IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 – How to reach a band 7 | IDP IELTS 02/10/2023, 17:38

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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: How to get a band 7 or

higher in task achievement
Test takers often struggle with deciding what to present in their response in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1. We will
take a closer look at Task achievement in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 and the features you need to include in
your response.

Test takers often struggle with deciding what to present and how to present it in an IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
On this page
response.
Write an introduction

The overview Today we will take a closer look at IELTS Academic Writing Task 1, task achievement, and the features you need to include
in your response to get band 7 or above.
Key features

In IELTS Academic Writing Task 1, you will be shown a diagram, a visual way to represent information. You may be shown
one or more than one diagram. This visual information can be shown as a:

Table

Chart

Diagram

Process

Graph

Map

You will also be given the following instructions:

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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 – How to reach a band 7 | IDP IELTS 02/10/2023, 17:38

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

You will need to do an information transfer task – the visual information you are given needs to be presented in the form
of text.

As part of the task, you will need to:

1. Write an introduction

2. Write an overview (a summary of what you see)

3. Present and highlight the key features with figures (data)

Let’s take a closer look at the last three points – the introduction, the overview and the key features that need to be
presented.

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Write an introduction
The reason for an introduction is to tell the examiner what you are going to write about. It is basically the question
paraphrased. For example, what the visual diagram is, the data source and when the data was collected.

The introduction:

Can be one sentence

Is the question rewritten into your own words (paraphrased)

Remember, if there are two diagrams in your task, you need to introduce both. This can be done in one or two sentences.

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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 – How to reach a band 7 | IDP IELTS 02/10/2023, 17:38

DO DON'T

Write
Write aa clear
clear introduction
introduction to describe what you see. Present irrelevant information (E.g. the x-axis,
the y-axis, the grey line represents female
unemployment, the black triangle is males)

Paraphrase
Paraphrase the
the question
question prompt.
prompt. Use synonyms and phrases Copy the question prompt word-for-word
for non-key information. (E.g. unemployed = people who are (E.g. phrases from the question)
unemployed / 1970-2000 = over three decades from 1970 to
2000.)

Use
Use keywords
keywords in your introduction (E.g. dates, times, countries, Change the keywords in the question to
genders). inaccurate synonyms (E.g. unemployed
unemployed

Let’s look at some sample introductions and see how you might introduce them if you apply the above tips.

Process The cycle shows how man-made fibres are produced.

Map The maps illustrate changes in an English village over a

century from 1915 to 2015.

Graph The graph presents data from Ireland showing cinema

attendance in major cities in 2016.

Two
Two charts
charts The pie charts show the main energy resources used to
generate power in a town in Australia, while
while the table
shows how much energy was consumed by the
community in 1989.

The overview
The overview in your response should summarise what you see in the visual diagram. It should summarise the main:

Trends

Changes

Developments

Stages

Noticeable features

You need to present a clear overview to reach a band 7 and higher. Let’s take a closer look at the task achievement band
descriptors to see how important a clear overview is in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1.

Band descriptors - Task achievement

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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 – How to reach a band 7 | IDP IELTS 02/10/2023, 17:38

Band 7 Presents a clear overview, the data are appropriately

categorised, and main trends or differences are
identified

Band 6 A relevant overview is attempted

Band 5 There may be a tendency to focus on details (without

referring to the bigger picture)

Use
Use linking
linking words
words to summarise what you see. (E.g. Overall, Include data or figures in your overview. Only
DO
To summarise, In summary) DON'T
include a summary of the main trends or
features.

Look
Look for
for trends
trends in the diagram(s). Is there an overall Identify everything in the overview. It should just
increase, decrease or fluctuation in the visual diagram? Are be a summary statement of the most noticeable
there any high or low points? Is it stable? features in the diagram.

If the visual diagram shows future predictions, summarise

summarise Highlight key features with data (figures).
the
the future
future trends
trends in your overview.

Highlight
Highlight any
any change
change in
in the
the overall
overall trend
trend of the visual
diagram. (For example, a dip)

If we apply the above tips, here are some examples of how an overview might look.

Introduction | Overview

Table The table illustrates employment numbers in Australia

over a thirty-year period from 1970 to 2000.
Overall, it can be clearly seen that the numbers of
people employed have increased over the period,
whereas the unemployed figures have remained stable.

Chart The chart compares the number of cars that were made
in France, Germany and Norway over a decade from
2000 to 2010.
In brief, Germany was the major producer of vehicles
over this period followed by France and Norway.

Key features
In your IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 response, you must present the key features and use data to support your
description.

The key features are the features that stand out the most in the diagram. For example, if a diagram shows 5 countries,
then these 5 countries are the key features.

If we look at the band descriptors below, you will notice that you need to clearly present key features to achieve a band 7
or higher.

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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 – How to reach a band 7 | IDP IELTS 02/10/2023, 17:38

Band 7 Key features which are selected are covered and

clearly highlighted

Band 6 Key features which are selected are covered and

adequately highlighted

Band 5 Key features which are selected are not adequately

covered

Band 4 Few key features have been selected

The table below outlines examples of visual diagrams and what the key features may be for each.

Visual Key features

Graph showing 5 age groups over two years

5 age groups

Major trends

Outstanding figures (E.g. highs, lows)

Two years

Pie chart showing 5 types of fuel

5 different types of fuel

Major fuel type

To successfully address the task, you need to:

Describe the key features in the visual diagram

Use data from the visual diagram to support each key feature (E.g. figures, numbers, percentages, buildings,
structures, rooms)

If you do not use data in the visual diagram to support the key features, your response will match the band 5 description.

Band 5 The recounting of detail is mainly mechanical. There

may be no data to support the description

What data should you present to get a band 7 or higher?

Supporting data for each element (E.g. age groups, products, years)

Noticeable figures that stand out (E.g. Highs, lows, fluctuation or period of stability)

Figures that have increased or decreased

Figures that have not changed at all, that remain the same

Names of buildings on a map (E.g. Shop, post office, library)

Roads, pathways or bridges shown on a map

Things that have changed within the visual diagram (E.g location, renovation, removal)

Things that are new (E.g. buildings, roads, facilities)

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Each stage in a process

Any extra step that may be part of a process

The materials or equipment used in the process

DO DON'T

Present the figures given in the visual diagram Present the data mechanically (E.g. In 1992, it was
2%. In 1993, it was 3%. And in 1994, it was 6%...)

Present the correct number scale shown on the visual Present data inaccurately. Make sure you read the
diagram (E.g. hundreds, thousands, ten-thousand, Y-axis carefully to see what data is shown.
hundred-thousand, millions, tonnes)

Write the correct number format when presenting figures Use calculations to respond to the task (E.g. calculate
from the visual diagram (E.g. 100; 1,000; 10,000; 100,000; averages, add or subtract numbers). Remember to
1,000,000) present the data as given.

To recap on what we have learned here today, remember these three things, and you’ll be on your way to achieving a
band 7 or higher in task achievement IELTS Academic Writing Task 1.

1. Write a clear introduction. But don’t copy the question.

2. Write a clear summary of what you see in the overview

3. Present and highlight key features with figures (data)

And remember, Academic Task 1 does NOT need a conclusion.

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