6. IELTS Task 1 : "Line chart details section"

Instagram: goldcoast_ielts

Web: goldcoastielts.com

Today let’s take another look at a different kind of task 1 body section and do a line chart. This will be a bit different from the map in the last podcast because we can try to use some more comparative language here. Some language we could use to do this would include:

1. In comparison

2. But

3. Although

4. In contrast

5. While

Now let’s take a look at an IELTS task 1 line chart, and find four details to write about.

1. The total rose over the period, but ended up unchanged at the end.

2. Refined cane and beet sugars started high, while all other foods started extremely low.

3. As refined cane and beet sugars decreased, corn sweeteners rose at a similar rate.

4. Edible syrups and honey remained extremely low over the entire period.

Now lets write the full details section.

Looking in more detail, it can be seen that total sweetener availability increased markedly around the turn of the century, but decreased to finish up close to where it started in 2011. In 1966 refined cane and beet sugars accounted for the vast majority of the total, but by the end of the period, had decreased significantly to around 50% of total sweeteners. A further observation is that although refined cane and beet sugars and corn sweeteners started at very different points, they coverged in 1986 and accounted for similar numbers until 2011. In sharp contrast to these trends are the numbers shown by honey and edible syrups, which both started and ended at less than 5% of total sweeteners available.

At 121 words, this body might be a little long, but it used many good techniques that IELTS examiners appreciate a lot. Lets look at what was done. First, four different trends were described in detail. Second, a range of comparative language was employed to compare the lines (but, although, in sharp contrast). Third, some good grammatical combinations were used such as adj. + N (total sweetener availability), and V + Adv. (decreased significantly).

This is definitely the way to do your IELTS body so try out these techniques next time you practice writing a task 1.