Structure
How to describe a line graph
- →Read the axes and units, then find the two biggest stories: the largest rise, the largest fall, a crossover, or a line that stays flat while others move.
- →Paragraph 1: paraphrase what the graph shows and the period. Paragraph 2: the overview, two or three sentences, no numbers.
- →Paragraphs 3 and 4: group lines with similar behaviour and describe each group with start, end and any peak or dip, using a figure for each claim.
- →Vary the language of change: rose sharply, climbed steadily, fluctuated around, fell to a low of, remained stable at, overtook.
The full method, with scoring and common mistakes, is in the IELTS Task 1 line graph guide.
1–56 of 112
Line graphs: all sample answers
- A line graph illustrating the monthly gold sales in Dubai during 2002
- A line graph illustrating US waste recycling trends from 1960 to 2011
- A line graph showing U.S. energy consumption by fuel type from 1980 to 2030
- Annual earnings of three bakeries in Calgary from 2000 to 2010
- Average Annual Expenditure on Cell and Residential Phone Services 2001-2010
- Average carbon dioxide emissions per person in four European countries 1967-2007
- Average Daily Hours Spent by Children Watching Television from 1950 to 2010
- Average monthly expenditure on children's sports in the UK 2008-2014
- Average monthly mobile contract costs in a European country during 2002
- Average monthly price fluctuations for copper, nickel and zinc in 2014
- Average monthly temperatures in Paris, Dubai, and Sydney throughout the year
- British parents' sports spending and children's sports participation from 2008 to 2014
- Changes in fast food consumption patterns among Australian teenagers 1975-2000
- Changes in the consumption of fast food by teenagers from 1985 to 2015
- Changes in weekly food consumption per person in China 1985-2010
- Comparison of fuel expenditure as a percentage of income in two nations
- Consumption trends of three different spreads between 1981 and 2007
- Daily consumption of three different spreads from 1981 to 2007
- Demographic Trends in Scotland from 1940 to 2020
- Employment patterns across five sectors in the USA from 1930 to 2010
- Employment rates for women aged 15-64 2003-2009: Iceland highest, Turkey lowest
- Employment rates for women aged 15-64 in five countries 2003-2009
- Employment trends across four economic sectors in the US from 1960 to 2020
- Energy consumption trends in the United States from 1980 to 2030
- Energy production and consumption trends in the United States from 1950 to 2025
- Enrolment trends of overseas and local students in Australian universities
- Female members of parliament in five European countries 2000-2012: the UK's sharpest rise
- Global usage trends of five communication services from 1998 to 2008
- Government spending as a percentage of GDP from 2000 to 2025
- Gross Domestic Product of four countries between 2010 and 2015
- Household recycling rates in the UK, France, and Germany 2005-2015
- Inquiries received by a city Tourist Information Office in 2011
- International Tourist Arrivals in Five Selected Countries from 1995 to 2010
- Internet usage trends in the USA, Canada, and Mexico 1999-2009
- Japan's population distribution by age group from 1960 to 2040
- Line graph showing the number of international conferences in three cities
- Line graph showing the number of passengers at a Paris metro station
- Line graph showing the percentage of Australian exports to four countries
- Main purposes of overseas residents' visits to the UK 2000-2016
- Mobile and fixed telephone subscription trends in four countries 2005-2015
- Monthly sales of handmade olive oil soaps to tourists in Turkey 2015
- Nitrogen oxide emissions produced by four different types of vehicles
- Noise complaints reported to Environmental Health authorities in Newtown 1980-1996
- Number of books read by men and women at Burnaby Public Library
- Number of participants for five social activities in Melbourne 2000 to 2020
- Number of students from three countries studying abroad between 2002 and 2007
- Oil production and consumption trends in China from 1982 to 2006
- Overseas visitors to the UK for different purposes between 1989 and 2009
- Participation rates in four different sports between 1985 and 2005
- Passenger numbers at a London Underground station throughout the day
- Percentage of 18-25 year olds in universities in four Asian countries
- Percentage of Australian exports to four countries between 1990 and 2012
- Percentage of female members of parliament in five European countries 2000-2012
- Percentage of good quality river water in four countries 1995-2018
- Percentage of households owning four types of electronic devices 1995-2015
- Percentage of the Australian workforce in five industries from 1962 to 2012
Frequently asked questions
How do I describe an IELTS line graph in Task 1?+
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.
What band are these line graph sample answers?+
Each of the 112 line graph samples has a Band 8 model answer. The chart is redrawn with its data, and every figure in the answer comes from that chart.
How many words and how long for Task 1?+
At least 150 words in about 20 minutes. 170 to 200 words is the safe range; leave 40 minutes for Task 2, which carries twice the marks.
How do I write an overview for a line graph?+
Two or three sentences stating the main trends without figures: which lines rose or fell overall, which was highest throughout, and any crossover. Put it straight after the introduction.
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Other Task 1 chart types
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