📊 IELTS Band 7+ Challenge – Day 2: Academic Writing Task 1 (Introduction & Strategy)

Welcome to Day 2 of the IELTS Band 7+ Challenge! By the end of this guide(Day 2), you won’t need to study anything else for IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 — you’ll be fully equipped with advanced strategies, sample answers, planning tools, and vocabulary to perform at your peak. On Day 7, you’ll take a full mock exam to overcome panic and prove to yourself that you’re ready to achieve your target band score on test day!

This process may be a little tiring, but we will help you reach your IELTS 7+ goals for each section — and today’s focus is IELTS Writing Task 1.

🧐 What Is IELTS Academic Writing Task 1?

In this task, you’re given a visual (graph, chart, table, map, or diagram) and asked to summarize the key information. You should not give opinions or make assumptions — the goal is to present accurate, concise, and well-organized data interpretation.

📋 What the Examiners Expect

• Task Achievement: Have you summarized all key features without missing or misrepresenting any?
• Coherence & Cohesion: Is your response logically structured with effective linking devices?
• Lexical Resource: Have you used a range of vocabulary accurately and appropriately?
• Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Are your sentences varied, accurate, and error-free?

🛑 Why Many Candidates Get Stuck at Band 5.5,6.0–6.5

• ✅ Listing data without summarizing trends or making comparisons
• ✅ Using basic, repetitive language ("goes up," "goes down," etc.)
• ✅ Poor structure – lack of clear overview, missing paragraphs
• ✅ Grammar errors in comparative structures and complex sentences
• ✅ Writing too much detail without grouping information

🎯 Band 7+ Planning Strategy

Spending 5 minutes on planning can save you 10 minutes during writing. Here’s how:

• Step 1: Identify the type of visual (line, bar, pie, etc.)
• Step 2: Look for main trends, extremes, similarities, and exceptions
• Step 3: Group the data (e.g., increasing vs decreasing, similar categories, etc.)
• Step 4: Decide your paragraphing: Intro → Overview → 1–2 Body Paragraphs

⏱️ Time Management Strategy

• Planning: 5 minutes
• Writing: 12–13 minutes
• Review: 2–3 minutes

Don't skip the overview — it's one of the most important elements and directly affects your Task Achievement score.

💡 Warm-Up Task

Look at this sentence and improve it using academic tone:

“The number of users went up a lot in 2010.”

Improved Version: “There was a significant increase in the number of users in 2010.”

Now try rewriting the following:

“Sales went down a bit in 2015.”

🎯 Use synonyms like “declined slightly” or “experienced a minor decrease.” We’ll explore more of this in the vocabulary section later.

In this section, we’ll break down the six main types of visuals you may encounter in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1. For each, you’ll learn a Band 7+ approach, suggested structure, key vocabulary, and how to interpret the visual strategically — without describing every single data point.

What it shows: A line graph typically illustrates trends over time — such as growth, decline, or fluctuation in variables like sales, population, or temperature.

Band 7+ Strategy: Focus on general trends and grouped data, not every point. Highlight extremes, steady periods, and comparisons.

• Introduction (paraphrase the question)
• Overview (summary of key trends)
• Body 1: Describe increases/decreases and group trends
• Body 2: Discuss exceptions, contrast, or detail smaller groups

Key Vocabulary: rose sharply, dipped slightly, peaked at, declined gradually, plateaued, reached a low/high point

What it shows: Bar charts compare quantities across different categories — such as income levels, preferences, or performance statistics.

Strategy: Group categories that share patterns and compare the highest/lowest values.

• Intro → Overview → Body paragraphs grouped by trends

Useful Language: significantly higher, nearly equal, just under, double that of, ranked second, in contrast

What it shows: Pie charts display proportions — often as percentages. You may see a single pie or two for comparison over time.

Strategy: Emphasize the largest and smallest segments. Group similar categories together, and use fractions and percentages accurately.

