7 WritingA line graph in IELTS Writing Task 1 shows change over time, so the focus is the trend, not isolated figures. Many candidates struggle not because they cannot write numbers, but because they read each figure from left to right, with no overview and no grouping. The usual structure is familiar: four paragraphs, at least 150 words (when practising, 150 to 190 words is reasonable), and no personal opinion. Below we go through the overview, grouping, and the common expressions for trends.
- IntroductionParaphrase the topic of the graph and name the groups, about 20 words
- OverviewChoose two main features, with no specific figures
- Body 1Describe by trend or by group
- Body 2The remaining group, matching the second feature in the overview
Look at the graph first: how many time points, how many lines
A line graph has three or more time points, so the focus is the trend, not the figure for one year. First answer three questions: where does each line start and end? Which line is highest and which is lowest? Is there a clear turning point or crossing? The year of a turning point must be stated accurately.
The introduction: only two jobs
Paraphrase the topic of the graph and name the groups; about 20 words is enough. For example, if the original task says The graph shows how many people used each type of transport between 2000 and 2020, you can paraphrase it as: The line graph compares the number of people who travelled by public transport, car and bicycle from 2000 to 2020. Do not put figures in the introduction.
The overview: it sets your ceiling
The overview uses two sentences to state the main trend or comparison in the graph, with no specific figures. Without a clear overview, Task Achievement usually struggles to go above 5. Suppose the data is as follows: public transport users fall from 3 million to 2 million, car users rise from 4 million to 6.5 million, and cyclists stay at around 500 thousand. A reference overview:
Overall, car use rose considerably over the period and became by far the most common mode of transport, while public transport declined. Cycling remained the least popular option and changed little.
An overview chooses only two features. With three or more it turns into a list.
Body paragraphs: group by trend, do not report year by year
Do not read the figures from left to right. Put the rising lines in one paragraph and the falling lines in another, so that each body paragraph matches one of the two features in the overview. For one line, write in this order: starting point, change, end point. Between two lines you can describe where they cross (the two lines crossed in 2012).
Common expressions for trends
Alternate verbs and nouns, and do not repeat the same word three times in a row.
| Purpose | Expressions |
|---|---|
| Increase | rose sharply, increased steadily, a significant rise in |
| Decrease | fell slightly, declined gradually, a dramatic drop in |
| Stable | remained stable, levelled off, stayed at around |
| Extremes | peaked at, reached a low of |
| Comparison | twice as many as, slightly higher than, accounted for the largest share |
| Fluctuation | fluctuated between ... and ..., experienced several peaks and troughs |
| Relation between two lines | followed a similar pattern, moved in opposite directions, overtook |
Always use the past tense for past data. Some materials use remains or maintains to describe past data; do not copy sentences like that.
Example of one body paragraph
In 2000, car users numbered around four million, and this figure climbed steadily to reach 6.5 million by 2020. Over the same period, the number of public transport passengers fell from three million to two million.
This paragraph gives the starting point, the amount of change and the end point, and puts the two lines in one paragraph for comparison. The figures must match what you read from the graph; do not invent them.
For joining sentences in a paragraph without repeating linking words, see More linking words are not better.
Check before you hand it in
- Is there a clear overview that contains only two features?
- Does the essay report figures year by year from left to right?
- Is all past data in the past tense?
- Do the units and years match the graph?
- Is it at least 150 words?
A short guide to line graphs is on the line graph page. To check other areas for moving from Band 6 to 6.5, see How to move from Band 6 to 6.5 in IELTS Writing.
Our course content is compiled from materials by a Band 8 Writing teacher. Task 1 is also broken into small practice lessons, and AI feedback marks them after you finish. The first two chapters are free, so you can try the course now.
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