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HEXA’S IELTS ACADEMIC WRITING Extended Edition

Nurul Amin

HEXA’S PRESS House 14, Block B, Main Road Shahjalal Uposhohor Sylhet Tel: +8801779900449 Email: [email protected] © Author This book is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of the author. Published : July 2019 Printed in : Jononi Graphics

33 City Banijjik Bhabon Bandarbazar Sylhet Tel: +8801726014880

HEXA’S Press or the author has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party internet website referred to in this publication, and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

PREFACE

This is the extended edition of HEXA’S IELTS preparation coursebook ‘HEXA’S IELTS Academic Writing’. It has been made exceptionally functional and practical for self-study. The book includes a large number of example tasks with comprehensive explanations, and sample answers. In addition, there are numerous exercises with detailed suggestions to guarantee you have access to all the possible varieties of IELTS Academic Writing questions. There are tips and techniques to help you prepare well before you take the test. Should you have any suggestions or questions, feel free to leave a review. I wish you all the very best with your IELTS preparation.

Nurul Amin Course coordinator (HEXA’S IELTS Preparation Course)

Visiting Lecturer (Languages, Literature and Culture), Sunderland College City of Sunderland, England

CONTENTS PAGE

Introduction 9 Task 1 Introduction 16 Bar Charts 19

Example- 1 22

Exercise- 1A 28

Exercise- 1B 30

Example- 2 32

Exercise- 2A 35

Exercise- 2B 37

Example- 3 39

Exercise- 3A 42

Exercise- 3B 44

Example- 4 46

Exercise- 4 49

Pie Charts 51

Example- 5 54

Exercise- 5A 57

Exercise- 5B 59

Example- 6 61

Exercise- 6 64

Example- 7 66

Exercise- 7A 69

Exercise- 7B 71

Example- 8 73

Exercise- 8 75

Example- 9 77

Exercise- 9 79

Line Charts 81

Example- 10 93

Exercise- 10A 95

Exercise- 10B 97

Example- 11 99

Exercise- 11A 101

Exercise- 11B 103

Example- 12 105

Exercise- 12A 107

Exercise- 12B 109

Example- 13 111

Exercise- 13A 113

Exercise- 13B 115

Tables 117

Example- 14 119

Exercise- 14A 121

Exercise- 14B 123

Example- 15 125

Exercise- 15A 127

Exercise- 15B 129

Example- 16 131

Exercise- 16A 133

Exercise- 16B 135

Example- 17 137

Exercise- 17 139

Diagrams 141

Example- 18 144

Exercise- 18A 146

Exercise- 18B 148

Example- 19 150

Exercise- 19A 152

Exercise- 19B 154

Example- 20 156

Exercise- 20A 158

Exercise- 20B 160

Example- 21 162

Exercise- 21 164

Maps 166

Example- 22 168

Exercise- 22A 170

Exercise- 22B 172

Example- 23 174

Exercise- 23A 176

Exercise- 23B 178

Multi-type Charts 180

Example- 24 181

Exercise- 24 183

Example- 25 185

Exercise- 25 187

Task 2 Introduction 190 Discussion-led Questions 195

Example- 1 196

Exercise- 1 200

Example- 2 202

Exercise- 2 204

Example- 3 206

Exercise- 3 208

Example- 4 210

Exercise- 4 212

Example- 5 214

Exercise- 5 216

Example- 6 218

Exercise- 6 220

Example- 7 222

Exercise- 7 224

Example- 8 226

Exercise- 8 228

Opinion-led Questions 230

Example- 9 231 Exercise- 9 233 Example- 10 235 Exercise- 10 237 Example- 11 239 Exercise- 11 241 Example- 12 243 Exercise- 12 245 Example- 13 247 Exercise- 13 249 Example- 14 251 Exercise- 14 253 Example- 15 255 Exercise- 15 257 Example- 16 259 Exercise- 16 261 Problem – Solution Questions 263