• Intro → Overview → Body 1 (most significant segments) → Body 2 (comparisons or changes)

Useful Language: the majority, one-fifth, a minority of, the smallest portion, equally distributed

What it shows: Tables present data in rows and columns. They often include multiple categories and exact numbers.

Strategy: Identify patterns across columns or rows. Avoid describing every number. Use comparisons and group data by similarities or extremes.

What it shows: Maps usually show a location before and after a change, or compare two different plans. This might involve construction, demolition, or transformation of spaces.

Strategy: Use accurate tenses (past/future). Focus on changes — what was added, removed, relocated, or stayed the same.

Useful Language: converted into, was replaced by, extended to the east, remained unchanged, demolished

What it shows: A process diagram describes how something is made or how a natural process works. It usually involves a sequence of stages, inputs, and outputs.

Strategy: Use passive voice and sequencers. Don’t include technical detail unless it's labeled. Your job is to clearly describe the sequence of steps.

• Intro → Overview → Step-by-step description (2 body paragraphs)

Useful Phrases: begins with, is followed by, then, next, subsequently, finally

Question: The line graph below shows the number of tourists visiting three different museums in London between 2000 and 2015. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

✍️ Sample Band 7+ Essay:

Introduction:
The line graph illustrates the number of visitors to the British Museum, the Natural History Museum, and the Science Museum in London over a 15-year period, from 2000 to 2015. The figures are measured in millions.

Overview:
Overall, the British Museum experienced a significant rise in visitor numbers and finished the period as the most popular of the three. Meanwhile, the Science Museum also saw steady growth, while the Natural History Museum recorded only minor fluctuations and remained the least visited by 2015.

Body Paragraph 1:
In 2000, around 4 million people visited the British Museum. However, this number declined steadily to just under 3 million by 2005 and remained stable until 2009. From 2010 onwards, visitor numbers surged, rising to 4 million in 2012 and peaking at nearly 6 million by 2015.

Body Paragraph 2:
In contrast, the Science Museum started at approximately 1 million visitors in 2000 but dipped to just over 0.5 million in 2005. From that point, it experienced consistent growth, reaching 1.8 million by the end of the period. The Natural History Museum followed a similar early trend — dropping from about 1.3 million in 2000 to under 1 million by 2005. Its numbers fluctuated slightly between 2006 and 2015, but the final figure remained the lowest of the three museums at around 1.3 million.

✅ Why This Scores Band 7+

• Task Achievement: All key trends are summarized clearly without listing every year or data point. Accurate comparisons and paraphrasing are used.
• Coherence & Cohesion: Clear paragraphing with logical sequence and effective linking devices.
• Lexical Resource: A wide range of topic-specific vocabulary and collocations: “declined steadily,” “remained stable,” “peaking at,” “experienced consistent growth.”
• Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Complex structures and passive constructions used correctly and naturally.

🧠 Vocabulary & Collocations Used:

• Collocations: visitor numbers, experienced growth, remained the least visited, surged, peaked
• Paraphrasing: tourists → visitors; show → illustrate; between 2000 and 2015 → over a 15-year period

🔗 Linking Devices:

• Overall, in contrast, meanwhile, from that point, by the end of the period, however

🧪 Practice Task:

Your Turn: Write about the following question:

The line graph shows the percentage of people using different forms of public transportation in a city from 1995 to 2015.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Tip: Group modes of transport that show similar patterns (e.g., both rising/falling), and don’t forget a clear overview.

Question: The bar chart below shows the number of international students enrolled in science and engineering programs at three universities in 2020. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

✍️ Sample Band 7+ Essay:

Introduction:
The bar chart illustrates the number of international students enrolled in science and engineering programs at three different universities in 2020. The figures are given in thousands.

Overview:
Overall, University C had the highest number of international enrollments in both disciplines, while University A reported the lowest figures. Engineering programs consistently attracted more students than science at all three institutions.

