Vocabulary for the Introduction

For any of the IELTS writing tasks never copy word for word from the question, if you do, you
will be penalised. You should always paraphrase the introduction in your own words. Here is
some vocabulary to help you find some good synonyms to paraphrase the question in IELTS
academic writing task 1 better:
 The given: The given pie charts represent the proportion of male and female
employees in 6 broad categories, divided into manual and non-manual
occupations in Freedonia.
 The supplied: The supplied bar graph compares the number of male and
female graduates in three developing countries, while the table data presents the
overall literacy rate in these countries.
 The presented: The presented bar graph illustrates the money spent on
different research projects while the column graph demonstrates the sources of
the amount spent over a decade, commencing from 1981.
 The shown: The shown line graph delineates the proportion of male and female
employees in three different sectors in Australia between 2010 and 2015.
 The provided: The provided diagram shows data on employment categories in
the energy producing sectors in Europe starting from 1925 and till 1985.

Vocabulary for the Type of Graph/Map/Process

 Diagram: the diagrams represent the time spend on different activities by
teenagers.
 Table: the table shows information on the different expenditures over a 10 year
period.
 Figure: the given figure represents the overall literacy rate during 3 different
time periods, 1980,1990 and 2000.
 Illustration: the given illustration represents the process of making coffee.
 Graph: the graph represents the different forms of pollution.
 Chart: The chart gives information on the expenditures of 4 European countries
on six consumer products namely Germany, Italy, Britain and France.
 Flow chart: the supplied flowchart illustrates the different internet connections
according to different ages.
 Picture: the provided picture illustrates the natural process of photosynthesis
 Pie chart: the shown pie charts describe the amount of television watched
according to different demographics.
 Bar graph: The bar graph and the table data depict the water usage in different
sectors in five regions.
  Column graph: the supplied column graph depicts the different ages when
people get married.
 Line graph: the provided line graphs compare the different export products of
Freedonia.
 Data: the supplied data represents the products bought in supermarkets by
different ages groups.
 Information: the given information compares the crime rate in 3 different cities.
 Process diagram: the supplied process diagram illustrates the natural process
of pregnancy.
 Map: The two provided maps compare the development of a residential area
over a 10 year period.

Verbs for the Introduction

 Shows : the graph shows the different abilities of
 Represents: the data represents the annual holiday destinations of
 Depicts: the illustration depicts the natural process of birth
 Illustrates: the provided picture illustrates the man made process of making
coffee
 Presents: The data presents an overview of the different shopping habits
according to the sexes.
 Gives: the line graph gives information on the CO2 levels of different cars.
 Provides: The pie chart provides data on different petty crimes in 2 different
cities.
 Describes: The line graph describes the evolution of the production of goods in
a given factory.
 Compares: The graphs compare how leisure time is spent differently according
to different ages.
 Indicates: The 2 maps indicate the changes the island has gone through over
time.
 Gives/provides data on: The table gives data on the overall consumption of
fruits during a 30 year time period.
 Gives/provides information on: the bar chart provides information on the
production of different kinds of phones.