Example- 17 265 Exercise- 17 267 Example- 18 269 Exercise- 18 271 Example- 19 273 Exercise- 19 275 Example- 20 277 Exercise- 20 279 Example- 21 281 Exercise- 21 283 Example- 22 285 Exercise- 22 287 Example- 23 289 Exercise- 23 291

Two-part Questions 293 Example- 24 294 Exercise- 24 296 Example- 25 298 Exercise- 25 300 Practice Questions 302 Writing Tips 309 Mock Tests Test 1 311 Test 2 313 Test 3 315 Test 4 317 Test 5 319

INTRODUCTION

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HEXA’S IELTS ACADEMIC WRITING | Extended Edition

There are two Writing tasks, Task 1 and Task 2, and both must be completed in 60 minutes. In Task 1, you will be asked to describe some visual information such as a graph, table, chart, or diagram in your own words. You are required to write at least 150 words in about 20 minutes in this task. And in Task 2, you respond to a point of view or argument or problem in at least 250 words in about 40 minutes. You must write your answers on the answer sheet in full, not in bullet points or notes. You may write notes on the question paper, which you cannot take from the examination room and will not be seen by the examiner. Marking and assessment Each task is assessed independently by certificated IELTS examiners, who hold relevant teaching qualifications and are recruited as examiners by the test centres and approved by the British Council or IDP: IELTS Australia. There are four assessment criteria: -Task achievement (Task 1) / task response (Task 2). - Coherence and cohesion. - Lexical resource. - Grammatical range and accuracy. Task achievement: This assesses how appropriately, accurately and relevantly your answer fulfils the task requirements. Task 1 has a definite input and a largely predictable output. It is essentially an information-transfer task that relates narrowly to the factual content of an input diagram, and not to speculative explanations that lie outside the given data. Task Response: This concerns how well you formulate and develop your response to a given prompt in the form of a question or statement. It also evaluates how your ideas are supported by evidence, and examples. Coherence and cohesion: This assesses the overall clarity and fluency of your answer i.e. how your answer organises and links information, ideas and language. While coherence refers to the linking of ideas through logical sequencing, cohesion refers to the varied and appropriate use of cohesive devices such as logical connectors, pronouns and conjunctions. Lexical resource: This assesses the range of vocabulary you use in your answer, and how accurately and appropriately you use it in terms of the specific task. Grammatical range and accuracy This refers to the range and accurate use of grammar as manifested in their sentence writing. Summary Time allowed: 60 minutes Number of tasks: 2 Marking: Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the Writing score.

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Task 1 Band Descriptors

Band Task Achievement Coherence and Cohesion

Lexical Resource Grammatical Range and Accuracy

9 – fully satisfies all the requirements of the task – clearly presents a fully developed response

– uses cohesion in such a way that it attracts no attention – skill fully manages paragraphing

– uses a wide range of vocabulary with very natural and sophisticated control of lexical features; rare minor errors occur only as ‘slips’

– uses a wide range of structures with full flexibility and accuracy; rare minor errors occur only as ‘slips’

8 – covers all requirements of the task sufficiently – presents, highlights and illustrates key features/bullet points clearly an

– sequences information and ideas logically – manages all aspects of cohesion well – uses paragraphing sufficiently and appropriately

– uses a wide range of vocabulary fluently and flexibly to convey precise meanings – skilfully uses uncommon lexical items but there may be occasional inaccuracies in word choice and collocation – produces rare errors in spelling and/or word formation

– uses a wide range of structures – the majority of sentences are error-free – makes only very occasional errors or inappropriacies

7 – covers the requirements of the task - (Academic) presents a clear overview of main trends, differences or stages – (General Training) presents a clear purpose, with the tone consistent and appropriate – clearly presents and highlights key features/bullet points but could be more fully extended

– logically organises information and ideas; there is clear progression throughout – uses a range of cohesive devices appropriately although there may be some under-/over-use

– uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow some flexibility and precision – uses less common lexical items with some awareness of style and collocation – may produce occasional errors in word choice,

– uses a variety of complex structures – produces frequent error-free sentences – has good control of grammar and punctuation but may make a few errors

6 – addresses the requirements of the task – (Academic) presents an overview with information appropriately selected – (General Training) presents a purpose that is generally clear; there may be inconsistencies in tone – presents and adequately highlights key features/bullet points but details may be irrelevant, inappropriate or inaccurate

– arranges information and ideas coherently and there is a clear overall progression – uses cohesive devices effectively, but cohesion within and/or between sentences may be faulty or mechanical – may not always use referencing clearly or appropriately

– uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task – attempts to use less common vocabulary but with some inaccuracy – makes some errors in spelling and/or word formation, but they do not impede communication

– uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms – makes some errors in grammar and punctuation but they rarely reduce communication

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5 – generally addresses the task; the format may be inappropriate in places – (Academic) recounts detail mechanically with no clear overview; there may be no data to support the description – (General Training) may present a purpose for the letter that is unclear at times; the tone may be variable and sometimes inappropriate – presents, but inadequately covers, key features/bullet points; there may be a tendency to focus on detail

– presents information with some organisation but there may be a lack of overall progression – makes inadequate, inaccurate or overuse of cohesive devices – may be repetitive because of lack of referencing and substitution

– uses a limited range of vocabulary, but this is minimally adequate for the task – may make noticeable errors in spelling and/or word formation that may cause some difficulty for the reader

– uses only a limited range of structures – attempts complex sentences but these tend to be less accurate than simple sentences – may make frequent grammatical errors and punctuation may be faulty; errors can cause some difficulty for the reader

4 – attempts to address the task but does not cover all key features/bullet points; the format may be inappropriate – (General Training) fails to clearly explain the purpose of the letter; the tone may be inappropriate – may confuse key features/bullet points with detail; parts may be unclear, irrelevant, repetitive or inaccurate

– presents information and ideas but these are not arranged coherently and there is no clear progression in the response – uses some basic cohesive devices but these may be inaccurate or repetitive

– uses only basic vocabulary which may be used repetitively or which may be inappropriate for the task – has limited control of word formation and/or spelling – errors may cause strain for the reader

– uses only a very limited range of structures with only rare use of subordinate clauses – some structures are accurate but errors predominate, and punctuation is often faulty

3 – fails to address the task, which may have been completely misunderstood – presents limited ideas which may be largely irrelevant/repetitive

– does not organise ideas logically – may use a very limited range of cohesive devices, and those used may not indicate a logical relationship between ideas

– uses only a very limited range of words and expressions with very limited control of word formation and/or spelling – errors may severely distort the message

– attempts sentence forms but errors in grammar and punctuation predominate and distort the meaning

2 – answer is barely related to the task

– has very little control of organisational features

– uses an extremely limited range of vocabulary; essentially no control of word formation and/or spelling

– cannot use sentence forms except in memorised phrases

1 – answer is completely unrelated to the task

– fails to communicate any message

– can only use a few isolated words

– cannot use sentence forms at all

0 – does not attend – does not attempt the task in any way – writes a totally memorised response

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Task 2 Band Descriptors Band Task Response Coherence and

Cohesion Lexical Resource Grammatical Range

and Accuracy 9 – fully addresses all

parts of the task – presents a fully developed position in answer to the question with relevant, fully extended and well supported ideas

– uses cohesion in such a way that it attracts no attention – skilfully manages paragraphing

– uses a wide range of vocabulary with very natural and sophisticated control of lexical features; rare minor errors occur only as ‘slips’

– uses a wide range of structures with full flexibility and accuracy; rare minor errors occur only as ‘slips’

8 – sufficiently addresses all parts of the task – presents a well-developed response to the question with relevant, extended and supported ideas

