IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 often implies the candidate has to describe line graphs, bar charts, tables and multiple charts that have a lot in common. These visuals contain numbers and percentages, which makes them different from maps and processes. In order to score high in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1, you have t0 give an accurate and strong description as well as analyse the provided charts properly. Writing 150 words is not enough to achieve the desired band. You should avoid repetition, i.e. demonstrate the range of vocabulary. What words and expressions to use to describe and emphasize the changes, similarities and differences in the data is going to be discussed below.

Rise and fall verbs

increase / rise significantly = go up a lot 

• e.g. In the period from September to November, the profits increased significantly reaching a peak of 10 million. 

rocket/soar = go up quickly to a high level

• e.g. In October, the figures rocket / soar to 2,600 copies.

reach a peak = get to a maximum 

• e.g. The sales increased gradually, reaching a peak of approximately 25, 000 copies in April.

increase / rise slightly = go up a little  

• The figures for Pretty Cuo increased slightly in the final year.

decrease significantly = go down a lot

• e.g. In December the sales decreased significantly reaching a low of 1,500 books.

plummet / plunge = go down quickly and suddenly

• e.g. The property values had plummeted / plunged by 2008. 

decrease slightly = go down a little

• e.g. The figures for Pretty Cuo decreased slightly in the final year.

reach a low = go to a minimum

• e.g. The profits of Richmond Blue saw a dramatic fall and reached a low of 2 million in 2010.

fluctuate = change all the time

• e.g. … the profits of the Pretty Cup slightly fluctuated…

remain stable = not change

• e.g. … the indexes of Coffee Day and Short Street Coffee remained stable… 

halve = to reduce by half

• e.g. In the past eight years, the elephant population in Africa has been halved. 

drop/dip / show a downward trend/decline = go down, to gradually become less, worse, or lower

• e.g. Stock prices dropped after the company’s announcement.

grow/surge = to increase suddenly and greatly

• e.g. House prices surged between 2015 and 2021.

recover = to improve after a difficult period or after falling in value

• e.g. Profits are expected to recover in the current financial year.

READ ABOUT: 250+ commonly misspelled words in IELTS Listening

Adjectives and adverbs

sharply / dramatically = quickly

• e.g. The number of bike commuters increased sharply between 2019 and 2021.

gradually / steadily = slowly

• e.g. …  income from this source decreased gradually over the years, falling from 20% to 12%.

considerably / significantly = greatly

• e.g. The number of people cycling to work fluctuated considerably at the beginning of the described period.

slightly / insignificantly / marginally = a little / not much

• e.g. However, their values dropped insignificantly: in 2004 for the former and 2005 for the latter. 

nearly / roughly/ around = approximately

• e.g. The sales declined reaching a low of nearly 50 copies.

sharply, steeply, dramatically, significantly, substantially, considerably, wildly (fluctuate wildly) = very much

• e.g. The profits of  Richmond Blue fluctuated wildly during the first ten years.

upward = going up

• e.g. Overall, the indexes of retail trade and logistics fluctuated during this period with an upward trend.

downward = going down

• e.g. … the satisfactory scores demonstrate the downward trend from just under 40% to a projected quarter of all tests. 

overall = describing changes in trend over the whole period

• e.g. Overall, the indexes of retail trade and logistics fluctuated during this period…

slight/gradual/modest = describing small changes

• e.g. a slight rise, a gradual fall, a modest increase

marginal = describing very small change

•  e.g. a marginal change

consistent/steady/constant = steady

• e.g. steady movement , consistent flow, constant shifting

significant/dramatic/sudden/dramatic/substantial/sharp = describing a degree of change

• e.g.  a sudden rise, a sharp decrease = changes that happened quickly, a dramatic fall, a substantial change.

Writing a good description demands not only knowing a wide range of vocabulary and grammar, but also applying certain strategies. Go to our online IELTS preparation course where you will be able to build your IELTS Academic vocabulary,  go through a lot of practice in using the vocabulary, grammar and strategies, analyse sample answers, and write your own reports. Immediate feedback from our IELTS experts will help you build confidence and tackle IELTS Writing Task 1 with flying colours.

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Most candidates think of IELTS Writing when they hear this word combination.  Spelling mistakes influence your score in this section. However, it is often a surprise for test-takers that spelling really matters for the IELTS Listening section as well. To tell the truth, spelling mistakes can ruin your score in this section. While you are still preparing for the IELTS exam, it is a good idea to learn the most common mistakes made by candidates and avoid them.

Where can you make spelling mistakes? In IELTS Listening there are various types of questions such as multiple choice, note completion, matching, labeling a plan or a map, etc. In IELTS Listening,  you are given one mark for each correct answer, i.e. the correct spelling matters. You have to be all ears in all parts of the Listening section but spelling mistakes are often made when candidates write their answers to labeling and note completion questions. You might have to write down such things as key words/phrases, lists, headings/subheadings, numbers/bullet points, names/surnames, places/times/prices, addresses, telephone numbers, stages, etc. We have grouped spelling mistakes by different types.