Body Paragraph 1:
At University C, international enrollment in engineering reached nearly 19,000 students, the highest among all categories. The number of science students at the same institution was also significant, standing at approximately 16,000. University B followed, with about 9,000 engineering students and 6,000 in science. These figures were notably lower than those of University C but still showed a clear preference for engineering.

Body Paragraph 2:
In contrast, University A recorded the fewest international students overall. Both engineering and science had similar enrollment numbers, at roughly 4,000 each. While this institution had the smallest totals, it was the only one where the gap between the two fields was almost negligible. In all three universities, engineering attracted more students than science, indicating a consistent trend in international student preferences.

✅ Why This Scores Band 7+

• Task Achievement: Fully addresses all major features and includes clear comparisons without unnecessary detail.
• Coherence & Cohesion: Logically organized with clear paragraphing and fluent linking phrases.
• Lexical Resource: Excellent range of vocabulary: “reported the lowest,” “reached nearly,” “notably lower,” “consistent trend.”
• Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Complex and compound sentences with accurate control of tenses and passive voice.

🧠 Vocabulary & Collocations Used:

• Collocations: international enrollment, the highest among all categories, recorded the fewest, consistent trend
• Paraphrasing: enrolled → registered, number of students → student figures, consistently attracted → regularly preferred

🔗 Linking Devices:

• Overall, in contrast, while, whereas, followed by, indicating

🧪 Practice Task:

Your Turn: Describe the following bar chart:

Tip: Focus on comparing the highest and lowest values, and group countries with similar patterns.

Question: The two pie charts below show how a school in the UK spent its annual budget in 2010 and 2020. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

✍️ Sample Band 7+ Essay:

Introduction:
The two pie charts illustrate how household income was allocated across five different categories in a European country in the years 2000 and 2020.

Overview:
Overall, housing remained the largest area of expenditure in both years, though its share declined over time. By contrast, spending on transport, entertainment, and other categories saw noticeable increases, indicating a shift towards a more diversified allocation of household income.

Body Paragraph 1:
In 2000, the majority of household income (40%) was spent on housing, making it the most significant category. Food came second at 25%, followed by transport at 15%, while both entertainment and other expenses accounted for 10% each.

Body Paragraph 2:
By 2020, the proportion of income allocated to housing had dropped by 10 percentage points to 30%. Food expenditure also declined slightly to 20%. In contrast, transport expenses rose to 20%, matching the share of food. Notably, both entertainment and other categories saw an increase of 5 percentage points each, reaching 15%.

Last points

✅ Why This Scores Band 7+

• Task Achievement: All key trends and comparisons are precisely identified and clearly summarised. There is no irrelevant detail, and all percentage changes are well integrated into the narrative.
• Coherence & Cohesion: The response is logically structured with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. Transitions like “Overall,” “In contrast,” and “Notably” guide the reader smoothly.
• Lexical Resource: Demonstrates a wide range of academic vocabulary and collocations, such as “allocated across categories,” “saw noticeable increases,” and “a shift towards a more diversified allocation.”
• Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Excellent use of complex structures, including passive voice (“was spent”), relative clauses (“which accounted for…”), and accurate use of comparative forms (“had dropped by 10 percentage points”).

🧠 Vocabulary & Collocations Used:

• Collocations: household income, allocated across categories, key area of expenditure, significant category, noticeable increase
• Paraphrasing: spent → allocated, fell → dropped, increased → rose, categories → sectors / areas, changes → shifts

🔗 Linking Devices:

• Overall, in contrast, by contrast, notably, followed by, while, indicating

🧪 Practice Task:

Your Turn: Try describing this:

Tip: Identify the largest and smallest sectors in each year and describe the biggest changes.