– sequences information and ideas ƒ logically – manages all aspects of cohesion well – uses paragraphing sufficiently and appropriately

– uses a wide range of vocabulary – fluently and flexibly to convey precise meanings – skilfully uses uncommon lexical items but there may be occasional inaccuracies in word choice and collocation – produces rare errors in spelling and/or word formation

– uses a wide range of structures – the majority of sentences are error-free – makes only very occasional errors or inappropriacies

7 – addresses all parts of the task – presents a clear position throughout the response – presents, extends and supports main ideas, but there may be a tendency to overgeneralise and/or supporting ideas may lack focus

– logically organises information and ideas; there is clear progression throughout – uses a range of cohesive devices appropriately although there may be some under-/over-use – presents a clear central topic within each paragraph

– uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow some flexibility and precision – uses less common lexical items with some awareness of style and collocation – may produce occasional errors in word choice, spelling and/or word formation

– uses a variety of complex structures – produces frequent error-free sentences – has good control of grammar and punctuation but may make a few errors

6 – addresses all parts of the task although some parts may be more fully covered than others – presents a relevant position although the conclusions may become unclear or repetitive – presents relevant main ideas but some may be inadequately developed/unclear

– arranges information and ideas coherently and there is a clear overall progression – uses cohesive devices effectively, but cohesion within and/or between sentences may be faulty or mechanical – may not always use referencing clearly or appropriately – uses paragraphing, but not always logically

– uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task – attempts to use less common vocabulary but with some inaccuracy – makes some errors in spelling and/or word formation, but they do not impede communication

– uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms – makes some errors in grammar and punctuation but they rarely reduce communication

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5 – addresses the task only partially; the format may be inappropriate in places – expresses a position but the development is not always clear and there may be no conclusions drawn – presents some main ideas but these are limited and not sufficiently developed; there may be irrelevant detail

– presents information with some organisation but there may be a lack of overall progression – makes inadequate, inaccurate or over use of cohesive devices – may be repetitive because of lack of referencing and substitution – may not write in paragraphs, or paragraphing may be inadequate

– uses a limited range of vocabulary, but this is minimally adequate for the task – may make noticeable errors in spelling and/or word formation that may cause some difficulty for the reader

– uses only a limited range of structures – attempts complex sentences but these tend to be less accurate than simple sentences – may make frequent grammatical errors and punctuation may be faulty; errors can cause some difficulty for the reader

4 – responds to the task only in a minimal way or the answer is tangential; the format may be inappropriate – presents a position but this is unclear – presents some main ideas but these are difficult to identify and may be repetitive, irrelevant or not well supported

– presents information and ideas but these are not arranged coherently and there is no clear progression in the response – uses some basic cohesive devices but these may be inaccurate or repetitive – may not write in paragraphs or their use may be confusing

– uses only basic vocabulary which may be used repetitively, or which may be inappropriate for the task – has limited control of word formation and/or spelling; errors may cause strain for the reader

– uses only a very limited range of structures with only rare use of subordinate clauses – some structures are accurate, but errors predominate, and punctuation is often faulty

3 – does not adequately address any part of the task – does not express a clear position – presents few ideas, which are largely undeveloped or irrelevant

– does not organise ideas logically – may use a very limited range of cohesive devices, and those used may not indicate a logical relationship between ideas

– uses only a very limited range of words and expressions with very limited control of word formation and/or spelling – errors may severely distort the message

– attempts sentence forms but errors in grammar and punctuation predominate and distort the meaning

2 – barely responds to the task – does not express a position – may attempt to present one or two ideas but there is no development

– has very little control of organisational features

– uses an extremely limited range of vocabulary; essentially no control of word formation and/or spelling

– cannot use sentence forms except in memorised phrases

1 – answer is completely unrelated to the task

– fails to communicate any message

– can only use a few isolated words

– cannot use sentence forms at all

0 – does not attend – does not attempt the task in any way – writes a totally memorised response

