MAU TASK 1 by Simon

IELTS Writing Task 1 Simon
Contents
1. Line graph ............................................................................................................................... 3
1.1. Tips for Line graph ........................................................................................................... 3
1.2. Internet Users as percentage of population ...................................................................... 4
1.3. International migration in UK .......................................................................................... 6
1.4. UK acid rain emission ...................................................................................................... 8
1.5. Water consumption (DẠNG MIX) .................................................................................. 9
1.6. Car ownership ................................................................................................................ 10
1.7. fdvProportion of the population ..................................................................................... 12
1.8. US consumers' average annual expenditures ................................................................. 13
1.9. Number of UK commuters travelling............................................................................. 15
1.10. The graph below shows changes in young adult unemployment rates in England
between 1993 and 2012. ........................................................................................................... 16
2. Bar chart ................................................................................................................................ 17
2.1. Marriages and divorces .................................................................................................. 17
2.2. Levels of participation .................................................................................................... 18
2.3. Consumer good .............................................................................................................. 21
2.4. House prices ................................................................................................................... 22
2.5. Chart without years' essay: ............................................................................................. 24
2.6. STACKED BAR CHART ESSAY ................................................................................ 26
2.7. The global sales of different types of digital games....................................................... 27
3. Table ..................................................................................................................................... 28
3.1. Tips for table .................................................................................................................. 28
3.2. Rail networks.................................................................................................................. 29
3.3. Poverty proportion in Australia ...................................................................................... 30
3.4. Daily activities................................................................................................................ 33
3.5. Goods consumer ............................................................................................................. 34
3.6. Percentages of mobile phone owners ............................................................................. 36
3.7. IELTS Writing Task 1: too many numbers!................................................................... 37
Writing Task 1 - Simon

Collected by Ngoc Bach Page 1
3.8. The Amount of waste ..................................................................................................... 38
4. Pie chart ................................................................................................................................ 39
4.1. Cam7, page 101 .............................................................................................................. 39
4.2. Diet ................................................................................................................................. 41
4.3. 3 PIE CHART ................................................................................................................ 42
4.4. 4 PIE CHARTS .............................................................................................................. 43
5. Map ....................................................................................................................................... 44
5.1. Village of Chorleywood ................................................................................................. 44
5.2. Gallery ............................................................................................................................ 45
5.3. House design .................................................................................................................. 46
5.4. 2 proposed supermarket ................................................................................................. 48
6. PROCESS ............................................................................................................................. 51
6.1. Forecast in Australia....................................................................................................... 52
6.2. Brick manufactuting ....................................................................................................... 54
6.3. Water cycle ..................................................................................................................... 55
6.4. The process of waster paper : flow chart........................................................................ 59
6.5. The life cycle of the honey bee. ..................................................................................... 60
6.6. Solar panels .................................................................................................................... 62
7. Dạng MIX: ............................................................................................................................ 63
7.1. 2 bar chart ....................................................................................................................... 63
7.2. 2 bar chart age group charts ........................................................................................... 63
7.3. BAR CHART & LINE CHART: ................................................................................... 63

1. Line graph
1.1. Tips for Line graph
Line graphs always show changes over time. Here's some advice about how to describe them:
 Try to write 4 paragraphs - introduction, summary of main points, 2 detail paragraphs.
 For your summary paragraph, look at the "big picture" - what changes happened to all of
the lines from the beginning to the end of the period shown (i.e. from the first year to the
last). Is there a trend that all of the lines follow (e.g. an overall increase)?
 You don't need to give numbers in your summary paragraph. Numbers are specific
details. Just mention general things like 'overall change', 'highest' and 'lowest', without
giving specific figures.
 Never describe each line separately. The examiner wants to see comparisons.
 If the graph shows years, you won't have time to mention all of them. The key years to
describe are the first year and the last year. You should also mention any 'special' years
(e.g. a peak or a significant rise/fall).
 Start describing details (paragraph 3) with a comparison of the lines for the first year
shown on the graph (e.g. in 1990, the number of...).
 Use the past simple (increased, fell) for past years, and 'will' or 'is expected/predicted to'
for future years.
 Don't use the passive (e.g. the number was increased), continuous (e.g. the number was
increasing), or perfect tenses (e.g. the number has increased).

1.2.Internet Users as percentage of population
The line graph compares the percentage of people in three countries who used the Internet
between 1999 and 2009.
It is clear that the proportion of the population who used the Internet increased in each country
over the period shown. Overall, a much larger percentage of Canadians and Americans had
access to the Internet in comparison with Mexicans, and Canada experienced the fastest growth
in Internet usage.
In 1999, the proportion of people using the Internet in the USA was about 20%. The figures for
Canada and Mexico were lower, at about 10% and 5% respectively. In 2005, Internet usage in
both the USA and Canada rose to around 70% of the population, while the figure for Mexico
reached just over 25%.
By 2009, the percentage of Internet users was highest in Canada. Almost 100% of Canadians
used the Internet, compared to about 80% of Americans and only 40% of Mexicans.

USEFUL COMMENTS:
hi simon
can i write"among the three countries" instead of "overall"
can i write the figures for internet users "fluctuated" in usa during 2000 and 2009.
Posted by: sohaib | Wednesday, February 01, 2012 at 15:18
Hi Sohaib,
"among the three countries" is fine.
"fluctuated" is fine, but use "between...and..." instead of "during".

1.3.International migration in UK
The chart gives information about UK immigration, emigration and net migration between 1999
and 2008.
Both immigration and emigration rates rose over the period shown, but the figures for
immigration were significantly higher. Net migration peaked in 2004 and 2007.
In 1999, over 450,000 people came to live in the UK, while the number of people who emigrated
stood at just under 300,000. The figure for net migration was around 160,000, and it remained at
a similar level until 2003. From 1999 to 2004, the immigration rate rose by nearly 150,000
people, but there was a much smaller rise in emigration. Net migration peaked at almost 250,000
people in 2004.
After 2004, the rate of immigration remained high, but the number of people emigrating
fluctuated. Emigration fell suddenly in 2007, before peaking at about 420,000 people in 2008. As
a result, the net migration figure rose to around 240,000 in 2007, but fell back to around 160,000
in 2008.
(159)

USEFUL COMMENTS:
1)
Q:
Hi Simon,
In this type of question should you try to express the numbers in other ways,
For example "a 50% rise in immigration" or "Emigration increased by a third"
Also, is just copying numbers what the public rubric terms 'mechanical' (i.e Band 5 for Task
Achievement) ?
A:
Hi Dave,
Don't worry too much about expressing numbers in a different way. It can be nice for variety, but
in my experience it also leads to mistakes and loss of clarity.
"Mechanical description" doesn't refer to copying the numbers. It refers, in the case of a graph, to
describing each line separately from beginning to end with no comparisons between each line. A
mechanical description would be like a list (e.g. the number increased, then it decreased before
rising again etc. etc.)
Hope this helps

1.4.UK acid rain emission
The graph below shows UK acid rain emissions, measured in millions of tones, from four
different sectors between 1990 and 2007.
I've made the following essay into a gap-fill exercise.
The line graph compares four sectors in ______ of the amount of acid rain emissions that they
produced over a period of 17 years in the UK.
It is clear that the total amount of acid rain emissions in the UK ______ ______ between 1990
and 2007. The most ______ decrease was seen in the electricity, gas and water supply sector.
In 1990, around 3.3 million tones of acid rain emissions came from the electricity, gas and water
sector. The transport and communication sector was ______ for about 0.7 million tones of
emissions, while the domestic sector ______ around 0.6 million tones. Just over 2 million tones
of acid rain gases came from other industries.
Emissions from electricity, gas and water supply fell dramatically to only 0.5 million tones in
2007, a ______ of almost 3 million tones. While acid rain gases from the domestic sector and
other industries fell gradually, the transport sector ______ a small increase in emissions, ______
a peak of 1 million tones in 2005.
Fill the gaps using these words:
terms, fell considerably, dramatic,responsible,produced,drop,saw,reaching

