Writing an IELTS Task 1 Process Writing Report

When you see an IELTS task for the first time, what’s the first thing you usually do?

Do you panic, do you stare for a long time at the task, or do you start writing something immediately?

If I told you there were two things you should always remember, would that help you?

It probably would, but it’s surprising how easy IELTS students forget. 

Remember these small things

For example, if you are planned and prepared, you don’t need to waste valuable time counting each and every word.

You don’t need to waste time correcting every grammar or spelling error either.

To convince the examiner that your writing deserves a high band score, think like an examiner and give them what they want! 

What do examiners want in an IELTS Task response?

If you are familiar with the IELTS band descriptors, you’ll know there are four assessment criteria.

These band scales can easily be matched to your writing by the trained examiner.

What an examiner wants to see are clear examples which they can apply to the Band descriptors.

Then the examiner can give a band score.

Easy! 🙂

So, first of all,

Give the examiner what they want to see

Give the examiner an introduction.

Write for the examiner, your own overview.

Write the description of the report and include the main details.

Next, 

Make your writing your own

Write clearly, so it is easy to understand.

Write logically, so the examiner can see progression.

Think about the vocabulary and the sentences you use.

Check your work, but accept there may be a few errors. 

Instant Noodles IELTS Process Writing  

Look at this task and then see how the examiner applies a criterion to assess the writing.

Cambridge IELTS practice Test 15 (2020) 

The diagram below shows how instant noodles are manufactured.

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

The illustrations and captions explain the process of producing instant noodles for retailing to consumers.

It is clear there are eight main stages in the production of instant noodles, starting with raw ingredients and finishing with a packaged product.

The process begins with the raw ingredient, flour, being delivered to storage silos. Once the production process is ready to begin, the flour is transferred to a large mechanical mixer where both oil and water are added. The mixture is then put through a process where rollers produce a continuous, flat dough sheet. This dough sheet is then fed into a machine which cuts the dough into strips. The strips are cut and then laid into a circular shape on a conveyor belt. In this form, the dough is lowered into oil and cooked before being taken out and dried. Once the noodles are fully dry, it appears that they are placed into cups. In stage 7, vegetables and spices are added to the cups before the product is sealed for freshness and labelled in the final stage. 

Word count (177)

Test Tip

Look at how the trained examiner would assess your writing using band descriptors.

You should try to aim for 150 words, but don’t waste time doing a word count.

Your writing needs to be accurate, but minor factual inaccuracies are not penalised.

Minor grammar and spelling errors are acceptable as they are a feature of the writing process. 

Examiner comments 

Task Achievement 

• The task appears to be around 150 words or more
• The task is introduced with a coherent, paraphrased introduction.
• The task reports the main stages of the process.
• The writer provides an accurate and developed overview of the process. 

Coherence and Cohesion 

• The task is coherent. The information is logically sequenced and divided into paragraphs.
• The task is cohesive. There is clear progression. Linking words are used effectively and there is cohesion between sentences and ideas.

(the process begins, once the production process is ready, cut and then laid, before being taken. once the noodles are fully dry, in the final stages, this dough, they are placed)

Lexical Resource 

• The writer makes use of appropriate academic vocabulary 
  • explain – show
  • there are eight main stages in the production of
  • the process begins
  • once the production process is
• Repetition of vocabulary is avoided and there are effective examples of synonyms: process begins/production of/ the process of
• There are few or no spelling errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy 

• There is a variety of sentence patterns which do not detract from the task. 

Complex sentences are used

The mixture is then put through a process where rollers produce a continuous, flat dough sheet. 

Compound sentences are used:

The strips are cut and then laid into a circular shape on a conveyor belt.

• There are few or no grammatical errors. Errors that exist do not change the meaning
• There are few or no punctuation errors. 

Conclusion

If you want to do well in IELTS  Task 1 Writing, think like an examiner. Show the examiner the structure of your report, the introduction, the overview and the main report.

