IELTS Writing Task 1: Line Graphs
This task tests whether you can accurately describe change over time shown in a line graph, using correct trend vocabulary, comparisons and an overview, without inventing reasons for the data.
What this question looks like
You are given a line graph (or two) showing how one or more variables change over a period of time, such as sales figures, temperatures, or population numbers across years or months. You must write at least 150 words in about 20 minutes, describing what the graph shows, not explaining why it happens. This is one of the most common IELTS Academic Task 1 formats, often appearing with two or three lines to compare.
Step-by-step approach
- 1Spend 2-3 minutes reading the graph before writing: identify the axes, the units, the time period, and how many lines there are.
- 2Find the overall pattern for each line: is it a general rise, fall, fluctuation, or stability? Write these general trends in your overview paragraph, without specific numbers.
- 3Group the data logically into 2-3 body paragraphs, for example by similar trend (lines that rise together) or by time period (early years vs later years), rather than describing every line separately from start to finish.
- 4Select only the key features: the highest and lowest points, the starting and ending values, any crossing points between lines, and any sharp or unusual changes. Do not describe every single data point.
- 5Use precise trend language matched to the shape of the line: verbs (rose, fell, fluctuated, plateaued, peaked), adverbs (steadily, sharply, gradually, slightly), and prepositions for data (from X to Y, by Z amount/percent).
- 6Check your tenses: past simple for data that ends in the past, present perfect or present simple only if the graph explicitly extends to now or into the future with projections.
Worked example
The line graph below shows the number of visitors (in millions) to three museums in a European city between 2000 and 2020.
The graph compares visitor numbers at three museums in a European city over a twenty-year period. Overall, the History Museum consistently attracted the most visitors and showed the strongest growth, while the Science Museum overtook the Art Gallery in the final decade despite starting from the lowest position. In 2000, the History Museum welcomed around 2 million visitors, roughly double the figure for the Art Gallery (1 million) and well above the Science Museum, which had just 0.5 million. All three attractions saw gradual increases over the following decade, with the History Museum reaching approximately 3.5 million visitors by 2010, while the Art Gallery and Science Museum climbed more slowly, to 1.5 million and 1.2 million respectively. The most notable changes occurred after 2010. The Science Museum's visitor numbers rose sharply, nearly doubling to reach 2.3 million by 2020, overtaking the Art Gallery, whose growth stagnated at around 1.8 million over the same period. Meanwhile, the History Museum continued its steady upward trajectory, peaking at 5 million visitors in 2020, more than double any other venue.
This answer opens with a paraphrase of the caption, gives a clear two-part overview identifying the biggest overall patterns (highest overall, and the overtaking event), then organises the body paragraphs by time period (2000-2010, then 2010-2020) since that is where the most significant feature (overtaking) happens. It uses varied trend vocabulary (welcomed, climbed, rose sharply, stagnated, continued its steady upward trajectory), includes specific data as support, and never speculates about causes, staying fully descriptive.
Try it yourself
Write a full Task 1 response of at least 150 words. Give an overview of the main trends first, then support it with specific data organised into clear paragraphs.
The line graph below shows average monthly electricity consumption (in kilowatt-hours) for a typical household in three different countries between 1990 and 2020.
Common mistakes
- !Describing every single data point in order rather than selecting and grouping key features, which produces a list instead of a report
- !Writing an overview that includes specific numbers instead of general patterns, or omitting the overview entirely
- !Speculating about causes of the trends (for example, why electricity use rose) when the task only asks for description of what the graph shows
- !Using the same two or three trend verbs (increase, decrease) repeatedly instead of varying vocabulary and sentence structure
- !Mixing up tenses, for example using present simple throughout when the graph shows data entirely from the past
Quick quiz
1. A line graph shows three lines, two of which rise steadily while one fluctuates before ending close to where it started. What is the best way to organise the body paragraphs?
2. Which sentence is most appropriate for an overview paragraph?
3. A graph shows data running from 2005 to 2020 with no future projection. Which tense should dominate the report?
4. Two lines on a graph cross each other partway through the period shown. How should this be treated?
Practise this in a real IELTS test
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Take a free Writing testIELTS Writing Task 1: Line Graphs — FAQ
How many numbers should I include in a line graph description?
Include enough specific figures to support your key features, typically the start value, end value, and any peaks, troughs or crossing points, but you do not need to mention every point on the graph. Aim for accuracy over quantity, roughly one or two supporting figures per body paragraph sentence is usually sufficient.
Do I need to compare the lines to each other, or just describe each one separately?
Comparison is essential for a high Coherence and Cohesion and Task Achievement score when there are multiple lines. Rather than describing each line in isolation, group lines with similar trends together and explicitly note differences, such as which line was consistently highest or which two lines converged or diverged.
What if the line graph shows a projection into the future?
If part of the graph is labelled as a forecast or projection (often shown with a dotted line), switch to future tense or modal forms like 'is expected to' or 'is projected to' for that section, while keeping past or present tense for the actual historical data.