Academic Writing Task 1 · line graph

Demographic Trends in Scotland from 1940 to 2020

The figure shows demographic trends in Scotland.

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

Demographic Trends (Scotland) (%)

Birth Rate
Population Growth Rate
Death Rate

View the data

	1940	1945	1950	1955	1960	1965	1970	1975	1980	1985	1990	1995	2000	2005	2010	2015	2020
Birth Rate	2.5	1.9	2.1	1.9	1.1	1	1.2	1	0.9	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.8	0.7	0.6	0.5	0.5
Population Growth Rate	0.8	0.5	1	1.4	0.8	0.7	0.8	0.6	0.5	0.4	0.2	0.2	0.2	0	–	–	–
Death Rate	1.5	1.2	0.9	0.6	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.4	0.6

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 changes in birth, death, and population growth rates in Scotland between 1940 and 2020. Overall, all three indicators experienced a downward trend over the period, with the birth rate consistently remaining the highest until the end of the timeframe.

In 1940, the birth rate stood at 2.5%, significantly higher than the death rate of 1.5% and the population growth rate of 0.8%. While the birth rate fluctuated, reaching a secondary peak of 2.1% in 1950, it followed a general decline to 0.5% by 2020. Similarly, the death rate dropped steadily from its initial 1.5% to a low of 0.3% between 1985 and 2005, before rising slightly to 0.6% by 2020.

The population growth rate showed more volatility, peaking at 1.4% in 1955. Following this, it entered a sustained decline, mirroring the downward trajectory of the birth rate. By 2000, the growth rate had fallen to 0.2%, eventually reaching 0% by 2005. Notably, the birth rate remained above the death rate for the majority of the period, although the gap narrowed significantly as both metrics converged towards the end of the observed timeframe.

186 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.

downward trend: a general movement towards a lower level
fluctuated: changed frequently and irregularly in value
sustained decline: a continuous and prolonged decrease over time
converged: moved towards the same point or value
volatility: the tendency to change rapidly and unpredictably
trajectory: the path or direction of a development

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

Overall, all three demographic indicators experienced a downward trend over the period, with the birth rate consistently remaining the highest until the end of the timeframe.

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.