1.5.Water consumption (DẠNG MIX)
The graph and table below give information about water use worldwide and water
consumption in two different countries.
The charts compare the amount of water used for agriculture, industry and homes around the
world, and water use in Brazil and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
It is clear that global water needs rose significantly between 1900 and 2000, and that agriculture
accounted for the largest proportion of water used. We can also see that water consumption was
considerably higher in Brazil than in the Congo.
In 1900, around 500km³ of water was used by the agriculture sector worldwide. The figures for
industrial and domestic water consumption stood at around one fifth of that amount. By 2000,
global water use for agriculture had increased to around 3000km³, industrial water use had risen
to just under half that amount, and domestic consumption had reached approximately 500km³.
In the year 2000, the populations of Brazil and the Congo were 176 million and 5.2 million
respectively. Water consumption per person in Brazil, at 359m³, was much higher than that in the
Congo, at only 8m³, and this could be explained by the fact that Brazil had 265 times more
irrigated land.

(184 words, band 9)
USEFUL COMMENTS:
Q:
hi simon,
i want ask about the grammer of the third paragraph , you are using the paste simple in when you
talking about the year 1900 and use the past perfect in 2000 , what i ask about that i learned that
the action which happened in the past first will be in the past perfect and the nearest one will be
at the past simple .is this role right ?
waiting ur replay , Thanks in advance .
Posted by: hesham | Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at 05:02
simon , am waiting ur replay pls .
Posted by: hesham | Wednesday, December 14, 2011 at 08:24
A
Hi Hesham,
I can understand why you are confused. The reason I used 'past perfect' with 2000 is because I
used the word "by" (by 2000...).
When you write "by 2000" it means that you are describing what happened "before and until
2000". "2000" is in the past, and "by 2000" includes what happened BEFORE that year.
When I wrote about 1900, I was writing only about that year, not about what happened BEFORE
it.
As you can see, the rule that you learned is a bit too simple. If you are confused by the past
perfect, just use the past simple only.
1.6.Car ownership
The graph below gives information about car ownership in Britain from 1971 to 2007.

The graph shows changes in the number of cars ______ household in Great Britain ______ a
period of 36 years.
Overall, car ownership in Britain increased ______ 1971 and 2007. In particular, the number of
households with two cars rose, while the number of households ______ a car fell.
In 1971, ______ half of all British households did not have regular use of a car. Around 44% of
households had one car, but only about 7% had two cars. It was uncommon for families to own
three or more cars, ______ around 2% of households falling into this category.
The one-car household was the most common type from the late 1970‟s ______, although there
was little change in the ______ for this category. The biggest change was seen in the proportion
of households without a car, which fell steadily over the 36-year period ______ around 25% in
2007. In contrast, the proportion of two-car families rose steadily, reaching about 26% in 2007,
and the proportion of households with more than two cars rose ______ around 5%.
Fill the gaps in the essay with the following words:
almost, to, figures, per, between, by, over, with, without, onwards
Hi, Simon,could you give me some suggestions on each paragraph? And I find that I have used"
the proportion ,and the percentage" too many times. How can I solve this problem?

Paragraph1:The line graph below gives information about the variation in the percentage of
households that owned no car, one car and two or more cars in the UK over a period of 36 years.
Paragraph2:It is clear that the proportion of families with 2 cars increased dramatically over the
period shown while the figure for families without cars dropped considerably.
Paragraph3:In 1971, the percentages of British homes that owned two cars and three or more cars
stood at about 2% and 7% respectively. By contrast,around 45% of British families used one car
compared to about 48% of families without cars.
Paragraph4:The next twenty years saw a slight increase in the percentage of households with
three or more cars. However,the figure for families with no cars remained stable from 1971 to
2007.During the same period, the proportion of families with two cars rose significantly to
approximately 26% whereas the figure for those without cars dropped shaply to 25%.
Bài mẫu của Adverb
1.7.fdvProportion of the population
The graph below shows the proportion of the population aged 65 and over between 1940
and 2040 in three different countries.

The line graph compares the percentage of people aged 65 or more in three countries over a
period of 100 years.
It is clear that the proportion of elderly people increases in each country between 1940 and 2040.
Japan is expected to see the most dramatic changes in its elderly population.
In 1940, around 9% of Americans were aged 65 or over, compared to about 7% of Swedish
people and 5% of Japanese people. The proportions of elderly people in the USA and Sweden
rose gradually over the next 50 years, reaching just under 15% in 1990. By contrast, the figures
for Japan remained below 5% until the early 2000s.
Looking into the future, a sudden increase in the percentage of elderly people is predicted for
Japan, with a jump of over 15% in just 10 years from 2030 to 2040. By 2040, it is thought that
around 27% of the Japanese population will be 65 years old or more, while the figures for
Sweden and the USA will be slightly lower, at about 25% and 23% respectively.
(178 words, band 9)
IELTS Writing Task 1: analyse model essays
Maybe you read my line graph essay last week, but did you really study it?
Here's some example analysis of last week's essay:
 Structure - 4 paragraphs: introduction, overview, 2 specific details
 Paraphrasing - proportion of the population = percentage of people (find more
examples)
 Overview - overall trend, then biggest change
 Selecting key information - first year (1940), middle years (1990, early 2000s), end of
period (2030 to 2040)
 Comparing - in each country, most dramatic, and, compared to, by contrast, while,
slightly lower, respectively (analyse my sentences to learn how to use these words
correctly)
 Verbs - compares, increases, is expected to see, were, rose, remained... (look carefully
at the use of tenses)
It's possible to read model essays quickly and learn a little. It's also possible to spend a long time
studying them carefully and learn a lot!
. US consumers' average annual expenditures

The graph below shows US consumers' average annual expenditures on cell phone and
residential phone services between 2001 and 2010.
The line graph compares average yearly spending by Americans on mobile and landline phone
services from 2001 to 2010.
It is clear that spending on landline phones fell steadily over the 10-year period, while mobile
phone expenditure rose quickly. The year 2006 marks the point at which expenditure on mobile
services overtook that for residential phone services.
In 2001, US consumers spent an average of nearly $700 on residential phone services, compared
to only around $200 on cell phone services. Over the following five years, average yearly
spending on landlines dropped by nearly $200. By contrast, expenditure on mobiles rose by
approximately $300.
In the year 2006, the average American paid out the same amount of money on both types of
phone service, spending just over $500 on each. By 2010, expenditure on mobile phones had
reached around $750, while the figure for spending on residential services had fallen to just over
half this amount.
(162 words, band 9)
NOTED:
In last week's line graph essay I repeated the word "expenditure" four times. Is this a problem?
The answer is no! If you look at the graph, you can see that the whole essay must be about
expenditure. In fact, I needed to mention the idea of expenditure eleven times! Does the
examiner really expect you to think of eleven synonyms for "expenditure"? Of course not.

It's impossible to avoid repeating some of the key words in writing task 1. Try to add variety
where you can (I also used "spending", "spent" and "paid out"), but don't become obsessed with
this. The important thing is to describe and compare the data.
. Number of UK commuters travelling
The graph below shows the average number of UK commuters travelling each day by car, bus
or train between 1970 and 2030.
Here's the essay I wrote with my students' help:
The line graph compares figures for daily travel by workers in the UK using three different forms
of transport over a period of 60 years.
It is clear that the car is by far the most popular means of transport for UK commuters
throughout the period shown. Also, while the numbers of people who use the car and train
increase gradually, the number of bus users falls steadily.
In 1970, around 5 million UK commuters travelled by car on a daily basis, while the bus and
train were used by about 4 million and 2 million people respectively. In the year 2000, the
number of those driving to work rose to 7 million and the number of commuting rail passengers
reached 3 million. However, there was a small drop of approximately 0.5 million in the number
of bus users.