Vocabulary for the General overview

The General statement are the first sentences you write after your introduction and
a crucial part of your task. Here are some expression to help you with this:
  In general: In general, the employment opportunity has increased till 1970 and
has dropped downwards from then on.
 Generally speaking: Generally speaking, the USA had a far higher standard of
living than all the other 4 mentioned countries. Generally speaking, in New York
more men were engaged in managerial positions in 1987 than that of women.
 Overall: Overall, the leisure hours enjoyed by males regardless of their
employment status was much higher than that of women.
 It is obvious: At first glance it is obvious that in all age categories, men are
better paid than women.
 As is observed: As is observed, the figures for imprisonment in the five
mentioned countries show no overall pattern of increase or decrease, rather they
show a considerable fluctuation from country to country.
 As a general trend: As a general trend, we can notice the large differences
between the different age groups when it come to shopping online.
 As can be seen: As can be seen, the highest number of passengers use the
London Underground station at 8:00 in the morning and at 6:00 in the evening.
 As an overall trend: As an overall trend, the number of crimes reported
increased fairly rapidly until the mid-seventies, remained constant for five years
and finally, dropped.
 As is presented: As is presented, the map provides an overview of the city
Freeville.
 It can be clearly seen that:It can be clearly seen that a higher percentages of
native university pupils violated regulations and rules than did foreign students.
 At the first glance: At first glance, it is clear that a higher percentages of native
university pupils violated regulations and rules than did foreign students.
 It is clear that: It is clear that, the forecasted exports are expanding, except for
1, beef.
 At the onset: At the onset, it is clear that drinking in public as well as drink-
driving were the most common reasons for US citizens to be arrested in 2014.
 A glance at the graphs reveal that: A glance at the graphs reveal that the
population in all the different countries is decreasing and will further decrease in
the future.
Tip: It might seem like a lot of vocabulary, but you only need to know 1 or 2 examples of each
section, since you will only write the task once. Therefore, pick the ones you like and use them
in your practice, the others you can forget about.
Grammar structures to boost your IELTS
writing score:
Overview:
We will have a look at the following grammar:
 Describing trends
 Describing increases/decreases
 Making comparisons
 Tenses

Describing Trends
In IELTS writing task 1 you will have to describe trends when analysing or comparing
graphs. You could use the verb to be or start with a noun phrase.

Verb to be
There + be + adj. + noun + in + a noun phrase
Examples:
 There was a gradual rise in the price of oil.
 There has been a sharp drop in the price of oil.

Noun phrase
Noun phrase + verb + adverb
Examples:
 The price of oil rose gradually.
 The price of oil has risen dramatically.

As you can see in both structures you still need to know the proper vocabulary to describe trends.
So, don’t forget to study your verbs, adjectives and adverbs for task 1.

Describing Increases and/or Decreases

In chart of IELTS writing task 1 you will have to describe either increase or decreases. This
can be done in 3 different ways. You can again use either the verb to be or a noun phrase, but
you can also use fractions.
Verb to be
There + be + noun + in + noun phrase
Examples:
 There was a fall in literacy levels.
 There has been an increase in the cost of coffee.

Noun phrases
Noun phrase + verb + adverb
Example:
 The price of property fell sharply
 The percentage of homes dropped dramatically.

Fractions
Examples:
 The price of oil halved in less than a year.
 The price of oil has halved since July.
 By July, the price of oil has halved.

Making Comparisons
If there is one thing you will always have to do, with academic IELTS writing task 1,
is compare data. To compare to things, you will need a comparative structure, to select one
above all you’ll use a superlative structure.

Comparatives
More/few/less + noun phrase + than
Example: Overall, more people preferred public transport than taxis.
One syllable -er + than
Example: A higher number of people preferred public transport than taxis.

More/less + adj. of more than one syllable + than

Example: Taxis were more popular than public transport.

Superlatives
One syllable -est.
Example: The highest % of commuters preferred taxis.
The most/least + adj. of more than one syllable.
Example: The least popular mode of transport was buses.

Tenses
In any writing it is important to master your tenses, but especially in Academic writing task 1,
where you might need to compare data over different times, the past, present, and the
future. The key is to look at the title of the chart as well as the information contained on
both axes. This will give you an idea which tense to use.
Examples:
If the time is one point in the past, for example January 1990, then we should use the past
tense.
If it has projections for the future, for example 2045, we use future tenses.
It there is no time, we use present simple.

Past Simple
To talk about an action that started and finished at a specific time in the past.

Example: The price of oil fell from $150 in Jan 2014 to $50 in Jan 2015.
As stated before, this is just a small overview of some of the tenses used. For the whole IELTS
test you will have to make sure you can deal with all the English tenses. You will also need
them for your speaking, your writing task 2, as well as your listening and reading.

So fare our overview of grammar needed for Academic IELTS writing task 1.

Present Perfect
One reason the use the present perfect is to talk about an unspecified action in the past, so we
do not really know when it happened, or it is un important. In academic writing task 1, it is
used to talk about changes in the data that have happened over a period of time.

Example: The price of oil has fallen by $5 a barrel every week since July.

Present Perfect Continuous

In academic writing task 1 it is used to talk about something that started in the past and has
continued until now.
Example: Oil prices have been decreasing since July.

