IELTS Writing Task 1 (Academic): structure, criteria and a model answer

What Writing Task 1 asks for

Everything you need is on the page. According to ielts.org, all the information for Task 1 is in the graph, chart, table or diagram, so the task tests whether you can select the important points, not what you know about the topic.

You have about 20 minutes to write at least 150 words, in full sentences, because IELTS does not accept answers written as notes or bullet points.

Line graphs show change over time and bar charts compare categories. The other formats you may see are these:

• Pie chart: proportions of a whole.
• Table: exact figures that you sort and group yourself.
• Map: how a place has changed over time, or a plan for future changes.
• Process diagram: the stages of a natural or manufacturing process.
• Combined visuals: for example, a line graph plus a pie chart.

For maps and processes, describe the main changes or main stages instead of main trends. The structure stays the same.

A four-paragraph structure that examiners can follow

IDP's summary of the band descriptors describes Band 5 Task Achievement like this: there may be a tendency to focus on details without referring to the bigger picture. This layout builds the overview in, so you cannot skip it:

• Introduction (one sentence): say what the visual shows, where and when, in your own words. Any copied rubric is discounted, so copied words do not count towards your 150.
• Overview (one or two sentences): the biggest trend, the highest and lowest values, or the clearest contrast. No figures are needed.
• Body paragraph 1: one group of related data, with figures and comparisons.
• Body paragraph 2: the other group, in the same way.

Task 1 is a report, so there is no opinion, recommendation or essay-style conclusion. The overview may go at the end, as long as it sums up the data.

Group the data before you write. The Band 7 Task Achievement wording asks for data that are 'appropriately categorised', and logical grouping also helps Coherence and Cohesion. Put items that behave alike together, such as rising lines in one paragraph and falling lines in the other, rather than following the order on the chart.

How the four criteria apply to a report

Only the first criterion changes between the two tasks. Cambridge lists Task achievement/response, Coherence and cohesion, Lexical resource, and Grammatical range and accuracy, with Task 1 marked for achievement. Its Band 7 wording asks for a clear overview, which no amount of good English can replace.

Examiners use the public IELTS Writing Band Descriptors, updated in May 2023. The full wording shows what separates each band from the next.

The overview is what separates band 6 from band 7

At Band 6 a relevant overview is 'attempted'; at Band 7 it is 'clear'. At Band 5 there may be no real overview at all.

At Band 8, features must be 'skilfully selected'. A quick test: if someone reading only your overview could not sketch the rough shape of the chart, it is probably still at the 'attempted' level.

Word count: a floor, no ceiling and two edge rules

Cambridge says you will not be penalised for writing more than 150 words, and Task 1 has no maximum. The minimum is handled in less obvious ways:

• Responses of 20 words or fewer are rated at Band 1.
• Any copied rubric is discounted, so a 160-word answer that opens with a sentence copied from the prompt may have fewer than 150 words of your own.
• Cambridge warns that a short answer may not show enough of the language needed for higher bands.
• Writing that does not relate to the topic is penalised, so memorised paragraphs are risky.

Aim for clearly more than 150 words of your own, and treat extra length as a cost, for the timing reasons below.

Why a long Task 1 costs you more than it earns

Every extra minute on Task 1 comes out of the task that counts twice as much. The 60-minute Writing test covers both tasks, and Task 2 needs at least 250 words in about 40 minutes.

Here is an illustration using the 2:1 weighting. Candidate A scores 7 on Task 1 and 6 on a finished Task 2: (7 + 6 + 6) ÷ 3 ≈ 6.3. Candidate B polishes Task 1 to 7.5 but rushes Task 2 and scores 5: (7.5 + 5 + 5) ÷ 3 ≈ 5.8. The extra half band on Task 1 adds about 0.17, while the lost band on Task 2 takes away about 0.67.

The overall band is the average of the four section scores, weighted equally and rounded to the nearest half band. The IELTS band score calculator shows how your Writing score combines with the other three.

A model answer marked against each criterion

This answer is not a Band 9 showpiece. ETP wrote the prompt, data and answer to be possible in 20 minutes, and we estimate its band honestly.

Our overall estimate is Band 7, and an examiner could reasonably score Task Achievement higher. Wider, more precise vocabulary and more varied sentences would raise the other criteria; more words would not.

A self-check list for the final minutes

Check the overview first (main trend and main contrast, no figures), then the introduction (nothing copied from the prompt). Then go through the rest:

• Does each body paragraph group related data?
• Are the figures and units accurate?
• Have you compared the data, not just listed it?
• Do your tenses match the time frame, including forms such as 'is expected to' for projections?
• Have you left out opinions, causes and recommendations?
• Is everything in full sentences?
• Have you written clearly more than 150 words of your own?

Practising Task 1 under timed conditions

Untimed practice cannot show whether you can finish Task 1 in about 20 minutes, the time IELTS suggests. Set a 20-minute timer, write your report, then go straight to a Task 2 prompt for the remaining 40 minutes.

For full-length timed practice, use the IELTS practice test. The full mock tests in a pass follow test timing, and passes last 30, 60 or 90 days (see pricing). The free IELTS level test takes 20 minutes but covers only Reading and Listening, so it will not tell you anything about your Writing.