IELTS Sample Line Graph (IELTS Writing Task 1)

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#01

The graph shows data about the annual earnings of three bakeries in Calgary,
2000-2010.

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

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer

The graph shows information about the amount of money which was earned by three
bakeries in Calgary, over a ten-year period between 2000 and 2010.

Overall, what stands out from the graph is that there were considerable upward trends in
the income of both Bolo Cakery and Amandine Bakery, while the earnings of Mari
Bakeshop saw a considerable fall over the period in question. Another interesting point
is that Mari Bakeshop was the most popular bakery in 2000, but in 2010, Amandine
Bakery earned more money than the others.

Looking at the details, as regards Bolo Cakery, income started at $20,000 in 2000, then
there was a fluctuation over the next three years, at which point it levelled off at just
under $40,000 until 2006. Then the figure went up significantly, finishing at around
$65,000 in 2010. If we look at Amandine Bakery, the trend was similar. Having remained
stable at approximately $55,000 in the first half of the decade, income then rose sharply,
reaching nearly $100,000 in 2008. There was then a gradual rise to around $105,000 in
2010.

By contrast, the income of Mari Bakeshop went in the opposite direction. Takings
fluctuated around $90,000 until 2004. After That despite falling sharply to just over
$40,000 in 2008, the figure then levelled off in the last two years.

(219 words)
#02

The graph gives information about male and female gym membership between 1980
and 2010.

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

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer
The line graph shows male and female gym membership over a thirty-year period. The
vertical axis represents the number of members in units of 1,000. The horizontal axis
represents the period from 1980 to 2010.

Overall, the graph indicates that there were greater fluctuations in gym membership
among men than among women. The number of male members started the period at
just over two thousand and reached highs of four thousand in 1985 and five thousand
around 2005. The lowest rates were between 1993 and 1997 and more recently in 2010
when the rate dipped as low as one thousand.

Female gym membership began lower at one thousand, doubled by 1984, and then
fluctuated between two and three thousand for the remainder of the period. When male
rates were at their lowest, female rates were higher. This was particularly true between
1993 and 1997 when over three thousand women held gym membership.

In brief, there were marked differences in rates of male and female gym memberships in
the period covered.

(170 words)
#03

The graph shows the number of visitors to four international museums between 1980
and 2015.

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

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer

The line graph shows how many people visited four museums in different countries in
the world between 1980 and 2015.
All in all, the Louvre Museum was the most popular, with between approximately 8 and 9
million visitors each year. The least popular were the Shenzhen and the London Science
Museum, with no more than 4 million visitors each year.

The number of visitors to the London Science Museum decreased slowly from just over
4 million in 1980 to around 2 million in 2015. By contrast, the visitors to the Vatican
Museum increased from just under 5 million in 1980 to around 9 million in 2015.

In addition, the number of visitors to the Shenzhen Museum stayed about the same over
the thirty-five-year period. They fell from just under 4 million in 1980 to just over 3 million
in 2000 and then rose to just under 4 million again in 2015.

(151 words)
#04

The chart below shows the movement of people from rural to urban areas in three
countries and predictions for future years.

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

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer

The line graph shows the figures in millions for the migration of people from the
countryside to cities in three different countries over the period 2000 to 2025, including
future predictions. Overall, it is clear that the shift from rural communities towards urban
metropolitan areas is upwards.

All three countries began the period with similar numbers of urban migrants. Russia
started with the most migrants (around 15 million) and over the period sees significant
increases, particularly between 2010 and 2015 (around 42 to 70 million) with this
upward trend predicted to continue (reaching approximately 86 million by 2025).
Similarly, Iran after a slow start between 2000 and 2005 sees a dramatic rise in urban
migration, and after 2015 is predicted to see an even more dramatic increase,
surpassing Russia’s figures in 2020 reaching around 95 million by 2025. However,
Indonesia bucks the trend somewhat. Whilst consistently steady between 2000 and
2020, its growth is far less dramatic than the other two countries (10 to 30 million).
Furthermore, post 2020, it is predicted to level off at around 30 million.

To sum up, while all three countries have seen growth up to 2015, only the figures for
countries Russia and Iran are predicted to see continued growth up to 2025.

(209 words)
#05

The line graph gives information about the number of Iranian, Greek and Turkish
students who enrolled at Sheffield University between 2005 and 2009.

