Useful Vocabulary for Writing an IELTS Graph Essay

-

 How to Use IELTS Graph Vocabulary in Writing Task 1



Because IELTS writing task 1 involves describing a graph or chart of some type, it will help to have a handle on IELTS writing chart vocabulary — words and phrases that help you write about the information on the chart or graph.



How are graphs described in IELTS? Let’s walk through the best vocabulary for the task, step by step.

1. Start With Introduction Phrases

Often ESL students start their essay with ‘The graph shows…’. While this is fine, the verb ‘shows’ could be replaced by a more exciting and high-level vocabulary word. Here are four different prompts to start your essay:

  • The graph illustrates the trends in…
  • The graph reveals information about the changes in…
  • The graph provides the differences between…
  • The graph presents how X has changed over a period of…
Note:
  • DO NOT write the word below or above in your introduction. i.e. The graph above/below shows…

2. Add Suitable Adverbs

Adverbs help express a relation of place, time, circumstance, manner, cause, and degree, and can greatly add some color and interest to your writing as well as show off your range of vocabulary. Unlike adjectives (which describe nouns), adverbs describe verbs, or actions. Here’s a great list of adverbs to use:

ADVERB

MEANING

Approximately

Almost, but not completely exact; roughly

Dramatically

By a quick and large amount

Erratically

In a way that is uneven or irregular

Gradually

By slow degrees

Markedly

Noticeably, significantly

Significantly

In a way that is worthy of attention; importantly

Slightly

To a small degree

Slowly

At a slow speed, not quickly

Steadily

In a regular or even way


3. Use Appropriate Synonyms

Again using a variety of nouns and verbs for words like rise and fall will help increase your overall score. Here are some suggestions:

 

RISE (NOUN)

RISE (VERB)

FALL (VERB)

FALL (NOUN)

FLUCTUATE (VERB)

Climb

Increase

Collapse

Decline

Be erratic

Increase

Climb

Decline

Decrease

Be fitful

Improve

Leap

Decrease

Deterioration

Vary

Jump

Pick up

Deteriorate

Dip

Rise and fall

Leap

Surge

Dip

Drop

Move upward

Growth

Drive

Plunge

Rocket

Drop

Freefall

Skyrocket

Go down

Slide

Soar

Plummet

Slip

Shoot up

Plunge

Dive

Pick up

Slide

Reduction

Surge

Slip (back)

Slump

Recover

Slump

Take a nosedive


4. Add Time Phrases

Below are some excellent time phrases with sentence examples:

TIME PHRASE

EXAMPLE SENTENCE

Between...and

Between 1982 and 1992 there was a steady drop.

From...to

From 1992 to 1996 there was a dramatic increase.

In the year...

In the year 2020, unemployment spiked.

During/over the period

During the 1980s, trends stayed consistent.

over the latter half of the year/century/decade/period

Over the latter half of the century, more women entered the workforce.

over the next/past/previous...

Over the previous year, work-from-home rates sharply increased.

days/weeks/months/years/decades

For several weeks, stock prices have remained stable.

by...

By 1997, market growth had stabilized.


Using IELTS Graph Vocabulary in a Model Essay

Look at the sample IELTS writing Task 1 graphs on the British Council website. Below is my model answer with useful words in bold:

The bar charts illustrate the trends in computer ownership, with a further classification by level of education, from 2002 to 2010.

Over the period, it can be observed that there was a significant surge in the percentage of the population that owned a computer. In the year 2002, only about 58% of the population owned a computer, whereas by 2010, this gradually increased to where over three-quarters of individuals had a home computer.

Looking at the information by level of education reveals that higher levels of education correspond to higher levels of computer ownership in both of those years. In 2002, a significantly low percentage of the population who did not finish high school had a computer, but this figure skyrocketed by 2010, going from 15% to over 40%. There were also dramatic climbs, of approximately 30 percentage points, for those with a high school diploma or an unfinished college education (reaching 65% and 85%, respectively, in 2010).

