Here are some IELTS Graphs must knows which are true about any IELTS graph.
- Never copy whole phrases/sentences from the task into your introduction.
- The examiner will NOT count the words copied from the task and these words will be removed from the word count as they are NOT your words.
- You can write 150-200+ words.
- Overview: No numbers. No specific details.
- Start by writing about the highest numbers or the highest in the first year. Then something interesting in the middle and the last year.
- There is NO conclusion in graphs. We have an overview or an overall statement.
- The overview is super important and should have the key features/be sophisticated if you want to get 7.0-9.0.
Structure for any graph:
- Introduction
- Overview
- 2 or 3 Body Paragraphs
Introduction: write 1 sentence and paraphrase the task
Body paragraphs: 2 or 3 paragraphs with specific details/numbers from the graph.
The Overview can be
- in the 1st paragraph right after the 1st sentence of the introduction
- in the 2nd paragraph
- in the last paragraphAll these options are fine.
- If there is NO overview, it's 5.0 for Task Achievement. No matter how cool your body paragraphs are.
- If the overview is inaccurate or irrelevant, it's 6.0 for Task Achievement.
- Never give any reasons. Never explain. Write about what is given in the graph.
- Never give your own opinion. Compare the key features/major changes/what's similar or different/biggest or smallest growth.
- Write like a robot: only what the graph shows. NO emotions or feelings.
- The 4 criteria have equal weight. Grammar is NOT the most important thing. All 4 criteria have 25% of the score.
- Forget strange/unnatural linking words. They will NOT give you points. Use overall, while, by contrast, although, in terms of, whereas, however
- Using referencing e.g., this, they, it, them, this number, these figures improves cohesion/coherence.
- Spelling errors are under Lexical Resource criterion. For 7 and above you can only have 2-3 spelling errors.
- Less common words should be used for 7.0-9.0 e.g., halve, soar, a downward pattern, plummet. NO need to write too many words like these. 3-4 would do.
- Complex sentences should be used throughout your answer to get more than 6.0.
- Paraphrasing: make sure the word you use has the SAME meaning as the original word. Meat is meat. A line graph is a line graph. Avoid paraphrasing if NOT sure.
- You can include the units in the introduction ONLY IF the graph shows some strange units. Write: the units are measured in...(the name). NO need to write this if the chart shows grams/%/millions.
All IELTS graph types: a line graph, bar chart, pie charts (2-6pie charts), table (1 or 2), process, cycles (nature and life cycles), maps, mixed graph (line graph + table, pie chart + bar chart):
- How can I teach IELTS writing?
- By knowing how to write it, what to do for a high score and what to avoid.
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