You can follow this checklist if it helps,

Work on your weak areas, if you have any, like vocabulary and grammar, to produce what the examiner wants to see and assess.

I’m sure you will be much more successful.

IELTS Task 1 Diagrams Questions

Hi I’m Jonathan.

I’m going to run through answering an IELTS Diagram question. Following these tips would give you a high Task 1 band score.

If you follow this post, then you can apply the same principles to other diagrams, as well as other IELTS Task 1 questions

Before you get started with IELTS Diagrams, look at these articles first.

How to write an Introduction

How to write an Overview     

How to write the Main Bodies  

If you are familiar with the content, skip to the next section.

The key to writing about Diagrams is noticing the number, sequence and the order of stages.

You then need report, as much in your own words, what happens in each stage and describe how each stage is important by paraphrasing the task.

For this type of essay it is standard to write a three or four paragraph report, namely

An Introduction,

An Overview

and one or two body paragraphs.

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IELTS Writing Task 1: Describing a Diagram 

Problems with IELTS Diagrams

IELTS Diagram questions are very visual. They may seem easier to answer than other formats.

They are less common than charts, graphs or tables, so students often prepare less for these type of tasks.

Always be prepared for any type of IELTS questions!

The good news is the preparation won’t take as long as you might think.

Diagrams follow the same format as any IELTS Task 1:

This is

1. Introduce the diagram
2. Give an overview of the main point/s (necessary for Band 6 and above)
3. And provide the detail

This post will explain:

• Examples of diagram questions
• The tried and tested method for answering any diagram question
• How to write the introduction
• How to write a ‘great’ overview
• How to write about the detail in sequence
• The commons mistakes IELTS students make

What is an IELTS Diagram Question?

These types of question can be divided into two types: natural cycles and man-made or industrial processes.

Official IELTS practice questions have featured natural cycles such as the life cycle of frogs, moths and butterflies, the natural water cycle or how cows produce milk for their calves.

In contrast, other practice questions have included man-made processes such as how coffee, tea or leather is made, bricks are made or a satellite signal is transmitted and received.

More good news is that the same skills and principles can more or less be applied to both man-made and natural cycles.

Let’s consider a typical question first.

Here is the diagram we are going to use.

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A Good Teacher’s Guide to IELTS Planning.

A good IELTS teacher will highlight the need to understand the task quickly and plan an answer quickly too. 

You only have 20 mins to write your report.

You can do this like so:

Get an overall visual understanding of the diagram

1. Paraphrase the question
2. Consider an overview
3. Divide the diagram into parts and report
4. Include time to proofread your writing

Gaining an overall understanding of the illustration

A diagram has a number of stages. These may time ordered or sequenced.   Start at the beginning, try and understand the number of stages or sequences.

You may need to describe stages happening simultaneously or a different stages in the diagram.

In the example above, it is not so obvious!

There appears to be three kinds of information that is gathered and used by a computer and then, there are three ways in which the information is processed and used.

There also appear to be a number sequences that happen at the same time.

It’s quite a challenge to write about something you have never seen, so it is important that you study the diagram and gain an understanding before you start writing.

Don’t worry, it doesn’t need to be perfect, you only have 15 minutes and just need to notice the main features and report them in an accurate way.

TOP TIPS for understanding

• Identify if there is beginning and an end 
• Is it a circular process or linear?
• Count the number of stages?
• Is it natural or a man-made?
• Is anything added or taken away?
• What is the function of each stage?
• Is there a relationship between these stages?
• Is there a product/output at the end?

By answering these questions you will have already started planning your essay

Good News – Remember the IELTS task is not there to trick you, and you won’t be given a complicated process to describe. Your task is to report effectively and accurately.

---

Introduce the Diagram

Top Tip

As with any Task 1, you can begin by paraphrasing sentence (1)

This is the rubric or instructions.

Paraphrasing is a task that is worth learning to do well, and a good knowledge of paraphrasing will also help you in the Reading, Listening and Speaking part of the test.