By 2030, the number of people who commute by car is expected to reach almost 9 million, and
the number of train users is also predicted to rise, to nearly 5 million. By contrast, buses are
predicted to become a less popular choice, with only 3 million daily users.
1.10. The graph below shows changes in young adult unemployment rates in England between
1993 and 2012.
Introduction and overview paragraphs:

The line graph compares levels of unemployment among 16 to 24-year-olds with overall
unemployment figures over a period of 20 years in England.
It is clear that the proportion of young adults who were unemployed at any time between 1993
and 2012 was significantly higher than the overall proportion of adults without work.
Unemployment rates for both groups of adults were consistently higher in London than in the
rest of England.

2. Bar chart
2.1.Marriages and divorces
The first bar chart shows changes in the number of marriages and divorces in the USA, and the
second chart shows figures for the marital status of American adults in 1970 and 2000.
It is clear that there was a fall in the number of marriages in the USA between 1970 and 2000.
The majority of adult Americans were married in both years, but the proportion of single adults
was higher in 2000.
In 1970, there were 2.5 million marriages in the USA and 1 million divorces. The marriage rate
remained stable in 1980, but fell to 2 million by the year 2000. In contrast, the divorce rate
peaked in 1980, at nearly 1.5 million divorces, before falling back to 1 million at the end of the
period.

Around 70% of American adults were married in 1970, but this figure dropped to just under 60%
by 2000. At the same time, the proportion of unmarried people and divorcees rose by about 10%
in total. The proportion of widowed Americans was slightly lower in 2000.
(174)
2.2.Levels of participation
The charts below show the levels of participation in education and science in developing and
industrialised countries in 1980 and 1990.

The three bar charts show average years of schooling, numbers of scientists and technicians, and
research and development spending in developing and developed countries. Figures are given for
1980 and 1990.
It is clear from the charts that the figures for developed countries are much higher than those for
developing nations. Also, the charts show an overall increase in participation in education and
science from 1980 to 1990.
People in developing nations attended school for an average of around 3 years, with only a
slight increase in years of schooling from 1980 to 1990. On the other hand, the figure for
industrialised countries rose from nearly 9 years of schooling in 1980 to nearly 11 years in
1990.
From 1980 to 1990, the number of scientists and technicians in industrialised countries almost
doubled to about 70 per 1000 people. Spending on research and development also saw rapid
growth in these countries, reaching $350 billion in 1990. By contrast, the number of science
workers in developing countries remained below 20 per 1000 people, and research spending fell
from about $50 billion to only $25 billion.
(187 words)
USEFUL COMMENTS:
1)
Thanks for your contributions. You have all got the right idea.
I think there are 2 key things to notice for the "overview" or summary paragraph:
1. The figures for industrialised countries are/were much higher.
2. There is/was an overall increase in participation in education and science from 1980 to 1990
(for the moment, we can ignore the one figure that decreased).
So, here's my overview. Remember, it comes after the introduction (in which I would already
have mentioned that what figures in each chart refer to).
OVERVIEW:
It is clear from the three charts that the figures for developed countries are much higher than
those for developing nations. Also, the charts show an overall increase in participation in
education and science from 1980 to 1990.
Keep working hard!
Simon
2)

2.3.Consumer good
The bar chart compares consumer spending on six different items in Germany, Italy, France and
Britain.
It is clear that British people spent significantly more money than people in the other three
countries on all six goods. Of the six items, consumers spent the most money on photographic
film.
People in Britain spent just over £170,000 on photographic film, which is the highest figure
shown on the chart. By contrast, Germans were the lowest overall spenders, with roughly the
same figures (just under £150,000) for each of the six products.
The figures for spending on toys were the same in both France and Italy, at nearly £160,000.
However, while French people spent more than Italians on photographic film and CDs, Italians

paid out more for personal stereos, tennis racquets and perfumes. The amount spent by French
people on tennis racquets, around £145,000, is the lowest figure shown on the chart. (154 words)
Note:
- I tried to keep the essay short (154 words) by selecting carefully.
- It's difficult to change spend, but I used spending, spenders and paid out.
USEFUL COMMENTS:
Q:
To Shahla,
In writing task 1, the introduction paragraph usually use the present tense (a fact statement), the
body use the past or the future tense depending on the given period.
Posted by: Tom | Thursday, June 16, 2011 at 11:09
I guess u only use the past tense or the future if the years are mentioned.Otherwise u use the
present.Please correct me Simon if I am wrong.Cheers.
Posted by: Moka | Thursday, June 16, 2011 at 11:21
A:
For the bar chart described above, it would be fine to use either present simple (because no past
date was mentioned in the question) or past simple (because we can assume that people spent
money on the 6 items in the past). I chose the past simple, but it doesn't matter which one you
use.
Even when writing in the past, I use the present simple in some parts of the essay: in the
introduction (to say what the chart shows), and to say things like "...is the lowest figure on the
chart" (because this is talking about what the chart shows NOW - similar to the introduction).
As Tom and Moka said, it's usually best to decide on the tense according to the years shown.
2.4.House prices

The bar chart compares the cost of an average house in five major cities over a period of 13 years
from 1989.
We can see that house prices fell overall between 1990 and 1995, but most of the cities saw
rising prices between 1996 and 2002. London experienced by far the greatest changes in house
prices over the 13-year period.
Over the 5 years after 1989, the cost of average homes in Tokyo and London dropped by around
7%, while New York house prices went down by 5%. By contrast, prices rose by approximately
2% in both Madrid and Frankfurt.
Between 1996 and 2002, London house prices jumped to around 12% above the 1989 average.
Homebuyers in New York also had to pay significantly more, with prices rising to 5% above the
1989 average, but homes in Tokyo remained cheaper than they were in 1989. The cost of an
average home in Madrid rose by a further 2%, while prices in Frankfurt remained stable. (165)

USEFUL COMMENTS:
Q:
Dear Simon:
Does "the cost of an average house" and "the cost of an average HOME" have the same mean?
House can be equal to home?
I thought house indicates the "building" and home is with emotional meanings.
Is it true?
Also, why you used the cost of "an" average house in the first paragraph, but you also used the
cost of average home"s"? Any differences?
My third question is
the last paragraph, you wrote "Homebuyers in New York had to pay significantly more...."
Is it ok to write the task 1? because the question did not mention the homebuyers, should we put
our personal ideas?
Thanks for your answering.
Posted by: PP | Monday, February 20, 2012 at 16:36
A:
Hi PP,
Good questions!
1. You are right that 'house' and 'home' can have different meanings, but in the context of buying
a house, it's very common to use both words as synonyms - it's something that you might see in
newspapers or hear on the news. I think my use of the 2 words is nice variation that the examiner
would like.
2. No difference, just variety to avoid repetition.
3. There is no need to add 'homebuyers', but this would impress the examiner as more varied use
of language. It's the kind of thing that only a native speaker (or very advanced student) would
think to write.
2.5. Chart without years' essay:
The chart below shows numbers of incidents and injuries per 100 million passenger miles
travelled (PMT) by transportation type in 2002.

