IELTS
JOURNAL
35
Including approximation
The following body paragraphs summarize the key information in the two graphs below.
Notice the expressions in bold that refer to time and amount. However, it is important not
to overuse these words.
Book sales 1990-1999
Just over
10,000 copies of the book were sold in 1990. Sales increased dramatically
over the
next two years,
to peak at
almost
60,000 in 1992. However, sales then fell sharply to
well
under
30,000 in the following year, and they went down by
a further
12,000
or so
between
1993 and 1994. There was
a steady increase in sales
over the next/following three years,
and by 1997 there had been a rise of
slightly more than
10,000. However,
after this sales
began to drop once more to
approximately
10,000 in 1999.
Book sales Jan-Dec 2000
In the first six months/half
of the year 2000, sales fluctuated remarkably, although
there was a moderate
increase in July-August, reaching a peak at
well over
15,000. A
sharp decrease followed, with sales
falling to
around
15,000 in September. They
remained steady at almost 15,000 until November, when there was a slight increase.
IELTS
JOURNAL
36
Having a Task 1 checklist is important
Here is a suggested checklist for writing task 1.
Put a tick, a check mark, next to each point
on the list while writing a Task 1 report.
1.
Know all the types of questions in Task 1
such as line graphs, bar charts, etc.
2.
Try several real test examples of each type.
3.
Know the 4-paragraph method suggested here.
4.
Practice paraphrasing the question to write introductions.
5.
Understand why we do not write a conclusion for task 1.
6.
Know how to write an 'overview', and what to include in this paragraph.
7.
Practice selecting key information, rather than describing everything.
8.
Be able to write good 'comparing' sentences.
9.
Be able to describe changes and trends (e.g.
increase, decrease).
10.
Be able to use the passive to describe steps in a process.
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