Question: The table below shows the average monthly salaries (in USD) of four different professions in five countries in 2024. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

✍️ Sample Band 7+ Essay:

Introduction:
The table presents data on the average monthly salaries (in US dollars) for software engineers, teachers, nurses, and accountants in five countries — the USA, UK, Germany, Japan, and Mexico — in the year 2024.

Overview:
Overall, professionals in the USA earned the highest salaries across all four occupations, while Mexico consistently reported the lowest figures. Among all professions, software engineers earned the most in every country, whereas teachers received the lowest salaries.

Body Paragraph 1:
Software engineers were the top earners in every country, with the highest salary in the USA at $5,500 per month and the lowest in Mexico at $3,200. Germany and the UK also offered competitive salaries in this field, at $5,300 and $4,800 respectively. In contrast, teachers earned the least, with Mexican teachers receiving only $2,000 and those in the UK earning $2,800. Even in the USA, the highest-paying country, teachers made only $3,500 — significantly less than professionals in other fields.

Body Paragraph 2:
Nurses and accountants received moderate salaries in most countries. In the USA, nurses earned $5,100 and accountants $4,700, ranking just below software engineers. Similar trends appeared in Germany and Japan, where salaries ranged between $3,800 and $4,600 for both occupations. Across all countries, Mexico consistently offered the lowest salaries in all four categories, particularly for nurses at $2,600 and teachers at $2,000.

✅ Why This Scores Band 7+

• Task Achievement: Accurately summarizes major data points and comparisons without listing every number.
• Coherence & Cohesion: Clearly grouped by profession and country; logical flow of information.
• Lexical Resource: Variety of formal vocabulary: “reported,” “ranked below,” “consistently offered,” “significantly less.”
• Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Excellent control of complex sentence structures and appropriate tense usage.

🧠 Vocabulary & Collocations Used:

• Collocations: average monthly salary, top earners, significantly less, consistently reported
• Paraphrasing: earned → received, figures → data, professionals → workers, occupations → job sectors

🔗 Linking Devices:

• Overall, in contrast, whereas, among all professions, consistently

🧪 Practice Task:

Your Turn: Try describing this:

The table below shows the average monthly salaries (in USD) of four different professions in five countries in 2024. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Tip: Use group comparisons instead of listing each number. Focus on the highest and lowest values for each category.

Question: The two maps below show the layout of Grange Park in 2000 and now. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

✍️ Sample Band 7+ Essay:

Introduction:
The two maps illustrate the transformation of a public park between the year 2000 and the present day.

Overview:
Overall, the park has undergone significant modernization and diversification of facilities, shifting from a traditional garden-centered layout to a more entertainment- and activity-focused design.

Body Paragraph 1:
In 2000, the central feature of the park was a fountain, surrounded by benches, with two symmetrical gardens to the east and west. The northern section featured a small pond, while the southeast corner housed a car park. The entrance was located in the south and led directly to the central fountain area.

Body Paragraph 2:
In the current layout, the fountain has been replaced by a café with an outdoor seating area, creating a more social focal point. The two original gardens have been repurposed: the western garden is now a children’s play area, while the eastern one has become a flower garden. The former pond in the north has been significantly enlarged to form a boating lake, with a boat rental facility nearby. Additionally, a stage for concerts has been constructed in the northwest corner. The car park in the southeast has been expanded, indicating increased accessibility and visitor capacity.

These developments reflect a broader trend towards enhancing recreational opportunities and catering to a wider range of park visitors.

✅ Why This Scores Band 7+

• Task Achievement: All major changes are clearly identified and described. The comparison between the past and present layouts is precise, with no irrelevant information or omissions.
• Coherence & Cohesion: The description flows logically, beginning with an overview and progressing through detailed, well-organized comparisons. Paragraphing is clear, and transitions are smooth.
• Lexical Resource: Sophisticated and varied vocabulary is used effectively, including terms like “transformation,” “repurposed,” “recreational opportunities,” and “social focal point.” Paraphrasing is consistently strong.
• Grammatical Range & Accuracy: A wide range of sentence structures is used accurately, including passive voice (“has been replaced”), relative clauses (“which was located…”), and complex comparative structures.