The bar chart compares the number of incidents and injuries for every 100 million passenger
miles travelled on five different types of public transport in 2002.
It is clear that the most incidents and injuries took place on demand-response vehicles. By
contrast, commuter rail services recorded by far the lowest figures.
A total of 225 incidents and 173 injuries, per 100 million passenger miles travelled, took place
on demand-response transport services. These figures were nearly three times as high as those
for the second highest category, bus services. There were 76 incidents and 66 people were
injured on buses.
Rail services experienced fewer problems. The number of incidents on light rail trains equalled
the figure recorded for buses, but there were significantly fewer injuries, at only 39. Heavy rail
services saw lower numbers of such events than light rail services, but commuter rail passengers
were even less likely to experience problems. In fact, only 20 incidents and 17 injuries occurred
on commuter trains.
(165 words, band 9)
Note:
Don't worry about the repetition of "incidents and injuries" in this essay. There are no perfect
synonyms for these words, although I managed to use "problems" and "such events" later in the
essay. The most important thing is to describe the data clearly and make some good
comparisons.
USEFUL COMMENTS:
Q:
Hi Simon,
Should we mention about the correlation between incidents and injuries? Can you advise? Here
below are two points I might add to my task 1 writing.

Although commuter rail had the least number of incident, it has highest rate of injuries from
incidents.
Although there were 173 injuries recorded with Demand Response, its chance of injury from
incidents was moderate compared with commuter rail and bus.
Posted by: Ed | Thursday, June 07, 2012 at 12:22
A:
Hi Ed,
It's fine to compare incidents with injuries, but I chose not to do that because I thought that it was
more important to focus on comparing the types of transport.
There is a danger that your sentences confuse the reader - when you write that commuter rail has
the "highest rate of injuries from incidents" I know what you mean, but it's a bit misleading. It
might be clearer if you wrote "although commuter rail..., the majority of those incidents led to
injuries".
I'd still prefer to focus on comparing transport types.
2.6.STACKED BAR CHART ESSAY
The chart below shows the total number of Olympic medals won by twelve different countries.
The bar chart compares twelve countries in terms of the overall number of medals that they have
won at the Olympic Games.
It is clear that the USA is by far the most successful Olympic medal winning nation. It is also
noticeable that the figures for gold, silver and bronze medals won by any particular country tend
to be fairly similar.

The USA has won a total of around 2,300 Olympic medals, including approximately 900 gold
medals, 750 silver and 650 bronze. In second place on the all-time medals chart is the Soviet
Union, with just over 1,000 medals. Again, the number of gold medals won by this country is
slightly higher than the number of silver or bronze medals.
Only four other countries - the UK, France, Germany and Italy - have won more than 500
Olympic medals, all with similar proportions of each medal colour. Apart from the USA and the
Soviet Union, China is the only other country with a noticeably higher proportion of gold medals
(about 200) compared to silver and bronze (about 100 each).
(178 words, band 9)
2.7.The global sales of different types of digital games
The bar graph shows the global sales (in billions of dollars) of different types of digital games
between 2000 and 2006.
The bar chart compares the turnover in dollars from sales of video games for four different
platforms, namely mobile phones, online, consoles and handheld devices, from 2000 to 2006.
It is clear that sales of games for three out of the four platforms rose each year, leading to a
significant rise in total global turnover over the 7-year period. Sales figures for handheld games
were at least twice as high as those for any other platform in almost every year.

In 2000, worldwide sales of handheld games stood at around $11 billion, while console games
earned just under $6 billion. No figures are given for mobile or online games in that year. Over
the next 3 years, sales of handheld video games rose by about $4 billion, but the figure for
consoles decreased by $2 billion. Mobile phone and online games started to become popular,
with sales reaching around $3 billion in 2003.
In 2006, sales of handheld, online and mobile games reached peaks of 17, 9 and 7 billion dollars
respectively. By contrast, turnover from console games dropped to its lowest point, at around
$2.5 billion.
3. Table
3.1.Tips for table
Tables seem difficult when they contain a lot of numbers. Here's some advice:
 Before you start writing, highlight some key numbers. Choose the biggest number in each
category in the table (i.e. in each column and row). If the table shows years, look for the
biggest changes in numbers over the time period. You could also mention the smallest
numbers, but you can ignoe 'middle' numbers (neither biggest nor smallest).
 For your summary paragraph, try to compare whole categories (columns or rows) rather
than individual 'cells' in the table. If you can't compare whole categories, compare the
biggest and smallest number. Write 2 sentences for the summary.
 In your two 'details' paragraphs, never describe each category (column or row) separately.
The examiner wants to see comparisons. Try to organise the numbers you highlighted
into 2 groups - one for each paragraph (e.g. highest numbers for all categories together,
and lowest numbers together).
 Describe / compare the numbers you highlighted - include at least 3 numbers in each
paragraph.
 Use the past simple for past years, and 'will' or 'is expected/predicted to' for future years.
If no time is shown, use the present simple.

3.2.Rail networks
The table below gives information about the underground railway systems in six cities.
Full essay (band 9):
The table shows data about the underground rail networks in six major cities.
The table compares the six networks in terms of their age, size and the number of people who
use them each year. It is clear that the three oldest underground systems are larger and serve
significantly more passengers than the newer systems.
The London underground is the oldest system, having opened in 1863. It is also the largest
system, with 394 kilometres of route. The second largest system, in Paris, is only about half the
size of the London underground, with 199 kilometres of route. However, it serves more people
per year. While only third in terms of size, the Tokyo system is easily the most used, with 1927
million passengers per year.
Of the three newer networks, the Washington DC underground is the most extensive, with 126
kilometres of route, compared to only 11 kilometres and 28 kilometres for the Kyoto and Los
Angeles systems. The Los Angeles network is the newest, having opened in 2001, while the
Kyoto network is the smallest and serves only 45 million passengers per year.
(185 words)

3.3.Poverty proportion in Australia
The table below shows the proportion of different categories of families living in poverty in
Australia in 1999.
The table gives information about poverty rates among six types of household in Australia in the
year 1999.
It is noticeable that levels of poverty were higher for single people than for couples, and people
with children were more likely to be poor than those without. Poverty rates were considerably
lower among elderly people.
Overall, 11% of Australians, or 1,837,000 people, were living in poverty in 1999. Aged people
were the least likely to be poor, with poverty levels of 6% and 4% for single aged people and
aged couples respectively.
Just over one fifth of single parents were living in poverty, whereas only 12% of parents living
with a partner were classed as poor. The same pattern can be seen for people with no children:
while 19% of single people in this group were living below the poverty line, the figure for
couples was much lower, at only 7%.
(150 words, band 9)
USEFUL COMMENTS:
1)
Q:
Hi Simon.

In task 1 writing, we should keep it objective, impersonal. And why in your essay you used
"likely to" when all the figure was given.
Eg : "people with children were more likely to be poor than those without"
Thanks for your answer.
Posted by: Pham Quynh Hoa | Monday, August 29, 2011 at 03:15
A:
Hi Pham,
Keep it objective in the sense that you shouldn't give subjective opinions about the reasons
behind the figures (e.g. don't try to explain why fewer old people were poor).
I used "less likely to be poor" to mean the same as "the proportion of poor people was smaller".
Remember, in each family type, the rest of the people were NOT poor (e.g. 6% poor, 94% not
poor), so we can say that "old people were less likely to be poor" because the probability of
finding a poor person in that group was lower.
I hope this makes sense.
2)
Q:
Hi, Simon:
I felt weird that "Just over one fifth of single parents were living in poverty, whereas only 12%
of parents living with a partner were classed as poor."
In the sentence, "just" and "only" have similar meaning, but you used "whereas" to connect them.
I would think "whereas" is used as "but".
Thank you
Posted by: Chiao | Tuesday, December 03, 2013 at 16:07
A:
Hi Chiao,
Your misunderstanding relates to the use of "just" - I wrote "just over", which means "a bit more
than" rather than "only". It is possible to use "just over" with a very high number (e.g. just over
99% - this doesn't mean "only 99%").
I wrote "just over one fifth" referring to the 21%, and I think it's fine to contrast 21% with 12%
because it's quite a significant difference.
Posted by: Simon | Wednesday, December 04, 2013 at 11:52

3.4.Daily activities
The chart below shows average hours and minutes spent by UK males and females on
different daily activities.
I've made the following essay into a gap-fill exercise.
The table compares the average ______ of time per day that men and women in the UK spend
______ different activities.
It is clear that people in the UK spend more time ______ than doing any other daily activity.
Also, there are significant differences between the time ______ by men and women on
employment/study and housework.
On average, men and women in the UK ______ for about 8 hours per day. Leisure ______
______ the second largest proportion of their time. Men spend 5 hours and 25 minutes doing
various leisure activities, such as watching TV or doing sport, ______ women have 4 hours and
53 minutes of leisure time.
It is noticeable that men work or study for an average of 79 minutes more than women every
day. By contrast, women spend 79 minutes more than men doing housework, and they spend
______ ______ as much time looking after children.

