Level 4 IELTS Writing Task 1 Task 1 Non-Temporal Graphs Review Task 1 on the IELTS exam requires you to transfer information from a chart into a written report. You need to be able to give a clear interpretation of the data in the chart. You need to produce a report that gives an introduction and a body paragraph for each of the data sources. To get a band 5 or 5.5 in IELTS, you need to:- write an overview describe the main information in the chart(s) correctly make some comparisons organise your writing in a clear and logical way use some good linking words use suitable vocabulary with good range, spelling and correct word forms have some simple sentences, some compound sentences (using linking words like and & whereas), some complex sentences (e.g.., which was much higher than ) Steps to writing a report 1. Select information- Before you write think of what to include 2. Look at the main features- highest/lowest, the second highest, same, different 3. Compare- similarities and differences 4. Report- Write what you see- No opinion, not an essay 5. Summarize information- need to leave out some information, don t give too much information.
Task 1 Non-Temporal Graph Analysis Look at the following graphs/charts. Is the information the same or different? Popular sports, 2001 Popular sports, 2001 Football Cricket Baseball Basketball Tennis World 53% 2% 20% 18% 7% UAE 68% 8% 2% 10% 12% USA 5% 15% 30% 40% 10% Is part of the information more important than the other parts? 1
Task 1 Non-Temporal Graph Analysis Popular sports, 2001 Football Cricket Baseball Basketball Tennis UAE 68% 8% 2% 10% 12% USA 5% 15% 30% 40% 10% Look at the graphs/charts and answer the questions. 1) What type of graphs or charts are they and what do they show? Write the first sentence of the introduction in the box below. 2) Which information is more important? Worldwide / UAE / USA 3) What was the most popular sport in the world in 2001? 4) What was the most popular sport in the UAE in 2001? 5) What was the most popular sport in the USA in 2001? 6) What are the similarities and differences for most popular sport? 7) How many paragraphs will you write for this report? 8) What is the topic of the first paragraph in your report? 9) What is the topic of the last paragraph in your report? Why? 2
Task 1 Non-Temporal Graph Descriptions & Comparisons Popular sports, 2001 Football Cricket Baseball Basketball Tennis UAE 68% 8% 2% 10% 12% USA 5% 15% 30% 40% 10% Look at the graphs/charts. Write the overview sentence of the introduction in the box below. Introduction - overview Look at the pie chart. Write the pie chart information paragraph in the box below. Body 1 pie chart, highest to lowest 3
Look at the table and the pie chart. Answer the questions. 1) Which country in the table has the same most popular sport as in the pie chart? 2) How can you show that this is similar? 3) What was the least popular sport in this country? What is its percentage? 4) How does this compare with the percentage for that sport in the pie chart? Write the first table information paragraph in the box below. Body 2 table (similar) comparison of highest and lowest with the pie chart Look at the table and the pie chart. Answer the questions. 1) Which country in the table has a different most popular sport from in the pie chart? 2) How can you show that this is different to in the pie chart and in the other country in the table? 3) What was the most popular sport in this country? What is its percentage? 4) How does this compare with the percentage for that sport in the pie chart? 5) What was the least popular sport in this country? What is its percentage? 6) How does this compare with the percentage for that sport in the pie chart? Write the second table information paragraph in the box below Body 3 table (different) comparison of highest and lowest with the pie chart 4
Using fractions Task 1 Non-Temporal Graph Vocabulary & Grammar Write the fractions next to the percentages. The first one has been done for you as an example. Percentages Fractions (in numbers) Fractions (in words) 10% 1/10 a tenth 20% 25% 33% 50% 66% 75% Write the percentages as fractions. Use just over, just under or exactly. The first one has been done for you as an example. Percentages Fractions Percentages Fractions 1) 11% just over a tenth 5) 48% 2) 19% 6) 67% 3) 27% 7) 75% 4) 33% 8) 77% Go back and check that you have used a mix of numbers and fractions in words in your paragraphs. Using comparatives and superlatives with adjectives and nouns Look at the words in the box. Which are adjectives and which is a noun? Fit them into the sentences below. popular percentage common 1) Diabetes was more than heart disease, at 37%. 2) Starbucks was slightly less than Gloria Jeans, at just over a quarter. 3) The highest was Café Nero, at just under two thirds. 4) The second most disease was lung cancer, at exactly a third. 5) The least form of music was country, at 14%. 6) The lowest was homework, at just 5%. Go back and check that you have used these words and structures correctly in your paragraphs. 5
Task 1 Non-Temporal Graph Grammar Popular Chocolate Popcorn Cake Cheese Chips snacks, 2006 Japan 5% 35% 25% 20% 15% China 40% 30% 10% 8% 12% Using comparative and superlative structures in relative clauses Look at the pie chart and table above, and at the relative clauses in the example sentences below. (Pie chart) This was higher than the percentage for cheese, which was the lowest at just 5%. (Table information compared to pie chart information) In contrast, the least popular snack in China was cheese, at 8%, which was slightly higher than in the world. (Table information compared to pie chart information) In Japan, the most common snack was popcorn, which was much more popular than in the world, at 35%. (Table information compared to pie chart information) On the other hand, the least popular snack in Japan was chocolate at 5%, which was much lower than in the rest of the world. Go back and check that you have used relative clauses with comparatives or superlatives in your descriptions. 6
