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com

WRITING
Lecture NO: 02
Course Conduct by
Shaikh Fazlur Rahman
Assistant Professor
Unitar International University, Malaysia

shaikhshshshaShaikh fazlur Rahman

Shaikh .f.rahman86@gmail.com

How To Write an
IELTS Bar Chart Essay
There are 5 steps to writing a good IELTS bar chart essay:

1) Analyse the question

2) Identify the main features

3) Write an introduction

4) Write an overview

5) Write the details paragraphs

Use this simple planning process as you practice writing IELTS bar chart essays and you’ll have no problem
remembering it in the exam.

Steps 1 and 2 of the planning process should take around 5 minutes. It is essential that you don’t miss these out
as they are the key to writing a high-scoring essay.

On this page, I’m going to take you through the whole planning process step-by-step as we work on a practice
question.

Before we begin, here’s a model essay structure that you can use as a guideline for all IELTS Academic Task 1
questions.

Ideally, your essay should have 4 paragraphs:

Paragraph 1 – Introduction

Paragraph 2 – Overview
st
Paragraph 3 – 1 main feature

Paragraph 4 – 2nd main feature

Now that we have all these tools we need, we’re ready to begin planning and writing our IELTS bar chart essay.

Here’s our practice question:

The bar chart below shows the sector contributions to India’s gross domestic product from 1960 to
2000.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where
relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Contribution as % of India's GDP

shaikhshshshaShaikh fazlur Rahman

Shaikh .f.rahman86@gmail.com

Step 1 – Analyse the question

The format of every Academic Task 1 question is the same. Here is our practice question again with the words
that will be included in all questions highlighted .

The bar chart below shows the sector contributions to India’s gross domestic product from 1960 to 2000.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where
relevant.

Every question consists of:

 Sentence 1 – A brief description of the graphic

 Sentence 2 – The instructions

 The graphic – chart, graph, table, etc.

Sentence 2 tells you what you have to do.

You must do 3 things:

1. Select the main features.

2. Write about the main features.

3. Compare the main features.

shaikhshshshaShaikh fazlur Rahman

Shaikh .f.rahman86@gmail.com

All three tasks refer to the ‘main features’ of the graphic. You do not have to write about everything. Just pick out
2 or 3 key features and you’ll have plenty to write about.

Our practice graphic is a dynamic bar chart. That is, it includes a timeline giving data from several different points
in time.

So, for this question, we need to identify the main trends (that is, the general developments or changes in
situation) in the three key sectors of the Indian economy – agriculture, industry and service – between 1960 and
2000.

Alternatively, a bar chart may be static with the data coming from one point in time, as in the example below. For
this graphic, we would need to compare the different variables, that is, the different leisure activities favoured by
Canadian boys and girls.

Step 2 – Identify the Main Features

The graphic in IELTS bar chart questions should not be difficult to interpret. Each question has been created
to test your language skills, not your mathematics ability.

All you are looking for are the main features. These will usually be the easiest things to spot. As we’ve just seen,
the type of key features will depend on whether the bar chart is dynamic or static.

There will be lots of information in the graphic to help you identify them. Here are some useful questions to ask?

 What information do the 2 axes give?

 Is it dynamic or static?

 What are the units of measurements?

 What are the time periods?

 What can you learn from the title and any labels?

 What is the most obvious trend?

 Are there any notable similarities?

shaikhshshshaShaikh fazlur Rahman

Shaikh .f.rahman86@gmail.com

(I give more detail on how to use these questions, plus downloadable checklists for identifying the main features
of all 7 different types of IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 questions, in the lesson on How To Understand &
Analyse Task 1 Questions.)

So, what main features stand out in our practice graphic?

Here's our practice IELTS bar chart again.

Contribution as % of India's GDP

There are 3 main features/trends in this IELTS bar chart:

Main feature 1: The contribution of the agricultural sector dropped steadily.

Main feature 2: The contribution of the service sector increased each decade.

Main feature 3: Industry remained static from 1980 to 2000.

The general trends you select will be the starting point for your essay. You will then go on to add more detail.

With just 20 minutes allowed for Task 1, and a requirement of only 150 words, you won't be able to include many
details.

We’re now ready to begin writing our essay. Here’s a reminder of the 4 part structure we’re going to use.

Paragraph 1 – Introduction

Paragraph 2 – Overview
st
Paragraph 3 – 1 main feature
nd
Paragraph 4 – 2 main feature

Step 3 – Write an Introduction

In the introduction, you should simply paraphrase the question, that is, say the same thing in a different way. You
can do this by using synonyms and changing the sentence structure. For example:

Question:

The bar chart below shows the sector contributions to India’s gross domestic product from 1960 to 2000.

shaikhshshshaShaikh fazlur Rahman

Shaikh .f.rahman86@gmail.com

Introduction (Paragraph 1):

The bar graph illustrates the relative percentage contributions made by the agricultural, industrial and
service sectors to the Indian economy between 1960 and 2000.