Simply put, paraphrasing for IELTS means using different words and/or word order so the original meaning remains the same.

In order to remain the same, different words need to be synonyms, so man, male and person have a similar meaning, they are synonymous, but man, male, person and girl are not all synonymous.

As you can see, all the information in the three sentences has been taken from the question, but it has not been copied.

If you do copy directly then those words are not used towards the word count and you will fail on TASK ACHIEVEMENT.

You need to write it in your own words.

In any Academic Task 1 question you can rewrite (paraphrase) the questions and this will be the first paragraph.

Well done. 🙂 Let’s move on!

Now consider the next section, the Overview.

Overview of the Process

The ‘public band descriptors’ state that to achieve a Band 6 or above for ‘task response’ the student must provide an overview in a Task 1. Without one, you are less likely to get a high score.

If you started planning at the beginning then writing a good overview will be a lot easier near the end.

Remember, the questions I’ve already asked you to consider.

These should be sufficient to provide the 2 sentences you need to construct the basic overview.

Recap:

• Is there a beginning and an end?
• Circular process or linear with a start and a finish?
• Number of stages?
• Natural or a man-made process?
• Additions to the process?
• What is produced at the end

An IELTS diagram is different to a chart or table as there aren’t usually any key changes or trends to identify.

So, as there are no trends to comment on, you could mention, for example, the number of stages in the diagram and how it begins and ends instead.

Providing the Detail

Now that you have completed paraphrasing the question and given the overview, the next stage is to explain the IELTS diagram in detail.

You can do this by:

• Stating what each stage does
• Is there an input or output?
• Is something added or taken away?
• Is there a relationship between stages?

Before you do this you need to consider the most suitable language that reflects the sophistication of the task.

Consider the most suitable language

In order to describe the process well there are two key aspects of language to be considered. These are sequencing and choice of grammar.

1) Time Connectors

You may need to describe series of events, for example, one taking place after the other, to connect your stages, you should sequence them using suitable ‘time connectors’.

By using these well, your writing instantly becomes more logical, cohesive, sophisticated and most importantly, more impressive to the examiner.

Here is my sample answer with the time connectors highlighted that simply describe from the start to the end of the process.

 

Other examples of sequencing Time Connectors are:

2) Passive Tense

When we describe an IELTS diagram, the focus is often on the activities in the process rather than the person.

So to describe the activities, use passive and not active grammar.

If you need to know more about the Passive voice you can read the review below, but the good news is

• The IELTS task will provide most of the verbs that you need to use
• Using the passive will avoid using the words as they appear in the text
• You only need to use the passive in the present simple tense – that’s the Present Simple Passive

Most sentences use this structure:

• Subject + Verb + Object

Change

• A satellite collects weather pattern images.   Weather patterns in the form of images are collected 

In this active voice the satellite does the verb i.e. “the satellite is doing the collecting”.

In the passive voice,

• the object (weather patterns) becomes the subject,
• and the subject (the satellite) becomes the object.
• and the verb ‘to be’ and the past participle (or Verb 3) is also added.

Compare:

A satellite collects weather pattern images.

Weather patterns in the form of images are collected

The second example is far more appropriate for the IELTS Diagram question and far more sophisticated in choice of language.

Here’s my example. I’ve highlighted the passives in the text.

Varying your language

One final tip for a higher score is variation in language.

Occasionally, it may be appropriate just to use the same language that you are given in the IELTS process diagram to describe it, but you should try to vary it.

You may be able to use nouns from the diagram as your verbs.

For example, the noun broadcast near the end of the process becomes:

broadcasted by radio waves….

Is is okay to use ‘words’ from the question?

You may find you struggle to transform some verbs to nouns or think of synonyms for particular words.

Sometimes it’s ‘okay‘ to use words from the question because a word is ‘so‘ specific to the question, that an alternative cannot be used.

Take the word ‘buoy‘ for example. 

