IELTS ACADEMIC

Writing task 1

TEXTBOOK

Edited by
Olga Voroshilina
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Anna Klimova
GENERAL INFORMATION 3

1. Vocabulary for Introduction and Overview 3

2. Linking Ideas 6
a) Text Organisers 6
b) Referencing: avoiding repetition 10

3. Introducing Data 13
a) The use of prepositions with numbers and dates 13

4. Ways to describe change over time 19

a) From the past to now 19
b) Future trends 21

TOPIC SPECIFIC INFORMATION 24

5. Maps 24
a) The use of articles in maps 24
b) Comparing now and the past 28
c) Vocabulary to describe change in maps 30
d) Vocabulary for showing location 33

6. Line Graphs 36

7. Tables, Pie Charts and Bar Charts 45

a) Describing trends in Tables, Pie Charts and Bar Charts 46
b) Making comparisons in Tables, Pie Charts and Bar Charts 49
c) Describing proportions in Tables, Pie Charts and Bar Charts 53

8. Processes 56
a) The Passive 57
b) Sequencing events: linkers and useful vocabulary 60

Answers 70

Bibliography 89

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 GENERAL INFORMATION

1. Vocabulary for Introduction and Overview

Introductory phrases:
• The graph shows / indicates / illustrates / reveals / represents / displays…
• The graph provides a breakdown of…

Overview:
• Overall, ...
• Generally speaking, …

1.1. Read the Task 1 question below and the three introductions a-c which
follow. Decide which is the best introduction and why.

a) The graph below shows in percentage terms the UK weekly market share of visits to
three websites between March 2007 and March 2008.

b) The chart below shows the percentage of hits to three websites over the period of a
year.

c) The chart illustrates the market share of hits to various social networking sites in the UK
on a weekly basis over one year from March 2007 to March 2008.

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 1.2. Decide which two of the following introductions are suitable for the
question?

1. The table provides a breakdown according to the purpose of their visit of how much
American visitors to the UK spent between 2002 to 2006.

2. The table illustrates spending in the UK by American tourists and purpose of visit
between 2002 and 2006.

3. The table gives data on the expenditure of American visitors to the UK according to the
purpose of visit from 2002 to 2006.

1.3. Complete sentences 1-10 with a word from the box below. Make any
necessary changes.

surge breakdown fluctuate remain steady trend

decline plummet downward show noticeable

1. The most _____________ feature of the chart was a sharp fall in theatre attendances.

2. The graph _____________ the increase in the market share of Facebook compared to
the other two sites.

3. Shopper numbers _____________ over most of the year, but the last three months
were less erratic.

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4. There was a _____________ in visitors to the site during the holiday period with
numbers almost doubling.

5. The amount of energy used ______________ throughout the first nine months and then
it began to increase.

6. Sales _____________ in September, hitting a low for the year.

7. There was a gradual _____________ in profits over the last year.

8. The trend for two of the sites was upward, with the other being clearly _____________.

9. There was very little difference in the _____________ in sales for all five companies,
with the exception of Sewell Ltd.

10. The chart provides a _____________ of the number of passenger miles travelled
according to different modes of transport.

1.4. Match the sentences in exercise 1.3. to section a, b or c below.

a) the introduction
b) the overview
c) specific data

1.5. Use the words in 1-8 below to create sentences that provide an overview.
Make any necessary changes to the words.

Example:
book sales overall rise period.
Overall, book sales rose during the period.

1. trend attendances clear upward.

2. increase student numbers over the year.
3. market share fall overall past decade.
4. trend cost train journeys flat generally speaking.
5. trend prices downward overall.
6. miles covered shoppers declined.
7. price of grain steady rise in the last six months.
8. clear downward trend flights abroad.

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 2. Linking ideas

The cohesion of the text is largely achieved with the help of introductory phrases and
conjunctions. However, it is important to find the right balance - using very few of them or not
using any at all will make your text harder to follow; using too many will make your text look
artificial and affect its flow.

Try and use introductory words and phrases in moderation and avoid starting every sentence
in your writing with an introductory word. In higher level writing, the text is linked in a more
sophisticated way, with the help of pronouns, auxiliary verbs and referencing through
synonyms that help to avoid repetition. Introductory words and phrases will also be used in a
higher level text, but rather sparingly, without overburdening the text.

a) Text Organisers

Introductory words and phrases help the reader to navigate through the text. They show how
the sentences are related to each other: whether the following sentence develops the previous
one or gives contrast to it.

Introductory words and phrases are independent and are always followed by a comma.

Overall, the largest proportion of people consumed fast food once a week or once or twice a
month, while the smallest share did that either every day or never. Moreover, the number of
people opting for junk food once or twice a year and several times a year increased, whereas
the figure for the remaining categories decreased.

Most people ate fast food from one to four times a month. In 2003, the highest proportion of
people, namely 31%, visited places serving fast-food once a week, followed by 30% of those
who did it only one or two times a month. However, in 10 years’ time, there was a role reversal
with the latter category becoming the leader with around 33% of those eating out at fast food
restaurants once or twice per month. Meanwhile, the number of those enjoying junk food once
a week fell to 27%.

Making generalisations / Starting Introducing key points

giving an overview

Overall, To start with, It is worth noting / noticing / pointing out /

Generally speaking, To begin with, mentioning that....
For a start, It is noticeable that...
First of all, One feature worth noting / noticing is that…
Firstly, Noticeably,

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Introducing more key points Adding supporting ideas / Introducing
Developing a point contrasting data

Another feature worth noticing is that… Similarly, However,

Another feature that stands out is that... In addition, On the other hand,
Another striking feature is that… Furthermore, Meanwhile,
Also, Nevertheless,
Moreover, Nonetheless,
Besides, In / By contrast,
In / By comparison,
Alternatively,

Contrast within sentences is shown with the help of conjunctions:

although
while / whilst
whereas
but

Note that unlike all the above mentioned introductory phrases, conjunctions do not require
a comma after them. However, these conjunctions connect the main clause and the
subordinate clause of a sentence and you will need a comma between the two parts of a
sentence.

Overall, the largest proportion of people consumed fast food once a week or once or twice a
month, while the smallest share did that either every day or never. Moreover, the number of
people opting for junk food once or twice a year and several times a year increased, whereas
the figure for the remaining categories decreased.

2.1. For 1-5, underline two suitable words or phrases in italics to link the
information. Use the punctuation to help you.

1. By 2020 it is predicted that more of the total traffic volume of 53 trillion pkm will be
accounted for by high-speed transport than in 1990 (25% against 9%). By contrast/
While/By comparison, automobiles are expected to account for 43% and 53% in the
respective years.

2. In the year 2050, it is projected that high-speed transport will account for 41% of the
total traffic volume. By contrast/Whereas/Meanwhile, bus use is expected to shrink to
20%.

3. In 1960, automobiles accounted for 54% of the traffic volume, but/whereas/in contrast
high-speed transport represented only 3%.

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4. The majority of traffic volume was made up of automobiles in 1990 at 53%. Meanwhile/
But/By contrast, buses accounted for 29%, with the railways and high-speed transport
coming next with 9% each.

5. The proportion of passenger traffic miles accounted for by automobiles is expected to

decrease to 43% by 2020, whereas/whilst/meanwhile it is forecast that the pkm for
railways will shrink by a smaller amount: 29% to 26%.

2.2. Complete the two texts using the words below:

Finally although Noticeable Furthermore In contrast However

In 1970, the central business district was small and the area north of the river was
completely undeveloped providing green open space for its citizens. 1 ……………, by the
year 2009, the town’s residential area tripled. The new residential districts, one of which is
luxury apartments, were built north of the river. These became connected to the transport
links which were also improved to include both a high-speed rail link and airport.
2………………..., a new golf course was built to the east of the town, just north of the river.
3………………..., these new facilities and transport links did not extend to the original
residential area.

4………………..., the old central business district maintained its central location but almost
doubled in size. 5……………...., the last remaining enclosure to the south of the river that
did not change was the residential area, 6…………….. it looked small by comparison.

Another noticeable feature However Meanwhile It is worth noticing

7………………………… that the afternoon programme was the least popular among the
audience, not exceeding 1.4 million viewers. 8……………………………… was that 6 pm
news was by far more popular than other showings throughout the period, regardless of
the fact that its general trend was downward. The audience of 6 pm news fluctuated
throughout the year between 4.8 and 3.3 millions of viewers per day. 9………………….,
9.30 pm news ranked second, with the number of viewers increasing steadily from 3.2
million in January and reaching a peak of 3.8 million in July. 10………………….., the
ranking changed in July with the introduction of late evening news at 11 pm, which caused
a decline in the popularity of the programme aired 1.5 hour earlier.

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 ‘as far as X is/are concerned’ and ‘in terms of X’.
As far as snowboarding is concerned, more men than women are engaged in
this activity.
In terms of public transport, the area is expected to become better connected.

2.3. Match the two parts of the sentences.

1. As far as public transport in the area is concerned,

2. In terms of the canteen,
3. As far as the hotel facilities are concerned,
4. As far as the French classes are concerned,
5. In terms of the park,

a) the number of students was reduced significantly.

b) the local council is considering planting more trees.
c) most people are satisfied with the quality of food.
d) there is now a wider range of play equipment for younger kids.
e) the majority of complaints refer to the fact that the trains do not run late enough.

2.4. Think of the area where you live. Complete the sentences with your own
ideas, explaining how things have changed over the years or how things could be
different in the future.

1. As far as public transport is concerned, ...

2. As far as schools are concerned, ...
3. In terms of sports facilities, …

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 b) Referencing: avoiding repetition

Referencing: a clever use of pronouns and auxiliary verbs makes the text cohesive
and helps it flow in a natural way.

Overall, the largest proportion of people consumed fast food once a week or once or
twice a month, while the smallest share did that either every day or never. Moreover,
the number of people opting for junk food once or twice a year and several times a year
increased, whereas the figure for the remaining categories decreased.

Most people ate fast food from one to four times a month. In 2003, the highest
proportion of people, namely 31%, visited places serving fast-food once a week,
followed by 30% of those who did it only one or two times a month. However, in 10
years’ time, there was a role reversal with the latter category becoming the leader with
around 33% of those eating out at fast food restaurants once or twice per month.
Meanwhile, the number of those enjoying junk food once a week fell to 27%.

Using auxiliary verbs in comparisons

Notice that the second auxiliary verb in comparisons might be different to the first.

The area has more supermarkets than it did before.

The roads are not as congested as they were five years ago.

2.5. Complete the sentences below with these verbs.

used to be can do did were is

1. It is not as difficult to get round the city as it ________ .

2. There are many more cars on the streets than there ________ 5 years ago.
3. People used to do more manual labour than they ______ now.
4. People spend less money at the supermarket than they ________ in the past.
5. Men did not use to spend as much money on clothes as they _______ now.
6. The area did not use to be as agricultural as it __________ now.

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 2.6. The following sentences contain unnecessary repetition. Replace the
underlined sections with a suitable word or phrase chosen from the box below, and
make any changes necessary. You can use any expression more than once.

this these one the former ... the latter

that those did so respectively

1. Whereas only 34% of adults said they went to the cinema in 1987-88, more than half
said that they went to the cinema in 1997-98.

2. Some museums introduced admission charges and introducing admissions charges

affected the number of visits made.

3. A higher proportion of people aged 35 and over said they attended classical music
concerts than people aged fifteen to 34.