To conclude, during the last decade, there has been a substantial growth in computer ownership across all educational levels.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Latest IELTS general writing task 1 questions 2022

-
  Latest IELTS general writing task 1 questions: June  2022 You have an appointment with your manager the next day. Write him/her a letter about what you’re going to discuss at the meeting. In your meeting, you should tell: What did you do for the company during the years you worked there What changes you would like to recommend What training you require You recently bought an electronic gadget for home purposes. Your friend wants the same gadget and needs your advice. In this letter you should include: What is this gadget What do you think about it Give advice about other alternatives your friend can buy Your company has sent you on a three-month course in another country. The course is coming to an end but you would like to prolong your stay. Write a letter to your manager, in your letter: Describe how the course has benefited you Explain why you would like to delay you...
Read more

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1; free practice questions

-
Image
IELTS Writing Task 1 1. You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.  Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and making relevant comparisons. Write at least 150 words. The chart shows the average number of hours each day that Chinese, American, Turkish and Brazilian tourists spent doing leisure activities while on holiday in Greece in August 2019.   2.  You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.  Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and making relevant comparisons. Write at least 150 words. The pie chart below compares the proportion of energy capacity in gigawatts (GW) in 2015 with the predictions for 2040. 3.  You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.  The charts give information about employment in the UK in 1998 and 2012. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and making relevant comparisons. Write at least 150 words. 4. You should spend about...
Read more

IELTS speaking part 3

-
  IELTS Speaking 3 Practice 1 (Advertisements) What are popular types of advertising in today’s world? What type of media advertising do you like most? Do you think advertising influences what people buy? What factors should be taken into account when making advertisements? Is advertising really necessary in modern society? Let’s move on from types of advertising to the impact of advertising on children. How does advertising influence children? Is there any advertising that can be harmful to children? IELTS Speaking 3 Practice 2 (Art) How do people in your country feel about art? Do people in your country prefer music over art? What are some traditional art forms in your country? How has art changed in the past few decades in your country? Let’s move on from art in your country to art education. Do you think children should study art in school? How can children benefit from learning about art? Do you think the government should provide support for art and cultural activities? IELTS...
Read more

IELTS Reading: 5 Easy Steps to Solve True, False, Not Given Questions

-
Image
  You all must be aware of the True, False, Not Given question type of the IELTS Reading exam. In this, you will be given a passage, and 5-6 statements related to it. You will need to mark the given statements as True, False or Not Given. The tricky part is that you might not get the sentences directly. Most of the time, there is a possibility of having rephrased sentences. In this blog, the following points are covered: How to approach the question? 5-step solving strategy Important patterns Common mistakes Quick tips How to solve (with sample question and explanation) How to Approach True, False, Not Given Questions?   True If the statement matches the information in the passage. False If the statement contradicts the information in the passage. Not Given If the information is not found in the passage. 5-step solving strategy for IELTS Reading True, False, Not Given Q...
Read more

Linking words for IELTS Writing Task

-
  Best Linking words for IELTS Writing Task Opinions** I think/feel/believe that… Personally, I feel that… As far as I am concerned… From my point of view… I admit that…. I concur that… I agree that…. In my opinion... I strongly opine that... I strongly agree with the idea that... I strongly disagree with the given topic... I think... My opinion is that... Personally speaking... In my view... I believe... Apparently... Personally speaking... According to me... From my point of view...  ( Not  'In my point of view') As far as I am concerned... From my perspective... I realise... To my way of thinking... It seems to me that... To me... To my mind... My own view on the matter is... It appears that... I feel that... I understand... I suppose... Addition and  Emphasis Moreover,… Furthermore,… In addition,… Additionally,… Likewise,… On top of that,… It goes without saying that... Obviously... Needless to say... There is little doubt that... Although... Thought... None...
Read more