Single or double letters

Candidates are often confused under pressure and they might make this mistake when they are not sure how many letters to write: one or two. This group of words is the largest. Here are some examples: 

• embarrassment, accommodation, annual, current, account, classroom, attendance, assessment, commencement, dissertation, questionnaire, pepper, blackcurrant, pizza, waterfall, cliff, village, hurricane, mammals, the Philippines, terraced house, employee, attraction, immense, pessimistic, discuss, arrange, immigrate, pottery, collection, billiards, soccer, bungee jumping, football, basketball, volleyball, jet-skiing, balloon, narrow, passenger, paddle steamer, cottage, swimming pool, copper, rubber, cotton, millennium, midday, address, attendant, assistant, curriculum, fulfillment, attitude, passport, commerce, umbrella, traffic jams, opportunity, illiteracy, sufficient, farewell, welfare, satellite, shopping, reference, assumption, affordable, cassette, antenna, business, unnecessary, tomorrow, recommend, process, apparel, parallel, success, possess, different, pepper, misspell etc.

Silent letters

In English there are many letters that are not pronounced in words. However, you have to write them: 

• Wednesday, June, science, discipline, conscious, knowledge, foreign, catalogue, environment, government, autumn, column, drought, reliable, renewable, Switzerland, palace, sculpture, insurance, lane, kitchen, colleague, dangerous, luxurious, castle, whistle, knowledgeable, climbing, comb, lamb, breeze, glue, psychologist, fortnight, memorable, confidence, Europe, catastrophe, exciting, plumber, etc.

“ei” or “ie”

When it comes to the combination of these two letters, even advanced learners often make spelling mistakes. However, you can easily remember how to write the words properly with the help of the following mnemonic: ‘I before E except after C’. For example:

• believe, die, friend, brief, field, hygiene, niece, priest, relieve, thief, experience, etc.
• receive, perceive,  ceiling, conceive, receipt, etc.

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule in English:

• ancient, caffeine, friend, height, leisure, seize, species, weird.

“or” vs “er” in nouns

Watch out when you write the following words:

• decorator, professor, doctor, mediator, collector, commentator, actor, sculptor, author, advisor, conductor, tutor, dictator, contributor, investigator, director, educator, narrator, survivor, editor, translator, inventor, counsellor, visitor, operator, spectator, governor, protector, generator, protector, radiator, separator, supervisor, refrigerator, bachelor, senior, junior, etc.
• lecturer, driver, runner, prisoner, builder, jeweller, commander, traveller, fertilizer, computer, register etc.

READ ABOUT: 8 strategies to achieve a perfect score in IELTS Listening

Homophones

These are the words that sound the same. However, their spelling is different. Here are the most common pairs of words:

accept – except

plain – plane

peace – piece

scene – seen

stationary – stationery

steal – steel

sauce – source

sore – soar

for – four – fore

their – there – they’re

hour – our

band – banned

capital – capitol

chili – chilly

choral – coral

cite – site – sight

council – counsel

die -dye

discreet – discrete

daft – daught

flue – flew -flu

genes – jeans

hole – whole

marshal – martial

weather – whether

whose – who’s

you’re – your

loose – lose

affect – effect

principle – principal, and many others.

READ ABOUT: How to organize your responses on the IELTS speaking exam?

Words that change their spelling when they change form

Many English words are spelled differently when they become another part of speech or when verbs are used in different tenses. For example:

benefit – beneficial

influence – influential

circumstance – circumstantial

pronunciation – pronounce

argue – argument

decide – decision

refer – referring

frolic – frolicking

occur – occurred

unity – unify

justice – justify

significant – signify

maintain – maintenance

violent – violence, etc.

While preparing for IELTS, you can still learn how to avoid making spelling mistakes.  Here are some tips to help you:

Tip #1. Watch out for words with double letters. If you are not sure about the spelling, double check.

Tip #2. Always make sure you use the correct form of the verb.

Tip #3. Know which word you want to use. Check the meaning in the dictionary.

Tip #4. Watch where you place the apostrophe. 

Tip #5. Don’t write what you hear. Check the spelling if you are not sure.

RECOMMENDED READING:

• Key facts you need to know about the IELTS Listening test
• How to avoid repetition at the IELTS Speaking test
• Common mistakes to avoid in IELTS Listening

Describing maps is one of the least common types of questions you may have to answer in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1. Does the approach to this type of question differ from, for example, describing graphs, tables, or answering process questions? Of course, yes, because each type of visual in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 has different features. Today, we will look closer at map questions and give you tips on how to tackle maps in IELTS Writing Task 1 effortlessly.

What are map questions about?

When map questions appear on the exam, there will always be two maps. Sometimes, both maps illustrate what used to be in a particular area in the past; sometimes, one map shows what there was in the past while the other one is about the present; also, you might see the maps one of which demonstrates the proposed changes for the future. Regardless of what date you see on the map, your task is always the same: 

• Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

This means that you will have to describe what changes have / will have occurred and use the proper tenses to describe them. 

What’s on the maps? They usually depict several images of cities, towns, countryside or other areas at different stages of their development, and you have to describe changes which happen to these places. For example, some new/old objects may appear or disappear, others may be relocated to a different place or increase/decrease in size.

Here is how the task is usually worded on the exam:

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The diagram shows Rampart street today and the plan for changes to the street in 2035. 

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

READ ABOUT: IELTS language for describing maps

How to build the description?

Step 1. Analyzing the task and maps.

The first thing to do is reading the task carefully and finding the key information. You should look at WHAT changes happened as well as WHEN:

• The diagram shows Rampart street today and the plan for changes to the street in 2035. 

There can be three possible options:

• past and now
• past and future
• now and future

In our sample task, the maps show Rampart street now and in the future. This can also be understood from the visual because there we can see “now” and “in 2035”.