4. The students were shown a number of videos in the Life and Culture course, but the
video they liked best was Fawlty Towers.

5. Titanic was the top box-office film of 1998 in the United Kingdom. Titanic was followed
by The Full Monty and Saving Private Ryan.

6. The two most popular cultural events after the cinema were plays and art galleries/
exhibitions with attendances of 24% and 22% for plays and art galleries/exhibitions in
that order.

7. Excursions to Stratford-upon-Avon and Oxford were the most popular. The excursion to
Stratford-upon-Avon was attended by 250 students and the excursion to Oxford was
visited by 230 students.

8. Approximately 25% of visitors made purchases in the museum shop. Of the 25% of
visitors who made purchases in the museum shop, most spent less than £5.

9. In 1998, the number of visits made to the Tate Gallery rose to more than double the
number of visits made in 1981.

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 Referring to things: of whom / of which

We can give information about a part of a group or statistic we have just mentioned
using of whom or of which. Of whom refers to people and of which to things. We
modify these with all, some, many, the vast majority, etc. to show the proportion of the
group we are talking about.

The global urban population is expected to rise by 25%, the bulk of which will occur
in developing countries.

There were around 20,000 immigrants, 91% of whom came from other European
countries.

2.7. Rewrite each pair of sentences as one sentence using ‘of whom’ or ‘of
which’.

1. The government donates 0.6% of GDP as aid. The bulk of that money goes to countries
in Africa.

2. There were 2,650 fatalities from car accidents last year. The vast majority of the
accidents were caused by driver error.

3. The city has around 200,000 inhabitants. This figure includes 25,000 students.

4. There was a significant fall in crime in the last decade. A large part of the drop was
attributed to rising living standards.

5. The survey interviewed 950 people altogether. The interviewees were mostly 18 to 25
years old.

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 3. Introducing Data

a) The use of prepositions with numbers and dates

Words for quantifiers

Percentage, amount, number, proportion and quantity can all be used to describe the
quantities shown in graphs and charts in Task 1.

The percentage of people who watch horror films decreased.

The proportion of people who watched comedies was larger / smaller in 2011 than in
2010.
The number of people who prefer action films increased.
Teenagers spent a smaller amount / quantity on renting DVDs than older people.

MIND THE DIFFERENCE: Quantity vs Number vs Amount

‘quantity’ is used with both countable and uncountable nouns

‘number’ is used with countable nouns
‘amount’ is used with uncountable nouns

The number of the unemployed reached a peak of 212 million at the beginning of
2010.
The number/quantity of restaurants in the USA reached a total of 660,755 in
Spring 2018.

The amount/quantity of artificial carbon in the atmosphere reached a peak in

1963 at about 100% above normal levels.
The amount/quantity of international air travel plummeted by 90% in April 2020.

Exact proportions

The sales accounted for 21% of the total exports in 2006.

The sales made up 21% of the total exports in 2006.
Rent payments took up 21% of the total household expenditure.

Note that ‘to reach’ and ‘to comprise’ do not require any prepositions.

Growth of industrial production reached 21% over 11 months of the year.

Food exports were the largest category in 2010, comprising 74% of the total.

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 Changes in proportions

BY or TO?

increase by 10% means that 10% more of a number has been added to it,
e.g. 45% → 55% (it became 10% more)

increase to 10% means that a number was less than 10% and is now 10%,
e.g. 8% → 10% (it reached a figure of 10%)

INCREASE

The sales rose from 5 000 units to 7 000 units in a span of 4 months.
The sales rose to 10 000 units in October (They reached a figure of 10 000).
The sales doubled / tripled.
The sales rose by 10% (The sales were 30% and became 40%).
The sales increased by 5 times / to 5 times their value.
There was a four-fold increase in the price of oil.
The sales will see / witness a two-fold increase in the next 5 years.
Unemployment has risen eight-fold / eightfold.

DECREASE

The sales fell from 5 000 units to 7 000 units in a span of 4 months.
The number of robberies in West Midlands fell from 51 in 2018 to 39 last year,
whereas in Greater Manchester they were down from 64 to 39.
The sales fell to 10 000 units in October.
The sales halved.
The sales more than halved.
The sales fell by 10%.
The sales are expected to shrink by 20%.
The sales saw / witnessed a fall of 10% over the last three months.
The sales decreased by 5 times / to 5 times their value.
There was a four-fold / fourfold decrease in the number of visitors to the website.
Unemployment has fallen three-fold / threefold.

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SLIGHT CHANGE

The number of hits to the website hovered over/around 150 per day in 2008.
The number of hits to the website hovered between 140 and 150 per day in 2008.
The number of hits to the website fluctuated between 100 and 120 per day in 2007.
The number of complaints varied between 15 and 17 per month in 1997.

Prepositions with numbers and dates

There was a drop of 10% / a decline of 10%. There was a drop 10%.
The unemployment reached a low / a high of 5%.
The government spent a total of $10 billion to offset COVID-19’s impact on the
economy.
The unemployment reached a peak of 5%.
But: The unemployment peaked at 25% in 2000.
In 1995, the sales were / stood at 35%

35% 10%
1995 1997

In 1997, the sales fell to 10%;

In 1997, the sales fell by 25%;
In 1997, the sales fell from 35%. NOT in 35%;
The sales dropped to 10% between 1995 and 1997. NOT reduced to;
By 1997, the sales had fallen to 10%.

MIND THE DIFFERENCE: the figure for… vs the figure of…

‘the figure / the number / the amount’ + for + NOUN
‘the figure / the number / the amount’ + of + NUMERAL

Overall, there was a considerable rise in all sectors of global water use throughout
the century, with the figure for the agriculture category showcasing the most
considerable increase and that of the domestic use demonstrating the smallest
stable growth.

... and then rising steadily towards the figure of 350 by the end of the period.

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 Referring to when the events happened

over the analysed period

over the past few months
over the last few years
over the past ten years
in recent months
in recent years
in 1997
in the year 1900
from 1995 to 1997
from 1995 through 1997
between 1995 and 1997

3.1. Fill in the gaps with the right preposition:

1. .... 1990 ….2000, there was a drop … 15%.

2. GM car sales peaked … 1,000 in 1999.
3. The chart shows a decline … 35% ... the bird population.
4. There has been a significant increase … the number of people aged over eighty.
5. There have been dramatic cuts … the level of spending on the elderly, reaching a
low .. 11%.
6. Profits rose … a low ... 4.5 million to a high ... 8 million in 2008.
7. Canada and Australia's wheat exports fluctuated … 5 million and 6 million
respectively.
8. In Italy, hair and body products make ... approximately 30% of the cosmetic market.
9. The statistics show a reduction … 20% … energy costs as a result of the measures.
10. Profits fell … 10%, from 2,000 ... 1,800 in 1970s.
11. The number of students fell … a low ... 1,500 in the second half of the year.
12. Cases of AIDS shot up ….. 2,400 in 1996 ... 4,000 in 2004.
13. Demand reached a peak … 45,000 in early March.
14. The number of cars sold remained unchanged … three million in 1999.
15. The figure rose steadily .... the four years between 1997 … 2001.
16. Oil production rose dramatically at first, but then levelled off …. $70 a barrel.
17. There was an increase … 50,000 between 1990 … 1992.
18. Between 1994 … 1997, sales rose steadily … over 20,000.
19. DVD sales peaked … 60,000 … 1992, but then decreased … about 10,000 over the
next two years.
20. In the year 2000, sales started … 10,000.

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 21. Prescription medicines account ... 35.4% of the market share, while over-the-
counter medicines - 65.4%.
22. In the first month, there was a rise … around 2,000.
23. After some fluctuations, in 2000, sales reached their peak … just over 15,000.
24. Sales increased … over 12,000 … 1994 and 1997, but then dropped … about
10,000 … 1997 and 1999.
25. In 2008, the rate of unemployment rose … 10% (it was 7% and became 10%).
26. In 2008, the rate of unemployment rose … 10%, from 2,000 ... 2,200 cases.
27. There was a slight rise … the number of men employed.
28. The introduction of DVDs led to a decline … 20% … video sales.
29. The figures show a drop … 5% … student numbers.
30. The health service spent a total … $2.5 billion on staffing in April 2002.
31. In 2009, the rate of unemployment fell … 2% (from 10% to 8%).

The use of the following grammar patterns widens your range and boosts your
chances of getting a higher band on the IELTS scale grammar-wise.

• from … to … : Spending on holidays rose over the period from $1,052 million to
$1,230 million.

• with + noun + verb + ing: Spending on holidays rose over the period with
expenditure increasing from $1,053 million to $1,230 million.

• verb + ing: Spending on holidays rose over the period, increasing from $1,053
million to $1,230 million.

• with + noun: Spending on holidays rose over the period with an increase from
$1,053 million to $1,230 million.

3.2. For 1-5 below, combine the two sentences using the structure in brackets.

Example:
It is clear that the growth in expenditure increased steadily. The biggest rise occurred
between 2005 and 2006. (with + noun + verb + ing)

It is clear that the growth in expenditure increased steadily with the biggest rise
occurring between 2005 and 2006.

1. There was a rise in expenditure on holidays over the period. Spending increased from
$1,053 million to $1,230 million. (with + verb + ing)

2. The general trend for miscellaneous expenditure was clearly upward. It rose from $318
million to $557 million, a near 60% increase. (verb + ing)

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3. Spending on business trips also went up. It climbed from $859 million to $1,108 million.
(with + noun)

4. Climbing from $539 million in 2002, expenditure on visiting friends or relatives rose only
slightly to $585 million. Most of the growth took place between 2005 and 2008. (with +
noun)

5. The overall money spent went up. It was $2,780 in 2002 and $3,390 million in 2006, a
20.1% increase. It is noteworthy that miscellaneous expenditure accounted for the bulk
of the rise. (from … to …)

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 4. Ways to describe change over time

a) from the past to now

You will need Present Perfect Simple and Continuous Tenses in IELTS Writing Task
1 to describe changes that happened from the past to now. Such tasks are not that
often but you still might end up getting one at the exam.

The present perfect simple (have/has + (not) + past participle) is often used to talk
about trends continuing from the past to now. We often use an adverb to say how
quickly the change happened, or by now much. We use a time phrase to show the
period of time.

Unemployment has risen dramatically over the analysed period

House prices have increased sharply over the past few months
gone up significantly over the last few years
gone down steadily over the past ten years
dropped gradually in recent months
fallen slightly in recent years
by 15% since last year

Continuous or simple?

We also use the continuous form (have/has + (not) + been + -ing) to talk about trends
continuing from the past to now. The continuous form can be used to emphasise the
duration of an activity or the fact that is regularly repeated.

Unemployment has been rising over the last year.

House prices have been falling steadily.

We don’t use the continuous form when showing quick changes or to say exactly
how much.

The price of oil has been increasing has increased dramatically.

Inflation has been falling has fallen by 3% this year.

We also use the simple form for finished changes / events that took place at some point
before now.

The company has built 6,000 new houses in the city in the last two years. (=already
built)

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 4.1. Decide if both forms are possible in each sentence. If not, choose the
correct option.

1. Inflation has been gradually falling / has gradually fallen over the last two years.

2. The population has grown / has been growing dramatically in recent years.

3. The government has introduced / has been introducing laws in the last year to prevent
foreigners buying property and leaving it empty.

4. More and more people have been leaving / have left the country because of the
economic problems.

5. Unemployment has increased / has been increasing by 6% since the crash.

6. The situation has improved / has been improving slowly over the last few years.

7. 15% of the respondents have moved / have been moving house three times in the last
five years.

