The IELTS writing task 1 line graph is one of the most frequent question types in the Academic test. It shows how one or more things change over time, so your job is to find the trends, compare the lines, and report the data accurately.
This guide gives you a practical line graph exercise, the vocabulary you need, a clear structure and a model answer so you can see exactly what examiners look for.
Key features in IELTS Writing Task 1
In IELTS Academic Writing Task 1, you must summarise a visual in at least 150 words. For a line graph, that means selecting and reporting the main features, with comparisons where relevant. You are marked on:
- Task Achievement: accurate data, a clear overview and relevant key features
- Coherence and Cohesion: logical paragraphs and good linking
- Lexical Resource: a range of accurate vocabulary, especially for trends
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy: varied structures with few errors
Before you write, always read the title, the axes, the units, and the time period. A line graph usually has a time axis (years, months, decades) and a value axis (percentages, millions, kilograms). Then look for these key features:
- The highest and lowest points
- The overall direction of each line (up, down, stable, fluctuating)
- The biggest change and any sudden jump or fall
- Any crossing points where one line overtakes another
- The starting and ending values
IELTS Line Graph Examples
Sample Question
The line graph below shows the percentage of adults who bought groceries online in three countries between 2010 and 2025.
Data used in this example:
| Country | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2025 |
| South Korea | 10% | 22% | 45% | 60% |
| Canada | 5% | 12% | 30% | 38% |
| Brazil | 8% | 14% | 20% | 20% |
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
What do you notice? Take two minutes to spot the patterns before reading on:
- All three lines rise overall.
- South Korea is highest throughout and grows fastest.
- Brazil starts above Canada but is overtaken, and then levels off.
More IELTS Line Graph Practice Questions
Use these descriptions to practise under timed conditions (20 minutes). The figures are sample data for practice.
Exercise 1: Two lines with a crossing point. The graph shows the average monthly sales of electric bikes and standard bikes (in thousands) in a city from 2012 to 2024. Sample data: Electric bikes 2, 5, 11, 24; Standard bikes 30, 26, 20, 14 (2012, 2016, 2020, 2024). Focus: Describe the opposite trends and identify when the lines cross.
Exercise 2: Fluctuation. The graph shows the number of visitors (in millions) to three national parks between 2000 and 2020. Sample data: Park A 4, 6, 5, 8, 7; Park B 3, 3, 4, 3, 4; Park C 9, 8, 6, 5, 4 (2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020). Focus: Use language for fluctuation, stability, and decline.
Exercise 3: Projection into the future. The graph shows the percentage of the population aged over 65 in two countries from 1990, with projections to 2050. Sample data: Country X 8, 11, 15, 22, 28; Country Y 12, 14, 17, 19, 21 (1990, 2010, 2030, 2040, 2050). Focus: Switch tenses correctly between past data and future predictions.
Describing line graph trends
Trend language is the heart of this task. Learn a few flexible patterns and vary them.
Verbs and nouns for change
| Trend | Verbs | Nouns |
| Increase | rose, grew, climbed, went up, increased, surged, soared | a rise, a growth, an increase, a surge |
| Decrease | fell, dropped, declined, dipped, decreased, plummeted | a fall, a drop, a decline, a dip |
| Stay the same | remained stable, stayed constant, levelled off, plateaued | a plateau, a period of stability |
| Fluctuate | fluctuated, varied, went up and down | a fluctuation |
| Reach a high | peaked at, reached a peak of, hit a high of | a peak |
| Reach a low | bottomed out at, reached a low of, hit a low of | a low point, a trough |
Adjectives and adverbs for speed and size
Large or fast change: dramatically, sharply, significantly, considerably, rapidly
Moderate change: steadily, gradually, moderately
Small or slow change: slightly, marginally, modestly
Useful sentence patterns
Verb + adverb: The figure for Canada rose sharply to 30% in 2020.
There was + adjective + noun: There was a sharp rise in the figure for Canada.
Starting and ending points: South Korea started at 10% and finished at 60%.
Comparing lines: Canada's figure was lower than that of South Korea throughout the period.
Crossing: Canada overtook Brazil between 2015 and 2020.
Approximation and time language
Approximation: roughly, approximately, around, just over, just under, nearly
Time phrases: over the period, between 2010 and 2025, by 2020, in the following five years, from... to...
Linking: while, whereas, in contrast, by comparison, similarly, meanwhile
How to structure your answer
The most reliable approach is a four-paragraph structure. It is clear, easy to plan and works for almost every line graph.
- Introduction: paraphrase the question in one or two sentences.
- Overview: two main trends or features, with no detailed numbers.
- Body paragraph 1: describe the first group of data.
- Body paragraph 2: describe the second group of data.
You do not need a conclusion, because the overview does that job.
How to analyze graphs in IELTS: step by step
- Read the title and axes to check units, categories, and time.