Now, it’s time to look at the maps and identify the main changes: what objects have appeared, been demolished, constructed, relocated, expanded, etc. Then, decide which changes were mainly made. You have to decide on the general character of changes and what happens to the objects and in different parts of the maps: objects appear or disappear or change.

Step 2. Planning.

After you have identified the main changes on the maps, group them by type or by the part of the place. For example, the objects have appeared/disappeared/changed or the changes took place in the north/ south/ north-east/ south-east of the town/city, etc.

As you group the changes by type or place, choose the details on the map to illustrate these changes. 

As you can see on the maps above, many new objects have been added, and some of the old objects have disappeared. Can you spot them by looking at the maps?

Step 3. Writing the description.

Basically, the structure of the description will be the same as for process questions or other visuals. However, the content will depend on what changes there are to describe:

Both models have all the necessary components of a good description. Both ways of organizing your Writing Task 1 are appropriate, as they address the task and meet its requirements in terms of Task Achievement:

There are also other things to keep in mind while writing your response:

• Organize your ideas logically. Make sure you use small paragraphs to show the introduction and overview, key features (2 body paragraphs), and conclusion. 
• An overview is a must regardless of what you are writing about in the task. 
• Describe all changes. This is a specific point to write about in map questions, so don’t miss anything. 
• Be careful with tenses. Make sure you are using past, present, and future tenses correctly where necessary.
• Use complex sentences, linking words to show connections between maps, make references and extend your ideas.

READ ABOUT: IELTS Pronunciation guide

Step 4. Checking your writing.

After you write your description, don’t forget to make sure:

• you have used proper grammar;
• you have spelled the words correctly;
• you haven’t made any of your typical mistakes;
• you have avoided repetition of vocabulary and linkers.

Go to our online IELTS Academic self-study course to see sample answers, and to practice writing your own response. You will also get access to IELTS Knowledge Bank with strategies and language for IELTS Writing. You will familiarise yourself with other types of maps, and we will guide you through the process of writing your own response – from task overview to writing practice. Finally, you will write your description under exam-like conditions, our AI will check your writing, and you will receive immediate feedback on your writing as well as have an opportunity to analyze the model answer and compare it with yours.

READ ABOUT:

• How to answer process questions in IELTS Writing Task 1?
• How to improve your IELTS grammar?
• How to build your IELTS vocabulary? 

In IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 candidates are required to describe different visuals: maps, line graphs, bar or pie charts, tables, etc. Flow-charts or processes are also on the list. Although they do not often appear on the exam, you have to know how to answer process questions. Each type of visual has its own main features, i.e. the strategies for describing them differ. What do you need to look at in flow-charts? How many steps are there to complete the task? These and other questions are to be answered today.

What are process questions about?

The good news is that process questions are easier to answer. Here is why. Unlike the other types of questions in Task 1, where you often have to deal with one or two visuals, be able to select and describe the main trends as well as compare them, in process questions you have to describe all stages of the process step by step, showing the connection between them. However, this doesn’t mean that no preparation is needed. 

In IELTS Writing Task 1, you can come across two types of processes: natural or artificial (also called ‘man-made’). Examples of natural processes can be the movement of water on, above and below the surface of the Earth, the life cycle of a hummingbird, photosynthesis, etc. The artificial processes might include recycling plastic bottles, building energy-efficient houses, manufacturing bricks, producing Christmas toys using 3D printing, etc.

Natural process sample task:

The illustrations show the lifecycle of hummingbirds. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

Artificial process sample task:

The flow-chart shows how a Christmas toy is produced using 3D printing on an FDM (fused deposition modelling) machine. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

Regardless of the type of process, you will get in your Writing Task 1 on the day of the exam, you should follow a certain combination of steps to successfully complete it. For both, the structure of your response is the same as well as the strategy. 

READ ABOUT: 10 typical mistakes in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1

How to answer process questions

Step 1.Analysing the task and the diagram.

Understanding the task is crucial. Otherwise, you won’t be able to answer the question successfully. Read the task carefully and underline the key information. You should find:

• what the diagram describes, e.g. the lifecycle of hummingbirds, how a Christmas toy is produced using 3D printing on an FDM.

Next, look at the images or the flow-chart and identify where the process begins and ends. You will also need to count the number of main steps or stages in the process, and look at what happens at each stage: 

• for example, in the first natural process, there are  5 main stages: mating, building a nest, incubation, babies, and leaving the nest;
• in the artificial process, there are 5 steps as well: designing a 3D model, building by layers, removing support, curing, painting and polishing.

After you have decided on how many stages there are, think about what happens at each stage.

Step 2. Planning the response.

As you have found out what each stage of the process does, you have to group the facts from the diagram logically into several parts. Next, analyse details from the diagram to illustrate each stage. After that, decide on the link between the last and the first stages in the process for the conclusion. For example:

Step 3. Writing a description.

Now, you will have to write a 150-word response. In addition to the planning you did at the previous stage, also think of the following:

• how you will paraphrase the task
• how you will give an overview of stages
• how you will paraphrase the details about each stage in the diagram.

We suggest that you use the following structure:

 READ ABOUT: 25 phrasal verbs to avoid in IELTS Academic Writing

Step 4. Checking. 

After you finish writing, check your description for:

• verb forms (usually present tenses, mostly active, but passive where appropriate)
• spelling
• your typical mistakes
• repetition of vocabulary and linkers.