Future Perfect
In Academic writing task 1 it is used to state that something will be finished by a particular
time in the future, therefore we often use it with by or in.

Example: The price of oil will have reached $300 a barrel by 2020.
 IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
Map Questions

Overview
We will have a look at the following parts:
 The 3 different kinds of map questions
 How to plan Academic writing task 1 maps
 How to structure Academic writing task 1 maps
 How to Describe general changes
 How to Describe specific/ in-depth changes
 Example of Academic writing task 1 maps
One of the task you might need to do for Academic writing task 1 is describing a map. This
questions is becoming more and more popular and due to lack of time in most IELTS course this
type of question will not be covered. It’s not a difficult questions and you can score very high on
it, if you are well prepared.

The 3 different kinds of map questions

There are 3 types of map questions:
1. Describe 1 map in the present day. This is very rare, since you need to use
the present simple and it is impossible for you to compare anything. This task is very
basic and very easy to do.
2. Compare 2 maps: 1 in the present and 1 in the future.This is less rare and you will
have to use present and future tenses. The map is usually about future
developments of a town/city. You will need the same vocabulary as number 1 and 3.
3. Compare 2 maps: 1 in the past and 1 in the present. Number 3 is the most
common and will be the main focus of this lesson. You will get 2 maps and asked to
select and report the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. You will
be using both present and past tenses, as well as vocabulary to describe the maps
and how the town has developed. You will also be using the passive voice, as it is a
man-made process.
Example of a map question

How to plan Academic writing task 1 maps

1.Read the task
Read the task carefully so you know what to need to do. Underline the key parts of the
task. Find synonyms for the key words in the task, or map an write them down. (1 to 2 minutes
max)
2.Analyze the map
Analyze the map thoroughly, look for the most notable things that have changed. Remember,
you only have 150 words you can’t describe everything in details.
To help you analyse the map, you should ask yourself some general questions about the map
to help you know what to write about:

 Were the changes enormous (very big) or negligible (very little) ?

 Were there any major or minor improvements on the infrastructure?
 Is the map more or less residential (more or less housing) ?
 Is there more or less nature?
 Are there more or less trees?
 Have some of the buildings changed and how?
 have the leisure facilities changed and how?
 Is there anything else that really changed?
Circle some of these areas that you think are important, and take some notes on your map.
The examiner will only see your answer paper, so you can scribble as much as you want on the
exam. ( 2 to 3 minutes)

These 2 key stages are crucial to score well on your task. You might think they are a waste of
time, but they save you a lot more timewhen you are writing, since you know what to write
about. Many times we have seen students stopping and thinking, what should I write next, just
staring and not knowing what to do.

Another reason is ¼ of your score is task achievement, which is just making sure you answer the
task correctly. If you just take these few minutes to make sure what you are doing you’ll score
well.

3. Start writing
1. Paraphrase the question and write it down (1 minute), this will go fast as you already
wrote some synonyms down in the planning stage.
2. Write your general overview by describing what is happening generally in 2 sentences.
This is your general overview paragraph and we will show you how to write this in more
detail below.
3. Write your in-depth analysis, writing in more detail some of the most noteworthy
changes you had circled before.
4. Check your work for mistakes and correct them.

How to structure Academic writing task 1 maps

The easiest way to describe 2 maps is to use 4 paragraphs, like with any Academic IELTS
writing.
 Paraphrase the question
 General overview
 In-depth changes
 In-depth changes
Paragraph 1 :Paraphrase the question using 1 or 2 sentences, while using synonyms.
Paragraph 2: General Overview. Write 2 or 3 sentences containing at least 2 general
statements about the map, describing the maps generally, while writing about the most
noticeable differences between the 2 maps.
Paragraph 3 and 4: The body:
You should group the information together either by time or location, depending on the
question asked. So, 1 paragraph about changes at a certain time, the other paragraph about
another time, or 1 paragraph about 1 location, the other about a different location.
 Paragraph 3, 3 to 4 sentences about specific changes
 Paragraph 4, 3 to 4 sentences about specific changes
How to Describe General Changes
All IELTS Academic task 1 writings have a general overview. Here you do not talk about the
general changes in the graph, but the main differences between both maps. Therefore, pick 2 or
3 of the most noticeable changes on the map and write about them in your General
overview. The more specific changes are for your main body.
Examples:
 Over the 10 year period, the area witnessed dramatic changes.
 From 1995 to 2005, the city centre saw some spectacular developments.
 The whole village changed considerably over the mentioned time period.
 During the 5 year period, the industrial area was fully transformed.
 Over the past 15 years, the residential area was completely reconstructed.
 Over the time period, the old docks were redeveloped.
 Between 1995 and 2005, the old houses were rebuilt.
 The central business district was completely modernised during the time period.