My definition of this is

a plastic or rubber positioning device that floats on the surface of water, used for maritime navigation, position or measurement.

I don’t believe there is a suitable alternative I can use, it’s content specific.

Using this word from the question, would not penalise my writing.

Common Errors

A very basic error seen in Task 1 introduction is basic verb agreement.

Look at the two genuine examples below.

The diagrams shows

The diagram show

In both examples, it is unclear about the number of nouns discussed

Here is the correction:

Common Errors using the Present Simple Passive

• Make sure you practise the passive so you know exactly how to use it.

Also, as you will see from the description, it is more unusual to comment on who or what is doing the action so the ‘by….” phrase is often excluded.

• Singular or Plural

Notice these examples are incorrect.

Another example is using countable and uncountable nouns.

The pizza dough are ready The pizzas are ready.

This is a really common mistake In Task 1 writing!

Here are the corrections:

The pizza dough is ready (the material)

The pizzas are ready  (the individual pizzas)

Finally, check your Essay

Ideally, you need to allow 3 to 4 minutes at the end of the test to check and improve your writing.

Often students don’t do this because they spend the while 20 minutes writing.

It is far better to write for about 15 minutes and allow 5 minutes to check and improve your writing.

From my experience the points you should check for are:

• Are there any obvious spelling or punctuation errors?
• Are the verbs the correct tense?

Additionally, you should consider these questions, but if you followed my planning advice you should be ok.

• Do the verbs agree with the subject?
• Does the process make sense? Does it follow the visual?
• Is there any repetition in vocabulary?
• Could this be improved with synonyms?
• Have I written over 150 words?
• Have I organised the text into at least 3 paragraphs?
• Have I noticed only the obvious features from the diagram?
• Have I included the prominent features in the overview?
• Have I NOT included my personal opinion?

Once you have done this, be proud of the final product!

The diagram below shows how the Australian Bureau of Meteorology collects up-to-the-minute information on the weather in order to produce reliable forecasts.

Write at least 150 words.

Here’s my sample.

Sample Answer  Diagrams.

The diagram provides an overview of how a variety of data is gathered to give up-to-date weather forecasts for the Australian continent.

It is clear from the information that there are three types of data collected from three sources and there are three ways in which the forecast is then given to the public.

The information used to make a forecast comes from three data types. Weather patterns in the form of images are collected from satellites while synoptic chart information is gathered from drifting buoys on the ocean, from information sent from satellites and land-based radar stations. Additional specific information is collected by radar and this is viewed on a radar screen. The three types of data are then combined to analyse and make a prediction which can be used as a weather forecast.

Next, the forecast is prepared for broadcasting using a desktop computer. After that, the information is then presented on television by a TV newsreader, broadcasted by radio waves or available as a recorded announcement on a telephone line.

Word Count 171

 

I hope you found this article useful and good luck with your preparation.

Please leave a comment for a reply.

The Best Approach to Task 2 Writing

Paragraphing in Task 2 Writing

Strong Arguments for Task 2

Writing the Introduction

Writing a Line of Argument

Cohesion for Task 2 Writing

Writing – Benefits of a Foreign University Education

 

Are IELTS Task 1 Multiple Chart Questions really a challenge?

Hi, I’m Jonathan.

In this post, I’m going through a typical Multiple Chart question in IELTS and work towards a high-scoring answer.

If you follow my advice, you will find that this type of question won’t as difficult as you might first think.

This will give you an answer that gets a high Task 1 band score.

By following this post, the same principles can also successfully be applied to other IELTS Task 1 questions

Before you get started, look at these articles first.

How to write an Introduction

How to write an Overview     

How to write the Main Bodies  

Compare and Contrast language

If you are okay with this content, continue to the next section.

Key Principles to Multiple Charts

The key principle to writing about multiple charts is noticing the main trends in both images. 

You then need to report, as much in your own words, the key details in all the images, being careful to omit minor details.