This is all you need to do for the introduction.

Ideally, key words such as ‘sector’ and ‘contributions’ should be replaced by synonyms but there aren’t any
obvious words that could be used instead so it’s fine to repeat them. It’s important that your language sounds
natural so never try to force in synonyms that don’t quite fit.

Step 4 – Write an Overview (Paragraph 2)

In the second paragraph, you should report the main features you can see in the graph, giving only general
information. The detail comes later in the essay. You should also make any clear comparisons you spot.

This is where we write about the general trends. Here are the ones we picked out above.

Main feature 1: The contribution of the agricultural sector dropped steadily.

Main feature 2: The contribution of the service sector increased each decade.

Main feature 3: Industry remained static from 1980 to 2000.

Now form these ideas into two or three sentences with a total of around 40 words. State the information simply
using synonyms where possible. No elaborate vocabulary or grammar structures are required, just the
appropriate words and correct verb tenses.

For example:

Overview (Paragraph 2):

Over the whole time period, the significance of agriculture declined steadily while services grew in
importance decade by decade. A different patterned emerged for industry, which initially showed a
slowly increasing percentage but then plateaued from 1980 onwards.

Step 5 – Write the 1st Detail Paragraph

Paragraphs 3 and 4 of your IELTS bar chart essay are where you include more detailed information about the
data in the graphic. In paragraph 3, you should give evidence to support your first 1 or 2 key features. Don’t
forget to make comparisons when relevant.

Here are our first 2 main features again:

Main feature 1: The contribution of the agricultural sector dropped steadily.

Main feature 2: The contribution of the service sector increased each decade.

And this is an example of what you could write:

Paragraph 3:

In 1960, agriculture contributed by far the highest percentage of GDP, peaking at 62%, but it then
dropped in steady increments to a low of 12% in 2000. The service sector, on the other hand, had a
relatively minor impact on the economy in 1960. This situation changed gradually at first, then its
percentage contribution jumping from 28% to 43% between 1980 and 1990. By 2000 it matched the high
point reached by agriculture in 1960, showing a reversal in the overall trend.

shaikhshshshaShaikh fazlur Rahman

Shaikh .f.rahman86@gmail.com

Step 6 – Write the 2nd Detail Paragraph

For the fourth and final paragraph, you do the same thing for your remaining feature/s. We have one main feature
left to write about.

Main feature 3: Industry remained static from 1980 to 2000.

Here’s an example of what you could write:

Paragraph 4:

Industry remained a steady contributor to India’s wealth throughout the period. As a sector, it grew
marginally from 16% in 1960 to exactly a quarter in 1980 then remained static for the next two decades,
maintaining a constant share of the overall GDP.

Here are the four paragraphs brought together to create our finished essay.

Finished IELTS Bar Chart Essay

shaikhshshshaShaikh fazlur Rahman

Shaikh .f.rahman86@gmail.com

How To Write an
IELTS Line Graph Essay
Here is the 5 steps process I recommend for planning and writing IELTS line graph essays:

1) Analyse the question

2) Identify the main features

3) Write an introduction

4) Write an overview

5) Write the details paragraphs

I’m going to take you through the whole process step-by-step as we work on a practice question.

Many students are reluctant to spend time on steps 1 and 2 as they want to spend as much of the 20 minutes
allowed for the essay as possible actually writing it. However, it is essential that you do them as they are the key
to writing a high-scoring IELTS line graph essay.

Before we begin, here’s a model essay structure that you can use as a guideline for all IELTS Academic Task 1
questions.

Ideally, your essay should have 4 paragraphs:

Paragraph 1 – Introduction

Paragraph 2 – Overview
st
Paragraph 3 – 1 main feature
nd
Paragraph 4 – 2 main feature

Now that we have all these tools we need, we’re ready to begin planning and writing our IELTS line graph essay.

Here’s our practice question:

The graph below shows radio and television audiences throughout the day in 1992.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where
relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

shaikhshshshaShaikh fazlur Rahman

Shaikh .f.rahman86@gmail.com

Step 1 – Analyse the question

The format of every Academic Task 1 question is the same. Here is our practice question again with the words
that will be included in all questions highlighted .

The graph below shows radio and television audiences throughout the day in 1992.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where
relevant.

Every question consists of:

 Sentence 1 – A brief description of the graphic

 Sentence 2 – The instructions

 The graphic – chart, graph, table, etc.

Sentence 2 tells you what you have to do.