How to Describe Specific in-depth Changes

The most important part of the task is to describe changes. Most features of the map, like
buildings, places, … will be labelled (have a name). All you need to do is figure out how these
things have changed from the past to the present and the write about it. I know it’s easier said
than done, but if you follow the structure and the instructions you’ll do great.

Example of Academic writing task 1

Now we can put everything together and have a look at a good example of Academic IELTS
writing task 1, a map question.
The two maps below show an island, before and after the construction of some tourist facilities.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.
On Both maps an island is displayed, the first one shows what the island looked
before touristic development, the second one after.

The island, which has palm trees, is approximately 250 metres long. It is surrounded by a sea
and has a beach on the west side. Over an undisclosed period, the island was completely
transformed with the addition of a hotel and a pier, however the eastern part of the island
appears to have been left untouched .

The most noticeable additions are the hotel rooms. 6 buildings, surrounding some trees, have
been built on the west of the island and 9 buildings have been constructed in the centre of the
island. Between both accommodation areas, a reception area and a restaurant has been
developed.

A pier, which is connected to the reception, has also been built on the south coast of the
island, allowing yachts to dock and access the resort. Apart from the trees, the beach remains the
only natural feature that has been relatively untouched, although it now has a swimming area.
(175 words).
How to Write an IELTS Writing Task 1 process question
As in all the tasks there are different steps to take:
 Read the question
 Analyse the process
 Take some notes
 Write the answer
To analyse this more closely, we’ll look at the following example:

The diagram below shows the process of photosynthesis.

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

Write at least 150 words.

Read the question

As in all the Academic writing task 1 questions (graphs,processes and maps), when reading the
question underline the keywords and immediately write down some synonyms for the key
words. You will need those synonyms to praphrese your question in the introduction.

Looking at the example:

The diagram below shows the process of photosynthesis.

This is the main part of the question, which is always different from question to question. It
provides information on the process itself. This is the sentence you will have to paraphrase as
your introduction.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make
comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
This part is always the same for any Academic writing task 1 process question, you need to:

 Summarize the information: this means you do not need to write about
everything, you only have 150 to 200 words to write about this. It will be
impossible to write about everything. Just focus on the things that you
notice at first glance.
 Report the main features: Have a look at the process and just write about
the most important parts of the whole process. You do not have to write
about every detail, as stated above you only have 20 minutes to write 150
words.
 Make comparison: Here comparison is not as important as with graph
and map questions, for both those questions you will have to compare
different things. You can compare things, if you do find something to
compare, but in process questions it is more important to just report the
information.
  Write at least 150 words: This is the minimum of words you need to write,
anything below 150 words will get your a lower grade.

Synonyms for the key words

 The diagram: the picture, the illustration, the process
 Shows: illustrates, depicts, represents, describes
 Process: mechanism, system
If you now use these synonyms to rewrite the first part of the question, you have
your introduction and first paragraph to the task. If you have some issues with vocabulary
have a look at our vocabulary lessons.

Analysing the Process

One of the most challenging things about these questions is having to write about something
you have never seen or heard of before. We would even say it might be more complicated than
writing about a graph or a map. The main difference is that you do not need to focus so much on
comparing information, but rather summarizing and reporting it. Just don’t worry and try
to remember two things.

First, the examiner knows that you have probably never seen this process before and you have
only 20 minutes to write about it. They do not expect a perfect answer. Just pick out the main
features and report them accurately.