4.2. Complete the sentences with one word in each space. Sometimes more
than one answer is possible.

1. The crime rate has __________ falling steadily over the last twenty years.

2. Unemployment has risen sharply ___________ the start of the economic crisis.

3. The birth rate has fallen ___________ from 2.4 to 2.1 over the last decade.

4. In the last decade, the population has grown _________ 25% to reach 100 million
people.

5. Oil prices have __________ dramatically in _________ months. It was $125 a barrel at
the beginning of the year and now it is $80.

6. House prices ___________ more or less stayed the same ________ the _______ two
years.

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 b) Future trends

Quite often IELTS candidates are required to describe a graph that gives a future
prediction. If the candidates do not notice that and present their answer in the past tense,
their band will be lowered significantly. If such a graph is described in Future Simple or with
the help of ‘to be going to’, it will give the reader reference to the future but the range of
grammar will be limited and the candidates are unlikely to score anything higher than band 6
grammar-wise. The grammar patterns in this section will help you to vary your range and
boost your chances of scoring higher on the IELTS scale.

In academic writing passive constructions are often used instead of ‘be going to’ or
‘will’ to describe future predictions.

All the main cities are predicted to grow.

Between now and 2030, the global urban population is expected to rise by 25%.
New York and Osaka, meanwhile, are projected to drop out of the top 12 altogether.

We can use a perfect infinitive to show we expect something will happen before a
point in the future.

By 2030, African cities ... are forecast to have entered the top 12 for the first time.

… IS SET TO... In the next 20 years, the rural population is set to fall.

… IS EXPECTED TO... Russian cities are expected to grow rapidly over the next
20 years.

… IS FORECAST(ED) Prices in 2012 are forecast to decline somewhat owing

TO… to the expected economic slowdown in developed
countries.

… IS ANTICIPATED TO… The global HVAC Aftermarket is anticipated to rise at a

considerable rate during the forecast period, between
2020 and 2025.

… IS PREDICTED TO… China is predicted to become the world's largest

economy in the next 10 years.

… IS PROJECTED TO... By 2025, the population is projected to have risen to 15

million.

...IS ESTIMATED TO... 20 per cent of the harvest is estimated to have been lost
by the end of the year.

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 4.3. Rewrite the sentences using the verbs in brackets.

1. By 2025, the population will have risen to 15 million. (project)

2. In the next 20 years, the rural population will start falling. (predict)
3. African cities will grow rapidly over the next few years. (expect)
4. China will become the world’s largest economy in the next ten years. (forecast)

4.4. Match the sentence beginnings 1-6 with the appropriate ending a-f.

1. It is expected that ...

2. It is predicted that within the next 50 years a machine that ...
3. It is forecast that there could be issues ...
4. Sales of computer software are ...
5. It is estimated that mobile phone usage ...
6. It is anticipated that a larger ...

a) projected to double in the next ten years.

b) proportion of people will be living in urban areas by the end of the century.
c) will have grown substantially by the end of the year.
d) tracks everyone's movements will have been invented.
e) with safeguarding people's privacy.
f) unemployment will increase before it starts to decrease.

4.5. Write your own predictions to complete the sentence beginnings above.

4.6. Rewrite sentences 1-8 below using the words which follow each sentence.

Example:
It is predicted that computer sales will account for 20 per cent of the total
... are predicted...
Computer sales are predicted to account for 20 per cent of the total.

1. By the year 2030, it is estimated that the population will have increased to nearly 70
million.
… is estimated…

2. Spectator numbers will be rising dramatically towards the end of the year.
...are forecast…

3. The projected sales next month will be lower than this month.
...are projected…

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4. The forecast is for a substantial increase in passenger numbers.
...is forecast…

5. Sales will climb at the rate of 20 per cent a year.

...are predicted…

6. Attendances will decline gradually in the next two years.

... are anticipated…

7. It is expected that advances in technology will not slow down in the coming years.
… are not expected…

8. The estimated recovery in ticket purchases will happen in the third quarter.
... are estimated ...

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 TOPIC SPECIFIC INFORMATION

5. Maps

a) The use of articles in maps

When describing maps you will always be asked to compare two maps. We always need
to regard the first map as the starting point and consider everything on it as a given and,
therefore, use the definite articles when describing objects on the first map.

The second map will show changes or new additions to the town - the descriptions of these
new or transformed objects will require the indefinite article.

An airport was built in the north of the town.

* a new addition to the map.

However, the objects on the first map are our starting points and require the definite
article. Moreover, when other objects are described in relation to one particular object, this
object becomes unique and requires the definite article as well.

The(1) derelict factory buildings to the north of the(2) airport were demolished.
1. objects from the first map
2. a unique structure that serves as a reference point, in relation to which we describe other
objects.

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 5.1. Study the introduction and the overview in the model answer to the task
below and explain the choice of articles in the text.

THE(1) map illustrates how AN(2)

American town changed from 1954
to 2014.

Over THE(3) period, residential and

industrial areas of THE(4) town
were mostly converted into
commercial units north of THE(5)
canal. There were also built some
facilities, such as AN(6) airport and
A(7) stadium.

5.2. Read the rest of a

model answer to IELTS Task 1
from exercise 5.1. Fill in the gaps
with the correct article.

In the north-east of the town, all of

the factories were demolished to make
way for 1___ new airport and some
commercial buildings. Behind them,
2___ park made way for 3___ new
supermarket. In the centre of town,
some houses were demolished and
commercial buildings were erected,
which also occurred in the west, but
4___ local supermarket was knocked
down in order to make way for yet
more commercial buildings.

The southern bank of 5___ canal

remained relatively unchanged with all
of the residential area remaining the
same, but 6______ church located in
the south disappeared and there is
now 7___ sports arena in its place.

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 5.3. Read elements of a model answer to the task below and fill the gaps with
the correct article.

a) 1__ two maps compare plans of the Grance park in 1920 and in modern times.

Overall, the main changes throughout the period have been the appearance of 2__
rose garden instead of 3__ fountain, 4__ amphitheatre instead of 5__ stage for
musicians and 6__ water feature in the eastern part of the park.

b) Overall, 7__ park has been significantly redeveloped, with the addition of new facilities
for entertainment.

The most noticeable change is that several places for spending leisure time have been
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 added. In particular, in the western part of 8__ park, instead of 9__ stage for
musicians, 10__ huge amphitheatre for concerts has been built for guests. In the
south-eastern part of the park, instead of 11__ glasshouse, 12__ new water feature
has been erected. Meanwhile, in the north-east,13__ pond for water plants has been
reorganized into 14__ children's play area. One of the rose gardens located in the
north-west has been left untouched.

c) 15__ stage for musicians in the west has been replaced by 16__ amphitheater for
concerts, as well as 17__ fountain at the heart of the park has been converted into
18__ rose garden, whereas 19__ rose garden to the north-west of the park has
remained as it did in 1920. Similarly, 20__ glasshouse in the south-east has been
transformed into 21__ water feature.

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 b) Comparing now and the past

You might require the following types of comparative structures when describing
tables, bar charts or pie charts, but they are predominant when comparing maps
now and in the past.

Comparisons with nouns

We can use more with any kind of noun.

We use fewer or not as many with plural countable nouns.
We use less or not as much with uncountable nouns.

There are (many) more restaurants / than before.

(far) fewer schools in the past.

There are (nearly) as galleries / parks as there were.

not many in the area there used to be.

There is (much) more traffic / than there used to be.

(far) less infrastructure

There is as much as there were 20

not years ago.

Comparisons with adjectives

The area is more industrial than it used to be.

That part of town used to be less built-up than it is now.
The area is not as agricultural as it was 50 years ago.

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 5.4. There is one word missing in each sentence. Add the word in the correct
place.

1. It is far agricultural than it was ten years ago.

2. It was not built-up as it is now.
3. There used to be less entertainment there is now.
4. There are more restaurants than were before.
5. There used to be not as parking spaces in the area.
6. There did not use to be as many shops here as there now.

5.5. Underline the words and phrases used to make comparisons in sentences
1-6 in exercise 5.4.

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 c) Vocabulary to describe change in maps

5.6. Put the verbs in the box below into the correct column according to their
meaning.

convert tear down transform extend expand enlarge

(re)construct plant pull down turn into chop down redevelop
develop knock down demolish replace alter add
renovate remove (re)build modernise erect cut down

Removing structures Creating structures

5.7. Read sentences 1-13 and decide which:

a) give an overview of the general changes
b) introduce specific changes

Note that the grammar used to describe changes is in the passive.

1. The offices were demolished and the surrounding area was redeveloped with a new
leisure centre opening up.

2. The shopping centre was extended and the parking area was enlarged to
accommodate more cars.

3. The town centre was developed dramatically.

4. The trees were cut down and a new office block was erected.

5. A railway was constructed with the introduction of a new train station.

6. The neighbourhood was completely transformed.

7. The industrial area was modernised and made bigger with lots of new factories being
built.

8. The residential area was totally reconstructed.

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9. The local government had the sports facilities renovated and the small park was
turned into a children’s playground.

10. The park was replaced with a new housing complex.

11. The city centre was totally modernised.

12. They removed the shop and replaced it with a skyscraper.

13. The factory was entirely redeveloped and converted into apartments.

5.8. Complete the sentences below using the correct form of the verbs in
exercise 5.6. Make sure you use the passive voice where appropriate. There may be
more than one answer.

1. The old supermarket was in desperate need of repair. It __________ down and then
____________ with a new one.

2. Last year, the largest house on the street ____________ into flats.

3. The leisure centre _____________, so that it now includes a swimming pool.

4. The derelict land ______________ into a new sports stadium.

5. The trees _______________ to allow for extra street lighting.

6. The bank _______________ beyond all recognition. It's now a public library.

7. A new school _______________ to accommodate more pupils.

8. To make space for the new developments, the old buildings in the area
______________ and the whole transport system _______________ to include high
speed links.

5.9. Match each sentence beginning 1-7 with an ending a-g. There may be
more than one possible answer.

1. The centre of town

2. Several old buildings
3. A new school
4. The old houses
5. Some old derelict factories
6. A line of old trees
7. The bank

a) replaced the old hospital.

b) were knocked down to make way for a new supermarket.

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c) were pulled down, with a new multi-storey car park taking their place.
d) were demolished to create a large open space which was turned into a car park.
e) were chopped down to widen the road.
f) was converted into a restaurant, and the cinema was torn down.
g) was completely transformed over the ten-year period.

5.10. Underline the most suitable verb in italics in sentences 1-8 below. Then
put it into the correct tense.

1. The railway extend/expand to the centre of town, and three new stations were built.

2. As the town extend/expand, all the open spaces were used up for housing.

3. An airport construct/become on a greenfield site on the edge of the town.

4. The neighbourhood completely change/demolish with the building of new apartments.

5. The area around the town turn into/become more built-up.

6. A number of dramatic developments take place/convert, which alter/expand the

character of the town completely.

7. The area turn into/become less rural and leafy with the building of new offices.

8. The empty space near the university develop/become into a park.

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 d) Vocabulary for showing location

Geographical position: ‘in the north of’ vs ‘to the north of’ / ‘north of’

‘in the north of the town / city / neighbourhood’ shows the geographical position of
an object on the map

‘to the north of the river / the building’ (north of the river / the building) shows the
position of one object in relation to another object

An airport was constructed in the north of the city.

