Academic Writing Task 1 · line graph

Quantities of goods transported in the UK by four transport modes

The graph below shows the quantities of goods transported in the UK between 1974 and 2002 by four different modes of transport.

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

Goods transported in UK (1974 - 2002) (Million tonnes)

Road
Water
Rail
Pipeline

View the data

	1974	1978	1982	1986	1990	1994	1998	2002
Road	70	73	67	73	79	79	90	95
Water	39	40	47	49	48	48	50	62
Rail	40	40	37	30	38	30	40	41
Pipeline	5	10	23	23	23	20	20	20

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 amount of goods transported in the UK using four different modes of transport between 1974 and 2002. Overall, road transport consistently handled the highest volume of goods, while pipeline transport, despite a sharp initial increase, remained the least utilised method.

Road transport began at 70 million tonnes in 1974 and, following some fluctuations, experienced a steady upward trend, reaching a peak of 95 million tonnes by 2002. Water transport also saw growth, rising from 39 million tonnes to 62 million tonnes over the same period, with a notable acceleration after 1998.

In contrast, rail transport showed significant volatility. Starting at 40 million tonnes in 1974, it dipped to a low of 30 million tonnes in both 1986 and 1994, before recovering to 41 million tonnes by the end of the period. Pipeline transport saw a rapid rise from 5 million tonnes in 1974 to 23 million tonnes by 1982. Thereafter, it plateaued and slightly declined, remaining stable at 20 million tonnes from 1994 until 2002. While road and water transport showed clear long-term growth, rail and pipeline modes remained relatively stagnant in comparison.

188 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.

fluctuations: irregular rising and falling in number or amount
upward trend: a general direction in which something is developing
volatility: tendency to change rapidly and unpredictably in value
plateaued: reached a state of little or no change
stagnant: showing no activity or current development
utilised: made practical and effective use of something

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

Road transport remained the most popular method throughout the period, while pipeline transport experienced the most significant proportional growth despite starting from a low base.

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.