Academic Writing Task 1 · line graph

Trends in Irish unemployment and emigration levels from 1988 to 2008

The chart below gives information about the percentage of unemployed Irish citizens and the number of emigrants leaving the country from 1988 to 2008.

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

Unemployment and Emigration in Ireland (1988-2008) (People / Percentage)

People leaving Ireland
Unemployment rate

View the data

	1988	1990	1992	1994	1996	1998	2000	2002	2004	2006	2008
People leaving Ireland	60,000	55,000	35,000	37,000	30,000	28,000	27,000	25,000	28,000	36,000	50,000
Unemployment rate	17	13	15	14	12	8	5	5	5	6	6

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 correlation between the percentage of unemployed Irish citizens and the number of people emigrating from Ireland over a twenty-year period, starting in 1988.

Overall, both indicators showed a general downward trend during the 1990s, reaching their lowest points around the year 2000. However, while unemployment remained relatively stable thereafter, emigration figures began to climb sharply towards the end of the period.

In 1988, emigration was at its peak with 60,000 people leaving the country, while the unemployment rate stood at 17%. By 1992, emigration had dropped significantly to 35,000, despite a temporary rise in unemployment to 15%. Throughout the mid-1990s, both metrics declined steadily. By 2000, the unemployment rate had fallen to a low of 5%, and the number of people leaving Ireland reached a nadir of 25,000 in 2002.

From 2002 onwards, the trends diverged. While the unemployment rate remained low, hovering between 5% and 6%, the number of emigrants rose consistently. By 2008, the number of people leaving Ireland had surged back to 50,000, whereas the unemployment rate saw only a marginal increase to 6%.

182 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.

correlation: a mutual relationship or connection between two things
fluctuations: irregular rising and falling in number or amount
nadir: the lowest point in the fortunes of something
surged: increased suddenly and powerfully after a period
marginal: minor or small in amount or significance
diverged: separated and went in different directions or paths

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

Overall, both the unemployment rate and the number of people leaving Ireland experienced significant fluctuations, with a notable downward trend until the turn of the millennium followed by a subsequent rise in emigration.

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.