A railway was constructed to the east of the housing estate with the introduction of a
new train station.

The industrial area south-west of the station was expanded.

5.11. Fill in the gaps with the right preposition:

1. The trees ___ the north of the river were cut down and a new office block was built.

2. The empty space ___ the south-west of the neighbourhood was developed into a park.

3. The forest ___ west of the park was cut down and a new housing complex was
constructed.

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 5.12. Look at the map of the town of Sandring in 2000 and 2009. Decide if
sentences 1-10 below about Sandring in 2009 are true or false.

1. The hospital in the west of the town was converted into a hotel.

2. The park in the north-east of the town made way for a block of flats.

3. The public gardens in the south-east of the town were destroyed to make way for an
entertainment area.

4. The school was still in the same place in the west of the town.

5. The fields on the south-west border of the town have become an industrial zone.

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6. The quarry just south of the centre of town has been transformed into a lake.

7. The coach station in the centre of town was converted into a railway station.

8. A shopping centre was built in the north of the town, replacing part of the residential
area.

9. Overall, the town has become much less rural with more buildings being constructed.

5.13. Words and phrases 1-10 below can all be used to describe change.
Rewrite each sentence 1-10 in exercise 5.10. using the words below. There may be
more than one possible answer.

1. build in place of
2. remain intact
3. build on the site of
4. not change
5. turn into
6. give over to
7. become
8. reconstruct to become
9. replace/build
10. urban transformation

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 6. Line Graphs

For IELTS Task 1 you may have to describe trends in line graphs. To produce a
stronger answer, you need to have a wide range of vocabulary to describe downward
and upward movement as well as slight change and sudden change.

6.1. Fill out Tables A and B below. Write down as many possible words and
expressions as you can.

Table A - Verbs of Movement

↗ ↘ ⟿ → Λ V
rise

Table B - Slight and Sudden Change

Small change over a longer period Fast change over a shorter period

(rise) steadily (rise) sharply

6.2. Read the descriptions of the line graphs below and fill out Tables A and B
from exercise 6.1. with more vocabulary.

Note that the descriptions below do not contain any numbers or dates and are purely
aimed at broadening your range of lexis. Bear in mind that your IELTS Writing Task 1 must
contain numbers and dates to support your statements.

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Cars

Imports rose steadily during the first half of

the year, while exports declined slightly.
From July onwards, both imports and exports
remained reasonably steady, although
exports fluctuated slightly towards the end of
the year.

Coal

Imports rose sharply from January until the

end of June, while exports increased only
slightly. In the second half of the year,
exports declined but imports continued to
rise, not levelling off until the end of the year.

Oil

After a short period of fluctuation, imports

rose steadily throughout the year. Exports,
on the other hand, declined dramatically,
although they recovered slightly towards the
end of the year.

Wheat

Both imports and exports fluctuated in the

first half of the year. From July onwards,
imports rose steadily while exports continued
to fluctuate until October, when they
suddenly began to fall.

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Electrical goods

Exports fell dramatically in the first half of the

year, but recovered slightly and remained
stable from late October onwards. Imports
fluctuated, especially in the first three months
of the year, but the general trend was
upwards.

Textiles

Imports increased slightly during the first six

months of the year, then fluctuated before
starting to fall sharply in October. Exports,
however, remained reasonably stable
throughout the year.

Steal

Imports rose steadily until the end of June,

and then levelled off. Exports fell dramatically
throughout the first half of the year. They
recovered in July, but started to fall again
towards the end of the year.

Fruit and vegetables

Imports rose sharply, fell back slightly, then

reached a new peak in July. From then
onwards, they declined steadily. Exports
remained stable for most of the year, but
declined slightly from November onwards.

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Bottled water

Exports were stable throughout the first half

of the year, then declined gradually until
November, when they began to recover
slightly. Imports increased until late July,
levelled off, then rose very slightly at the end
of the year.

Computers

After a slow start, imports began to rise

dramatically, reaching a peak in July. From
then onwards, they declined steadily. Exports
fluctuated throughout the year, but the
general trend was downwards.

Timber

Imports fell slightly at the beginning of the

year, but then began to rise dramatically, not
slowing down until the final quarter of the
year. Exports were stable until July, then
entered a period of fluctuation which lasted
for the rest of the year.

Paper

Imports increased steadily until July, then

declined gradually for the rest of the year.
Exports fell sharply at the beginning of the
year, but recovered and from June onwards
were reasonably stable.

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 6.3. Read the description of the line graphs from exercise 6.2. again and find
‘time expressions’. Fill out the vocabulary box below.

Time expressions in Line Graphs

During the first half of the year…

From July onwards,...
From January until the end of June…
...

6.4. Continue filling out Table A from exercise 6.1. with the verb forms in the
box below.

hit a low climb remain flat plummet rise soar hit a peak
drop reach a high remain static plunge stabilise be erratic
reach the lowest point rocket grow plateau decrease dive
remain unchanged surge peak flatten out dip

↗ ↘ ⟿ → Λ V
rise

6.5. Underline all the verbs that describe an extreme. These cannot be
combined with adverbs.

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 6.6. Continue filling out Table B from exercise 6.1. in the box below with the
adverbs classifying the speed of change.

quickly swiftly slowly but surely modestly drastically slowly

rapidly radically steeply moderately considerably abruptly

Table B - Slight and Sudden Change

Small change over a longer period Fast change over a shorter period

(rise) steadily (rise) sharply

6.7. Match the parts of the graph 1-10 with the verbs a-j.

1. A-B a) hit a low

2. B-C b) fell and then levelled off
3. B-D c) remained flat/stable
4. D-F d) plummeted
5. F e) rose gradually
6. F-H f) fell gradually
7. G g) soared
8. I-J h) dipped
9. J-K i) fluctuated
10. L-M j) hit a peak

6.8. For sentences 1-10 below, use the verbs in exercise 6.7. to replace the
underlined text.

1. The price of laptops dropped, followed by a period of stability.

2. Numbers reached a high in the year 2009.

3. The amount of money spent fell slightly and then quickly recovered.

4. Visitor numbers to the website plunged in the first quarter of the year.

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5. Book purchases increased slowly but surely over the year.

6. The number of students applying to the university stabilized over the decade.

7. Attendance at the conference decreased steadily last year.

8. The growth rate was erratic during the previous year.

9. Member numbers reached their lowest point in March.

10. Car sales rocketed over the period.

6.9. Rewrite these sentences containing noun phrases so that they contain
‘verb + adverb’ combinations.

Example:
There was a significant rise in the use of social networking sites in 2005.
The usage of social networking sites rose significantly in 2005.

1. The data reveals that the 90s saw a dramatic increase in the number of people using
the Internet.

2. There is a steady growth in the popularity of reading newspapers online each year.

3. We are witnessing a gradual decline in the amount of time spent seeing friends face-to-
face.

4. There was a marginal rise from 30% to 32% in the proportion of biofuels used in
Germany in 2009.

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 6.10. Complete the gaps in the following model sentences for the task. There
may be more than one possible answer.

1. The most viewed site was clearly www.facebook.com, whose share of the market rose
_______________ from approximately 0.25 per cent on 10th March 2007 to 1.96 per
cent on 6th March 2006.

2. This was nearly an eightfold ________________ over the period.

3. It is also noticeable that the market share of Facebook _____________ a high of

around 2.2 per cent during December 2006, with peaks being _____________ by the
other two sites during the same period.

4. The market share of hits to the bebo site, meanwhile, _____________ at a slower pace
from about 1.2 to 1.44 per cent, a rise of approximately 40 per cent.

5. In contrast to the other two websites, the market share of www.myspace.com

_____________, decreasing from approximately the same level as www.bebo.com on
10th March 2007 to 0.89 per cent.

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 6.11. Complete the gaps in the following model sentences for the task. There
may be more than one possible answer.

1. It is clear that although visits to both search engines and social networking sites
_______________, visits to the latter ____________ at a faster pace.

2. In January 2004, Yahoo was by far the most popular site with over 100 million visitors.
However, although this figure rose ____________ to almost 120 million by June 2006,
this was not a significant _____________.

3. Secondly, Google received about half the number of visitors compared to Yahoo in
2004, around 60 million. Its popularity grew more ___________, so that by June 2006 it
almost had the same number of visitors as Yahoo had two and a half years earlier, an
___________ of nearly double.

4. Lastly, social networking sites received the least visitors in 2004. In contrast, they
experienced the greatest increase as numbers ___________ from around 40 to over 80
million by the end of the anaylysed period.

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 7. Tables, Pie Charts and Bar Charts

For IELTS Task 1 you may have to describe a table, a pie chart or a bar chart. First,
find out whether you need to describe a trend or compare proportions.

Sample 1 - the description of a trend (from 1981 to 2000)

Sample 2 - comparison of proportions / no trend

Description of a trend (sample 1) requires the same language that is used to describe
trends in line graphs, whereas performing a comparative analysis (sample 2) requires
certain comparative structures that will be discussed in the section below.

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 a) Describing trends in Tables, Pie Charts and Bar Charts

7.1. Complete the two texts using the words below. Notice how the
descriptions of a bar chart and a table are similar to that of a line graph.

altered exceeding meanwhile period subsequent

approximately fluctuated onwards stable trend
average halving peak rocketed upward
decline hovering plummeted steadily

The graph shows the number of car journeys into the city centre made by residents and
non-residents over a ten year period. In 1996 an 1 ______________ of just under 10,000
journeys per day were made by residents, while 2 _______________ half that number
were made by non-residents. Over the 3 ______________ three years, the number of
resident journeys remained reasonably 4 ________________ while that of non-resident
journeys increased each year, 5 ________________ 8,000 per day in 1999. In early
2000, parking meters were introduced into the city centre, and this had the effect of
virtually 6_______________ resident traffic, although non-resident traffic decreased only
slightly. By the end of 2002, the number of resident journeys had not 7________________
significantly, but that of non-resident journeys had risen to their 1999 level. At this point,
Westgate Street and Park Lane were pedestrianised. This resulted in a dramatic
8________________ in non-resident traffic, and a slight decrease in resident traffic. From
this point 9________________ resident traffic remained more or less at the same level,
while non-resident traffic resumed its 10_____________ trend, reaching nearly 5,000
journeys per day in 2005.

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The table shows the average daily viewing figures for Channel 7 News over a 12-month
1_______________. The figure for the 1pm News remained fairly stable, 2____________
at around 1.3 million throughout the year. The number for the 6pm News began the year at
4.8 million. It 3______________ , but the general 4_____________ was downwards, and
it ended the year at 3.4 million. The figure for the 9.30 News gradually increased from 3.2
million viewers per day in January to a 5________________ of 3.8 million in May.
However, this month saw the introduction of the 11pm News, and the figure for the 9.30
News 6_____________ hitting a low-point of 1.1 million in August. In the same period, the
figure for the 11pm news 7______________ from 0.2 million to 4.1 million. At this point,
the trend reversed. From August onwards, the index for the 9.30 news grew
8______________, reaching 3 million by the end of the year. 9_________________, the
figure for the 11 pm News declined sharply, and in December fell below the 1 million mark.

7.2. Complete a model answer using the words below. Notice how the
descriptions of a bar chart and a table are similar to that of a line graph.

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 peaked under reached increasingly mere
relatively doubled of which slightly witnessed

The table shows the number of overseas visits made from the UK during the years
1981-2000. The data is organized into the types of transport used.

Overall, travelling abroad became 1_______________ popular over the period.