Fill the gaps using these words: doing, up, over, spent, while, sleeping, sleep, twice, amount,
takes
3.5.Goods consumer
The table below gives information on consumer spending on different items in five different
countries in 2002.
Percentage of national consumer expenditure by category - 2002
The table shows percentages of consumer expenditure for three categories of products and
services in five countries in 2002.
It is clear that the largest proportion of consumer spending in each country went on (take place,
happen) food, drinks and tobacco. On the other hand, the leisure/education category has the
lowest percentages in the table.
Out of the five countries, consumer spending on food, drinks and tobacco was noticeably higher
in Turkey, at 32.14%, and Ireland, at nearly 29%. The proportion of spending on leisure and
education was also highest in Turkey, at 4.35%, while expenditure on clothing and footwear was
significantly higher in Italy, at 9%, than in any of the other countries.
It can be seen that Sweden had the lowest percentages of national consumer expenditure for
food/drinks/tobacco and for clothing/footwear, at nearly 16% and just over 5% respectively.
Spain had slightly higher figures for these categories, but the lowest figure for leisure/education,
at only 1.98%.

(155)
Note:
- Which information did I choose to include in my 'summary' paragraph?
- Why did I use past and present tenses in paragraph 2?
- How did I group the information for paragraphs 3 and 4?
USEFUL COMMENTS:
1)
Q:
Would it be better to compare the figures rather than just describing them?For example,Turkey
spent the highst amounts of money on Food/drink/Tobacco(32.14%),this is compared to 15.77%
in sweeden or 16.36% in Italy.
Thanks
A:
Hi Nafiseh,
I did compare the figures. Look at paragraph 3 for example. All of these are 'comparing' words
and phrases:
- was noticeably higher (means 'higher than the other countries')
- was also highest (means 'highest compared to the other countries')
- while...
- was significantly higher in Italy, at 9%, than in any of the other countries
Remember that "compared to" is not the only phrase for comparing. Comparative and superlative
adjectives (e.g. higher, highest) are definitely used for comparing too.
...
2)
Hi Simon,
expenditureon
enpenditure for
are both correct?

Simon: Yes, both are fine.
3)
1.In your summary, you compared the highest firgure(Food/Drinks/Tobacco)and the lowest
figure(Education/Leisure)in general.
2.In your paragraph2, the reason why you use past tense is this happened in 2002, and why you
use present, I guess because you just simply describe the the information in the table right now.
3.You put the countries with highest percentages in paragraph 3 and put countries with lowest
numbers in paragraph 4.
3.6.Percentages of mobile phone owners
The table compares the percentages of people using different functions of their mobile phones
between 2006 and 2010. 

Throughout the period shown, the main reason why people used their mobile phones was to
make calls. However, there was a marked increase in the popularity of other mobile phone
features, particularly the Internet search feature.
In 2006, 100% of mobile phone owners used their phones to make calls, while the next most
popular functions were text messaging (73%) and taking photos (66%). By contrast, less than
20% of owners played games or music on their phones, and there were no figures for users doing
Internet searches or recording video.
Over the following 4 years, there was relatively little change in the figures for the top three
mobile phone features. However, the percentage of people using their phones to access the
Internet jumped to 41% in 2008 and then to 73% in 2010. There was also a significant rise in the
use of mobiles to play games and to record video, with figures reaching 41% and 35%
respectively in 2010.
Note:
The above essay isn't perfect, but it's still good enough for a band 9. You are not expected to
write a masterpiece in only 20 minutes.
3.7.IELTS Writing Task 1: too many numbers!
Students often find it difficult to describe tables with lots of numbers.

The table below contains 36 numbers. We can't describe all of them, so which ones should we
choose? How many numbers do we need to include?
...
The table below shows changes in the numbers of residents cycling to work in different areas
of the UK between 2001 and 2011.

Here are my choices:
Introduction
Don't mention any numbers here.
Overview
Don't mention any numbers; just describe the main features / overall trend.
Paragraph 3
A description (and comparison) of the figures for Inner London and Outer London would
probably be enough for this paragraph.
Paragraph 4
Maybe mention Brighton and Hove as the only area outside Inner London with a percentage
change above 100%. We could also highlight Bristol as the second city in terms of cycling
numbers. Finish with a general statement about the other areas (e.g. all below 10,000 residents
cycling to work).
The table compares the numbers of people who cycled to work in twelve areas of the UK in the
years 2001 and 2011.
Overall, the number of UK commuters who travelled to work by bicycle rose considerably over
the 10-year period. Inner London had by far the highest number of cycling commuters in both
years.
In 2001, well over 43 thousand residents of inner London commuted by bicycle, and this figure
rose to more than 106 thousand in 2011, an increase of 144%. By contrast, although outer
London had the second highest number of cycling commuters in each year, the percentage
change, at only 45%, was the lowest of the twelve areas shown in the table.
Brighton and Hove saw the second biggest increase (109%) in the number of residents cycling to
work, but Bristol was the UK‟s second city in terms of total numbers of cycling commuters, with
8,108 in 2001 and 15,768 in 2011. Figures for the other eight areas were below the 10 thousand
mark in both years.
(172 words, band 9)
3.8.The Amount of waste
The table below shows the amount of waste production (in millions of tonnes) in six
different countries over a twenty-year period.

The chart compares the amounts of waste that were produced in six countries in the years 1980,
1990 and 2000.
In each of these years, the US produced more waste than Ireland, Japan, Korea, Poland and
Portugal combined. It is also noticeable that Korea was the only country that managed to reduce
its waste output by the year 2000.
Between 1980 and 2000, waste production in the US rose from 131 to 192 million tonnes, and
rising trends were also seen in Japan, Poland and Portugal. Japan‟s waste output increased from
28 to 53 million tonnes, while Poland and Portugal saw waste totals increase from 4 to 6.6 and
from 2 to 5 million tonnes respectively.
The trends for Ireland and Korea were noticeably different from those described above. In
Ireland, waste production increased more than eightfold, from only 0.6 million tonnes in 1980 to
5 million tonnes in 2000. Korea, by contrast, cut its waste output by 12 million tonnes between
1990 and 2000.
4. Pie chart
4.1.Cam7, page 101

The pie charts compare the amount of electricity produced using five different sources of fuel in
two countries over two separate years.
Total electricity production increased dramatically from 1980 to 2000 in both Australia and
France. While the totals for both countries were similar, there were big differences in the fuel
sources used.
Coal was used to produce 50 of the total 100 units of electricity in Australia in 1980, rising to
130 out of 170 units in 2000. By contrast, nuclear power became the most important fuel source
in France in 2000, producing almost 75% of the country‟s electricity.
Australia depended on hydro power for just under 25% of its electricity in both years, but the
amount of electricity produced using this type of power fell from 5 to only 2 units in France. Oil,
on the other hand, remained a relatively important fuel source in France, but its use declined in
Australia. Both countries relied on natural gas for electricity production significantly more in
1980 than in 2000. (170 words)

USEFUL COMMENTS:
1)
Q:
Dear Simon, the most difficult thing for me when I do writing task 1 is that I know what I have
to write. with regards to 4 pie charts, can you tell me the way to select the most important
features to describe. Thanks a lot.
A:
Hi Justin,
I wrote the essay above by finding one interesting thing to say about each fuel source. Try to
mention each item (whatever is shown in the charts) once - this is the best way to select the
features.
Hope this helps
4.2.Diet
Fill the gaps with these words:

constitutes, drops, amount, fifth, higher, make, one, relative, figure, up
The pie charts compare the proportion of carbohydrates, protein and fat in three different diets,
namely an average diet, a healthy diet, and a healthy diet for sport.