🧠 Vocabulary & Collocations Used:

• Collocations: recreational opportunities, central feature, symmetrical layout, outdoor seating area, social focal point, visitor capacity
• Paraphrasing: map → layout, changes → transformation, added → constructed, enlarged → expanded, garden → green space / area

🔗 Linking Devices:

• Overall, in 2000, now, while, in contrast, has been replaced by, indicating

🧪 Practice Task:

Your Turn: Try describing this:

The maps below show the changes that have taken place in a coastal town called Seaville between 1990 and 2024. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Question: The diagram shows how instant noodles are manufactured. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

✍️ Sample Band 7+ Essay:

Introduction:
TheThe diagram illustrates the various stages involved in the production of instant noodles, from the initial mixing of raw ingredients to the final packaging and labelling.

Overview:
Overall, the process is a linear and systematic sequence comprising eight main steps, beginning with flour and water mixing and culminating in the packaging of the finished product. Notably, the process combines both mechanical operations and the addition of supplementary ingredients to produce the final consumable product.

Body Paragraph 1:
Initially, flour is placed into storage silos and then transferred into a mixer, where it is combined with water and oil. The resulting dough is flattened into sheets using rollers, which are then cut into strips. These dough strips are shaped into noodles, which are subsequently steamed.

Body Paragraph 2:
Following the steaming process, the noodles are placed into cups, and dried vegetables and spices are added. The cups are then sealed through a packaging process. Finally, the sealed containers undergo a labelling procedure before being packed into boxes for distribution. The entire procedure emphasizes precision and automation, ensuring that instant noodles are efficiently produced and consistently prepared for market delivery.

✅ Why This Scores Band 7+

• Task Achievement: All key stages in the process are accurately described in a logical sequence. There is a clear summary of the overall process, with no omissions or irrelevant information.
• Coherence & Cohesion: The description flows smoothly from start to finish. Logical connectors such as “initially,” “subsequently,” and “finally” guide the reader clearly through each step.
• Lexical Resource: A wide range of topic-specific vocabulary is used naturally, including “storage silos,” “flattened into sheets,” “sealed through packaging,” and “market delivery.” Paraphrasing is consistently strong throughout.
• Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Excellent control of complex grammatical structures, including passive voice (“are placed,” “are combined,” “are shaped”) and sequencing devices. Sentences are varied and error-free.

🧠 Vocabulary & Collocations Used:

• Collocations: storage silos, flattened into sheets, cut into strips, sealed containers, labelling procedure, distribution phase
• Paraphrasing: start → initially, mixed → combined, put into cups → placed into containers, end → final stage

🔗 Linking Devices:

• Overall, initially, then, subsequently, following this, finally

🧪 Practice Task:

Your Turn: Describe the following:

The diagram below shows how electricity is generated in a hydroelectric power station. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Tip: Use the passive voice consistently and describe steps in the correct order.

To achieve a high score in Task 1, you must demonstrate a wide range of vocabulary and use it with precision. Below are grouped phrases and sentence structures organized by function and chart type, along with essential linking devices and tips for using them effectively.

📈 Describing Trends (Line Graphs & Tables)

• increased significantly / rose sharply / experienced a steady rise
• decreased gradually / fell slightly / dropped dramatically
• remained stable / stayed constant / showed no change
• fluctuated / varied moderately / was erratic
• peaked at / reached a high of / hit a low point

📊 Making Comparisons (Bar Charts & Tables)

• was higher/lower than / was more/less than
• almost double / roughly the same / marginally smaller
• by contrast / in comparison / comparatively
• accounted for the highest / represented the smallest proportion

🥧 Describing Proportions (Pie Charts)