Task 1 Non-Temporal Graph Model Answer Popular sports, 2001 Football Cricket Baseball Basketball Tennis UAE 68% 8% 2% 10% 12% USA 5% 15% 30% 40% 10% The pie chart shows the most popular sports, which were football, cricket, baseball, basketball and tennis, in the world in 2001 in percentages, while the table shows the popularity of the same sports in the UAE and the UAE in the same year. Overall, the most popular sport worldwide and in the UAE was football, whereas in the USA, it was basketball. Looking at the pie chart, it is clear to see that the most common sport in the world was football, at just over half. The second highest percentage was baseball, which was at 20%. Together, basketball and tennis made up exactly a quarter, at 18% and 7% respectively. This was higher than the percentage for cricket, which was the lowest at just 2%. Similar to the world, in the UAE, the most popular sport was football, at just over two thirds. On the other hand, the least popular sport was baseball, at 2%, which was much lower than in the world. Unlike in the world and in the UAE, in the USA, the most common sport was basketball, which was much more popular than in the world, at 40%. In contrast, the least popular sport in the USA was football at 5%, which was much lower than in the rest of the world. 7
Task 1 Non-Temporal Graph Analysis Look at the graph and answer the questions. 1) What type of graph is it and what does it show? Write the first sentence of the introduction in the box below. 2) In this graph, is any one country or sport more important than the others or are they all equal? 3) What was the most popular sport in the UAE in 2001? 4) What was the most popular sport in the USA in 2001? 5) What was the most popular sport in Korea in 2001? 6) What was the most popular sport in China in 2001? 7) What are the similarities and differences for most popular sport? 8) How many paragraphs will you write for this report? 9) Will you start with two paragraphs with similar most popular sports or different most popular sports? 8
Task 1 Non-Temporal Graph Descriptions & Comparisons Look at the graph. Write the overview sentence of the introduction in the box below. Introduction - overview Look at the graph. Write the first sentence of each body paragraph in the boxes below. Body 1 most popular sport sentence Looking at the figures for Body 2 comparison & highest percentage sport sentence Similarly, Body 3 comparison & most popular sport sentence Unlike Body 4 comparison & most common sport sentence Similar to 9
Look at the graph. Complete the body paragraphs in the boxes below. Body 1 describe and compare Looking at the figures for the UAE, it is clear to see that soccer was the most popular sport, at 80%. Body 2 describe and compare Similarly, in Korea, the highest percentage was soccer, at 55%. Body 3 describe and compare Unlike in the UAE and Korea, basketball was the most popular sport in the USA, at 40%. Body 4 describe and compare Similar to in the USA, in China, the most common sport was basketball at 56%. 10
Task 1 Non-Temporal Graph Model Answer The bar graph shows the most popular sporting activities, which were soccer, cricket, baseball and basketball, in the UAE, the USA, Korea and China in 2001. Overall, the most popular sport in the UAE and Korea was soccer, whereas in the USA and China, it was basketball. Looking at the figures for the UAE, it is clear to see that soccer was the most popular sport, at 80%. The second most popular sport was basketball, which was at a tenth. Cricket was a little more popular than baseball, at 8% and 2% respectively. Similarly, in Korea, the highest percentage was soccer, at 55%. Baseball was slightly more common than basketball, at 22% and 18% respectively. This was considerably higher than the percentage of cricket, which was the lowest at just 6%. Unlike in the UAE and Korea, basketball was the most popular sport in the USA, at 40%. The second highest percentage was baseball, which was at just under a third. Cricket was twice as popular as soccer, at a fifth and a tenth respectively. Similar to in the USA, in China, the most common sport was basketball at 56%. Together, soccer and baseball made up 38%, at 26% and 12% respectively. This was higher than the percentage of cricket, which was by far the lowest at only 6%. 11
Task 1 Non-Temporal Graph Vocabulary & Grammar ANSWERS Using fractions Write the fractions next to the percentages. The first one has been done for you as an example. Percentages Fractions (in numbers) Fractions (in words) 10% 1/10 a tenth 20% 1/5 a fifth 25% 1/4 a quarter 33% 1/3 a third 50% 1/2 half 66% 2/3 two thirds 75% 3/4 three quarters Write the percentages as fractions. Use just over, just under or exactly. The first one has been done for you as an example. Percentages Fractions Percentages Fractions 1) 11% just over a tenth 5) 48% just under half 2) 19% just under a fifth 6) 67% just over two thirds 3) 27% just over a quarter 7) 75% exactly three quarters 4) 33% exactly a third 8) 77% just over three quarters Go back and check that you have used a mix of numbers and fractions in words in your paragraphs. Using comparatives and superlatives with adjectives and nouns Look at the words in the box. Which are adjectives and which is a noun? Fit them into the sentences below. popular percentage common 1) Diabetes was more common than heart disease, at 37%. 2) Starbucks was slightly less popular than Gloria Jeans, at just over a quarter. 3) The highest percentage was Café Nero, at just under two thirds. 4) The second most common disease was lung cancer, at exactly a third. 5) The least popular form of music was country, at 14%. 6) The lowest percentage was homework, at just 5%. Go back and check that you have used these words and structures correctly in your paragraphs. 12