This is a very important step in completing IELTS Writing tasks. It is also one of the most effective ways to improve your band score. Read our checklist for efficiently editing your IELTS writing.

In order to see the sample answers for the two IELTS questions we have discussed in this article, go to our online IELTS Academic self-study course with an extensive Writing practice. Remember that you do not need to be an expert in the field you are going to write about. Every process question follows the same format. If you can define if the process is natural or artificial, how many stages there are, what is done and what materials are needed at every stage, what you get in the end, you will definitely write a good overview. Don’t forget to mention how the stages are related and DO NOT write your personal opinion.  

RECOMMENDED READING:

• IELTS Pronunciation Guide
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Academic writing requires you to refer to the original source when you have used someone else’s ideas or concepts in your writing. One of the most common ways to incorporate these citations into your writing is to use reporting verbs to present the information. In IELTS Writing Task 2, candidates often have to express more than one point of view, especially when writing introductions and statements for their essays.

There is a wide variety of reporting verbs in the English language, which can be used in your essays. Let’s have a look at them and study some examples.

Why use reporting verbs? 

Reporting verbs can be tentative, neutral, or emphatic. They tell us that someone said something. In writing, these verbs demonstrate our opinion of someone’s ideas:

• whether we agree that the opinion is correct
• whether we have a neutral attitude towards what was said
• whether we think that the opinion is wrong.

Let’s have a look at some examples of the reporting verbs and choose the stronger ones:

• Many people insist that there is one ‘best’ variety of English.
• Many people argue that there is one ‘best’ variety of English.
• Some people doubt the value of bilingual education.
• Some people deny the value of bilingual education.

Each reporting verb has a slightly different meaning, so you have to be aware of and try to use a range of reporting verbs, depending on the statement you are making.

There are lots of different verbs that we can use to describe the action of speaking. The most common reporting verbs are ‘say’, ‘tell’, and ‘state’. However, it is not a good idea to use the same verb over and over as this will not give your writing much variation. There are many other verbs you can use in your IELTS writing.

Possible reporting verbs

READ ABOUT: How to identify the type of essay in IELTS Writing Task 2?

Tentative verbs are used when the author isn’t sure of their idea. Neutral verbs are used in an essay in place of ‘say’ or ‘tell’. Strong verbs are used when the author is very sure of their opinion. All of the verbs above can be used in IELTS essays.  

Here are some examples of how the reporting verbs can be used in sentences:

• It is claimed that graffiti is a modern art that should be accepted by society. Yet, others maintain the idea that this phenomenon is a crime and should be punished accordingly.
• Although many people think that technological development is unstoppable, it is not true. 
• It is claimed that robots should receive legal status, but there are those who strongly disagree with this idea.
• In various nations around the world, many people advocate taking a gap year in order to work or travel before beginning one’s tertiary education. 
• It is argued by some that the death penalty benefits a nation. I completely agree with this opinion and in this essay, I will state the reasons for my view. 
• Critics argue that such frivolity is a misuse of precious funds. However, I personally believe the opposite.
• Some people suspect that within a century, there will be only two or three languages spoken in the world.

The grammar of reporting verbs

Different reporting verbs are followed by different structures. Here are the most common structures with examples:

For example:

• It is claimed that graffiti is a modern art that should be accepted by society. 
• Others question whether the authorities should do something about it. 
• I object to the policy of government subsidies.
• Many people advocate taking a gap year.
• I would urge the government to subsidise...

As you can see there are many cases when reporting verbs can be used in your essay, and they can really help you demonstrate the range of your vocabulary to the examiner as well as express your ideas and thoughts effectively. Find more useful grammar and vocabulary issues in our blog:

• 30 common words to avoid in IELTS Writing
• Signpost expressions in IELTS Listening
• Linking words for IELTS Speaking

Although they do not appear quite often in IELTS Writing Task 1, you can get such a task, and you definitely need to know and learn how to describe maps. Depending on the question you will need to describe where the objects are/were / will be on the map and what changes they went through/will go through. We are going to look at some useful vocabulary you can use to describe those changes and other common language for describing maps.

Basic vocabulary

Describing a map for IELTS aims to check whether you are able to describe physical locations. You do not have to be a genius geographer, but you have to give a reasonable description of a place.
As you receive the task, you will have to describe where the objects are located on the map. There may already be the compass points on the map. So, use those cardinal directions and adjectives when describing locations: north, south, east, west, north-west, north-east, south-west, south-east, north-western, north-eastern, south-western, south-eastern, etc.

For example: 

• Another expansion can be observed in the south-eastern part, where a third residential area has been constructed.
• Regarding the new features, there has been a noticeable change in the south-western part of Salata, next to the factories.
• The park, which was previously situated there, has been relocated to the north of the district to cover the area around the church.

You will also have t0 use prepositions of place and other prepositional phrases to describe where the objects are. For example: 

• The park has been relocated to the north of the district. 
• The church has remained where it was, behind the residential area and the supermarket.
• A new building was constructed to the right/left of the supermarket.
• There has been a noticeable change in the southern part of Salata, next to the factories.

READ ABOUT: 10 typical mistakes in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1

What grammar to use

It’s important to read the task carefully and spend some time planning your answer. Besides using a wider vocabulary, you will also need to demonstrate your knowledge of grammar. When planning your report, think about the tenses and structures you are going to use. 