• the largest segment / the majority of the budget
• a small fraction / an equal portion / the minority
• nearly one-third / exactly 25% / just under half

🗺️ Describing Changes in Maps

• was converted into / was replaced by / remained unchanged
• a new road was constructed / a park was added / a shop was demolished
• expanded to the east / relocated to the city centre

⚙️ Describing Processes

• begins with / is followed by / continues with / ends in
• is manufactured / undergoes processing / is packaged and distributed
• after that / subsequently / finally / in the final stage

🔗 Linking Devices (Logical Connectors)

• Sequencing: First, Next, Then, After that, Finally
• Contrast: However, In contrast, Whereas, On the other hand
• Similarity: Likewise, Similarly, In the same way
• Addition: Furthermore, In addition, Also, Moreover
• Cause & Effect: As a result, Therefore, Consequently

✅ Style Tips for Academic Tone

• Avoid contractions (write “does not” instead of “doesn’t”)
• Use passive voice when appropriate (e.g., “is produced,” “was removed”)
• Do not include personal opinions or assumptions (e.g., avoid “I think” or “maybe”)

🚫 Words to Avoid

• “Went up” → use “increased” / “rose”
• “Got lower” → use “declined” / “dropped”
• “Big” → use “significant” / “considerable”
• “Small” → use “slight” / “minor”

🎯 Pro Tip: Don’t just memorize vocabulary — understand which words match which chart types. Overusing complex vocabulary without accuracy may actually lower your score.

Even high-level students can underperform in IELTS Writing Task 1 due to poor time management or weak structure. Here’s a clear breakdown of how to structure your 20 minutes — from planning to proofreading — using a Band 7+ approach.

🧭 Recommended Time Allocation (20 minutes total)

• Planning: 4–5 minutes
• Writing: 13–14 minutes
• Review/Proofread: 1–2 minutes

🧠 Planning Template

Use this quick checklist before writing:

1. Identify the visual type (line, bar, pie, etc.)
2. Spot key trends or patterns: increases, decreases, stability, extremes
3. Group similar data points — don’t list every value!
4. Write your overview: What are the most noticeable things?

📝 Writing Structure

✔️ Introduction – Paraphrase the task question using synonyms

✔️ Overview – Describe the general trends or major features (NO DATA/NUMBERS!)

✔️ Body Paragraph 1 – Discuss the most significant data group

✔️ Body Paragraph 2 – Discuss remaining patterns, contrasts, or changes

📋 Pre-Writing Checklist

• ✅ Have I grouped the data logically?
• ✅ Did I paraphrase the question?
• ✅ Does my overview summarize the main trends clearly?

✅ Final Self-Checklist (1–2 Minute Review)

• ✅ Are there 4 clear paragraphs?
• ✅ Is the overview general and not too detailed?
• ✅ Did I use a variety of vocabulary?
• ✅ Did I use accurate grammar (especially comparatives and passive voice)?
• ✅ Are there any spelling or word repetition issues?

🧪 Practice Task (Guided)

The bar chart shows the average monthly temperatures in three cities: London, New York, and Sydney. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Tip: Group similar patterns (e.g., two cities with rising summer temperatures). Don’t list data month by month.

📝 Independent Task

The pie charts below compare the ways people in two different age groups spent their free time in 2000 and 2020.

Tip: Focus on changes over time, and which group saw the biggest shifts in preferences.

⏱️ Now move to the next day. Stick to your plan !

DAY 3 of - 7 Day IELTS Academic Band 7+ Challenge or

DAY 3 of - 7 Day IELTS General Band 7+ Challenge

At the end of the 7-day challenge, it’s essential to experience a real test environment, assess your skills, and identify your strengths and weaknesses. That’s why we’ve created high-quality IELTS exam simulations. These will show you your score for each section and give you an estimated overall IELTS band score.

If you prefer to skip the challenge and go straight to testing, you can choose your test type below (IELTS Academic or IELTS General Training).

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