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

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer

The diagram shows the enrolment of Iranian, Greek and Turkish students at Sheffield
University from 2005 to 2009. During this period, enrolment of both Iranian and Turkish
students rocketed sharply. However, Greek admissions dropped significantly with
numbers being almost the reverse of those for Iranian students.

Iranian numbers grew steadily up to 2008 followed by a sharp rise reaching almost 160
students in 2009. Similarly, numbers of Turkish students showed steady growth
throughout the period from about 20 in 2005 to over 120 in 2009. In contrast, enrolments
of Greek students decreased dramatically from a high of 180 students in 2005 to just
about 70 in 2007. Numbers then levelled off throughout 2007 finally dropping again to a
low of around 45 in 2009. A further point of interest is that from 2007 to 2008,
enrolments from all three countries were very similar, the average difference being
approximately 20 students.
Overall, the graph highlights a considerable difference between growth in Iranian and
Turkish enrolments but reduction in Greek enrolments.

(169 words)
#06

The chart below shows the changes that took place in three different areas of crime in
Panama City from 2010 to 2019.

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

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer

This graph illustrates how crime rates altered in Panama City during the period
2010-2019. We can see immediately that the greatest change occurred in the number of
burglaries, while incidents of theft remained low but steady.

In 2010, we can see that burglary was the most common crime, with approximately
3,400 reported cases. The figure rose to around 3,700 in 2011, but then there was a
downward trend until 2015. At this point the figure stood at just over 1,000 incidents.
This rose slightly in 2016, then continued to fluctuate for the remaining period.

In 2010, the number of cars being stolen stood at around 2,800 and followed a similar
trend to burglary until 2013. At this point the number rose, standing at around 2,200 in
2014. There was a marginal decrease in the following year, but from then on, the trend
was generally upwards.
Finally, robbery has always been a fairly minor problem for Panama City. The number of
offences committed changed little over nine years. It is interesting to note that the figure
of approximately 700 in 2010 is the same figure for 2019.

(185 words)
#07

The graph below shows the number of hours per day on average that children spent
watching television between 1950 and 2010.

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

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer

The graph shows the number of hours per day on average that children spent watching
television. The graph covers the period between 1950 and 2010.

From 1950 to 1960, there was a modest rise in the average number of hours children
spent in front of the television set. This was followed by a marked increase from
approximately one hour to four hours of viewing per day among children between 1965
and 1982. Over the next five years, there was a decrease. However this trend proved
negligible as the viewing figure then rose again marginally, and it reached a peak of over
four hours in 1995.

Between 1995 and 2010, there was another modest decline in the hours children spent
watching television.

Overall, it can be concluded that there has been a significant rise in television viewing
over the sixty-year period, though there is some indication that this trend may be
changing.
(151 words)
#08

The graph below gives information about how much people in the United States and
the United Kingdom spend on fuel.

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

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer

The graph compares the percentage income that people in the UK and USA spend on
fuel.

Firstly, the difference between the total spending on fuel by the poorest and the richest is
greater in the UK than in the USA. In the former, the poorest spend less than 0.5% of their
income on fuel, suggesting that they do not use cars very much, and the richest spend
around 3%. By contrast, in the US, the poorest spend around 4-5% while the richest spend
between 2 and 3%.

Secondly, in the USA it is also noticeable that the percentage of income spent by the
poor can be twice that spent by the rich. However, in the UK. the percentage spent rises
quite steeply for the poorer members of the population but then remains almost
constant apart from the very richest, where it falls again.

In both countries people on middle incomes spend about the same percentage. Overall,
the percentage of income spent on fuel generally gets higher in the UK, whereas it
decreases in the US.

(175 words)
#09

The graph shows the impact of vaccinations on the incidence of whooping cough, a
childhood illness, between 1940 and 1990 in Britain.

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

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer

The graph shows the changing number of cases of whooping cough in Britain from 1940
to 1990, and how the introduction and use of a vaccine for the disease affected the
pattern. Apparently, there was a direct link between the administration of the vaccine and
the number of cases of whooping cough among children during this period in history.