To describe things that are true now — use present simple passive:

• One more expansion is observed in the residential area.

To write about changes which happened by now — use present perfect active/passive:

• To conclude, Slovang has expanded providing more infrastructure and housing for its residents. 
• A highway has been constructed along the seashore.

For things that were in the past, but are no longer true — use ‘used to’:

• A street with new houses has appeared where half a century ago there used to be only a few separate houses.

Add some  details using ‘with’ structure:

• The market has been relocated to a place behind the farm, with a new path leading to it.

READ ABOUT: Punctuation for IELTS Academic Writing

How to describe the change

You might get different kinds of maps with various objects on them. Here is the language you can use to describe them.
demolish – to completely destroy a building, especially in order to use the land for something else: 

• The old school was demolished to build a new one.

flatten – to become level or to cause something to become level:

• The whole area was flattened – not a building left standing.

replace with – to take a place of something, to put something in the place of something else:

• The old warehouses were replaced with new blocks of flats.

renovate – to repair and improve something, especially a building:

• The existing buildings are being renovated. 

build/construct – put together different parts to make something whole:

• A new factory was constructed south of the residential area.
• A local history museum is planned to be built instead of the ruined military base.

reconstruct – to build again something that has been damaged or destroyed:

• The city was reconstructed in the post-war period. 

develop – grow or change into something more advanced:

• The maps illustrate how the Danish village of Slovang has developed from 1967 to the present moment.

develop into – to build houses, factories, etc. on the piece of land:

• The whole site will be developed into a shopping complex.

extend – to add to something in order to make it bigger or longer:

• The school was extended to add a new gym and a canteen. 

expand – to increase in size, number, or to make something increase in this way: 

• The number of stores expanded significantly in the 1990s.

relocate – to move something from one place to another: 

• There are plans to relocate the main runway at the airport. 

convert into – to change in form, appearance, operation of something: 

• At the end of the 1990s, old industrial buildings were converted into art spaces. 

modernize – to make something more modern:

• The park was modernized by converting the dirt paths into new cycling lanes and concrete footpaths.

open – start, begin:

• A new hospital was opened next to the school.

set up – to arrange or establish something: 

• A new beach was set up on the bank of the river.

remain – to stay in the same place or in the same condition:

• The church has remained where it was,  behind the residential area and the supermarket, making it easily accessible to the congregation. 

To have a more detailed task overview with sample answers, to learn how to build your report, to practice using the vocabulary, and receive the teacher’s comments, join our online IELTS preparation course. We also look at different types of maps and provide you with lots of writing practice. Our AI automatically checks your reports and you get instant feedback from IELTS experts. 

READ ABOUT:

• Prepositions to describe visuals in IELTS Writing Task 1
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• How not to pass IELTS Speaking: common mistakes made by candidates

Prepositions in English are quite tricky, especially when it comes to describing visuals in IELTS Writing Task 1 where you have to avoid making grammatical mistakes. It is important to use them properly in order to achieve a good score for ‘Grammar range and accuracy’ which makes up one-fourth of your marks for the IELTS Writing section. 

In this part of the exam, you usually have to describe a graph or map that is showing some change. This means that you have to use the language for describing trends. In this article, we are going to discuss the most commonly used prepositions for describing visuals as well as provide some examples.

Common prepositions

AT shows the level or point at which something happens:

• The yearly number of portions consumed by tourists started at around 760,000 in 2014.
• The figures levelled off at about 970,000 for the rest of the period.

Moreover, we can use this preposition after the following verbs before the number: 

start, begin, end, finish, peak, remain constant or steady, plateau etc.

• The number of petrol cars manufactured by Wesla Motors plateaued at 110,000.
• The production of hybrid and electric cars ended at 400,000 in 2016.

TO shows a point which a figure reaches as a result of an increase or decrease:

• In 2018, consumption of this type of fast food fell to 400,000 portions. (= it was 400,000) 
• The area of sea ice is expected to shrink to a quarter of its size by 2030. (= it’s going to be only ¼ of its size)

BY shows how much a figure has changed: 

• The yearly number of portions consumed by tourists started at around 760,000 in 2014, and … increased by nearly 200,000 portions. (= it was 760,000 and became 960,000 (760,000 + 200,000))

Prepositions TO and BY are often confused. What is the difference between them if the starting point is 100%, for example?

‘It declined BY 10%’ means it only dropped from 100% to 90% (100% – 10% = 90%). BY shows the difference between the two numbers.

‘It declined TO 10%’ means that it was 100%  and fell down to 10%, which is a big drop. We mean the end point, which is 10%.

‘It declined to 10%’ is a short way of saying: ‘It declined from 100% to 10%.’

BY also shows who does an action:

• The index of burgers and fries was almost equalled by sushi figures. (= sushi indexes equalled those of burgers and fries)
• The yearly number of portions consumed by tourists started at around 760,000 in 2014. (= tourists consumed portions)

IN shows an area in which a change takes place:

• There was a gradual decrease in the amount of this fast food eaten by tourists.
• Steady growth in the number of sushi portions can be observed in the second half of the period.
• Overall, there is a significant difference in the consumption patterns of burgers and fries, filth tacos, and sushi. 

As you have seen, such nouns as ‘decrease’, ‘increase’, ‘rise’ and ‘fall’ are followed by the preposition IN. However, if we specify the number, we use the preposition OF after ‘decrease’, ‘increase’:

• There was an increase of 50% in sales of fast food.
• There was a decrease of 50% in sales of hybrid and electric cars.

