Academic Writing Task 1 · line graph

Participation rates in four different sports between 1985 and 2005

The graph shows the number of people taking part in 4 kinds of sports in a particular region between 1985 and 2005.

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

Participation in four sports (1985-2005)

Basketball
Tennis
Badminton
Rugby

View the data

	1985	1990	1995	2000	2005
Basketball	80	78	82	83	80
Tennis	150	175	200	210	220
Badminton	55	45	50	50	50
Rugby	240	210	200	150	50

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 participants in four distinct sports—basketball, tennis, badminton, and rugby—within a specific region over a twenty-year period from 1985 to 2005.

Overall, it is evident that tennis became increasingly popular, while rugby suffered a significant drop in participation. In contrast, basketball and badminton maintained relatively consistent levels of engagement throughout the two decades.

In 1985, rugby was the most popular sport with 240 participants, significantly higher than tennis at 150. However, rugby experienced a consistent downward trend, falling to 210 by 1990 and 200 by 1995, before plummeting to 50 by 2005. Conversely, tennis participation grew steadily, overtaking rugby by 1995 at 200 participants and reaching a peak of 220 by the end of the period.

Regarding the other two sports, basketball remained the most stable, fluctuating slightly between 78 and 83 participants throughout the timeframe. Badminton started at 55 participants in 1985, dipped to 45 in 1990, and then stabilised at 50 for the remainder of the period. By 2005, tennis had become the most popular sport, while rugby, basketball, and badminton all recorded 50, 80, and 50 participants respectively.

187 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.

plummeting: falling or dropping straight down at high speed
upward trend: a general direction in which something is developing
fluctuating: rising and falling irregularly in number or amount
overtaking: catching up with and passing while in motion
stabilised: becoming unlikely to change or fail significantly
distinct: recognizably different in nature from something else

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

While tennis participation experienced a steady upward trend, rugby saw a dramatic decline, whereas basketball and badminton remained relatively stable 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.