IELTS TECHNICAL WRITING 1, AVOIDING COMMON MISTAKES © Don't copy the question for your introduction. You should|paraphrase the question (i.e. rewrite it using some different words) * Don't forget to separate your paragraphs clearly. © Don't forget to write a good summary/overview of the information. A quick one-sentence conclusion is not good enough. Prefer to put the overview(straight after the introduction, and = try to write 2 sentences describing the information in general. You won't get a high score if you don't write a good overview. ae Xo. * Don't describe items separately (e.g. 2 lines on a graph). You should always try to compare things if it is possible to do so. Instead of describing 2 lines separately, compare the 2 lines at ‘key points. © Don't try to describe every number on a chart or graph (unless there are only a few numbers). Akey skill in task 1 is being able to choose the key information and describe or compare it well. Usually @ention/around 6 or 7 numbers in your main paragraphs. © Don't spend longer than 20 minutes on task 1. Stop yourself after 20 minutes; remember that task 2 is worth more marks. Vemvyaghs < 4 Ngee (i) pavar eee ha = oI, cuales perl? “capt Nod tov APO ove TU KNeia}2. STRUCTURE * PROLOGUE * am \ _ The((line) graph/ (bar/ pie) chart/ table)shows / highlights / represents / compares/llustrates/ gives information about ... + restatement. ° MAIN BODY « ‘As can be seen clearly, the most/ one of the most striking feature(s) of the chart is... . or ‘As can be seen clearly, as an overall trend ... a) In particular, ... (analyse details) b) Furthermore, ...(other pieces of information provided by the graph) * CONCLUSION (if needed Overall, the chart demonstrates that ... a conclusion based on the information Or Overall, we could speculate that... a hypothesis based on the information3. LANGUAGE FOR GRAPHS and BAR CHARTS. - increase to, rise to, go up to, climb to, soar to, surge to, rocket to - decline to, decrease to, drop to, fall to, tures to, ce to - remain constant at, remain stable at, remain steady at, stabilise at, hover around _flsetuate, g0.up and dovn (wildy), be erratic 9 5 (vee sandr wh Ob /Sh soho (« Lelwan, o& at 2 Ore thy eel steady 7 ey a) — gradual rise in, growth in, increase in, surge in... oT IN = significant decline in, drop in, decrease in, reduction in, fall Wado dramatic considerable S 1) (opet EXAMPLES sy Ww jeci rely * Thelfrend)was obviously upwards / downwards a A * Generally speaking, over the period as a whole, there was a significant increase / decrease in the number of. The number of. . ‘oselby approximately 30% © There was a dramatic increase in the percentage of ... followed by a sudden decline. * The percentage rocketed fram 20% in 1975 to 80% in 1995. © Numbers‘surgec i/soared and then suddenly fel © ‘The decade\saw/a steady growth/deciine in the nuinter of Sales increased at a fast/slow pace. . ‘The percentage remained constant at 20%. The percentag 10% for a five-year period. The number of .,fluctuated and then plummeted dramatically to 5% These fluctuations were followed by a period of stability. The recovery wasshor lve] d] however, as numbers felLback again to... -.with the percentage standing at just over/under 30%. “with the figure figure risinglfrom|4 i960 20%. The figure(focketed by almost %)reaching a spectacular 60%. The sales trends in the three shops | ‘trend and B and C shops in decline.4, LANGUAGE FOR INTERPRETATION OF SURVEYS -Of the people (Golied 7 questioned / surveyed, more or less than 70% cited X as the main|factor / cause / reason for / source oF XW as /is cited / mentioned / quoted / rated / givenas the main factor by approximately 15% bf the sample / of those surveyed / of respondents. > ® “Thirty percent of the sample quoted X as a factoricontributing to / motivating people to ... oR inas the highest / lowestjrating! -X/fanks first/ second / third as a contributing factor to... “The second highest ratinglgoes to X, which is quoted by 40% of the poll sample. -Mir. Kachieved / scored) 70% while Mr. Z was at the opposite end of the scale achieving 10%. 5, LANGUAGE FOR DESCRIPTION OF A PROCESS OR PROCEDURE When giving a description of a process or procedure you should use the present passive voice. EXAMPLE Potatoes are carefully selected and washed in cold water. They are then dried and pilled. After the potatoes are sliced, they are salted and roasted or fried. Next, they are packed and distributed to super markets. To show order of time, use: First, then, after (that), next, finally #6. LANGUAGE FOR PREDICTIONS — ESTIMATIONS ~ It is estimated that X will ... It is predicted that X will . It is expected that X will... It is projected that X will AAC ago be ‘Xis estimated to ... X is predicted to ... ot) X is expected to ... X is projected to ... EXAMPLE It is predicted that sales will increase by 20% in 2020. Sales are predicted to increase by 20% in 2020. 7. LANGUAGE FOR MAPS. Points of the compass + language of location = Inthe:northwest, there is a small residential area is located in the northeast corner of the map. — The factory is situated / lies in the south of the town. ~The shopping mall is located north of the parking area. —_ _ The hospit - South of the residential area is a supermarket. — Inthe center of the town there are two bridges crossing the river. = The railway line runs along the coast. / Running along the coast is the railway line. — On the bank of the river ~ On the coast (sea / ocean)Roads and motorways ~The main road connects Hampford to Pellington ~ _ Hampford is iinked to Peitington ay both the main road and the railway Changes in maps — was established — was built / was constructed — was made into / was turned into / was converted into / was transformed into — was replaced by — - + was knocked down / was pulled down / was demolished trees were chopped down ~ was extended / was expanded - was relocated eg. ~ The housing area in the south of the town was replaced by residential blocks and a supermarket. ~ A shopping centre was constructed on the site of the Arts Centre ~ The car park was converted into a multi - screen cinema.