It is noticeable that sportspeople require a diet comprising a significantly higher proportion of
carbohydrates than an average diet or a healthy diet. The average diet contains the lowest
percentage of carbohydrates but the highest proportion of protein.
Carbohydrates ______ ______ 60% of the healthy diet for sport. This is 10% ______ than the
proportion of carbohydrates in a normal healthy diet, and 20% more than the proportion in an
average diet. On the other hand, people who eat an average diet consume a greater ______
______ of protein (40%) than those who eat a healthy diet (30%) and sportspeople (25%).
The third compound shown in the charts is fat. Fat ______ exactly ______ ______ of both the
average diet and the healthy diet, but the ______ ______ to only 15% for the healthy sports diet.
4.3.3 PIE CHART

Here's my full essay for the 3 pie charts question that we've been looking at over the last two
weeks:
The pie charts compare the expenditure of a school in the UK in three different years over a 20-
year period.
It is clear that teachers‟ salaries made up the largest proportion of the school‟s spending in all
three years (1981, 1991 and 2001). By contrast, insurance was the smallest cost in each year.
In 1981, 40% of the school‟s budget went on teachers‟ salaries. This figure rose to 50% in 1991,
but fell again by 5% in 2001. The proportion of spending on other workers‟ wages fell steadily
over the 20-year period, from 28% of the budget in 1981 to only 15% in 2001.
Expenditure on insurance stood at only 2% of the total in 1981, but reached 8% in 2001. Finally,
the percentages for resources and furniture/equipment fluctuated. The figure for resources was
highest in 1991, at 20%, and the proportion of spending on furniture and equipment reached its
peak in 2001, at 23%.
(158 words, band 9)
4.4. 4 PIE CHARTS
..\..\TIENG ANH\WRITING\TASK 1\MAU SIMON\yemenitaly-pie-charts.pdf

5. Map
5.1.Village of Chorleywood
The map shows the growth of a village called Chorleywood between 1868 and 1994.
It is clear that the village grew as the transport infrastructure was improved. Four periods of
development are shown on the map, and each of the populated areas is near to the main roads,
the railway or the motorway.
From 1868 to 1883, Chorleywood covered a small area next to one of the main roads.
Chorleywood Park and Golf Course is now located next to this original village area. The village
grew along the main road to the south between 1883 and 1922, and in 1909 a railway line was
built crossing this area from west to east. Chorleywood station is in this part of the village.
The expansion of Chorleywood continued to the east and west alongside the railway line until
1970. At that time, a motorway was built to the east of the village, and from 1970 to 1994,
further development of the village took place around motorway intersections with the railway
and one of the main roads.
(174)
SOME USEFULL COMMENTS:
1)
Don't just read this essay once. Spend some time analysing it:
 In what order did I describe the information shown on the map?
 What information did I choose for paragraphs 3 and 4?
 What good vocabulary does the essay contain?
2)
Q:
Hello,Simon.
I have questions regarding you map description.
WHY "Chorleywood Park and Golf Course IS located", because it is a one object? If i write
ARE locatede will it be a mistake?
Another thing - why did you write is NOW located next to the original village - do we know
when it was build? And if we write about present, should we say "is now located in between the
original village and the modern one"?
A:
Hi Mayya,
You could use "is" or "are", depending on whether you consider the park and golf course as one
thing or two - both ways are fine.
I'm using "now" to describe what we can now see on the map - we don't know when the park and
golf course were made, so it's easier to say that they are "now" shown to be in a certain place on
the map. There is no need to mention the "modern one
5.2.Gallery

The first picture shows the layout of an art gallery, and the second shows some proposed changes
to the gallery space.
It is clear that significant changes will be made in terms of the use of floor space in the gallery.
There will be a completely new entrance and more space for exhibitions.
At present, visitors enter the gallery through doors which lead into a lobby. However, the plan is
to move the entrance to the Parkinson Court side of the building, and visitors will walk straight
into the exhibition area. In place of the lobby and office areas, which are shown on the existing
plan, the new gallery plan shows an education area and a small storage area.
The permanent exhibition space in the redeveloped gallery will be about twice as large as it is
now because it will occupy the area that is now used for temporary exhibitions. There will also
be a new room for special exhibitions. This room is shown in red on the existing plan and is not
currently part of the gallery. (178 words, band 9)
5.3.House design
The diagrams show how house designs differ according to climate.
The most noticeable difference between houses designed for cool and warm climates is in the
shape of the roof. The designs also differ with regard to the windows and the use of insulation.
We can see that the cool climate house has a high-angled roof, which allows sunlight to enter
through the window. By contrast, the roof of the warm climate house has a peak in the middle
and roof overhangs to shade the windows. Insulation and thermal building materials are used in
cool climates to reduce heat loss, whereas insulation and reflective materials are used to keep the
heat out in warm climates.
Finally, the cool climate house has one window which faces the direction of the sun, while the
warm climate house has windows on two sides which are shaded from the sun. By opening the
two windows at night, the house designed for warm climates can be ventilated.
(162 words, band 9)

5.4.2 proposed supermarket
The map below is of the town of Garlsdon. A new supermarket (S) is planned for the town.
The map shows two possible sites for the supermarket.
The map shows two potential locations (S1 and S2) for a new supermarket in a town called
Garlsdon.
The main difference between the two sites is that S1 is outside the town, whereas S2 is in the
town centre. The sites can also be compared in terms of access by road or rail, and their positions
relative to three smaller towns.
Looking at the information in more detail, S1 is in the countryside to the north west of Garlsdon,
but it is close to the residential area of the town. S2 is also close to the housing area, which
surrounds the town centre.
There are main roads from Hindon, Bransdon and Cransdon to Garlsdon town centre, but this is a
no traffic zone, so there would be no access to S2 by car. By contrast, S1 lies on the main road to
Hindon, but it would be more difficult to reach from Bransdon and Cransdon. Both supermarket
sites are close to the railway that runs through Garlsdon from Hindon to Cransdon. (171)

The diagrams illustrate some changes to a small island which has been developed for tourism.
It is clear that the island has changed considerably with the introduction of tourism, and six new
features can be seen in the second diagram. The main developments are that the island is
accessible and visitors have somewhere to stay.
Looking at the maps in more detail, we can see that small huts have been built to accommodate
visitors to the island. The other physical structures that have been added are a reception building,
in the middle of the island, and a restaurant to the north of the reception. Before these
developments, the island was completely bare apart from a few trees.

As well as the buildings mentioned above, the new facilities on the island include a pier, where
boats can dock. There is also a short road linking the pier with the reception and restaurant, and
footpaths connect the huts. Finally, there is a designated swimming area for tourists off a beach
on the western tip of the island.
(175 words, band 9)
NOTED
Did you analyse the map essay I wrote last week, or did you just read it quickly? Here are some
things that you might have noticed if you analysed it carefully:
Range of verb tenses, and use of both active and passive:
- has been developed, have been built
- has changed
- can be seen
- is, are, include
- was
Phrases and collocations that would impress the examiner:
- with the introduction of tourism
- new features
- main developments
- the island is accessible
- small huts*
- to accommodate visitors
- physical structures
- in the middle of, to the north of
- completely bare apart from
- where boats can dock*
- a designated swimming area
- the western tip* of the island
*huts, dock and tip might be the words that most impress the examiner in this essay. Can you
think why? Does this surprise you?