IN is also used when we talk about specific months, years, quarters, seasons.

• The figures for filth tacos peaked in 2016.
• Profits increased in the third quarter.

BETWEEN … AND … and FROM… TO… show the starting and the finishing point of something, or the maximum and the minimum indexes: 

• The graph provides statistics on three types of fast food consumed by tourists in the city of Pachuca from 2014 to 2018 (between 2014 and 2018).
• The number of sushi portions fluctuated between 250,000 and 350,000 (from 250,000 to 250,000).

DURING, OVER and FOR show that something was happening from the beginning to the end of a period of time:

• There was a steady growth for two years.
• During the first decade, these figures dropped insignificantly.
• The amount continued to reduce over the five year period.

UNTIL shows a point in time when something finished:

• Starting with 2014, there was a gradual decrease in the amount of this fast food eaten by tourists until 2018.

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Other useful expressions

Here are the same prepositions used in fixed expressions explained. It’s easier to learn and remember them in phrases.

‘The figures for …’ is easy to be learned as a phrase. It means ‘the index of’.

• The figures FOR filth tacos consumption peaked in 2016.

‘As for’ is a fixed phrase which means ‘Concerning’, ‘Regarding’, ‘Talking about’.

• As FOR filth tacos, the number of yearly portions grew in the first half of the period.

‘Turning to’ is a phrase which means ‘Moving on to’, ‘ Changing the subject to’, ‘Talking about’.

• Turning TO burgers and fries, their numbers declined gradually over the years.

‘In contrast to’ is a phrase that means ‘in comparison with’.

• In contrast TO burgers and fries, the number of sushi portions fluctuated.

‘At this point’ is a phrase which means ‘at this moment’. 

• AT this point, the index of burgers and fries was almost equalled by sushi consumption rates. 

‘By contrast’ is used to show that you are mentioning a very different situation from the one you have just mentioned.

• The figures for burgers and fries demonstrate a clear downward pattern. BY contrast, consumption of sushi grew over the years.

Use ‘compared to/with’ and ‘in comparison with’  for contrasting the two situations or things. 

• In the second half of the period, tourists consumed many more sushi portions compared WITH / TO 2014-2015 statistics.
• IN comparison WITH burgers and fries, the popularity of the other two kinds of fast food increased over the span of six years.

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Many words we use in English would be inappropriate in IELTS Writing. We have selected common words students and candidates keep using in their writing you should avoid. These words are too informal for IELTS unless you write a letter to a friend in IELTS General. However, Writing Task 2 and writing tasks in IELTS Academic require more formal language.

The problem is that you don’t always know which words in English are informal, and which are formal. That is why we are going to show you some of the most common ones you should avoid in IELTS writing. This will help you achieve a high score. 

Read and learn the words below. We have provided some informal examples and suggested how you can substitute them with more formal words or phrases.

• In the nutshell = In conclusion / To conclude

In the nutshell, while equality of opportunity is an attractive concept, attempting to put this idea into practice can do more harm than good.

To conclude, while equality of opportunity is an attractive concept, attempting to put this idea into practice can do more harm than good.

• A couple of = several

A couple of members have not replied for over three years.

Several members have not replied for over three years.

• Kind of/ sort of = somewhat / to some degree

The resort has kind of changed over the last few years.

The resort has changed somewhat over the last few years.

• Lots of/ A lot of = Many / much

A lot of people think that boys are naturally more aggressive than girls.

Many people maintain that boys are naturally more aggressive than girls.

• You/ Your = One / Passive voice

If you give appropriate guidance to children, they won’t be adversely affected.

Provided children are given appropriate guidance, they are unlikely to be adversely affected.

 If one is given appropriate guidance, they are unlikely to be adversely affected.

• A phone = a telephone

People spend hours and hours on the phone.

People spend much of their time on the telephone.

• A photo = a photograph

a colour/black-and-white photograph

The report contains diagrams and colour photographs.

The book includes numerous colour photographs, but many are not sharp or their colours are washed out.

• Info = information

You can find the info about upcoming local events  in the newspaper

Information about upcoming local events is printed in the newspaper.

• A uni = university

a university campus/degree/professor

The majority of the employees have university degrees.

• So on / etc. / and so forth = A, B, and C

We should consider the cultural context, the physical environment, the personalities of those involved, etc.

The cultural context, the physical environment, and the personalities of those involved should be considered. 

• At the end of the day = In conclusion / To conclude

At the end of the day, parents should help their children to develop self-control and respect for others.

 To conclude, parents should help their children to develop self-control and respect for others.

• Once in a blue moon = hardly ever, rarely

I talk to my neighbours once in a blue moon.

Nowadays people rarely communicate with their neighbours.

• Since the dawn of time = for centuries, throughout history

The country has been exposed to many cultural influences since the dawn of time.

For centuries, the country has been exposed to many cultural influences.

The country has been exposed to many cultural influences throughout its history.

• A big deal = important; an important step.

Most patients don’t think that getting enough sleep is a big deal but study after study shows how important it is for good health.

The majority of patients do not consider getting enough sleep to be important but the research reveals how important it is for good health.

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• Get = obtain / receive

In the second experiment, they got a very clear result.

In the second experiment, they obtained a very clear result.

• Give = provide / present

The author gives no documentary references to support her assertions.

