Unit 1

Writing

Spelling

COMPLETE IELTS (4-5)

 Warm-up

What are the main reasons for visiting New Zealand?

 Task Types
1 2

Pie chart
Bar chart 3

Line graph
4
5
Diagram

Table

Process
Writing Task 1 – General information
 Structure
Introduction

A short introduction (one or two sentences) which provides

an overview of the data, i.e. what is the topic/area and how
is the data presented.
-What?
-How?
-Where?
-When?
 The Introduction
!!!You
!!! need to remember that you are describing a graph to
someone who doesn’t see it. Write what the graph is about, its
dates and location.

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The line graph below shows changes in the amount and type of fast food consumed by Australian
teenagers from 1975 to 2000.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons
where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

The line graph illustrates the amount of fast food consumed by teenagers
in Australia between 1975 and 2000, a period of 25 years.
 You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
Example: The chart below shows the percentage of male and female teachers in six
different types of educational setting in the UK in 2010.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and
make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

Wha
Wha
How
How tt
The bar chart gives information about the gender of teachers in six types
of educational institutions in the UK in 2010. It shows what percentage of
teachers was male and what percentage
Where
Where was female.When
When
 Practice
Work in groups, each group one time sends a student to the front. Each
time teacher shows one introduction on the screen, the students then
pick the most suitable graph for each introduction.

1. The bar chart illustrates the number of male and female students studying
Computer Science at a UK university over three years.
2. The graph shows the preferred leisure activities of Australian children
aged 5-14. As might be expected, it is clear from the data that sedentary
pursuits are far more popular nowadays than active ones.
3
4. The two graphs show that oil was the major energy source in the USA in
both 1980 and 1990 and that coal, natural gas and hydroelectric power
remained in much the same proportions. On the other hand, there was a
dramatic rise in nuclear power, which doubled its percentage over the ten
years.
5
6. The graph shows consumption of energy in the U.S. since 1980 with
projections through 2030.
 Structure
Body

The most significant(= important) information in the

data / process; main similarities, differences, overall
trends. You do not need to describe all the information
presented.
A few facts/figures from the data (as an example) to
support your description. It is not necessary to refer to all
the data.
The Body
 Describe the most important trends,
trends while all information is summarized
to avoid unnecessary details.
 Notice how many distinctive features the diagram has and divide
information into paragraphs, one paragraph per feature.
feature
 You should link the paragraphs by sentences that logically connect
them to one another.
Important!
Remember, summarizing doesn’t mean throwing away information. The
secret here is to select what’s important, organize it, compare and
contrast.
Example
Example
The Conclusion / Overview

The Conclusion should sum up the global trends

shown on the graph and compare them if possible.

 Overall, the consumption of fish and chips declined over the

period, whereas the amount of pizza and hamburgers that were
eaten increased.
 Remember!!
Remember!!

 Use your own words when writing the summary,

not lift words and phrases from the question.

 Order the information in a logical way (e.g. from

largest to smallest)

 Include an overview of the main points of the

information given.
for a holiday
 29%

The number of people who go to New Zealand on business.

other reasons

for pleasure
 go to New Zealand
The largest percentage

see friends and family 13 percent

other reasons

for pleasure
1. What’s the purpose of the 1st sentence? To introduce the subject

2. Does the summary contain all the main information from the
chart, including numbers? Yes

3. Is the information presented in a logical way (e.g. from the

highest figures through to the lowest)? Yes

4. What is the purpose of the final sentence?

To give a general overview of the main features of the information.
The chart shows where visitors to New Zealand come from.
 Australian

UK: 12 percent US: 9 percent

 12 percent

Yes. “other”

They come from English – speaking countries

 second

come from

other countries

60 percent
Number + percent
60 percent (%)
13 percent (%)

The percentage of + noun

The percentage of teenagers

The percentage of people

 percent
percentage

percent

10 percent

percent of the population

percent (X2)

percentage of people
 what international visitors to New Zealand do
when they are on holiday

85%
go sightseeing 45%

50%
going to museums
40%
people
2. bosses 6. matches

3. boys 7. parties

4. feet 8. wives

5. men
2. children 3. countries
4. cities 5. lives
6. families 7. watches
8. potatoes 9. activities
10. crashes