Overall, the number of cases fell from a high of 170,000 to almost zero. However, there
were significant fluctuations in the trend. For example, just after 1940, there was a surge
in the number of cases from 50,000 to approximately 170,000. Although the figure fell
back in the next few years, it peaked again in the early 1950s and fluctuated
considerably until the introduction of a vaccination in the late 1950s.
Following this, the number of cases dropped sharply to well below 20,000 in the
mid-1970s, until a sudden fall in vaccinations, from 81 percent to 30 percent, resulted in
a parallel rise in the incidence of the illness. Figures then went up again to 60,000 around
1980, but gradually fell back to their earlier level as vaccinations were resumed. By 1990,
94 percent of children were being vaccinated against whooping cough, and there were
few, if any, cases.

(208 words)
#10

The graph below gives information about changes in the birth and death rates in New
Zealand between 1901 and 2101.

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

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer

The graph shows changes in the birth and death rates in New Zealand since 1901, and
forecasts trends tip until 2101.

Between 1901 and the present day, the birth rate has been consistently higher than the
death rate. It stood at 20,000 at the start of this period and increased to a peak of 66,000
in 1961. Since then the rate has fluctuated between 65 and 50 thousand and it is
expected to decline slowly to around 45,000 births by the end of the century.

In contrast, the death rate started below 10,000 and has increased steadily until the
present time. This increase is expected to be more rapid between 2021 and 2051 when
the rate will probably level off at around 60,000, before dropping slightly in 2101.
Overall, these opposing trends mean that the death rate will probably overtake the birth
rate in around 2041 and the large gap between the two levels will be reversed in the later
part of this century.

(164 words)
#12

The graph below shows population figures for India and China since the year 2000 and
predicted population growth up until 2050.

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

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer

The graph shows how the populations of India and China have changed since 2000 and
how they will change in the future.

In 2000, there were more people living in China than in India. The number of Chinese was
1.25 billion, while India's population was about 1 billion. Between 2000 and 2010, there
has been a 0.2 billion rise in the number of Indian citizens. Over the same period, China's
population has increased by 0.1 billion to reach over 1.35 billion.

According to the graph, the population in India will increase more quickly than in China,
and experts say that by 2030, both countries will have the same population of 1.45
billion. After this, China's population is likely to fall slightly to 1.4 billion in 2050, while
India's population will probably increase and reach 1.6 billion.

Thus, over the 50-year period, India is going to experience steady growth in its
population and it will overtake China. On the other hand, China's population will peak in
2030 and then begin to fall.

(173 words)
#13

The graph below shows the pollution levels in London between 1600 and 2000.

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

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer

(1st paragraph introduces the topic of the graph, explains what the graph shows and
outlines overall trends or patterns.)

The graph shows pollution levels in London between 1600 and 2000. It measures smoke
and sulphur dioxide in micrograms per cubic metre. According to the information, the
levels of both pollutants formed a similar pattern during this period, but there were
always higher levels of sulphur dioxide than smoke in the atmosphere.

(2nd paragraph describes the trends in more detail and illustrates these using data from
the graph.)

In 1600, pollution levels were low, but over the next hundred years, the levels of sulphur
dioxide rose to 700 micrograms per cubic metre, while the levels of smoke rose
gradually to about 200 micrograms per cubic metre. Over the next two hundred years the
levels of sulphur dioxide continued to increase, although there was some fluctuation in
this trend. They reached a peak in 1850. Smoke levels increased a little more sharply
during this time and peaked in 1900 at about 500 micrograms. During the 20th century,
the levels of both pollutants fell dramatically, though there was a great deal of
fluctuation within this fall.
(Final paragraph draws a simple conclusion from the data.)

Clearly air pollution was a bigger problem in London in the early 20th century than it is
now.

(176 words)
#14

The line graph below shows the percentage of tourists to England who visited four
different attractions in Brighton.

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

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer

The line graph shows the percentage of tourists to England who visited certain Brighton
attractions between 1980 and 2010. We can see that in 1980 and in 2010 the favourite
attractions were the pavilion and the festival. In 1980 the least popular attraction was
the pier but in 2010 this changed and the art gallery was the least popular.

During the 1980s and 1990s there was a sharp increase in visitors to the pavilion from
28% to 48% and then the percentage gradually went down to 31% in 2010. The trend for
the art gallery was similar to the pavilion. Visitors increased rapidly from 22% to 37%
from 1980 to 1985 then gradually decreased to less than 10% over the next twenty-five
years. The number of tourists who visited the Brighton Festival fluctuated slightly but in
general remained steady at about 25%. Visitors to the pier also fluctuated from 1980 to
2000 then rose significantly from 12% to 22% between 2000 and 2010.
(163 words)