IELTS Writing Task 1 Practice
Practice describing IELTS Academic charts, graphs, tables, maps, plans, processes, and diagrams with clear structure.
Recommended time
About 20 minutes
Minimum length
150 words
Style
Academic or neutral
Write connected text, not notes or bullet points.
Scoring criterion
Task Achievement
Alongside coherence, vocabulary, and grammar.
Task 1 Focus
Task 1 may contain one or more graphs, charts, or tables, or a diagram such as a process, map, plan, object, or event. Your job is to select and organize the most important information.
- Paraphrase the task without copying whole phrases from it.
- Write an overview that identifies the main trends, stages, or changes.
- Group related details and make meaningful comparisons instead of reporting every number.
Practice Workflow
Use a simple decision process rather than a fixed template that ignores the visual.
- Identify the visual type, units, dates, categories, start and end points, and the task instruction.
- Select two to four major features for the overview, then group evidence that supports them.
- Check that every number, direction, comparison, tense, and unit matches the visual.
Overview by Visual Type
The overview answers “What is most noticeable?” Its content changes with the visual.
- Charts and tables: dominant trends, highest or lowest values, and major similarities or contrasts.
- Maps and plans: the main transformation, what was added or removed, and how the area changed overall.
- Processes: the number and sequence of broad stages, plus whether the process is linear or cyclical.
Worked overview example
Prompt
A line graph shows the percentage of commuters using cars, buses, and bicycles from 2000 to 2020.
Weaker response
The car figure was 60% in 2000, 55% in 2010 and 45% in 2020. The bus was 25%, 28% and 30%.
Improved response
Overall, travelling by car remained the most common option despite a substantial decline, while both public transport and cycling became more popular over the period.
The improved version summarizes the dominant relationship and direction of change. The detailed figures can then be grouped and compared in the body paragraphs.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Describing every number in order.Select figures that prove the main trends and group them by a clear comparison.
- Giving opinions or explaining causes not shown.Report only what the visual supports; do not invent reasons or recommendations.
- Writing an introduction but no overview.Include a separate overview or a clearly identifiable summary of the major features.
- Using inaccurate comparison language.Check whether values rose by an amount, rose to a value, or were higher than another category.
Questions learners ask
Aim for about 20 minutes, including planning, writing, and checking.
Official sources
Content reviewed 25 August 2026