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Academic Task 1 - Graph vocabulary

Describing static charts - those charts that show unchanging data

Adults

Apples

Sentence starters Describing data

This pie chart shows that a quarter of all adults eat apples.
1 in 4 adults eat apples.
This chart illustrates that 25% of adults eat apples.

It can be seen that three quarters of adults eat other fruit.

three out of 4 adults eat other fruit.
The data presented indicates that 75% of adults eat other fruit.

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 Adults

Oranges

Sentence starters Describing data

This pie chart shows that only one fifth of adults eat oranges.
1 in 5 adults eat oranges.
This chart illustrates that 20% of adults eat oranges.

It can be seen that four fifths of adults eat other fruit.

four out of five adults eat other fruit.
The data presented indicates that 80% of adults eat other fruit

Copyright © 2010 - 2012. My IELTS Teacher. All rights reserved.

 Adults

70
60
50
Percentage

40
30
20
10
0
Pizza Spaghetti Cakes Biscuits

Sentence starters Describing data

This bar chart shows that
This graph illustrates that
It can be seen that
The data presented indicates that
half of the adults in this survey eat pizza.
50% of the adults in this survey eat pizza.
only 10% of those surveyed stated that they eat
spaghetti.
one tenth of those surveyed stated that they eat
spaghetti.
one in ten of those surveyed stated that they eat
spaghetti.

a third of this group eat cakes.

just over 30% of this group eat cakes.
one in 3 adults in this group eat cakes.

almost two thirds of the adults questioned eat

biscuits.
60% of the adults questioned eat biscuits.
nearly 2 out of 3 of the adults questioned eat
biscuits.

Copyright © 2010 - 2012. My IELTS Teacher. All rights reserved.

Different types of charts

Bar graph / Bar chart

6

0 20 40 60 80 100

Line graph
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1 2 3 4 5 6

Pie chart

Table
A B C D E
33 10 14 65 43
45 87 88 89 87
36 0 12 15 12

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Describing Dynamic charts - those charts that show a change over
time

Verbs Nouns
rise a rise
increase an increase
improve* an improvement*
grow a growth
* only to describe situations, such as the economy, employment etc. Use the other verbs
and nouns to describe specific numbers.

Verbs Nouns
fall a fall
drop a drop
decrease a decrease
decline a decline

Verbs Nouns
rocket ---
soar

Verbs Nouns
plunge ---
plummet

Verbs Nouns
fluctuate a fluctuation

Verbs Nouns
level off (reach) a plateau,
stabilize a period of stability
remain the same

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 Verbs Nouns
peak (reach) a peak
a high point

Verbs Nouns
--- (reach) a low point
(hit)

Verbs Nouns
recover a recovery

Copyright © 2010 - 2012. My IELTS Teacher. All rights reserved.

How to use this vocabulary accurately when describing
dynamic graphs.

Now that you have the necessary vocabulary to describe charts, it is important that
you use it accurately in the exam. Below are a series of simple graphs with a few
sentences to basically describe the data shown. The different verbs and nouns
suggested earlier are written in bold in the chart sentences.

(Please note that these are not IELTS Task 1 answers, but sentences written for the purpose
of teaching accurate use of vocabulary. How to answer IELTS questions will be dealt with in
a different document.)

Chart A
Unem ploym ent

12 2010 2011
2009 2012
10 2013 2014
2008
Percentage

8
6 2007

4
2
0
1
Years

Chart A
The graph illustrates that the rate of unemployment has risen significantly over the
last few years. It is predicted that it will level off next year, and then fall gradually
over the following years.

Chart B
Museum visitors

1,500 1995 2000

Number of visitors

1990
1,000
000s

2010
500 2005

0
1
Years

Chart B
The number of visitors to the museum increased steadily from 1990 to 2000, and
then dipped dramatically in 2005. Since then, there has been a slight increase in
numbers.

Copyright © 2010 - 2012. My IELTS Teacher. All rights reserved.

Chart C
Population change to current year

60
50
Percentages

40
30
20
10
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Years

Chart C
The population grew from 23% to 50% in the first few years. After that it levelled off
and remains the same today.

Chart D
Exam Results from 1990 to 2010

100
Percentage of students
passing the exam

80

60
40

20

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Years

Chart D
The exam pass rate remained stable during the 1990s, however, it showed a
dramatic improvement after that period.

Copyright © 2010 - 2012. My IELTS Teacher. All rights reserved.

Chart E
Inflation

7 2003
6 2002
Percentage rate

5 2001
2000
4 200720082009
3 2004
2 2006
2005
1
0
1
Years

Chart E
The rate of inflation increased by 2% from 2000 to 2003. It then showed a sharp
decline, reaching a low point of 1% in 2005. After that, it stabilized at 3%.

Chart F

Stock value recorded in 2005

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1 2 3
4 5 6 S1
7 8 9 Percentage
10 11 12
Months

Chart F
The data shows there was a drop of 10% during the first 6 months, but the rate rose
slightly during the remainder of the year.

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Chart G
Sales from 1990 - 2000

100
Products sold 000s

80

60

40

20

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Years

Chart G
Sales dropped dramatically in the first 5 years, but there was a recovery towards
the end of the decade.

These sentences also present a range of structures which are

highlighted below.

Using a variety of verb-adverb and adjective-noun structures.

Chart Verb-adverb
A …the rate of unemployment has risen significantly
…and then fall gradually…
B …visitors to the museum increased steadily… and then
dipped dramatically…
F …the rate rose slightly…
G Sales dropped dramatically…

Adjective-noun
B …there has been a slight increase in numbers.

D … it showed a dramatic improvement…

E It then showed a sharp decline…

Copyright © 2010 - 2012. My IELTS Teacher. All rights reserved.

Using verbs and prepositions accurately.

Chart Verb + preposition

C The population grew from 23% to 50%
D The exam pass rate remained stable during the 1990s
E The rate of inflation increased by 2% from 2000 to 2003
it stabilized at 3%.

Noun + preposition
B a slight increase in numbers
E reaching a low point of 1%
F there was a drop of 10% during the first 6 months

Using accurate phrases to describe the data in the graph.

Chart
A The graph illustrates that the rate of unemployment…
B The number of visitors to the museum…
C The population…
D The exam pass rate…
E The rate of inflation…
F The data shows…
G Sales…

Using tenses appropriately.

Chart
A Period 2007 – 2014. Present perfect and future structures.
B Period 1990 – 2010. Past simple and present perfect.
C Period past to present day. Past simple and past simple.
D Period 1990 – 2010. Past simple.
E Period 2000 – 2009. Past simple.
F Period 2005. Past simple.
G Period 1990 – 2000. Past simple.
(The chart sentences were written in 2011, therefore the tenses were chosen according to
that time frame. It is possible in some instances to use alternative tenses in these sentences.
However, some uses of the present perfect and future structures would need to change if the
sentences were written before or after 2011.)

If you’d like more help with your IELTS preparation please visit my
website www.myieltsteacher.com

Copyright © 2010 - 2012. My IELTS Teacher. All rights reserved.