In 1981, 19 million trips were made abroad from the UK, 2________________ 11.4 million
were made by air and 7.7 million by sea. Ten years later, the number of people travelling
by air had almost 3_______________, whereas that of travelling by sea had risen only
4_______________, by approximately half its original total. For the first time in 1996,
travel via the Channel Tunnel became possible, but numbers were 5_______________
small in comparison to the two other modes of transport, a 6______________ 3,5 million.

By 2000, however, air travel was by far the most popular option with 41.4 million a year.
Sea travel was still in the second place, but its popularity had suffered as more people
opted for the Channel Tunnel. There were just 7_______________ 1 million fewer visits by
sea than in 1996, when it 8________________ at 10.7 million. In contrast, the Channel
Tunnel 9_________________ its peak of popularity in 1998, two years after its opening,
when numbers almost doubled from 3.5 million to 6.1 million. However, its popularity
10__________________ a slight decrease, with 5.8 million visits made via the Tunnel by
the end of the millennium.

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 b) Making comparisons in Tables, Pie Charts and Bar Charts
Structures that show unequal comparisons

1. ‘more/less’ + adjective/adverb + than

Facebook was more popular than any Myspace was less popular than Bebo
other social network in 2009. and Facebook in 2009.

2. ‘fewer / less’ or ‘not as many / not as much’ + noun / noun phrase + than

We use fewer with plural countable nouns.

We use less with uncountable nouns.

There is less entertainment in this There are fewer supermarkets in

town than there used to be. country villages than in regional
towns.

3. not as + adjective / adverb + as

Newtown is not as prosperous as the People are not as adventurous as

others in this region. before.

4. not as + much / many + noun / noun phrase + as

Not as many people visit New There is not as much sun in the north
Zealand as Australia. of the country as in the south.

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 Structures that show comparisons

1. as + much / many + noun/noun phrase + as

There are as many immigrants as There are as many historic castles in

tourists in London. Scotland as in Wales.

2. ‘half/twice/three times, etc.’ + as + much / many + noun/noun phrase + as

Half as many people travelled abroad Long-haul travel by plane is three times
in August compared to the previous as expensive as travel by train.
month.

Making comparisons stronger

Add ‘much, far, a lot, considerably’ or ‘not nearly’ before ‘more/less’ or before ‘an
adjective/adverb’

Inter-city travel is far more There are considerably more people

developed than it was ten years moving abroad from the UK to Spain than
ago. France.

Making comparisons weaker

Add ‘a little, nearly, almost, not much’ or ‘not a lot before ‘as’ or before ‘an adjective/
adverb’

Travel by train is nearly as popular Walking is a little more popular than using
as travel by car. public transport in the city centre.

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 Error warning!
When comparing statistics, we usually say:
Comparing the figures for 1999 and 2000, we can see an increase of 20%.

We use compared to or compared with as follows:

Compared to the number of males, the number of females is relatively low.

The number of males is quite large compared to/with the number of females.

7.3. Look at the table in Writing Task 1 and decide if the statements below are
true or false:

1. Fewer women than men went swimming.

2. There was a far greater proportion of men than women involved in walking.

3. Males were less likely to take part in sporting activities.

4. Nearly twice as many women as men went cycling.

5. The table compares data about male and female involvement in a selection of activities
in the United Kingdom in 2002.

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6. Ten per cent of men played football, while no women played.

7. Compared to males, more than twice as many females kept fit and went to yoga
classes.

8. Football was the least popular activity overall.

9. Overall, males were more involved in physical activity than females.

7.4. Match the sentences in exercise 7.3. to section a, b or c below.

a) the introduction
b) the overview
c) specific data

7.5. Underline the words and phrases used to make comparisons in sentences
1-9 in exercise 7.3.

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 c) Describing proportions in Tables, Pie Charts and Bar Charts

Percentages (%) and fractions (¾, ⅓, ½, ect.) can be both used to describe
proportions of a whole amount.

If you do not know precise numbers or quantities, you can use words and phrases to
express approximate amounts.

Per cent and percentage

Per cent is used with a number, e.g. ten per cent / 50 per cent
Percentage is used with words, e.g. the percentage of people / a small percentage

Fractions: Proportions:
73% - nearly three quarters 70% - a large proportion
51% - just over a half 71% - a significant majority
49% - just under a half 15% - a small majority
32% - nearly a third 3% - an insignificant minority
3% - a fraction (a mere 3% / a minor 3%)
50% - exactly a half
26% - roughly one quarter
49% - around a half
24% - almost a quarter
77% - approximately three quarters
18% - nearly a fifth

7.6. Statistics can be expressed in a number of ways, as fractions (a quarter,

half, etc.), percentages (20%) or in expressions like ‘one in ten’. Match each of the
percentages 1-6 with expressions from the box below.

1. 10 per cent
2. 20 per cent
3. 25 per cent a third three out of four one in three three-quarters
4. 33 per cent one in ten a half a quarter nine out of ten a fifth
5. 75 per cent a tenth one in five one in four two-thirds
6. 90 per cent

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 7.7. Rewrite the following statistics. Use expressions from the box in exercise
7.6. and a suitable qualifier.

1. 48.5%
2. 30 people out of a total of 90 exactly about / around more than
3. 43 out of 80 less/fewer than approximately (just) over
4. 65% (just) under almost / nearly
5. seven in 100
6. 74 out of 100

7.8. Complete the gaps in the following part of a model answer. There may be
more than one possible answer.

According to the forecast, the energy generated by natural gas is expected to increase
from 1____________40% in 2007 to 2___________55% in 2027. Meanwhile, the nuclear
power share is also projected to rise by 3_____________5% to account for
4_______________16% by 2027.

It is noteworthy that the energy generated by oil will see the most dramatic decrease with
its share falling six-fold from 5______________7% to 6______________1%. The energy
generated by “other types of fuel” and by coal is predicted to experience the least
prominent but still significant drop: a slump by two-thirds from 11,1% to 3,4% for the former
and a decrease of 7______________6% for the latter. Finally, renewables, which had
8________________2,1% in 2007, are expected to decline to 1,5% by 2020.

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 7.9. Replace the words in bold with the words in the box.

a tiny percentage four out of five a significant minority fourfold slightly

higher the vast majority almost a fifth more than halved

1. The chart shows there were around 20,000 immigrants, 91% of whom came from other
European countries.

2. The graph illustrates that urban sprawl increased by 19% over this period.

3. As illustrated in figure 1, mortgage interest rates fell from 5% to 2%, while inflation
increased from 1.5% to 6%.

4. As can be seen in the pie chart, 80% of customers were satisfied with the service, which
was 6% more than last year.

5. As illustrated in figure 3, only 0.1% of household income is spent on books.

6. The survey indicated that 43% of respondents were concerned about the effects of the
proposals.

7.10. Rewrite sentences 1-6 using the words and phrases in the box below.
Make any necessary changes.

a smaller proportion of a third of the number of 40% of

three-quarters half five times the number of over

Example:
Twice as many cars were sold in June compared to March.
Half as many cars were sold in March compared to June.

1. The football match was attended by three times as many spectators as the rugby
match.

2. The sports department was visited by only 20 per cent of the shoppers in February 2009
when compared to February 2008.

3. More than four out of every ten competitors were from the main city.

4. The bulk of players were from overseas rather than home-grown.

5. A quarter of the members of the sports club paid by cash rather than credit card.

6. The team lost just under half of the games they played last season.

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 8. Processes
This section is likely to contain more unfamiliar vocabulary than the others. Keep an
eye out for new vocabulary and work on widening your range as you go along the section.

For IELTS Task 1 you may have to describe how something functions or how
something is structured. To get better at understanding how things work, look up
on the internet and practice explaining how various processes are organised. For
example, search ‘How Google tracks traffic?’ A possible answer you mind find:

‘When Android phone users turn on their Google Maps app with GPS location enabled,
the phone sends back data, anonymously, to Google that let the company know how
fast their cars are moving. Google Maps continuously combines the data coming in
from all the cars on the road and sends it back by way of those coloured lines on the
traffic layers. As more and more drivers use the app, the traffic predictions become
more reliable because Google Maps can look at the average speed of cars travelling
along the same route. If Google Maps does not have enough data to estimate the traffic
flow for a particular section of road, that section will appear in gray on the traffic layers’.

You can then study the sample and broaden your range of vocabulary, grammar, linking
devices, etc.

For further practice, look up on the internet and practice explaining the function of
the following:

a) a burglar alarm b) central heating c) a photocopier d) sat-nav e) wi-fi

The better you understand how different processes work, the easier it will be for
you to describe them.

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 a) The Passive

For IELTS Task 1 you may have to describe a physical process. This may be illustrated
in form of a diagram showing different steps or stages in the process. In a process
description some verbs are required to be in the passive voice.

At the first stage, water is pumped to the solar collector where it is heated by sun
power until it reaches a necessary temperature. After this, hot water circulates through
the pipe, heating the tank, from which warm water is later supplied to the house.

8.1. Look at the pictures and the labels below. Complete the text with active or
passive forms of the verbs in brackets.

The diagram shows (show) the process of harvesting wheat. First of all, the wheat plants
(1)………………..(cut) by a combine harvester. Then, the machine (2)…………………
(separate) the wheat from the straw. The wheat (3) …………………(take) to the barn
where it (4)……………..(store). The straw (5)……………..(put) into labels and (6)
…………….. (leave) in the field. Finally, the wheat is (7) ………………… (transported) to
factories to be made into food products.

8.2. Complete the sentences with active or passive forms of the verbs in
brackets.

1. The pollution ………………..(carry) to the sea by rivers.

2. Pollution …………….(store) in clouds and …………(fall) as acid rain.
3. Sea life and fish ……………(kill) by polluted water.
4. Factories …………….(produce) gas pollution.
5. Gas pollution ……………(rise) into the air.

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6. Liquid pollution ………………(produce) by factories as well.
7. This acid rain …………….(damage) plants and animals in the countryside.
8. Liquid pollution ……………(pump) into nearby rivers.

8.3. Look at the diagram and put the sentences from exercise 8.2. in the
correct order.

To describe a process, you can expand the labels from a diagram into full sentences.
Notice the change from the active to passive voice.

Label: Rivers carry pollution to sea.

Full sentence: Pollution is carried to the sea by rivers.

Label: Clouds store pollution / pollution turns to acid rain / acid rain falls.
Full sentence: Pollution is stored in clouds and falls as acid rain.

Notice that the labels do not include articles (a / the) or prepositions (in / on / at); some
labels are just nouns or verbs. You will need to change these by making them full
subject + verb + object sentences, turning them into passive voice sentences and
adding any other words that are necessary.

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 8.4. Look at the diagram and use the labels and the notes below to write full
sentences.

Example:
during / eruption / magma rises / volcano’s main vent
During an eruption magma rises up the volcano’s main vent.

1. magma / erupt from / crater / top / volcano

2. magma / change into / lava
3. ash cloud / form above / volcano
4. lava flows down / side / volcano
5. many trees / killed / lava

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 b) Sequencing events: linkers and useful vocabulary

8.5. Decide which one of the following linking words or phrases in the box
below cannot be used to describe sequences.

initially first at last then next as soon as once

before following that after that finally when where after

8.6. Before you look at the text below, describe the lifecycle of an apple tree in
your own words using the diagram below.

