Academic Writing Task 1 · line graph

Changes in fast food consumption patterns among Australian teenagers 1975-2000

The line graph below shows changes in the amount and type of fast food consumed by Australian teenagers from 1975 to 2000.

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

Consumption of Fast Food by Australian Teenagers (Number of times eaten per year)

Pizza
Fish and Chips
Hamburgers

View the data

	1975	1980	1985	1990	1995	2000
Pizza	5	15	32	60	85	85
Fish and Chips	100	85	95	70	50	38
Hamburgers	10	50	85	95	100	100

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 the frequency with which Australian teenagers consumed three types of fast food—pizza, fish and chips, and hamburgers—between 1975 and 2000. Overall, it is clear that hamburgers and pizza became increasingly popular, whereas fish and chips saw a marked decrease in consumption.

In 1975, fish and chips was the most popular choice, consumed 100 times per year. However, this figure fluctuated, dropping to 85 in 1980 before rising slightly to 95 in 1985. Thereafter, it experienced a steady decline, finishing the period at 38 times per year. Conversely, hamburger consumption started at a low of 10 times per year in 1975 but rose sharply to 85 by 1985. It continued to climb, reaching a plateau of 100 times per year from 1995 onwards.

Pizza consumption followed a similar upward trajectory to hamburgers. Starting at only 5 times per year in 1975, it grew steadily to reach 60 by 1990. By 1995, consumption had risen to 85 times per year, where it remained stable until 2000. By the end of the period, hamburgers and pizza had clearly overtaken fish and chips as the preferred fast food options for Australian teenagers.

192 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.

fluctuated: changed frequently in an irregular or rising way
marked: clearly noticeable or significant in size or degree
trajectory: the path or direction of a developing trend
plateau: a state of little or no change after growth
overtaken: caught up with and surpassed in quantity or rank
steady: regular, even, and continuous without sudden changes

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

While hamburgers and pizza saw significant growth in popularity over the period, the consumption of fish and chips experienced a substantial decline.

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.