For this type of essay it is standard to write a four paragraph report, namely

An Introduction,

An Overview (1)

Body Paragraph

Body Paragraph

The Overview (1)

The overview (1), or the trend of all the images can come at the end, but my preference is between the introduction and body paragraphs.

Writing about Multiple Charts

This type of question is very visual.

Many students don’t prepare for this type of question, but the good news is, preparation for this task won’t take as long as you might think.

Good News!

These questions follow the same format as any IELTS Task 1:

This is

1. Introduce the images
2. Give an overview of the main point/s (Band 6 and above)
3. And provide the detail for all the images

This post will explain:

• Types of question
• The tried and tested method for these questions
• How to write the introduction
• How to add a great overview
• How to write about the detail
• The common mistakes IELTS students make

What is a Multiple Chart Question?

There is no standard type of multiple chart question. 

Official IELTS practice questions have featured a map of a city showing expansion of time with a table, line graphs and bar graphs together, multiple pie charts or multiple tables or any combination of these. 

When you see a question like this, it may seem very challenging. 

The good news is once you understand the tried and tested method, then these questions won’t be any more challenging than any other IELTS Task 1 question.

Let’s consider a typical question first.

 

A Good Teacher’s Guide to IELTS Planning.

Any good teacher will tell you that to be effective in Task 1 you need to

1. understand the task quickly 
2. plan an answer quickly.

You can do this like so:

Get an overall visual understanding of the charts.

1. Paraphrase the question
2. Consider an overview and write it!
3. Identify the key features in both images
4. Include time to proofread your writing

Gaining an overall understanding

It should be quite easy to understand the charts by reading the question explainer.

The chart below shoes the amount of money spent per week on fast foods in Britain.

The graph show the trends in consumption of fast foods. 

The next step is to look at the charts in more detail and begin to notice any individual trends or trends connecting the images.

In the example we are using, these differences are fairly obvious.  

Noticeable features are the increase food consumption of two food items, and a pattern in the type of food consumed depending on the income group.

Great!

We can use this for our overview later.

It may not always be as clear as this however, and you may need to look more carefully to notice the trends for your overview.

It’s quite a challenge to write about something you have never seen, so it is important that you look at a number of samples to gain a good understanding of how these tasks might vary.

Don’t worry, it doesn’t need to be perfect, you only have 15 minutes and just need to notice the main features and report them in an accurate way.

TOP TIPS for understanding

• Read the question rubric carefully
• Be clear on the groups and measurements used
• Be clear on the time periods for each image
• Identify the obvious features and changes in each chart
• Ask, is there a relationship connecting the charts?
• What are the Key and Minor details

By answering these questions, you will have already started planning your essay

Good News – Remember the IELTS task is not there to trick you.

Often a task looks overly difficult because it contains many minor details. 

Your task is to report effectively and accurately the overview and key details.

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Introduce the Charts

Any chart question will follow the same format. There will be some general information (1) , followed by the instructions (2)

(1) The chart below shows the amount of money per week spent on fast foods in Britain.

(1) The graph shows the trends in consumption of fast foods.

(2) Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information below. 

Write at least 150 words.

 

Top Tip

As with any Task 1, you can begin by paraphrasing sentence (1) of the instructions.

Paraphrasing for IELTS means using different words and/or word order from the instructions, so the original meaning remains the same.

It is a task worth learning to do well.

Knowledge about paraphrasing will also help you in the Reading, Listening and Speaking part of the test.

In order to remain the same, different words need to be synonyms, so man, male and person have a similar meaning, they are synonymous, but man, male, person and girl are not.

Original

The chart below shows the amount of money per week spent on fast foods in Britain.

The graph shows the trends in consumption of fast foods.

Example 1

The first chart presents how many grammes three different income groups spent on three different types of fast food and the second chart shows how the popularity of each fast food type has changed over twenty years.

Example 2

The two charts show patterns in consumption of three types of fast food over two decades and the amount three different income groups spent in grammes on these three types of fast food.