8.7. Complete the gaps in the text below with some of the verbs and nouns
from the box below. Use the present tense and make any necessary changes to the
nouns.

plant pollinate blossom harvest grow tall disperse become bigger

come out prune sprout transplant grow ripen appear
open up cultivate bear eat fall sow seeds
saplings branches tree buds flowers fruit

The life of an apple tree

The 1_______ of the apple tree 2________ in trays where they grow until they reach a
certain size. Then they are 3_________ into the fields. When they reach a certain height,
the saplings are 4__________ to increase the production of apples. As the 5__________
grow taller, the branches 6___________, and then the branches sprout 7___________.
The tree blossoms attract bees that, in turn, 8_________ the flowers. In the autumn, the
9__________ begins to 10__________, and then the leaves fall. The fruit is then

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11__________ and the apples are graded, sorted and taken in special refrigerator lorries
for storage or distribution to the market.

8.8. Underline the linking words in 1-7 below and find the first step in the
sequence. Then decide what is being described and put the sentences in order.

1. If it is the latter, the broken components are mended

2. and the phone is then sent for sale.
3. Once a device is broken, it is either thrown away or sent for recycling.
4. These are then shipped to a different factory for assembly.
5. First, the various internal components like the chip are manufactured in one place.
6. After that they are dispatched to a central warehouse for distribution.
7. At the same time, the case and the SIM card are produced.

8.9. Compare this manufacturing process with the natural life cycle described
in the life of an apple tree. Notice the similarities in how the processes are
sequenced.

8.10. Look at the following diagram which shows a process. Put sentences a-g
into the correct order.

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a) However, it is clear that it has the potential to be another clean, renewable energy
source as no pollution is generated.

b) The diagram shows the technology behind Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC)
that takes advantage of the differences in temperature of deep and surface sea water to
produce electricity.

c) When this 'working fluid' boils, the resulting gas creates enough pressure to drive a
turbine that generates power.

d) First, warm surface water heats a fluid with a low boiling point, such as ammonia or a
mixture of ammonia and water.

e) Overall, the system works just like a conventional power plant where a fuel like coal is
burned to create steam.

f) While the gas condenses back into a liquid that can be used again, the water is returned
to the deep ocean.

g) The gas is then cooled by passing it through cold water pumped up from the deep
ocean through tubes 1,000 metres long.

8.11. Underline all the linking words in exercise 8.10. that show how the events
are sequenced.

8.12. Match 1-6 below with a sentence or part of a sentence a-f to complete the
sequence.

1. As soon as the wheat is fully grown,

2. Before it is wrapped,
3. Once the mangoes are ripe they are picked,
4. The components are imported and then put together.
5. When the tea bush reaches a certain height, the leaves are picked.
6. Milk production goes through various stages. When the cows are milked, the milk is
taken to a dairy where various products are made.

a) the chocolate is put into moulds and left to cool.

b) It is heated to kill bacteria to make it suitable for drinking, or churned to produce butter.
c) and sent to the market for sale, or kept in a cold refrigerator for export.
d) it is reaped.
e) They are then dried, sorted, blended and wrapped in packets for sale.
f) After that the machines are put into boxes and transported to warehouses or to shops.

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 8.13. Match each of the words below to a sequence in exercise 8.12.

storage delivery pasteurization harvesting assembly packaging

8.14. Decide what the verb is for each noun in exercise 8.13.

8.15. Describe the steps in the process below. Try to use the words in the box.

throw away recycle crush buy

rubbish crush landfill collect
transport separated colour tip
recycled new bottles

8.16. Complete the gaps in the text below with suitable linking words from 8.5.
Think of as many linking words as you can for each gap.

The fizzy drink is bought in the shop. 1________________ it is drunk, it is either thrown
away, in which case it is thrown into a rubbish tip, or it is put into a recycling bin.
2_______________ the recycled bottles are collected and taken to a special centre,
3______________ the glass is sorted. After this step, the glass is crushed and
4___________ it is used for making new glass. This glass is 5 ____________ made into
new bottles which are delivered to various bottling plants, 6 ___________ the various
drinks are added.

8.17. Find the word step in the text in exercise 8.16. Which other words can
you use instead of step?

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 8.18. Complete the text using the words below:

Band 9 sample! Highly recommended to learn as a model answer.

before which then finally also once

first on the whole after that by this action

The picture shows how pencils are produced from logs and leads.

1 ……………..., the process is not only efficient, because all parts of the tree are used but
2………………. eco-friendly.

3 …………..., the seeds are cultivated in nurseries before being planted four months later.
After three years the plantation is thinned facilitating the growth and improving the quality
of the wood. 4 …………... the trees are fourteen years old, they are now ready to be used
for the manufacturing of pencils and so are cut down to make logs.

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The wood obtained is cut into thin pieces, treated to become dry, and 5 ………… left for
sixty days before being used for the production of pencils. At this stage, a groove is cut
into the slat and a special glue is injected. 6 ……………, a black lead is put into the slat
followed by the placement of an empty slat on top to form a sandwich, 7………... is heated
and hard-pressed. 8 ………………. the two slats are converted into one piece which is
then cut to produce individual pencils which, in turn, are 9……………. printed, sharpened
and stamped 10 ……………. reaching the consumers.

Linking words in processes: whereby, thereby and thus

Whereby explains the way something is done according to a method, agreement, rule, etc.

Thereby and thus both show the result of a particular process previously mentioned.

8.19. Complete the sentences with whereby or thereby / thus.

1. Glassblowing is the process ___________ glass is heated and then shaped.

2. The milk is heated to around 70% ___________ killing the vast majority of microbes.

3. We have to comply with strict regulations ___________ our machines are inspected
weekly, ___________ ensuring total safety.

4. There is a trade-in scheme ___________ any car over fifteen years old can be sold for
$3,000 when buying a new car.

8.20. Look at the two diagrams below. Think what processes they show and
what might happen in each case.

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 8.21. Now read the text in exercise 8.22. that describes Figure 2 and label 1-6
in the diagram.

8.22. Complete the description with these linkers.

meanwhile whereby thus as

The diagram shows a process known as Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) 1___________
solar energy is used to create steam to power electrical generators.

Large parabolic troughs are directed at the sun. The mirrored surfaces of the troughs
reflect the sun’s rays and concentrate them onto pipes carrying a fluid that is
2_____________ heated up to a very high temperature. This super-heated fluid passes
through a heat exchanger, where it boils water and creates steam, before returning in a
loop back to the parabolic trough. The steam 3 ___________ is conveyed through pipes at
high pressure to a generator, where it drives turbines to create electricity. 4 ____________
the steam goes through the turbine it loses heat and is then further cooled in a tower,
converting it back into water. The water then continues in a loop back to the heat
exchanger, where it is again boiled to create steam. In the absence of sunshine, the steam
is generated by supplementary gas-powered heaters.

8.23. Replace the words in italics with these words and rewrite each sentence
in the passive.

insulate categorise assemble screen discard ship

break down box power remove proofread select

1. They take out plastic from the rubbish manually.

2. They wrap the pipes with foam to minimise heat loss.
3. They check the final product for impurities.
4. They sort the tea leaves into different grades according to size and quality.
5. They do not throw away anything during the process to maximise efficiency.
6. They choose potential jury members randomly from the electoral roll.
7. They put together the parts in a central plant.
8. They check the final manuscript for spelling mistakes and other errors.
9. They package the oranges and load them onto lorries.
10. They drive the turbines by forcing water through them.
11. They use microbes to decompose the oil into droplets.
12. They only take payment after they send the order from the warehouse.

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 8.24. Answer the questions, looking up all the necessary information on the
Internet.

- What processes do you think each of the sentences in exercise 8.23. are part of?
- Why might different processes use these things?

a filter a conveyor belt a pump a magnet a furnace an algorithm

- What is involved in the following processes? Try to describe them.

• a visa application
• getting a non-emergency operation
• buying and selling online
• publishing a book or making a film
• a criminal court case
• getting compensation for something
• getting rid of your rubbish
• providing electricity or tap water
• getting a driving licence

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For IELTS Task 1 you may have to describe a life cycle. The task might seem daunting at
first but, in fact, once you get familiar with one description of a life cycle of a living being,
you will find out that other descriptions will contain a lot of similar vocabulary.

Study the sample below to broaden your range of vocabulary on the topic.

To begin with, eggs are laid by the moth and it takes 10 days for the eggs to hatch into
silkworm larvae that feed on mulberry leaves. This stage takes between 4 and 6 weeks
before the worms construct a cocoon from a silk thread, taking approximately one week.
They stay there for around a fortnight, subsequently emerging as moths, and the process
can begin again.

For further practice, look up on the internet and practice explaining the life cycles of:

a) a bee b) an ant c) a frog d) salmon

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 8.25. Look at the life cycle of a butterfly. Number sentences a-d in the correct
order 1-4.

a) When it is the right size, the caterpillar

grows a hard skin called a pupa. Inside the
pupa the caterpillar loses its old body parts
and grows completely new ones, including
wings.

b) A butterfly starts life as a small round

egg. This egg is laid on the leaves of
plants.

c) Finally, the butterfly is released, and

once it lays eggs, the cycle starts again.

d) When the egg hatches, a caterpillar

emerges. The caterpillar has to feed on the
leaves of plants in order to grow.

8.26. Underline the vocabulary that is similar to the one used to describe the
life cycle of the silkworm.

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 Answers

General information
1. Vocabulary for Introduction and Overview

1.1. introduction C is the best answer because it paraphrases the rubric. Note the
change in words (illustrates / hits / in the UK / on a weekly basis / over one year to March
2008)

1.2. 1 and 3

1.3. 1. noticeable; 2. shows; 3. fluctuated; 4. surge; 5. remained steady; 6.

plummeted; 7. declined; 8. downward; 9. trend; 10. breakdown.

1.4.

1. the introduction: 10
2. the overview: 2; 3; 4; 7; 8; 9;
3. specific data: 1; 5; 6. *note that for a higher band all your statements need to be backed
with numbers.

1.5.

1. The trend in attendances is/was clearly upward. / There is/was a clear upward trend in
attendances.

2. There is/was an increase in student numbers over the year. / Student numbers
increased over the year.

3. Market share fell overall over / during the past decade. / There was an overall fall in
market share over / during the past decade.

4. Generally speaking, the trend in the cost of train journeys is/was flat.

5. The trend in prices is/was downward overall.

6. The miles covered by shoppers declined.

7. The price of grain rose steadily in the last six months. / There has been a steady rise in
the price of grain in the last six months.

8. There has been a clear downward trend in the number of flights abroad.

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 2. Linking Ideas

a) Text Organisers

2.1. 1. By contrast / by comparison; 2. By contrast / Meanwhile; 3. but / whereas; 4.

Meanwhile / By contrast; 5. whereas / whilst

2.2.

1. However,
2. Furthermore,
3. Noticeable,
4. In contrast,
5. Finally,
6. although
7. It is worth noticing
8. Another noticeable feature
9. Meanwhile,
10.However,

2.3. 1-e; 2-c; 3-d; 4-a; 5-b

2.4. your own answers

b) Referencing: avoiding repetition

2.5. 1. used to be; 2. were; 3. do; 4. did; 5. can; 6. is

2.6.

1. Whereas only 34% of adults said they went to the cinema in 1987-88, more than half
said that they did so in 1997-98.

2. Some museums introduced admission charges and this affected the number of visits
made.

3. A higher proportion of people aged 35 and over said they attended classical music
concerts than those aged fifteen to 34.

4. The students were shown a number of videos in the Life and Culture course, but the
one they liked best was Fawlty Towers.

