Academic Writing Task 1 · line graph

Number of students from three countries studying abroad between 2002 and 2007

The graph below shows the number of students from the US, the UK, and Australia who studied in universities in other countries from 2002 to 2007.

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

Number of students studying abroad by country (number of students)

The US
The UK
Australia

View the data

	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
The US	50,000	48,000	46,000	48,000	49,500	50,000
The UK	30,000	30,000	28,000	26,000	24,000	22,000
Australia	10,000	10,000	10,000	10,000	10,000	10,000

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 number of students from the US, the UK, and Australia who pursued university studies in foreign countries between 2002 and 2007.

Overall, the US consistently had the highest number of students studying abroad, whereas Australia maintained a stable figure. Conversely, the number of UK students studying in other countries experienced a downward trend over the six-year period.

In 2002, 50,000 US students studied abroad. This figure dipped to a low of 46,000 in 2004 before recovering to reach 50,000 again by 2007. In contrast, the UK started with 30,000 students in 2002 and 2003, but then saw a consistent decline, dropping to 22,000 by the end of the period.

Australia showed the most stability among the three nations. Throughout the entire duration from 2002 to 2007, the number of Australian students studying in foreign universities remained unchanged at exactly 10,000. By 2007, the US had significantly overtaken the UK, with more than double the number of students studying abroad, while Australia remained the country with the lowest number of students participating in international university education.

180 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 uncertain way
steadily: in a regular and even manner without stopping
constant: occurring continuously over a period of time
downward trend: a general direction in which something is decreasing
overtaken: caught up with and passed in quantity
stable: not likely to change or fail; firmly established

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

While the number of US students studying abroad fluctuated but ended at the same level, the number of UK students declined steadily, and the figure for Australia remained constant throughout the period.

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.