The author provides no documentary references to support her assertions.

• So / very = extremely 

These antiques are so beautiful and so valuable.

These antiques are both beautiful and extremely valuable.

• Show = demonstrate / illustrate / reveal

The graph shows the breakdown of actual expenses by two categories.

The graph illustrates the breakdown of actual expenses by two categories.

• Bad = poor / negative

The warm winter has had a very bad impact on the ski industry.

The warm winter has had a very negative effect/impact on the ski industry.

• Big = large / sizable

a sizeable amount/area/house

a large amount of work

a large house

• Find out = discover

Its purpose is to find out the truth of what happened and identify any lessons that may help to prevent a repetition.

Its purpose is to discover the truth of what happened and identify any lessons that may help to prevent a repetition.

• Think about = consider

Many people think about the film as a controversial one.

Many people consider the film controversial.

• Look at = examine

Forensic scientists are looking at the wreckage for clues about the cause of the explosion.

Forensic scientists are examining the wreckage for clues about the cause of the explosion.

• Point out = Indicate

Various studies point out that some forms of alternative medicine are extremely effective.

Various studies indicate that some forms of alternative medicine are extremely effective.

• Guys / Fellows / Dudes = people / individuals / everyone

It’s a general rule that applies to all those dudes and benefits them.

This is a general rule that applies to everyone and benefits everyone.

• Stuff / Things = Aspects / Issues / Ways

environmental/ethical/personal issues

Lighting is a very important thing in filmmaking.

Lighting is a vitally important aspect of filmmaking.

• So = Therefore

So, awareness measures and training were crucial. 

Awareness measures and training were therefore crucial.

• And = Additionally

And, there are excellent photos in each chapter.

Additionally, there are excellent photographs in each chapter.

• But = However

But that is not a reason to avoid taking action.

However, that is not a reason to avoid taking action.

• Also = Moreover

Also, traditional foods are an important aspect of culture and social life.

Moreover, traditional foods are an important aspect of culture and social life.

Remember, you may not lose scores if you use these words and expressions. However, it can be the reason why you are stuck between 6 and 6.5. In order to prevent you from this, we have created a unique fully online IELTS preparation course.

There are different types of essays in IELTS Academic Writing Task 2. They can be divided into advantages and disadvantages essays, opinion essays,  two-views-and-opinion essays, mixed and cause-and-effect essays. Many students and candidates fail to get the desired score because they are not aware of how to approach the task. We are going to look at what makes a good essay, and you will learn how to unpack the cause-and-effect essay task in order to write an appropriate response.

What is the task about?

Not understanding what to do in the task and not knowing what two write as well as not identifying the type of an essay correctly might lead to losing the scores. This means it is crucial to identify the type of essay in IELTS Writing task 2. The tasks for cause-and-effect essays can have different wordings. For example:

• What in your opinion are the primary causes of this? What are the main effects of this …?

• Discuss the causes and effects of this … trend.

• Why do people do that? What are the results of such actions?

In cause-and-effect essays, you will be given a problem and asked to write about the main causes of this problem as well as discuss what effects it might have. 

The task above looks at the problem of people who use the Internet to look for ways to cure different medical conditions instead of seeing the doctor. In your essay, you will have two write about 2 or 3 reasons why they do so as well as think about 2 or 3 effects such behaviour might lead to. Moreover, you will have to provide examples. 

If you do all three items, you are likely to get a higher score for the Task Achievement criterion.

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What is the strategy for writing the cause-and-effect essay?

The cause-and-effect essay requires you to think critically about the problem and outline your ideas orderly. You are likely to complete the task successfully if you follow the steps we suggest. 

Step 1. Analysing the task.

As it has already been said, your success depends on understanding the task. That is why you have to read the statement carefully and underline key information in it. Next, read the questions and identify what they ask you to write about. Paraphrasing the statement for yourself using simple language will help you understand it better.

Step 2. Planning your essay.

While planning your essay you should decide on the number of paragraphs. Your essay will consist of the introduction, main body, and conclusion. 

Next, spend a few minutes on brainstorming ideas for your essay. Think about the details or examples to support your ideas and answer the questions in the task, and take notes. 

For example, your notes might look like this:

Step 3. Writing an essay.

At this stage, we recommend that you keep looking at the task and the plan of your essay. This will help you stay on topic and write only relevant ideas. 

Usually, we start writing an essay with an introduction. However, if you are struggling with writing it, leave some space, and write the body of your essay. You will return to the introduction later. Here you will have to paraphrase the task and write what the essay will discuss.

It is recommended that the main body of your cause-and-effect essay consists of 2 paragraphs:

• in body paragraph 1, answer question 1 by giving a topic sentence and details / examples 
• in body paragraph 2, answer question 2 by giving a topic sentence and details / examples

In the case with our essay, your first paragraph will answer the question ‘Why are people looking for ways to cure their medical conditions on the Internet?’. The second paragraph will answer the question ‘What are the consequences of looking for ways to cure their medical conditions on the Internet?’.

Finally, write the conclusion where you need to summarize the answers to questions 1 and 2.

Step 4. Checking your essay.

This is the essential step in doing any writing assignment. It is also the best way to increase your score within a few minutes. After you finished writing your essay, check it for:

• spelling
• your typical mistakes
• repetition of vocabulary and linkers.

Read our guide on how to check your IELTS Writing. 