Second, you can quickly understand any process by asking yourself these questions:
1. Where does the process start and where does it end?
2. How many stages are there?
3. Is it a man-made process or natural process?
4. Is it a cyclical (in a circle) or linear (one start point and one endpoint) process?
5. Are there any materials that need to be added to the process?
6. What is produced?
7. What does each stage of the process do?
8. What are the relationships between each stage?
When you do ask yourself these questions, do not forget to take some notes, or circle the
important information on the picture. Overall, the processes you will be asked to write about
in the IELTS test will not be very complicated and you should be able to easily answer all of
the questions above. When you do this you will completely understand what is happening and
you will be able to start writing your answer.

Write your introduction

Every Academic writing Task 1 question follows the same format. First it tells you
some general information about the question, in this case a process, and then it instructs you to
summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features.

For example:
The diagram below shows the process of photosynthesis.

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

Write at least 150 words.

The diagram below shows the process of photosynthesis.

This is the general information which you need to paraphrase as your introduction.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make
comparison where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

These are the instructions of what you need to do, which are almost always the same in any
Academic writing task 1.

Now, we paraphrase the sentence by rewriting it so that the words are different but the meaning
stays the same. There are a few different ways we can do this but the easiest way is to use
synonyms and change the word order of the sentence.

Examples:
Question 1: The diagram below shows the process of photosynthesis.
Paraphrased: The provided illustration demonstrates how plants produce energy from
sunlight.

Question 2: The diagram below shows how electricity is produced in a nuclear power
station.

Paraphrased: The given illustration demonstrates the process of how nuclear power plants
generate electricity.

Every time you see an Academic writing Task 1 question rewrite the question and this should
be your first paragraph. We can now move on and write our next paragraph, the general
overview.
General Overview of Process
The general overview is an essential part of the whole essay. If you do not write a general
overview it is extremely difficult to get a high score on your Academic IELTS Task 1, however,
if you learn how to write a good one, you are far more likely to get the score you need.

The general overview for process questions can be done quite easily by asking yourself the
following few questions:
 Is it a man-made or natural process?
 How many stages are there?
 What is produced?
 Where does it start and where does it end?
 Is it cyclical or linear?
 Are any materials added?
Do not expect to answer all of these questions for each process question, but you will always
be able to answer enough of them to be be able to write a general overview. Finally, the answers
to these questions will allow you to write 2 overview sentences.
Let’s look at one of the previous examples:
1. Is it a man-made or natural process? Natural
2. How many stages are there? Five
3. What is produced? Sugar, oxygen and starch.
4. Where does it start and where does it end? Starts with sun and ends with the
production of sugar, oxygen and starch.
5. Is it cyclical or linear? Linear.
6. Are any materials added?Sunlight, CO2 and water.
Now we can then use the answers to make two sentences for your general overview:

Photosynthesis is a natural linear process beginning with sunshine and carbon dioxide being
absorbed and finishing with the production of sugar, oxygen and starch. There are five main
stagesin this process, allowing plants to convert light energy to chemical energy in the form of
sugar.
Let’s look at the other example:

1. Is it a man-made or natural process? Man-made

2. How many stages are there? Don’t know, not very clear????
3. What is produced? Electricity
4. Where does it start and where does it end? Starts with uranium fuel and ends
with electricity being sent to the grid.
5. Is it cyclical or linear? Linear
6. Are any materials added? Water and uranium
This results in the following general overview:
This is man-made linear process starting with uranium fuel and water creating steam and ends
with electricity being sent to the grid. Overall, there are several stages including steam
production, turbines driving a generator and a transformer creating electricity.

These questions and answers can be used for any process question and allows you to produce a clear
general overviews each time. We can now move on to detailing each stage of the process in our next
paragraphs, the in-depth analysis.

In-depth analysis
Now that we have paraphrased the question and provided a general overview we need to write
about each stage in more detail, you can:
 Say what each stage does
 What does it produce
 Are there any materials added
 and/or discuss the relationship with the previous or subsequent stages.
Let’s detail each stage for the first process.

Example 1

First of all, chlorophyll allows the plant to take in sunlight along the green spectrum and carbon
dioxide is absorbed through openings in their surface. At the same time, water is sucked up through the
roots and this is combined with CO2 and the sun’s rays to produce sugar that can be utilised by the plant
for food.