6. PROCESS
Process diagrams show how something is done or made. They always show steps/stages. Here's
some advice about how to describe them:
 Write the introduction by paraphrasing the question (rewrite it by changing some of the
words).
 For your summary, first say how many steps there are in the process. Then say
where/how the process begins and ends (look at the first and last stages).
 In paragraphs 3 and 4, describe the process step by step. Include the first and last steps
that you mentioned in the summary, but try to describe them in more detail or in a
different way.
 You could describe the steps in one paragraph, but it looks more organised if you break
the description into two paragraphs. Just start paragraph 4 somewhere in the middle of
the process.
 Mention every stage in the process.
 Use 'sequencing' language e.g. at the first / second / following / final stage of the process,
next, after that, then, finally etc.
 Times (e.g. past dates) are not usually shown, so use the present simple tense.
 It's usually a good idea to use the passive e.g. 'At the final stage, the product is delivered
to shops' (because we don't need to know who delivered the product).

6.1.Forecast in Australia
The diagram below shows how the Australian Bureau of Meteorology collects up- to-the-
minute information on the weather in order to produce reliable forecasts.
The figure illustrates the process used by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology to forecast the
weather.
There are four stages in the process, beginning with the collection of information about the
weather. This information is then analysed, prepared for presentation, and finally broadcast to the
public.
Looking at the first and second stages of the process, there are three ways of collecting weather
data and three ways of analysing it. Firstly, incoming information can be received by satellite
and presented for analysis as a satellite photo. The same data can also be passed to a radar station
and presented on a radar screen or synoptic chart. Secondly, incoming information may be

collected directly by radar and analysed on a radar screen or synoptic chart. Finally, drifting
buoys also receive data which can be shown on a synoptic chart.
At the third stage of the process, the weather broadcast is prepared on computers. Finally, it is
delivered to the public on television, on the radio, or as a recorded telephone announcement.
(170)
USEFUL COMMENTS:
1) Q:
Dear Simon,
Thanks for full essay.
I have couple of grammatical questions about this essay.
1. Is verb “used”,in the first line, is passive and can I say “which is used”instead of used only?
2. In the introduction: and finally broadcast to the public. Can I write “for” instead of “to”? And
also shouldn‟t be “broadcasted” instead of “broadcast” since the previous verbs, analysed and
prepared, are in passive forms.
3. Is this paragraph suitable as second body paragraph? Is the passive verbs are correct and
should they be in simple present?
Following the first two steps, all the weather information then is transferred to the computer,
where they are prepared for final assessment before forecasting. Finally, the generated data is
broadcasted through TV, newspapers, radio or recorded on telephones.
Kind regards
A:
Hi Felora,
1. Yes, 'which is used' is correct. Sometimes we miss the 'which is', but both ways are fine.
2. You can write 'for' instead of 'to'. 'Broadcast' is a strange verb because you can choose
between 2 past participles: either 'broadcast' or 'broadcasted'. Both are correct past participles.
3. Your paragraph is good. Use 'it' instead of 'they' as the pronoun referring to 'information'.
2)
Q:

DearSimon ,
Could you please tell me why did you say secondly,incoming inf may be collected directly by
radar and analyses on RADAR SCREEN or synoptic chart?
As the figure reveals only from radar to synoptic chart.
Please explain.
Thanks a lot,
A:
Hi Moka,
There is a small line from the radar picture to the radar screen. I assume this line refers to radar
information from the radar station OR information that originally came from satellites.
6.2.Brick manufactuting

Here are my 2 main paragraphs describing the steps:
At the beginning of the process, clay is dug from the ground. The clay is put through a metal
grid, and it passes onto a roller where it is mixed with sand and water. After that, the clay can be
shaped into bricks in two ways: either it is put in a mould, or a wire cutter is used.
At the fourth stage in the process, the clay bricks are placed in a drying oven for one to two days.
Next, the bricks are heated in a kiln at a moderate temperature (200 - 900 degrees Celsius) and
then at a high temperature (up to 1300 degrees), before spending two to three days in a cooling
chamber. Finally, the finished bricks are packaged and delivered.
6.3.Water cycle
The diagram below shows the water cycle, which is the continuous movement of water on,
above and below the surface of the Earth.

runoff: Rainfall not absorbed by soil.
The picture illustrates the way in which water passes from ocean to air to land during the natural
process known as the water cycle.
Three main stages are shown on the diagram. Ocean water evaporates, falls as rain, and
eventually runs back into the oceans again.
Beginning at the evaporation stage, we can see that 80% of water vapour in the air comes from
the oceans. Heat from the sun causes water to evaporate, and water vapour condenses to form
clouds. At the second stage, labelled „precipitation‟ on the diagram, water falls as rain or snow.
At the third stage in the cycle, rainwater may take various paths. Some of it may fall into lakes or
return to the oceans via „surface runoff‟. Otherwise, rainwater may filter through the ground,
reaching the impervious layer of the earth. Salt water intrusion is shown to take place just before
groundwater passes into the oceans to complete the cycle.
(156 words, band 9)
USEFUL COMMENTS
1)
Hi Judy,

Thanks for sharing your exam questions.
You could write "ocean" or "oceans". I chose the plural because the diagram represents what
happens to water in all of the oceans, not just one.
2)
Q:
Hi,
Excuse me, I'm just wondering if there's a tiny mistake in the introductory paragraph 'water
passes from ocean to air TO land' ? I guess it should be AND instead of TO so that would be
'water passes from ocean to air AND land'. Am I right?
Thanks!
Posted by: Drew | Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at 22:48
A:
Hi Drew,
I wrote 'to' on purpose. Imagine you visit 3 cities, you can write:
"I travelled from Edinburgh to Manchester to London."
Using 'and' changes the idea slightly, but it's also fine.
Posted by: Simon | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 15:24
3)
Q:
what do you mean by "at the second stage labelled precipitation on the diagram shows that water
falls from rain or snow"please explain
Posted by: nisma faridoon | Monday, December 12, 2011 at 12:45
A:
Hi Nisma,
"At the second stage, labelled „precipitation‟ on the diagram, water falls as rain or snow."
This means that I think 'precipitation' (the label inside the rain on the diagram) is the second
stage in the cycle. Precipitation means rain or snow.
Posted by: Simon | Monday, December 12, 2011 at 14:00

4)
Q:
Hi,Simon
You once said the examiner wants to see comparisons rather than describing figures separately in
graphs,charts and tables.Well, what do examiners expect to see in process diagrams or
maps?What do they prefer to see in maps or diagrams?
Thanks,Simon
Posted by: aegean | Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 12:39
A:
Hi Aegean,
For some diagrams and maps you need to compare things. For a process diagram, you can't
compare anything - the examiner wants to see a step-by-step description.
Have a look through all of my lessons and you will find advice and full essays for diagrams and
maps.
Posted by: Simon | Monday, December 19, 2011 at 15:34

6.4.The process of waster paper : flow chart
The chart below shows the process of waste paper recycling.
The flow chart shows how waste paper is recycled. It is clear that there are six distinct stages in
this process, from the initial collection of waste paper to the eventual production of usable paper.
At the first stage in the paper recycling process, waste paper is collected either from paper banks,
where members of the public leave their used paper, or directly from businesses. This paper is
then sorted by hand and separated according to its grade, with any paper that is not suitable for
recycling being removed. Next, the graded paper is transported to a paper mill.
Stages four and five of the process both involve cleaning. The paper is cleaned and pulped, and
foreign objects such as staples are taken out. Following this, all remnants of ink and glue are
removed from the paper at the de-inking stage. Finally, the pulp can be processed in a paper
making machine, which makes the end product: usable paper.
(160 words, band 9)
Note: I joined the introduction and overview together because they were both short. Try to
analyse the essay - why is it worth band 9?
The essay I shared last Thursday was good enough for a band 9, but why? Apart from being well
organised and covering all of the necessary points, the essay contains some phrases that would
ensure high vocabulary and grammar scores:
Vocabulary
 there are six distinct stages

 from the initial collection... to the eventual production
 members of the public

 directly from businesses
 separated according to its grade
 Stages four and five both involve cleaning
 foreign objects are taken out
 remnants of ink and glue
 the end product
Grammar
 six distinct stages, from... to... (good use of 'from-to' after comma)
 where members of the public... (inclusion of extra information between commas)
 This paper (use of 'this' to refer back to an idea in the previous sentence)
 with any paper... being (use of with + ing to add extra information)
 cleaned, pulped, taken out, removed (use of passive verb forms instead of nouns shown
on the diagram)
 which makes the end product (use of relative pronoun 'which' to connect ideas)
Note: The best way to get a high grammar score is to reduce the number of mistakes that you
make, not to use 'difficult' structures.
. The life cycle of the honey bee.