You must do 3 things:

1. Select the main features.

2. Write about the main features.

3. Compare the main features.

All three tasks refer to the ‘main features’ of the graphic. You do not have to write about everything. Just pick out
2 or 3 key features and you’ll have plenty to write about.

shaikhshshshaShaikh fazlur Rahman

Shaikh .f.rahman86@gmail.com

Step 2 – Identify the Main Features

The graphic in IELTS line graph questions should not be difficult to interpret. Each question has been created
to test your language skills, not your mathematics ability.

All you are looking for are the main features. These will usually be the easiest things to spot. There will be lots of
information in the graphic to help you identify them.

Here are some useful questions to ask?

 What information do the 2 axes give?

 What are the units of measurements?

 What are the time periods?

 What can you learn from the title and any labels?

 What is the most obvious trend?

 Are there any notable similarities?

(I give more detail on how to use these questions, plus downloadable checklists for identifying the main
features of all 7 different types of IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 questions, in the lesson on How To
Understand & Analyse Task 1 Questions.)

So, what main features stand out in our practice graphic?

Here's our IELTS line graph again.

The timeline will give you the biggest clues as to the most significant trends. Look for general trends.

There are 2 main features/trends in this line graph:

Main feature 1: The peak time for TV audiences is in the evening (8 pm).

Main feature 2: The peak time for radio audiences is in the morning (8 am).

shaikhshshshaShaikh fazlur Rahman

Shaikh .f.rahman86@gmail.com

The general trends you select will be the starting point for your essay. You will then go on to add more detail.
However, with just 20 minutes allowed for Task 1, and a requirement of only 150 words, you won't be able to
include many details.

We’re now ready to begin writing our essay. Here’s a reminder of the 4 part structure we’re going to use.

Paragraph 1 – Introduction

Paragraph 2 – Overview
st
Paragraph 3 – 1 main feature
nd
Paragraph 4 – 2 main feature

Step 3 – Write an Introduction

In the introduction, you should simply paraphrase the question, that is, say the same thing in a different way. You
can do this by using synonyms and changing the sentence structure. For example:

Question:

The graph below shows radio and television audiences throughout the day in 1992.

Introduction (Paragraph 1):

The line graph illustrates the proportion of people in the UK who watched TV and listened to the radio
over 24 hours from October to December 1992.

This is all you need to do for the introduction.

Step 4 – Write an Overview (Paragraph 2)

In the second paragraph, you should report the main features you can see in the graph, giving only general
information. The detail comes later in the essay. You should also make any clear comparisons you spot.

This is where we write about the general trends. Here are the ones we picked out above.

Main feature 1: The peak time for TV audiences is in the evening (8 pm).

Main feature 2: The peak time for radio audiences is in the morning (8 am).

Now form these ideas into two or three sentences with a total of around 40 words. State the information simply
using synonyms where possible. No elaborate vocabulary or grammar structures are required, just the
appropriate words and correct verb tenses.

For example:

Overview (Paragraph 2):

Overall, a significantly greater percentage of the TV audience watched in the evening while radio had the
most listeners in the morning. Over the course of each day and night, more people watched TV than
listened to the radio.

shaikhshshshaShaikh fazlur Rahman

Shaikh .f.rahman86@gmail.com

Step 5 – Write the 1st Detail Paragraph

Paragraphs 3 and 4 of your IELTS line graph essay are where you include more detailed information about
the data in the graphic. In paragraph 3, you should give evidence to support your first key feature. Don’t
forget to make comparisons when relevant.

Here is our first main feature again:

Main feature 1: The peak time for TV audiences is in the evening (8 pm).

And this is an example of what you could write:

Paragraph 3:

Less than 10% of people watched TV between 1 am and 12 noon but at 4 pm

this figure increased rapidly, reaching a peak of almost half the population at 8
pm. After this, the graph records a sharp decline in viewers, reaching a low of
only a tiny percentage by 3 am.

Step 6 – Write the 2nd Detail Paragraph

For the fourth and final paragraph, you do the same thing for your second key feature.

Main feature 2: The peak time for radio audiences is in the morning (8 am).

Here’s an example of what you could write:

Paragraph 4:

Radio, on the other hand, shows a very different trend. The most popular time for listeners to be tuned in
was just after 8 am when around 27% of the population was listening. After a brief peak, the numbers
dropped steadily to barely 2%, apart from fluctuations at around 4 pm and 10.30 pm. The percentage of
listeners remained low overnight before beginning a rapid ascent from 6 am to the 8 am high.

Here are the four paragraphs brought together to create our finished essay.

Finished IELTS Line Graph Essay

shaikhshshshaShaikh fazlur Rahman

Shaikh .f.rahman86@gmail.com

shaikhshshshaShaikh fazlur Rahman