Next, the byproducts of this chemical reaction are oxygen and water which are extracted through
transpiration. In this process water evaporates from the leaves and O2 is released. Finally, any extra
sugar is deposited in the roots as starch.
Example 2

Firstly, heat is created by uranium fuel in the steam generator and this water vapor flows through pipes
to a turbine. Next, the steam causes the turbine to spin and in turn powers a generator subsequently
creating electricity.

After that, electricity from the generator is transferred to a transformer where the electricity can be
changed to a form that is ready to be sent to the grid to power houses and factories. Meanwhile, hot
water makes its way to a cooling tower, condenses and then returns to the turbine or might flow into the
cold water source.

Like in any Academic IELTS writing task 1 it is far easier to split your in-depth analysis, or the body of
your writing into 2 separate paragraphs. Separating the process into 2 parts makes it easier to
understand and easier to write about. Though, not all processes have two distinct parts, most of the
IELTS questions can be treated in this way, which is in line with the 4 paragraph structure of all
Academic IELTS writing tasks.

Sequencing the Process

Since you need to write about a process which has different stages, you will need to sequence
these stages by using linkers/connectors. This will make it easier for the examiner to read and
understand the process. Additionally, it is a crucial part to score well on your cohesion and
coherence by making your details easier to read through using connectors/ linkers of sequencing.
You could use some of the following linkers/connectors:
 Firstly
 First of all
 Secondly
 Third
 Thirdly
 After that
 Next
 From this
 Where
 Following that
 Subsequently
 Before that
 In turn
 Then
It is essential that you know the meaning and grammar of the words and phrases above before
you use them. Never just use words you do not fully know or understand, as this will result in
mistakes and will bring your score down.
Checking your work
Finally when you are done with your writing, you should try to leave 2-3 minutesat the end to
check and improve your work. Many students do not do this because they feel they do not have
enough time. However, it is better to try and get everything done in 15 minutes and then check
and refine your work. This should greatly improve your accuracy in turn improving your
overall score.
Check for:
1. Are there any spelling or punctuation mistakes?
2. Are the verbs in the correct tense?
3. Does the process I describe make sense? Does it match the diagram?
4. Is there any vocabulary repetition we could change by using synonyms?
5. Do I have 3 to 4 clear paragraphs.
6. Did I write over 150 words?
7. Have I included things only obvious from the diagram, or did I include things that I
speculated?
8. Have I included the main features in the overview?

Now you have finished your writing. Let’s put it all together and have a look at the examples:

Example 1
The provided illustration demonstrates how plants produce energy from sunlight.
Photosynthesis is a natural linear process beginning with sunshine and carbon dioxide being
absorbed and finishing with the production of sugar, oxygen and starch. There are five main
stages in this process, allowing plants to convert light energy to chemical energy in the form of
sugar.

First of all, chlorophyll allows the plant to take in sunlight along the green spectrum and carbon
dioxide is absorbed through openings in their surface. At the same time, water is sucked up
through the roots and this is combined with CO2 and the sun’s rays to produce sugar that can
be utilised by the plant for food.

Next, the byproducts of this chemical reaction are oxygen and water which are
extracted through transpiration. In this process water evaporates from the leaves and O2 is
released. Finally, any extra sugar is deposited in the roots as starch.
(153 words)

Example 2
The given illustration demonstrates the process of how nuclear power plants generate
electricity.

This is man-made linear process starting with uranium fuel and water creating steam and ends
with electricity being sent to the electric grid. Overall, there are several stages including steam
production, turbines driving a generator and a transformer creating electricity.

Firstly, heat is created by uranium fuel in the steam generator and this water vapor flows
through pipes to a turbine. Next, the steam causes the turbine to spin and in turn powers a
generator subsequently creating electricity.
After that, electricity from the generator is transferred to a transformer where the
electricity can be changed to a form that is ready to be sent to the grid to power houses and
factories. Meanwhile, hot water makes its way to a cooling tower, condenses and then returns
to the turbine or might flow into the cold water source.
(150 words)