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Essay structure

The way you organize your essay will help the examiner follow your thoughts and will also give you a better score for coherence and cohesion. Remember to structure your writing in paragraphs. Here is the outline of the cause-and-effect essay structure:

Go to our course to find the sample answer to this and many other tasks. You will also learn and practise strategies for all four skills tested in IELTS: reading, listening, writing, and speaking. Our platform provides instant feedback from experienced IELTS experts. At the end of the course, you will have the opportunity to take a mock test and receive feedback on what should be improved and what you are good at. 

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We have already written about typical mistakes candidates make in IELTS essays, but starting to write your response straight away should also be added to that list. If you start writing without thinking about what to write and how to write, you will likely lose points for coherence and cohesion as well as for the task achievement criteria.

Before you actually write an essay, you have to think about what ideas to develop and what examples you will provide to support them. Brainstorming is a very important part of essay planning, and it is a skill that can help you complete the task. At the exam, you will have only a few minutes to generate ideas for your essay, so it is advisable to practice brainstorming during your IELTS preparation. The more you practice, the easier it will become for you to generate ideas for IELTS Academic Writing Task 2. In the beginning, it might take some time, but you will notice that it will get quicker allowing more time for task completion. Here are some ways that will help you become a pro in generating ideas for your essays and get a higher score for the exam.

Things not to do

The most common problems students and candidates name when planning an essay are:

• spending too much time planning an essay;
• being unable to come up with “good” ideas;
• lack of words, i.e. they cannot write more than 250 words, etc.

If you face one of these difficulties, the first thing you have to remember is that IELTS is a language test, not a knowledge test. You do not have to make your ideas “interesting”. IELTS checks if you can use a wide range of vocabulary and grammar, how logically you can structure your essay and organize your ideas, and whether you can write about the topic or not. You do not receive extra points if your ideas are more interesting than the ideas of another candidate, i.e. you should not overthink. What you have to do is to come up with the best ideas as quickly as possible, and then extend and explain each of those ideas with examples and supporting details.

For example, if you receive the following task, you do not have to think about five reasons why it is necessary to be naturally talented to become successful and five reasons why being hard-working matters in sports and list them one after another. Do not write 10 sentences with ten different reasons. What you have to do is to pick up one or two ideas and support them with good examples from your personal or someone else’s experience, or study, or research, or a news item, etc.

How to practice generating ideas

• Asking questions.

Read the task carefully, find the main topic and decide how many parts the question has. For example, in the task above the topic is ‘It is necessary to be talented or hard-working to achieve results in sports’. There are three parts in the question: give reasons, include examples, and give your opinion.

Turn the topic and the two parts of the task into questions:

• Is it important to be talented? Why / Why not? What examples support this view? Do you know anyone who is talented and successful?
• Is it important to be hard-working and practice a lot? Why / Why not? What examples support this view? Do you know anyone who is hard-working and achieved high results in sports?
• What do you think is more important? Why?

The next step is to brainstorm answers to these questions.

Another way to come up with the ideas is to use special questions such as ‘Who?’, ‘Where?’, ‘Why?’, ‘When?’, ‘How?’, ‘How much/many?’, ‘What?’, Which?’.

• Changing perspective.

This is a very useful and popular technique. While you practise writing essays during your preparations, try to look at the problem from different angles, i.e. consider what different people might say about the issue and why.

For example, ‘Is it necessary to be talented or hard-working to achieve results in sports?’:

• a sportsman would say, ‘You need a goal, and you have to work hard and maintain a proper focus because when things finally go how you envision in your mind you see all your hard work pay off.’
• a coach would say, ‘Talented athletes change the sport. They do things that no one before them has done. These people see records not as barriers but as goals to be achieved and bettered and in doing so they change the sport. Champions set new standards of performance and change our beliefs about what’s possible.’
• I would say…

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• Mind Mapping.

This way helps you organize your ideas visually. Start with brainstorming keywords, and then place the micro-keywords on the branches, for example.
Another way to organize a mind map is to place the main idea in the middle, then write the views, examples, and details on the branches. This strategy will definitely help you empty your brain onto the page.

• Doodling

A doodle is a kind of drawing you make while your attention is otherwise occupied. Doodles are simple, they can represent some ideas, have some concrete meaning, or may just be composed of random and abstract lines. What you need to do to doodle is take a pen or a pencil, and paper, and allow your mind to have control of it. Use lines and shapes instead of words. You don’t need to draw any particular image–images will start to take shape as you move the pen over the paper.

Even such outstanding people as a poet and physician John Keats, an American poet, novelist, and short-story writer Sylvia Plath, and the Nobel laureate in literature, 1913 poet Rabindranath Tagore, were doodling in their manuscripts and margins of notes. Some doodles and drawings were found in notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci. Many American Presidents, including Thomas Jefferson, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton, used to doodle during meetings.

Of course, you won’t have much time for drawing pictures because the examiner probably won’t give you a good band score no matter how impressive they are. However, if you take a minute or two to draw what you are going to write or speak about will get you thinking again. Use this technique while your IELTS preparation.

• Imagine you are discussing the issue with a friend.

This technique will definitely turn out to be the most effective because when we talk to our friends we do not always feel stressed. If you reduce tension, you will be able to concentrate on what you have o write or say. What you have to do is to imagine that you want to explain your point of view or the problem to your friend or a family member if they ask what you think. When you have to write about two different views imagine that your friend has the opposite one and write down what he or she would say.

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