TASK 1

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Introduction

In Academic Writing Task 1, you may be asked to describe facts or figures presented in one or more graphs, charts or tables on a related topic; or you may be given a diagram of a machine, a device or a process and asked to explain how it works. You should write in an academic or semi-formal/neutral style and must write your answer on the answer sheet. You must write at least 150 words and will be penalised if your answer is too short. Although you will not be penalised for writing more than 150 words, you should remember that a longer Task 1 answer may mean that you have less time to spend on Task 2, which contributes twice as much to your Writing band score. You, therefore, should not spend more than 20 minutes on this task. You should remember that you will be penalised if your answer does not relate to the topic and is not written as full, connected text. You will be severely penalised if your writing is plagiarised. This task tests if you can give a well-organised overview of the visual information using language that is appropriate in its register and style. Depending on the task type, you will be assessed on your ability to:

- organise, present and possibly compare data. - describe stages of a process or procedure. - describe an object, event or sequence of events. - explain how something works.

Common Task Types:

- Bar charts - Pie charts - Line graphs - Tables - Diagrams - Maps

RESPONSE TO TASK 1 It is a good idea to go through the following stages to write a well organised answer to Task 1:

Brainstorming – Writing – Editing

Brainstorming You should do the following while you are brainstorming:

- Read the instructions carefully and identify the task type. - Determine what information the chart or diagram presents. - Derive the key features such as facts, figures and stages of a process from the given chart

or diagram. You should write your notes on the question paper and should not spend too long on brainstorming since you have limited time.

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Writing Once you have done the brainstorming, you should write your answer on the answer sheet in an academic or semi-formal/neutral style. You should present the information you have brainstormed in a well-organised piece of writing. Layout for your answer:

- Your answer should consist of multiple paragraphs: an introduction, an overview, and at

least one detailed body paragraph. You may include a conclusion if you deem necessary.

- Keep a blank line between two paragraphs to separate them.

- Write from the very edge of the left margin all the way to the very edge of the right

margin unless the last word you intend to write in a line does not fit between the

margins. In such case, do not continue into the margin area, start on a new line with the

word that is too large.

- Do not split the words.

- You may use either a pen or a pencil to write your answer. It may be a good idea to use

a pen since it makes a stronger impression, whereas written work in pencil looks weaker

and impermanent. Moreover, if you use a pencil, you are likely to waste your time

erasing, and sharpening or pumping the lead.

- If you make a mistake, simply cross out the error with one line – do not mess your writing

trying to erase it or cover it up with ink. There is no penalty for crossing out.

Introduction for your Writing Task 1 In the introduction paragraph of your answer to task 1, you should introduce the charts/graphs or diagrams, and state what information or process the given charts/graphs or diagrams present. You should write one or two sentences in this paragraph and should not make it too complicated with facts and figures. You can simply paraphrase the title of the given charts/graphs or diagrams and write it as the introduction. Overview for your Writing Task 1 In this paragraph, you should give an overview of what is happening in the given charts/graphs or diagrams. It is a good idea to write briefly about the most striking features and/or trends of a graph such as the highest and lowest points, or the most significant differences or trends. In case of a diagram, you may write about the key stages or contents of it. Body paragraphs for your Writing Task 1 In the body paragraphs, you should write more specific details, and make references to the data given in a chart/graph, for example. You may write one or more body paragraphs to include all the essential details. Language for your answer:

- Write longer sentences with subordinate clauses in them. If you, however, find it difficult

to write long and complex sentences, write short and simple sentences. Remember, it is

better to write correct simple sentences than to write incorrect complex sentences.

- Use cohesive devices such as linkers and connective phrases to link the ideas and

maintain the coherence and cohesion.

- Avoid any contractions such as is not, are not, doesn’t.

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- Avoid any colloquial or informal or slang words, for instance, guys instead of people, in

your writing.