As you can see, all the information in the two sentences has been taken from the question, but it has not been copied.

Additional information from the the images has been included too!

If you simply copy the instructions then these words are not used towards the word count.

You could fail on TASK ACHIEVEMENT. 🙁 

You need to write this section in your own words.

This is my example 

The two charts give information on consumption patterns of fast food in the UK over a twenty-year period. The first chart shows spending per person each week and the second chart gives information on the consumption in grammes per person of each of the three different food types according to income group.

In any Academic Task 1 question, you can rewrite (paraphrase) the questions and this will be the first paragraph.

Well done!

You can then move on and consider the next section, the overview.

Overview of the Charts

The ‘public band descriptors’ say to achieve a Band 6 or above for ‘Task Achievement’ the student must provide an overview in Task 1.

Without one, after averaging the four band scores, you are less likely to get a high score.

If you started planning at the beginning, then writing a good overview is easy.

You should have sufficient information to provide the 1 or 2 sentences to construct the basic overview.

Recap:

• Identify the obvious trends from all the images
• Be clear on the time periods
• Ask, is there a relationship connecting the charts
• What are the Key and Minor details
• Select the most important differences to write about first

Remember, we noted that there was an increase in food consumption of two food items, and a pattern in the type of food consumed depending on the income group. 

Good!

We will use this for the overview.

The Overview

The overview can come just after the introduction or at the end of the report.

It makes a general statement about the main differences between the images.  

The overview is quite short, maybe about 1, 2 or 3 sentences. 

My overview

It is clear from the two charts that the overall consumption of hamburgers and pizza have increased since the 1970s, whereas fish and chips consumption has generally fallen since that period. In addition, high and middle-income earners are the main consumers of all fast-food types with high earners having a particular preference for hamburgers.

I think it is clear, I have written about the main trends in both images, but I haven’t included any details.

I have saved these details for the next paragraphs.

Excellent!

Providing the Detail

Now that you have completed paraphrasing the question and given the overview, the next stage is to explain the Key Features in each of the images.

Depending on the visual information, you can use the same techniques as you would for a Pie Chart , Line Graph or Table, for example.

You can do this by:

• Stating the significant changes in a Graph
• Stating the significant proportions in a Pie Chart
• Stating the highest and lowest numbers in a Table
• If you have a Map, state the developments over time.

You need to report the Key Features and omit the minor details. 

As you only have 20 minutes and about 150 words to play with, you need to be more selective with the information you choose to include. 

The Body Paragraphs

Lets’ look at the Key Features I’ve chosen to include.

In the first paragraph, I have concentrated on describing the Bar Chart and have focussed on describing the most significant feature first. (hamburgers- preferred choice for High-Mid income groups).

Next, I mention the Fish is most popular with Mid earners, followed by High and Low earners.

Finally, I state that Pizza is the most popular with High, then Mid and finally Low earners.

In the second paragraph, I have decided to focus on the Graph and have included information I mentioned in my overview.

I have stated that pizza and hamburgers have increased.

I am writing about Key Features, so I have included the figures as approximates.

I have also noticed the decrease in Fish and have included Key Details too, but I have not reported every change.

Varying your language

One final tip for a higher score is variation in language. I can do this by using synonyms, or by changing the word order and grammar.

Here’s a basic example;

The two charts give

The first chart shows

The second (chart) shows

Obviously, I cannot use a synonym for Hamburger, as there is only one word for this.

I am not worried about repeating Fish or Pizza either. This is the only way to describe these food items.

You will often find the same problem in other IELTS questions. 

Common IELTS Errors 

Pay attention to reading both the question and the visuals carefully.

Often they will refer to different periods of time.

You need to accurately report the information using the correct tense. 

If one visual has no time period given, then use the present tense to report its features.

This is a standard feature of academic writing.

In the bar chart I have used  the Present Simple Tense because no time period has been given. 

In the graph, by contrast I have used the Past Simple to describe points on the graph, and I have used the Present Perfect Tense when I want to describe a change over a period of time.