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5. Titanic was the top box-office film of 1998 in the United Kingdom. That was followed by
The Full Monty and Saving Private Ryan.

6. The two most popular cultural events after the cinema were plays and art galleries/
exhibitions with attendances of 24% and 22% respectively.

7. Excursions to Stratford-upon-Avon and Oxford were the most popular. The former was
attended by 250 students and the latter was visited by 230 students.

8. Approximately 25% of visitors made purchases in the museum shop. Of these, most
spent less than £5.

9. In 1998, the number of visits made to the Tate Gallery rose to more than double of those
(made) in 1981.

2.7.

1. The government donates 0.6% of GDP as aid, the bulk of which goes to countries in
Africa.

2. There were 2650 fatalities from car accidents last year, the vast majority of which were
caused by driver error.

3. University entrees, of whom 12% will come from deprived backgrounds, are set to
increase.

4. There was a significant fall in crime in the last decade, a large part of which was put
down to rising living standards.

5. The survey interviewed 950 people altogether, most of whom were 18-25 years old.

3. Introducing Data

а) The use of prepositions with numbers and dates

3.1.

1. From 1990 to 2000, there was a drop of 15%.

2. GM car sales peaked at 1,000 in 1999.

3. The chart shows a decline of 35% in the bird population.

4. There has been a significant increase in the number of people aged over eighty.

5. There have been dramatic cuts in the level of spending on the elderly, reaching a low of
11%.

6. Profits rose from a low of 4.5 million to a high of 8 million in 2008.

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7. Canada and Australia's wheat exports fluctuated between 5 million and 6 million
respectively.

8. In Italy, hair and body products make up approximately 30% of the cosmetic market.

9. The statistics show a reduction of 20% in energy costs as a result of the measures.

10.Profits fell by 10%, from 2,000 to 1,800 in 1970s.

11.The number of students fell to a low of 1,500 in the second half of the year.

12.Cases of AIDS shot up from 2,400 in 1996 to 4,000 in 2004.

13.Demand reached a peak of 45,000 in early March.

14.The number of cars sold remained unchanged at three million in 1999.

15.The figure rose steadily over the four years between 1997 and 2001.

16.Oil production rose dramatically at first, but then levelled off at $70 a barrel.

17.There was an increase of 50,000 between 1990 and 1992.

18.Between 1994 and 1997, sales rose steadily to over 20,000.

19.DVD sales peaked at 60,000 in 1992, but then decreased to about 10,000 over the
next two years.

20.In the year 2000, sales started at 10,000.

21.Prescription medicines account for 35.4% of the market share, while over-the-counter
medicines - 65.4%.

22.In the first month, there was a rise of around 2,000.

23.After some fluctuations, in 2000, sales reached their peak of just over 15,000.

24.Sales increased to over 12,000 between 1994 and 1997, but then dropped to about
10,000 between 1997 and 1999.

25.In 2008, the rate of unemployment rose to 10% (it was 7% and became 10%).

26.In 2008, the rate of unemployment rose by 10%, from 2,000 to 2,200 cases.

27.There was a slight rise in the number of men employed.

28.The introduction of DVDs led to a decline of 20% in video sales.

29.The figures show a drop of 5% in student numbers.

30.The health service spent a total of $2.5 billion on staffing in April 2002.

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31.In 2009, the rate of unemployment fell to 2% (from 10% to 8%).

3.2.

1. There was a rise in expenditure on holidays over the period with spending increasing
from £1,053 million to £1,230 million.

2. The general trend for miscellaneous expenditure was clearly upward, rising from £318
million to £557 million, a near 60% increase.

3. Spending on business trips also went up with a climb from £859 million to £1,108
million.

4. Climbing from £539 million in 2002, expenditure on visiting friends or relatives rose only
slightly to £585 million, with most of the growth taking place between 2005 and 2006.

5. The overall money spent went up from £2,780 million in 2002 to £3,390 million in 2006,
a 20.1% increase. It is noteworthy that miscellaneous expenditure accounted for the
bulk of the rise.

4. Ways to describe change over time

a) From the past to now

4.1. 1. Both; 2. has grown; 3. has introduced; 4. both, though ‘been leaving’ may be
more common; 5. has increased; 6. has been improving; 7. have moved.

4.2. 1. been; 2. since; 3. gradually; 4. by; 5. risen, recent; 6. have, in / over, last

b) Future trends

4.3.

1. By 2025, the population of Dhaka is projected to have risen to 22 million.

2. In the next 20 years the rural population is set to fall.
3. African cities are expected to grow rapidly over the next five years.
4. China is predicted to become the world’s largest economy in the next ten years.

4.4. 1-f; 2-d; 3-e; 4-a; 5-c; 6-b

4.5. Your own answers

4.6.

1. By the year 2030 the population is estimated to have increased to nearly 70 million.
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2. Spectator numbers are forecast to rise dramatically towards the end of the year.
3. The sales next month are projected to be lower than this month.
4. It is forecast that passenger numbers will increase substantially.
5. Sales are predicted to climb at the rate of 20 per cent a year.
6. Attendances are anticipated to decline gradually in the next two years.
7. Advances in technology are not expected to slow down in the coming years.
8. Ticket purchases are expected to recover in the third quarter.

Topic-specific information
5. Maps

a) The use of articles in maps

5.1.

1. THE - a specific map, given in the task

2. AN - / one of many / first mention of a town that was not specified in the task
3. THE - exact period, given in the task
4. THE - the same town that was previously mentioned in the introduction
5. THE - the canal serves as a reference point, in relation to which other objects are
described
6. AN - / one of many / there is nothing unique about it, it is a new addition to the town
7. AN - / one of many / there is nothing unique about it, it is a new addition to the town

5.2.

In the north-east of the town, all of the factories were demolished to make way for 1-A new
airport and some commercial buildings. Behind them, 2-THE park made way for 3-A new
supermarket. In the centre of town, some houses were demolished and commercial
buildings were erected, which also occurred in the west, but 4-THE local supermarket was
knocked down in order to make way for yet more commercial buildings.

The southern bank of 5-THE canal remained relatively unchanged with all of the residential
area remaining the same, but 6-THE church located in the south disappeared and there is
now 7-A sports arena in its place.

5.3.

a) 1-THE two maps compare plans of the Grance park in 1920 and in modern times.

Overall, the main changes throughout the period have been the appearance of 2-A rose
garden instead of 3-THE fountain, 4-AN amphitheatre instead of 5-THE stage for
musicians and 6-A water feature in the eastern part of the park.

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b) Overall, 7-THE park has been significantly redeveloped, with the addition of new
facilities for entertainment.

The most noticeable change is that several places for spending leisure time have been
added. In particular, in the western part of 8-THE park, instead of 9-THE stage for
musicians, 10-A huge amphitheatre for concerts has been built for guests.

In the south-eastern part of the park, instead of 11-THE glasshouse, 12-A new water
feature has been erected. Meanwhile, in the north-east,13-THE pond for water plants
has been reorganized into 14-A children's play area. One of the rose gardens located in
the north-west has been left untouched.

c) 15-THE stage for musicians in the west has been replaced by 16-AN amphitheater for
concerts, as well as 17-THE fountain at the heart of the park has been converted into
18-A rose garden, whereas 19-THE rose garden to the north-west of the park has
remained as it did in 1920. Similarly, 20-THE glasshouse in the south-east has been
transformed into 21-A water feature.

b) Comparing now and the past

5.4.

1. It is far more / less agricultural than it was ten years ago.

2. It was not as built-up as it is now.
3. There used to be less entertainment than there is now.
4. There are more restaurants than there were before.
5. There used to be not as many parking spaces in the area.
6. There did not use to be as many shops here as there are now.

5.5. Underline the words and phrases used to make comparisons in sentences
1-6 in exercise 5.3.

1. It is far more / less agricultural than it was ten years ago.

2. It was not as built-up as it is now.
3. There used to be less entertainment than there is now.
4. There are more restaurants than there were before.
5. There used to be not as many parking spaces in the area (as there are now).
6. There did not use to be as many shops here as there are now.

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 c) Vocabulary to describe change in maps

5.6.

Removing structures Creating structures

tear down convert

knock down (re)construct
remove develop
pull down renovate
demolish (re)build
chop down transform
cut down plant
extend
replace
modernise
expand
alter
erect
enlarge
redevelop
add

5.7.

a) overview of the general changes: 3, 6, 8, 11

b) specific changes: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13

5.8.

1. was torn/was knocked/was pulled, (was) replaced

2. was converted/was turned into/was transformed
3. was extended/was expanded
4. was developed/was transformed
5. were chopped down/torn down
6. was transformed
7. was constructed
8. were knocked down/were pulled down/were demolished/ were torn down, was
developed/was transformed

5.9. 1 - g; 2 - b, c, d; 3 - a; 4 - b, c, d; 5 - c, d; 6 - e; 7 - f

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 5.10.

1. The railway extended to the centre of the town, and three new stations were built.

2. As the town expanded, all the open spaces were used up for housing.

3. An airport was constructed on a greenfield site on the edge of the town.

4. The neighbourhood completely changed with the building of new apartments.

5. The area around the town became more built-up.

6. A number of dramatic developments took place, which altered the character of the
town completely.

7. The area became less rural and leafy with the building of new offices.

8. The empty space near the university developed into a park.

d) Vocabulary for showing location

5.11. 1. to (the north of the river); 2. in (the south-west of the neighbourhood); 3. -

(west of the park)

5.12. 1. True; 2. False; 3. True; 4. True; 5. True; 6. True; 7. True; 8. True; 9. True

5.13.

1. A hotel was built in place of the hospital in the west of the town. / In the west of the town
a hotel was built in place of the hospital.

2. The park in the north-east of the town remained intact.

3. An entertainment area was built on the site of the public gardens in the south-east of the
town.

4. The school in the west of the town did not change.

5. The fields on the south-west border of the town were given over to an industrial zone.

6. The quarry just south of the centre of the town has become a lake.

7. The coach station in the centre of the town was reconstructed to become a railway
station.

8. A shopping centre replaced part of the residential area / was built in the north of the
town.

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9. Overall, the town has undergone an urban transformation.

6. Line Graphs

6.1. Your own answers

6.2.
Table A - Verbs of Movement

↗ ↘ ⟿ → Λ V

rise; decline; fluctuate; remain reach a decline

increase; fall; (enter) a reasonably peak; dramatically
the general the general period of steady; (and then)
trend was trend was fluctuation; level off; recover;
upwards; downwards; remain
(reasonably)
stable;

Table B - Slight and Sudden Change

Small change over a longer period Fast change over a shorter period

(rise / decline) steadily (rise / fall) sharply

(increase / decline) slightly / only (decline / fall / rise) dramatically
slightly / very slightly suddenly (begin to fall)
(decline) gradually
after a slow start...

6.3.
Time expressions in Line Graphs

During the first half of the year…

From July onwards,...
...towards the end of the year.
...from January until the end of June…
In the first / second half of the year…
(...not…) until the end of the year.
...throughout the year
...throughout the first half of the year
from late October onwards
during the first six months of the year
(...in July.) From then onwards,...
(...not…) until the final quarter of the year
for the rest of the year

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 6.4.