- Avoid any abbreviations and acronyms, govt. Instead of government, for example.

- Avoid repeating the same words and phrases or grammatical structures and functions.

Editing Once you have completed writing your answer, you should go through it once again in order to find out any mistakes such as spelling, punctuation or grammatical mistakes you might have made, and to correct them. You should check for:

- Articles. - conditionals. - countable and uncountable nouns. - prepositions. - pronouns. - punctuations such as full-stops, commas, colons, semi-colons, dashes, hyphens, and

brackets. - subject – verb agreements. - verb forms. - verb tenses. - word formations such as compounds and collocations.

Remember, if you are running short of time, you better move on to Task 2 immediately; and go through the Task 1 answer later if you have spare time after completing Task 2.

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BAR CHARTS

A bar chart, also called bar graph, depicts numerical values of variables which are represented by the height or length of lines or rectangles of equal width. A bar graph consists of two axes: vertical axis, and horizontal axis. While one of the axes represents numerical values such as numbers or percentages, the other represents variables such as categories or groups. Let’s have a look at the bar chart below that shows the percentages of different student groups at HEXA’S.

You can see that the horizontal axis represents different student groups at HEXA’S whereas the vertical axis represents their percentages. The same bar chart can be presented in a different layout, given below, which still presents the same information.

Categorisation of Bar Charts Bar charts, depending on what information they represent, could be split into the following categories:

- single-variable bar charts - multiple-variable bar charts

Single-variable bar charts: A single-variable bar chart represents information about only one subject and consists of just a single type of bars. It is unlikely that you will have only a single-variable bar chart to describe in your Academic Writing Task 1. You may, however, have two single-variable bar charts or a single-variable bar chart along with a multiple-variable bar chart or any other kinds of charts.

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IELTS Spoken English IELTS Life Skills ComputerApplications

Graphic Design InternetApplications

Students at HEXA'S

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IELTS

Spoken English

IELTS Life Skills

Computer Applications

Graphic Design

Internet Applications

Students at HEXA'S

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Now, have a look at the single-variable bar chart below that shows the percentages of students studying different courses at HEXA’S Uposhohor.

As you can see, the given bar chart consists of just a single type of bars, black bars, which means it represents information about only a single subject that is HEXA’S Uposhohor in this case. Multiple-variable bar chart: A multiple-variable bar chart represents information about two or more subjects and, therefore, consists of two or more types of bars. In Academic Writing Task 1, you are most likely to be given a multiple-variable bar chart that consists of two or three different types of bars. From here on, let’s call a bar chart with two different types of bars a Double Bar Chart, and a bar chart with more than two types of bars a Multiple Bar Chart. Double-bar Chart Now, have a look at the Double Bar Chart below that shows the percentages of students studying different courses at two different HEXA’S campuses.

You can see that the given bar chart consists of two different types of bars, black and white bars, which means it shows information about two different subjects. As you can see, the black bars represent HEXA’S Beanibazar and the white bars represent HEXA’S Zindabazar.

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Beanibazar Zindabazar

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Multiple-bar Chart Now, have a look at the Multiple Bar Chart below that shows the percentages of students studying different courses at three different HEXA’S campuses.

You can see that the given bar chart consists of three different types of bars, black, white and grey bars, which means it presents information about three different subjects. As you can see, the black bars represent HEXA’S Uposhohor, the white bars represent HEXA’S Zindabazar and the grey bars represent HEXA’S Amborkhana. Multiple-tasks Bar Charts There are sometimes two bar-chart tasks are given in a single Task 1 question. Let’s have a look at such a task below. The charts below show the number of students studying at HEXA’S and the percentages of their participation in different courses by gender.

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Zindabazar

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Students at HEXA'S

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Male

Female

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EXAMPLE- 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The chart below shows the number of students, by gender, who took different courses at HEXA’S from January 2018 to June 2018.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparison where necessary.

Write at least 150 words.