Common IELTS Errors 1

Just because you have included an overview, does not mean you can’t include those details again. 

This time though, it’s important to include figures to support your summary writing.

In my example, I noticed Hamburger and Fish ( consumption) increased in my overview, but as a Key feature I have included Key Details such as year and the amount in grammes. 

Common Grammar Errors

A very basic error seen in Task 1 introduction is basic verb agreement.

Look at the two genuine examples below

The map show

The maps shows

In both examples it is unclear about the number of nouns discussed i.e, the number of maps.

You need to be consistent throughout your writing.

Other common errors in subject agreement can happen

It has They have

It is They are 

It shows They show

It has (auxiliary verb) + Verb They have (auxiliary verb) + Verb 

When you have a short time to write, this is a surprisingly common mistake in Task 1 writing!

Noun Phrase Errors and prepositions

It’s always a good idea to refresh your memory of these small words. It is surprising how the wrong preposition can spoil a good sentence in English.  

Common Errors – No overview

Did you focus on understanding the task and the details, and then forgot to include an overview?

Don’t worry,  make sure you write it at the end

Finally, check your essay!

Ideally, you need to allow 3 to 4 minutes at the end of the test to check and improve your writing.

Often students don’t check their work because they spend the full 2o minutes writing.

It is far better to write for about 15 minutes and allow 5 minutes to check and improve your writing.

From my experience the points you should check for are:

• Are there any obvious spelling or punctuation errors?
• Are the verbs the correct tense?

Additionally, you should consider these questions, but if you followed my planning advice, you should be ok.

• Do the verbs agree with the subject?
• Does the description make sense? Does it follow the visual?
• Is there any repetition in vocabulary?
• Could this be improved with synonyms?
• Have I written over 150 words?
• Have I organised the text into at least 4 paragraphs?
• Have I noticed only the Key Information from both (or more) charts?
• Have I omitted the Minor Details which could lower the Band Score?
• Have I included the prominent features in the overview?
• Have I NOT included my personal opinion?

Once you have done this, be proud of the final product!

Here’s my sample answer in full.

The chart below shows the amount of money per week spent on fast food in Britain.

The graph shows the trends in consumption of fast foods.

Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below

Write at least 150 words

The two charts give information on consumption patterns of fast food in the UK over a twenty-year period. The first chart shows spending per person each week and the second chart gives information on the consumption in grammes per person of each of the three different food types according to income group.

It is clear from the two charts that the overall consumption of hamburgers and pizza have increased since the 1970s, whereas fish and chips consumption has generally fallen since that period. In addition, high and middle-income earners are the main consumers of all fast-food types with high earners having a particular preference for hamburgers.

The first chart shows that hamburgers are clearly the preferred choice for high and average-income earners. The money spent is about 45 and 33 pence per person. Average-income earners also spend the most on fish and chips at 25 pence per person. High- income earners spend less at 18 and low-income earners at about the same amount. Pizza is clearly more popular with high-income earners at 19 with lower figures for average-earners and low-earners at 12 and 7 grammes per person.

The second chart shows that since the 1970s there are two clear patterns in the consumption of fast foods. Consumers started eating more pizza and hamburgers, with consumption rising especially since the mid-1970s. The amount of hamburgers in grammes rose from 100 in 1975 to over 500 grammes in 1980 and pizza went from around 50 grammes to nearly 300. The amount of fish and chips eaten has generally decreased from 300 grammes in 1970 to a low of 200 in about 1985 and then increased a little to 230 grammes in 1990.

284 words

If you are taking your test soon, then Good Luck with you IELTS Preparation, 

Jonathan

How certain language improves you IELTS writing score

In the majority of IELTS essays and reports, there will be a need to signpost the direction of your essay.

At other times you will need to compare and contrast ideas from the question and contrast your own response.

In case you were unaware, signposting means showing your reader that the idea or point in your writing is taking a different direction. 

