Academic Writing Task 1 · line graph

A line graph showing U.S. energy consumption by fuel type from 1980 to 2030

The graph below gives information from a 2008 report about the consumption of energy in the USA since 1980 with projections until 2030.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

U.S. Energy Consumption by Fuel (1980-2030) (Quadrillion units)

Petrol and Oil
Coal
Natural Gas
Nuclear
Solar/Wind
Hydropower

View the data

	1980	1985	1990	1995	2000	2005	2010	2015	2020	2025	2030
Petrol and Oil	35	31	34	33	36	40	41	42	43	47	48
Coal	16	17	18	22	22	22	23	25	26	29	31
Natural Gas	20	17	18	18	23	22	22	25	25	25	25
Nuclear	4	5	6	6	6	7	7	7	7	7	8
Solar/Wind	3	4	4	3	4	4	5	5	5	5	6
Hydropower	3	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	3	3	3

Chart redrawn by BandLadder from the data in the original IELTS practice task. Many IELTS practice tasks come from the Cambridge IELTS series (Cambridge University Press & Assessment); all rights in the original tasks remain with their owners.

Band 8 sample answer

The line graph illustrates trends in U.S. energy consumption across six different fuel categories from 1980, with projections extending to 2030. Overall, the data indicates a consistent upward trend in total energy usage, with petrol and oil maintaining their position as the primary energy source throughout the entire period.

Petrol and oil consumption began at 35 quadrillion units in 1980, dipped slightly, and is projected to reach 48 quadrillion units by 2030. Coal consumption also experienced a notable rise, starting at 16 quadrillion units and climbing steadily to a projected 31 quadrillion units. Natural gas followed a more volatile path, fluctuating between 18 and 23 quadrillion units before stabilising at 25 quadrillion units from 2015 onwards.

In contrast, the remaining energy sources account for significantly smaller proportions of total consumption. Nuclear energy usage grew from 4 quadrillion units in 1980 to a projected 8 quadrillion units by 2030. Meanwhile, solar and wind energy consumption remained relatively low, rising from 3 to 6 quadrillion units. Hydropower consumption remained the most stagnant, hovering consistently between 3 and 4 quadrillion units throughout the entire fifty-year period.

183 words. Every figure in the answer comes from the chart above.

How to write about line graphs

Overview first: the overall direction of each line and which was highest.
Group lines that move together instead of describing each one in turn.
Give the start and end figures plus the peak or low point, not every value.

upward trend: a general direction in which something is developing
fluctuating: rising and falling irregularly in number or amount
stagnant: showing no activity or growth over time
projections: estimates of future situations based on current data
notable rise: a significant or important increase in value
proportion: a part or share in relation to the whole

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

Petrol and oil remain the dominant energy sources throughout the period, while coal and natural gas show significant growth, contrasting with the relatively stable consumption of renewable and nuclear sources.

How long should an IELTS Task 1 answer be?

At least 150 words; 170 to 200 is the safe range. Spend about 20 minutes on it and leave 40 for Task 2, which carries twice the marks.

How do I describe line graphs?

Overview first: the overall direction of each line and which was highest. Group lines that move together instead of describing each one in turn. Give the start and end figures plus the peak or low point, not every value.