Understanding the Task: Look at the given Writing Task 1 question carefully and answer the following questions. Please write your answers in the blanks given below the questions. Once you have answered all the questions, cross-check your answers with a peer, and discuss the similarities and dissimilarities between your answers. 1. What kind of chart is it? Answer: _____________________________________________________________

2. Is the information in the chart about one period of time only? If so, which is it? Answer: _____________________________________________________________

3. Whom is the data about? Answer: _____________________________________________________________

4. Are the figures presented in the chart amounts or numbers or percentages? Answer: _____________________________________________________________

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IELTS Preparation Spoken English IELTS Life Skills Computer Science Graphic Designs

Students at HEXA’S from January 2018 to June 2018

Male Female

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5. Whom do the black bars refer to?

Answer: _____________________________________________________________

6. Whom do the white bars refer to? Answer: _____________________________________________________________

7. What are the different categories mentioned in the chart? Answer: _____________________________________________________________

Answer key:

1. A bar chart. 2. Yes. January 2018 to June 2018. 3. Students at HEXA’S (both males and females). 4. Numbers. 5. Male students. 6. Female students. 7. IELTS, Spoken English, IELTS Life Skills, Computer Science, and Graphic Designs.

It is important that you understand the task well in order to construct a well-organised response. You could ask yourself questions like the ones mentioned above to help you understand the task. Writing Your Answer: Look at the following questions and discuss your answers with a partner. Should you write your answer in multiple paragraphs? Why or why not? Should you write an introductory paragraph? Why or why not? What should you write in the introduction? Should you write an overview paragraph? Why and why not? What information should you present in the overview paragraph? How many body paragraphs should you write? What information should you present in the body paragraphs? Should you write a conclusion? Why or why not? It is crucial that you write your answer in multiple paragraphs. You should write an introduction, an overview, and preferably two body paragraphs. It is, however, not important to write a conclusion in your Writing Task 1 answer. It is because a conclusion is a paragraph where you repeat and restate information, and in a short report like this, you should not be repeating any information.

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Writing the Introduction: The introduction is possibly the easiest paragraph to write in your Writing Task 1 answer. You should keep it simple and should write it in one sentence paraphrasing the information given in the question paper. If, however, there are units of measurement such as kg, km, pounds, dollars, you may comment on that too in another short sentence. If the units in the given chart, for example, are pounds sterling, you may write: ‘Units are measured in pounds sterling’. Let’s have a look at the sample introduction for the given chart (Example- 1): The given bar chart presents the number of male and female students who studied various courses at HEXA’S during the first half of 2018. As you can see, the introduction has been written by paraphrasing the information given in the question paper. Now, have a look at how it has been paraphrased.

In the question paper In your answer Comments

The chart below The given bar chart Because it is a bar chart, and you want to show the examiner that you understand what the chart is.

Shows the number Presents the number You use a synonym to demonstrate your range of vocabulary. You could also write ‘illustrates’ or ‘demonstrates’ or ‘depicts’.

of students, by gender of male and female students Because the chart that shows information about both male and female students.

who took different courses who studied various courses You use synonyms again: ‘studied’ instead of ‘took’, and ‘various’ instead of ‘different’.

at HEXA’S from January 2018 to June 2018

at HEXA’S during the first half of 2018

Because from January to June is the first half of a year. It is just a different way to write the time period.

Writing the overview: The overview is arguably the most important paragraph in your Writing Task 1, because it demonstrates your overall understanding of the chart. You should highlight all the key features of the given chart such as highs, lows, major differences, trends, but should not provide figures such as amounts or numbers or percentages. Remember, the overview is an essential part of your Task Achievement mark, and the examiner will be looking for it in your answer. Although the overview can be written as the last paragraph of your answer, it is best to write it just after the introduction. This way the examiner will immediately have an overall idea of the information presented in the given chart. You may also write the overview just after the introduction in the same paragraph if either one or both paragraphs are too short. Now, as you already know, the key features in a chart are the highs, lows, and major differences/changes/trends, it should not be too difficult for you to determine the key features.