Tips for IELTS Writing Task 1

-
The  IELTS Writing Task 1  band descriptor for Task Achievement at Band 8 states:  presents, highlights and illustrates key features clearly and appropriately . To achieve a high mark, it is extremely important that you study the map very carefully and ensure that the information you include in your writing is accurate and appropriate. Describing changes that do not appear in the map will result in the loss of marks for Task Achievement. You will need to write: a brief introduction to the maps in your own words; a short overview to describe what has happened to the town in general; two paragraphs to describe some of the main changes; a minimum of 150 words. In  IELTS Writing Task 1 , you may be asked to describe a  bar chart . The opening paragraph should include the following information: the type of chart or table what the information is about the date(s) the place(s) the unit(s) of measurement. How to write the introduction One sentence is enough for the intr...
Read more

IELTS Writing Task 2: Question Types

-
  The  IELTS Writing Task 2  requires you to write at least 250 words expressing your perspective on a topic. But the question types for Task 2 vary in both  Academic and General Training . How many types of Writing Task 2 in IELTS are there? There are five main IELTS Writing Task 2 question types: agree/disagree, advantages/disadvantages, two-part, cause/solution, and discuss both sides. The IELTS Writing Task 2 Question Types Agree or Disagree Advantages and Disadvantages Two-Part Causes and Solutions to a Problem Discuss both sides (and give your opinion) IELTS Writing Task 2 Question Types: Agree or Disagree True to its name, this question type requires you to explain how much you agree or disagree with a statement. How to Identify this Question Type An “Agree or Disagree” question will state an opinion. More often than not, the opinion will be preceded by a factual statement for context. From there, the question will generally say: “To what extent do you agree o...
Read more

How to make IELTS Writing Task 2 easy

-
  Words to Use in IELTS Writing Task 2: Introduction At the beginning of Writing Task 2, you’ll need to restate the prompt, give your thesis, and provide an overview of the essay. Here’s the most common vocabulary used in IELTS Writing Task 2 to do that. It appears that… It may seem that… I/This essay will show that… I/This essay will argue that… To examine this issue, this essay will examine both….and… Firstly, this essay will…and secondly, it will…. What does this look like in practice? Here are a few examples! It appears that  exercise has both physical and mental benefits. It may seem that  studying the arts is useless, but the opposite is true. This essay will show that  smartphones are actually beneficial. I will argue that  the government should play a larger, not a smaller, role in public health. To examine this issue, this essay will  examine both the social and physical effects of family meals. Firstly, this essay will  describe the advantage...
Read more

IELTS Listening Maps tips

-
Image
  IELTS Listening Maps tips The ability to follow directions on these maps is a critical, daily-life skill that, if you are not good at it, can lead to many frustrating interactions in the real world. Following someone’s directions is not as simple as hearing words like “left”, “right”, or “ahead” and “behind”. In the real world, we don’t give such clear directions all the time. We use collocations, idioms, phrasal verbs, and less common location/direction words when giving directions to people. Real-world directions are not always as straightforward as English learning textbooks try to make them. Remember that even though IELTS map questions can be difficult to understand, the  speakers will give you clues  to help you! They will give you clues about how to look at the map; are you ‘ inside the map ‘ or ‘ looking at the map on a piece of paper Remember to focus your attention on the  very first part of a conversation or presentation  that is focused on des...
Read more

IELTS Writing Task 2: 8 steps towards a band 8

-
Image
  IELTS Writing Task 2: 8 steps towards a band 8   To get a band 8 in IELTS Writing Task 2, you must write an essay that includes all of the positive elements listed in the band 8 writing evaluation criteria. Let us examine these in the table below. Task response ·         Sufficiently addresses all parts of the task ·         Presents a well-developed response to the question with relevant, extended and supported ideas Coherence and cohesion ·         Sequences information and ideas logically ·         Manages all aspects of cohesion well ·         Uses paragraphing sufficiently and appropriately Lexical resource ·         Uses a wide range...
Read more