Academic Writing Task 1 · line graph

Relative price changes for three food categories between 1979 and 2009

The graph below shows relative price changes for fresh fruits and vegetables, sugars and sweets, and carbonated drinks between 1978 and 2009.

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

Relative price changes for food items (1979-2009) (index)

Fruits and Vegetables
Sugar and Sweets
Consumer- Pricing
Carbonated Drinking

View the data

	1979	1981	1983	1985	1987	1989	1991	1993	1995	1997	1999	2001	2003	2005	2007	2009
Fruits and Vegetables	60	75	100	110	120	140	170	160	200	230	240	350	270	320	305	310
Sugar and Sweets	55	65	95	105	115	135	165	155	195	210	340	240	240	315	300	300
Consumer- Pricing	55	55	65	75	85	95	105	115	125	135	145	155	165	175	185	195
Carbonated Drinking	55	55	55	65	75	85	95	230	125	135	145	155	165	175	185	185

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 relative price fluctuations of four categories—fruits and vegetables, sugar and sweets, consumer pricing, and carbonated drinks—between 1979 and 2009.

Overall, the prices of all items followed an upward trend throughout the three decades. While consumer pricing and carbonated drinks showed a relatively stable and gradual increase, fruits and vegetables and sugar and sweets experienced much more volatile and substantial growth, particularly from the mid-1990s onwards.

In 1979, all categories started at similar price levels between 55 and 60. Consumer pricing and carbonated drinks rose steadily, reaching 195 and 185 respectively by 2009. Carbonated drinks saw a notable, temporary spike to 230 in 1993 before returning to a consistent growth trajectory.

In contrast, fruits and vegetables and sugar and sweets climbed more aggressively. Fruits and vegetables rose to 310 by 2009, peaking at 350 in 2001. Similarly, sugar and sweets experienced a dramatic surge to 340 in 1999, followed by a sharp decline to 240 in 2001, before stabilising at 300 by the end of the period. Ultimately, fresh produce and sugary items became significantly more expensive relative to the other two categories.

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.

fluctuations: irregular rising and falling in number or amount
upward trend: a general direction in which something is developing
volatile: liable to change rapidly and unpredictably for worse
substantial: of considerable importance, size, or worth
trajectory: the path followed by an object or trend
stabilising: becoming unlikely to change or fail

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

Overall, the prices of all food categories increased over the period, with fruits and vegetables and sugar and sweets experiencing significantly higher growth compared to the steady rise in consumer pricing and carbonated drinks.

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.