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Let’s have a look at the given bar chart again and see if there are any major trends there. You may immediately notice that the bars for language courses are much taller than the ones for computer courses. This means more students enrolled in languages courses than they did in computer literacy courses. If you now look for the highest points, you can see the highest point for the black bars is in IELTS Preparation, and it is in Spoken English for the white bars. If you then look for the lowest points, you can see the lowest point for the black bars is in Computer Science, and for white bars, it is in Graphic Design. Finally, if you look for differences between the black and white bars, you will see, although there are differences, there are no substantial differences between them. So, you may select the following key features from the given bar chart- Major trend: Higher number of students in language courses than in computer literacy courses. Highest points: Male- IELTS Preparation Female- Spoken English Lowest points: Male- Computer Science Female- Graphic Design Major differences: None of significance So, in total, you have three key features from the given bar chart, which you should present in a logical order in your overview. You may, for instance, write about the trend in one sentence to begin your overview statement, and then write about the highest points and lowest points in another sentence. Remember, the number of key features you have from a chart may vary from chart to chart. It is, however, very rare to have only one. You are most likely to have two, three or four key features. Have a look at the following sample overview for the given bar chart (Example- 1): Overall, an overwhelmingly larger number of students studied language courses than computer literacy courses. While most of the male and female students took IELTS preparation course and spoken English course respectively, computer science was taken by the smallest number of male students compared to graphic design by female students. Now, let’s have a look at how the overview meets the marking criteria. The overview is very clear with the key features well highlighted. The key features were presented coherently: Trend- higher participation in English language courses than in computer literacy courses; Highest points- largest numbers of male and female students, Lowest points- smallest numbers of male and female students. A range of vocabulary and grammatical structures have been used in the overview. You can see there has been a comparison made in the first sentence. You can further notice that a more complex sentence structure has been used in the second sentence. While the first clause of the

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second sentence has been written in active voice, the second one has been written in passive voice. Furthermore, there has been appropriate use of linkers such as while and compared to. Writing the body paragraphs: You may organise the body paragraphs in several ways since there are no set rules. You should, however, remember that it is important for you to divide the information and present it in at least two different body paragraphs. It is because you are being tested on your organisation skills, and your use of paragraphs. If you only have one paragraph, for example, it is going to be hard for you to achieve a good result for coherence and cohesion. One effective way to allocate information to organise two body paragraphs is to divide the given categories in two sets. Let’s have a look at the following two sets of categories, and the reasonings. Paragraph A: Spoken English, IELTS Life Skills, Computer Science. These three categories have been put together because in each of these three categories the number of female students was greater than that of male students. Paragraph B: IELTS Preparation, Graphic Design. Because these are the opposite: the numbers of male students in these categories were bigger than that of female students. Remember, the aforementioned way of organising the body paragraphs is especially effective if the given bar chart is a double bar chart or has limited number of categories, four or five categories, for example. You could also organise the body paragraphs as follows: Paragraph A: IELTS Preparation, Spoken English. Because the highest points are in these categories. Paragraph B: Computer science, Graphic design. Because the lowest points are in these categories. Please note, there are other ways to organise body paragraphs too, which will be discussed progressively. Have a look at the following sample body paragraphs for the given bar chart (Example- 1): In respect of spoken English, almost 300 females studied this course as opposed to roughly 260 males. In the same way, more women (approximately 270) took IELTS life skills course than men (just over 250). In computer science, meanwhile, the number of female students was around 70, which was barely 10 more than that of males. On the other hand, the number of male students was higher in the remaining courses. IELTS preparation course was taken by roughly over 300 males, which was slightly larger than the number of females (around 290) who studied the same course. Similarly, the numbers of male and female students who took graphic design course were about 65 and 55 respectively.

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