comparison and numbers
- "Sydney received twice as many visitors as Perth."
- "The figure for Melbourne was slightly lower than that for Sydney."
- "Women accounted for 60% of students." (see account for)
- "Approximately a third", "just under half", "the majority of".
- "Respectively": "Sales in 2010 and 2020 were 40 and 65 units, respectively."
Be careful with percentage and percentage point. If a rate rises from 4% to 6%, it increases by two percentage points, not by 2%.
Processes and maps
Not every Task 1 is a chart. For a process, describe the stages in order using sequencing language (first, next, after that, finally) and the passive voice ("The leaves are dried and then crushed"). For a map, compare the two times: "A car park was built to the north of the school, and the old library was replaced by a café."
Common mistakes
- No overview, or an overview full of numbers.
- Describing every figure instead of selecting the important ones.
- Giving reasons or opinions ("This is because people love travel").
- Copying the title word for word.
- Wrong units — writing "thousand" when the axis shows millions.
A quick checklist
- Introduction paraphrases the title.
- Overview gives the main trends without numbers.
- Details use accurate figures and comparisons.
- Mix of trend verbs and nouns.
- At least 150 words, completed in about 20 minutes.
Practise next
- Review chart vocabulary in the IELTS and PTE dictionaries.
- Read the guide to IELTS Writing Task 2.
このガイドはAUSLEXによる一般的な学習アドバイスで、試験実施団体とは関係ありません。試験形式・受験料・必要スコアは変わることがあるため、申込や出願の前に必ず公式サイトを確認してください。