Table A - Verbs of Movement

↗ ↘ ⟿ → Λ V

rise; decline; fluctuate; remain reach a decline

increase; fall; (enter) a reasonably peak; dramatically
the general the general period of steady; hit a peak; (and then)
trend was trend was fluctuation; level off; recover;
upwards; downwards; remain
(reasonably)
stable;

climb; plummet; be erratic remain flat; reach a hit a low;

soar; drop; remain static; high; reach the
rocket; plunge; stabilise; peak lowest
grow; decrease; plateau; point;
surge dive remain dip
unchanged;
flatten out.

6.5. verbs that describe an extreme

↗ climb; soar; rocket; surge; peak

↘ plummet; plunge; dive;

6.6. Table B - Slight and Sudden Change

Small change over a longer period Fast change over a shorter period

(rise / decline) steadily (rise / fall) sharply

(increase / decline) slightly / only (decline / fall / rise) dramatically
slightly / very slightly suddenly (begin to fall)
(decline) gradually
after a slow start… quickly
swiftly
slowly but surely drastically
modestly rapidly
slowly radically
moderately steeply
considerably
(fell) abruptly

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 6.7. 1 h; 2 d; 3 b; 4 g; 5 j; 6 i; 7 a; 8 e; 9 c; 10 f

6.8.

1. fell and then levelled off

2. hit a peak
3. dipped
4. plummeted
5. rose gradually
6. remained flat/stable
7. fell gradually
8. fluctuated
9. hit a low
10.soared

6.9.

1. The number of people using the Internet increased dramatically in the 90s.
2. The popularity of reading newspapers online grows steadily each year.
3. The amount of time spent seeing friends face-to-face is gradually declining.
4. The proportion of biofuels used in Germany in 2009 rose marginally from 30% to 32%.

6.10.

1. dramatically / significantly / sharply / steeply

2. increase
3. reached (a high); (with peaks being) hit
4. increased / climbed / rose (but avoid repetition)
5. declined / fell / dropped

6.11.

1. increased; grew
2. gradually / steadily; (it was not a significant) increase
3. (grew more) rapidly; (an) increase (of nearly double)
4. soared / rocketed

7. Tables, Pie Charts and Bar Charts

a) Describing trends in Tables, Pie Charts and Bar Charts

7.1.

Bar chart: 1) average; 2) approximately; 3) subsequent; 4) stable; 5) exceeding; 6)

halving; 7) altered; 8) decline; 9) onwards; 10) upward

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Table: 1) period; 2) hovering; 3) fluctuated; 4) trend; 5) peak; 6) plummeted; 7) rocketed;
8) steadily; 9) Meanwhile

7.2.

1. increasingly
2. of which
3. doubled
4. slightly
5. relatively
6. mere
7. under
8. peaked
9. reached
10.witnessed

b) Making comparisons in Tables, Pie Charts and Bar Charts

7.3.

1. No. Fewer men than women went swimming.

2. No. There was a greater proportion of men than women involved in walking, but not a
far greater proportion.
3. No. Women were less likely to take part in sporting activities.
4. No. Nearly twice as many men as women went cycling.
5. Yes. The table compares information about male and female involvement in a selection
of activities in the United Kingdom in 2002.
6. Yes. Ten per cent of men played football while no women played.
7. Yes. Compared to males, more than twice as many women kept fit and went to
classes.
8. Yes. Football was the least popular activity overall.
9. Yes. Overall, males were more involved in physical activity than females.

7.4.

1. the introduction: 5
2. the overview: 3 and 9
3. specific data: 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8

7.5.

1. fewer… than
2. a far greater proportion of … than
3. less likely to
4. twice as many… as…
5. compares data about…

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6. while
7. Compared with… more than twice as many…
8. the least popular
9. more involved in… than…

c) Describing proportions in Tables, Pie Charts and Bar Charts

7.6. 1. a tenth / one in ten; 2. a fifth / one in five; 3. a quarter / one in four; 4. a third /
one in three; 5. three quarters / three out of four; 6. nine out of ten (only possible answer)

7.7. 1. just under half / 50%; 2. one in three; (exactly) a third; 3. just over half / 50%;
4. approximately / about two thirds; 5. less than ten per cent / fewer than one in ten; 6.
almost / approximately / about three quarters / 75%

7.8.

According to the forecast, the energy generated by Natural gas is expected to increase
from 1) just under 40% in 2007 to 2) nearly 55% in 2027. Meanwhile, the Nuclear power
share is also projected to rise by 3) around 5% to account for 4) approximately 16% by
2027.

It is noteworthy that the energy generated by Oil will see the most dramatic decrease with
its share falling six-fold from 5) just under 7% to 6) a mere 1%. The energy generated by
“Other types of fuel” and by Coal is predicted to experience the least prominent but still
significant drop: a slump by two-thirds from 11,1% to 3,4% for the former and a decrease
of 7) almost 6% for the latter. Finally, Renewables, which had 8) a minor 2,1% in 2007,
are expected to decline to 1,5% by 2020.

7.9. 1. the vast majority; 2. almost a fifth; 3. more than halved, fourfold; 4. four out of
five, slightly higher; 5. a tiny percentage; 6. a significant minority

7.10.

1. The rugby match was attended by a third of the number of spectators at the football
match.

2. The sports department was visited by five times the number of shoppers in February
2008 when compared to February 2009.

3. More than 40% of the competitors were from the main city.

4. A smaller proportion of players were home-grown rather than from overseas.

5. Three-quarters of the members of the sports club paid by credit card rather than cash.

6. The team won just over 50% / half of the games they played last season.

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 8. Processes

a) The Passive

8.1.

1. are cut
2. separates
3. is taken
4. is stored
5. is put
6. is left
7. is transported

8.2.

1. is carried
2. is stored; falls
3. are killed
4. produce
5. rises
6. is produced
7. damages
8. is pumped

8.3.

1 - d - Factories produce gas pollution.

2 - e - Gas pollution rises into the air.
3 - b - Pollution is stored in clouds and falls as acid rain.
4 - g - This acid rain damages plants and animals in the countryside.
5 - f - Liquid pollution is produced by factories as well.
6 - h - Liquid pollution is pumped into nearby rivers.
7 - a - The pollution is carried to the sea by rivers.
8 - c - Sea life and fish are killed by polluted water.

8.4. Suggested answers:

2 - Magma erupts from the crater at the top of the volcano.

3 - The magma is changed / changes into lava.
4 - An ash cloud forms above the volcano. / An ash cloud is formed above the volcano.
5 - Lava flows down the side of the volcano.
6 - Many trees are killed by lava.

b) Sequencing events: linkers and useful vocabulary

8.5. at last

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 8.6. Your own answers

8.7.

1. seeds
2. are planted
3. transplanted
4. pruned
5. trees
6. become bigger
7. leaves
8. pollinate
9. fruit
10.ripen
11.harvested

8.8.
1. If; 2) and, then; 3) Once; 4) then; 5) First; 6) After that; 7) At the same time

The lifecycle of a mobile phone

5) First, the various internal components like the chip are manufactured in one place.

7) At the same time, the case and the SIM card are produced.

4) These are then shipped to a different factory for assembly.

6) After that they are dispatched to a central warehouse for distribution.

3) Once a device is broken, it is either thrown away or sent for recycling.

1-2) If it is the latter, the broken components are mended and the phone is then sent for
sale.

8.9. Your own answers

8.10. b,e,a,d,c,g,f

8.11.

b) The diagram shows the technology behind Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC)
that takes advantage of the differences in temperature of deep and surface sea water to
produce electricity.
e) Overall, the system works just like a conventional power plant where a fuel like coal is
burned to create steam.
a) However, it has the potential to be another clean, renewable energy source as no
pollution is generated.
d) First, warm surface water heats a fluid with a low boiling point, such as ammonia or a
mixture of ammonia and water.
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c) When this 'working fluid' boils, the resulting gas creates enough pressure to drive a
turbine that generates power.
g) The gas is then cooled by passing it through cold water pumped up from the deep
ocean through tubes 1,000 metres long.
f) While the gas condenses back into a liquid that can be used again, the water is returned
to the deep ocean.

8.12.

1 d; 2 a; 3 c; 4 f; 5 e; 6 b

As soon as the wheat is fully grown, it is heated to kill bacteria to make it suitable for
drinking, or churned to produce butter.

Before it is wrapped, the chocolate is put into moulds and left to cool.

Once the mangoes are ripe they are picked and sent to the market for sale, or kept in a
cold refrigerator for export.

The components are imported and then put together.

When the tea bush reaches a certain height, the leaves are picked.

Milk production goes through various stages. When the cows are milked, the milk is taken
to a dairy where various products are made.

8.13.

3 c - storage
4 f - delivery
6 b - pasteurization
1 d - harvesting
4 f - assembly
5 e - packaging

8.14.

storage: store
delivery: deliver
pasteurization: pasteurize
harvesting: harvest
assembly: assemble
packaging: package / pack

8.15. Your own answers

8.16.

1. Once / When / As soon as, After

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2. Then / Next / After that
3. where
4. then / next / after that
5. then
6. where

8.17. phase / stage

8.18.

1. on the whole
2. also
3. first
4. once
5. then
6. after that
7. which
8. by this action
9. finally
10.before

8.19.

1. whereby
2. thus / thereby
3. whereby, thus / thereby
4. whereby

8.20. Your own answers

8.21.

1. troughs
2. heat exchanger
3. steam
4. generator
5. tower
6. water

8.22.

1. whereby
2. thus
3. meanwhile
4. as

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 8.23.

1. Plastic is removed from the rubbish manually.

2. The pipes are insulated with foam to minimise heat loss.
3. The final product is screened for impurities.
4. The tea leaves are categorised into different grades according to size and quality.
5. Nothing is discarded through the process, to maximise efficiency.
6. The potential jury members are selected randomly from the electoral roll.
7. The parts are assembled in a central plant.
8. The final manuscript is proofread for spelling mistakes and other errors.
9. The oranges are boxed and loaded onto lorries.
10. The turbines are powered by forcing water through them.
11.The microbes are used to break down the oil into droplets.
12.The payment is taken only after the order is shipped from the warehouse.

8.24. Your own answers

8.25. b - d - a - c

8.26.

b - A butterfly starts life as a small round egg. This egg is laid on the leaves of plants.

d - When the egg hatches, a caterpillar emerges. The caterpillar has to feed on the
leaves of plants in order to grow.

a - When it is the right size, the caterpillar grows a hard skin called a pupa. Inside the pupa
the caterpillar loses its old body parts and grows completely new ones, including wings.

c - Finally, the butterfly is released, and once it lays eggs, the cycle starts again.

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 Bibliography

Aish, F. and Tomlinson, J. (2012) Get Ready for IELTS Writing. Collins English for Exams.
HarperCollins

Aish, F. and Tomlinson, J. (2012) Grammar for IELTS. Collins English for Exams.
HarperCollins

Cullen, P. (2008) Cambridge Vocabulary for IELTS. CUP

Dellar, H. and Walkley, A. (2016) Outcomes Intermediate Coursebook. 2nd edition.

National Geographic Learning; a part of Cengage Learning

Dellar, H. and Walkley, A. (2017) Outcomes Advanced Coursebook. 2nd edition. National
Geographic Learning; a part of Cengage Learning

Emsden-Bonfanti, S. (2010) Ready for IELTS Workbook. Macmillan Education

Marks, J. (2007) IELTS Resource Pack. Delta Publishing

McCarter, S. (2010) Ready for IELTS Coursebook. Macmillan Education

O’Connell, S. (2010) Focus on IELTS. Pearson Longman

Smith, A. (2015) IELTS Journal: IELTS Writing Target Band 7 plus. IELTS Writing
Collection

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