Two things to consider are:
1. how to summarise the diagram before describing the stages in detail
2. whether to use active or passive verb forms
...
...
nymph = immature form of an insect
moult = shed or lose old feathers, hair or skin to allow for new growth
The diagram illustrates the various stages in the life of a honey bee. We can see that the complete
life cycle lasts between 34 and 36 days. It is also noticeable that there are five main stages in the
development of the honey bee, from egg to mature adult insect.
The life cycle of the honey bee begins when the female adult lays an egg; the female typically
lays one or two eggs every 3 days. Between 9 and 10 days later, each egg hatches and the
immature insect, or nymph, appears.
During the third stage of the life cycle, the nymph grows in size and sheds its skin three times.
This moulting first takes place 5 days after the egg hatches, then 7 days later, and again another 9
days later. After a total of 30 to 31 days from the start of the cycle, the young adult honey bee
emerges from its final moulting stage, and in the space of only 4 days it reaches full maturity.
(169 words, band 9)

. Solar panels
The diagram below shows how solar panels can be used to provide electricity for domestic use.
Introduction: paraphrase the question as usual

The picture illustrates the process of producing electricity in a home using solar panels.
Overview: say two general things about the diagram
It is clear that there are five distinct stages in this process, beginning with the capture of energy
from sunlight. The final two steps show how domestic electricity is connected to the external
power supply.
The picture illustrates the process of producing electricity in a home using solar panels.
It is clear that there are five distinct stages in this process, beginning with the capture of energy
from sunlight. The final two steps show how domestic electricity is connected to the external
power supply.
At the first stage in the process, solar panels on the roof of a normal house take energy from the
sun and convert it into DC current. Next, this current is passed to an inverter, which changes it to
AC current and regulates the supply of electricity. At stage three, electricity is supplied to the
home from an electrical panel.
At the fourth step shown on the diagram, a utility meter in the home is responsible for sending
any extra electric power outside the house into the grid. Finally, if the solar panels do not provide

enough energy for the household, electricity will flow from the utility grid into the home through
the meter.
Note:
I've underlined examples of the two language features that make process diagram descriptions
special: 'steps' language, and passive verbs.
7. Dạng MIX:
7.1. 2 bar chart
..\..\TIENG ANH\WRITING\TASK 1\MAU SIMON\t1-marriage-charts.pdf

7.2. 2 bar chart age group charts
Here's my full essay for the 'age group bar charts' question:
The bar charts compare students of different ages in terms of why they are studying and whether
they are supported by an employer.
It is clear that the proportion of students who study for career purposes is far higher among the
younger age groups, while the oldest students are more likely to study for interest. Employer
support is more commonly given to younger students.
Around 80% of students aged under 26 study to further their careers, whereas only 10% study
purely out of interest. The gap between these two proportions narrows as students get older, and
the figures for those in their forties are the same, at about 40%. Students aged over 49
overwhelmingly study for interest (70%) rather than for professional reasons (less than 20%).
Just over 60% of students aged under 26 are supported by their employers. By contrast, the 30-39
age group is the most self-sufficient, with only 30% being given time off and help with fees. The
figures rise slightly for students in their forties and for those aged 50 or more.
(178 words, band 9)
7.3.BAR CHART & LINE CHART:
IELTS Writing Task 1: climate essay

The climograph below shows average monthly temperatures and rainfall in the city of
Kolkata.
The chart compares average figures for temperature and precipitation over the course of a
calendar year in Kolkata.
It is noticeable that monthly figures for precipitation in Kolkata vary considerably, whereas
monthly temperatures remain relatively stable. Rainfall is highest from July to August, while
temperatures are highest in April and May.
Between the months of January and May, average temperatures in Kolkata rise from their lowest
point at around 20°C to a peak of just over 30°C. Average rainfall in the city also rises over the
same period, from approximately 20mm of rain in January to 100mm in May.
While temperatures stay roughly the same for the next four months, the amount of rainfall more
than doubles between May and June. Figures for precipitation remain above 250mm from June
to September, peaking at around 330mm in July. The final three months of the year see a
dramatic fall in precipitation, to a low of about 10mm in December, and a steady drop in
temperatures back to the January average.
(173 words, band 9)


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IELTS Writing Task 1 Simon

Writing Task 1 - Simon

Writing Task 1 - Simon

1.1. Tips for Line graph

 Try to write 4 paragraphs - introduction, summary of main points, 2 detail paragraphs.

Writing Task 1 - Simon

Writing Task 1 - Simon

Posted by: sohaib | Wednesday, February 01, 2012 at 15:18

Writing Task 1 - Simon

Writing Task 1 - Simon

Writing Task 1 - Simon

I've made the following essay into a gap-fill exercise.

Fill the gaps using these words:

terms, fell considerably, dramatic,responsible,produced,drop,saw,reaching

Writing Task 1 - Simon

Writing Task 1 - Simon

Posted by: hesham | Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at 05:02

simon , am waiting ur replay pls .

Posted by: hesham | Wednesday, December 14, 2011 at 08:24

Writing Task 1 - Simon

Fill the gaps in the essay with the following words:

Writing Task 1 - Simon

1.7.fdvProportion of the population

Writing Task 1 - Simon

IELTS Writing Task 1: analyse model essays

. US consumers' average annual expenditures

Writing Task 1 - Simon

Writing Task 1 - Simon

Here's the essay I wrote with my students' help:

Writing Task 1 - Simon

Introduction and overview paragraphs:

Writing Task 1 - Simon

2.1.Marriages and divorces

Writing Task 1 - Simon

Writing Task 1 - Simon

Writing Task 1 - Simon

Writing Task 1 - Simon

Posted by: Tom | Thursday, June 16, 2011 at 11:09

Posted by: Moka | Thursday, June 16, 2011 at 11:21

Writing Task 1 - Simon

Writing Task 1 - Simon

Posted by: PP | Monday, February 20, 2012 at 16:36

Writing Task 1 - Simon

Writing Task 1 - Simon

Posted by: Ed | Thursday, June 07, 2012 at 12:22

2.6.STACKED BAR CHART ESSAY

Writing Task 1 - Simon

2.7.The global sales of different types of digital games

Writing Task 1 - Simon

3.1.Tips for table

 Try to write 4 paragraphs - introduction, summary of main points, 2 detail paragraphs.

Writing Task 1 - Simon

Full essay (band 9):

Writing Task 1 - Simon

(150 words, band 9)

Writing Task 1 - Simon

Posted by: Chiao | Tuesday, December 03, 2013 at 16:07

Posted by: Simon | Wednesday, December 04, 2013 at 11:52

I've made the following essay into a gap-fill exercise.

Writing Task 1 - Simon