This is an important element of a successful IELTS task essay.

Contrasting and comparing are also important in building a strong and logical argument too.

Both of these can add to the coherence of you essay and can make your message much clearer to the examiner.

In this post, I am going to use the following Task 2 question to demonstrate language patterns that compare or contrast topics in an appropriately academic way:

Sample IELTS Question

Some people that reading traditional books is better than reading the same material online.

 What is your opinion?

Discuss both views in your response.

Your own ideas

Obviously we have to have our own ideas which we gain from planning.

Either way, it is obvious from the question that there will be some need to contrast and compare within the scope of the topic which is ‘reading books online compared or contrasted to physical books‘.

Here are some comparative linking language examples that will be helpful to the response:

IELTS Comparative Language

however

although

nevertheless

on the one hand / on the other hand

Despite this/ that

In contrast / In comparison

However, for some people, reading in this way is not productive, practical or enjoyable.

Reading online nevertheless has its own unique advantages.

On the one hand, there seems to be something more tangible with reading a paper book, but on the other hand paper-based books cannot offer the instantaneous access to vast amounts of data and easy of use. 

As can be expected, comparative adjectives will also play an important role when comparing and contrasting something with something else.

IELTS Language to Compare

easier

faster

greater capacity

higher engagement

more

less

more than

less than

unlike

(As in ‘Unlike reading paper books, reading online allows…’)

 

In many ways, books are more flexible

Today’s devices have a higher storage capacity than before

This gives the reader a greater choice of when and what to read.

 

Signposting language or sentence ‘transition’ language helps the essay sequence its comparing and contrasting points. 

However, as a writer, I have avoided using some of these in the following essay by using strong topic sentences.

IELTS Language that shows transition

firstly

secondly

further

also

in addition to this

thus

therefore

because

In addition to this, there is little to distract the reader from the enjoyment of reading itself process.

Thus, this gives the reader a greater choice of when and what to read.

Therefore, an obvious conclusion is based on the personal preference and age of the individual.

 

Read the example essay below and see if you can identify some of the above language and examples.

Any questions, leave a comment at the end for a reply!

Some people believe that reading traditional books is better than reading the same material online.

What is your opinion?

Discuss both views in your response.

There are both benefits and drawbacks to reading paper-based books and reading online materials using a laptop, phone or computer. This essay will examine both of these areas before reaching a personal conclusion.

The obvious advantage of books is that they can be read anywhere. In many ways, books are more flexible, for example, a book can be read on a train, beach or plane and does not require a Wi-Fi connection or internal storage as a phone does. In addition, for some people, books are more engaging and absorbing than reading materials online. In addition to this, there is little to distract the reader from the enjoyment of reading itself process.

Reading online nevertheless has its own unique advantages. With today’s devices popular with younger people, many books and journals can be stored within a devices’ memory which would normally require at least a bookshelf for storage or would be too heavy to carry in a bag. Thus, this gives the reader a greater choice of when and what to read. However, for some people, reading in this way is not productive, practical or enjoyable. Unless the reader is trained and disciplined, it is easy to be distracted, for example, by social media. Furthermore, research shows that less information is taken in or absorbed when reading online and it also encourages skimming and scanning practices rather than reading the detail. Thus, readers may miss or overlook important points or nuances that can be easily seen when reading paper-back books.

As a conclusion, it seems that there are benefits to both methods of reading. Therefore, an obvious conclusion is based on the personal preference and age of the individual. However, if I were to recommend a certain method, it would be reading paper books due my personal preference of convenience and the enjoyment it brings.

Words 292

Introduction and Body 1

Body 2 and Conclusion

Don’t forget to leave a comment if you have a question.

Jonathan 

IELTS Writing Posts 

The Best Approach to Task 2 Writing

Paragraphing in Task 2 Writing

Strong Arguments for Task 2

Writing the Introduction

Writing a Line of Argument

Cohesion for Task 2 Writing

Writing – Benefits of a Foreign University Education