- Mark the main features: greatest, lowest, biggest change, crossings.
- Decide your grouping. You can group by line (one country per paragraph), or by time (early period, later period). If there are many lines, group lines with similar trends together.
- Write the introduction and overview first. Without them, you can lose a lot of marks.
- Write body paragraphs with data to support each point.
- Check tenses, numbers, units and spelling.
The introduction
Change the words without changing the meaning:
shows → illustrates/compares / presents
percentage of adults → proportion of adults/share of adults
between 2010 and 2025 → over 15 years from 2010 to 2025
The overview
A strong overview states the main trends in one or two sentences. It must not include detailed figures.
For example: Overall, online grocery shopping became more popular in all three countries. South Korea consistently recorded the highest figures, whereas Brazil showed the slowest growth.
IELTS Line Graph Model Answer
Band 9 sample answer
The line graph illustrates the percentage of adults who bought groceries online in South Korea, Canada and Brazil over 15 years from 2010 to 2025.
Overall, online grocery shopping became more popular in all three countries. South Korea consistently recorded the highest figures and grew the fastest, whereas Brazil showed the slowest growth and levelled off at the end of the period.
In 2010, South Korea stood at 10%, with Brazil and Canada at 8% and 5% respectively. South Korea then rose steadily to 22% in 2015 and climbed sharply to 45% in 2020, before reaching a peak of 60% in 2025.
Canada followed a similar upward pattern, though from a lower base. Its figure more than doubled to 12% by 2015 and then surged to 30% in 2020, finishing at 38%. Brazil, by contrast, initially stayed ahead of Canada, reaching 14% in 2015, but was overtaken by 2020, when it stood at 20% compared with Canada's 30%. Brazil's figure then remained unchanged in 2025, making it the lowest of the three countries.
(Approx. 190 words)
Why this scores band 9:
- The introduction is a precise paraphrase.
- The overview identifies the key trends without detailed data.
- The data is grouped logically and compared throughout.
- It identifies the crossing point between Brazil and Canada, a key feature many candidates miss.
- Vocabulary is varied and accurate (surged, levelled off, stood at, overtaken).
Band 7 sample answer
The line graph shows the percentage of adults who bought groceries online in three countries from 2010 to 2025.
South Korea was the highest, and Brazil was the lowest. All the countries went up.
South Korea went up from 10% in 2010 to 22% in 2015, then went up to 45% in 2020 and 60% in 2025. Canada went up from 5% to 12%, then to 30% and 38%. Brazil went up from 8% to 14% and 20%, and it stayed at 20%.
How to move from band 7 to band 9:
- Develop the overview and focus on contrasts (fastest and slowest growth).
- Replace repeated "went up" with varied vocabulary.
- Add comparisons between countries, including the crossing point.
- Use linking words to connect ideas and show contrast.
Mistakes to Avoid for IELTS Line Graph
- No overview. This is the biggest reason candidates are stuck around band 5 for Task Achievement.
- Describing every number. Select the key data and compare instead.
- Ignoring the time period. Always state the dates in the introduction.
- Giving reasons or opinions. Describe only what the graph shows. Do not explain why trends happened.
- Mixing up trend words. For example, "fluctuate" is not the same as "decrease".
- Wrong tenses. Use past tenses for past years and future forms for projections.
- Inaccurate figures or missing units. Always check the numbers and add % or other units.
- Repeating vocabulary. Overusing "went up" and "went down" limits your Lexical Resource score.
- Poor time management. Spend no more than 20 minutes on Task 1, as Task 2 carries more marks.
- Writing a conclusion that only repeats the overview. Use that time to improve your body paragraphs instead.
Tips for IELTS Line Graph
- Plan for two minutes. Mark the highest point, lowest point, and any crossings before writing.
- Write the overview early. Place it right after the introduction.
- Group data intelligently. Avoid describing each line in isolation when they share a pattern.
- Include starting and ending values for each key line.
- Use a mix of structures. Combine verb + adverb patterns with noun phrases.
- Practise paraphrasing. Take 10 minutes a day to rewrite graph titles in different words.
- Review your own answers. Compare your writing to a model answer and rewrite weaker sentences.
- Get feedback. An experienced teacher can quickly point out the gaps in your grammar, vocabulary, and structure.
Practise with expert support at MIE English Academy
Independent practice is essential, but feedback is what speeds up your progress. If you are preparing for IELTS in Bangladesh and want structured guidance on Writing Task 1 and other sections, you can explore the programmes at MIE English Academy and see how their support fits your target band score.
FAQs
What is the word count requirement?
You must write at least 150 words. A good target is 170 to 190 words, which gives you room for a clear overview and comparisons. Writing fewer than 150 words can lower your score.
How much time should I spend?
Spend about 20 minutes on Task 1: 2 minutes planning, around 15 minutes writing, and 2 to 3 minutes checking. Task 2 is worth more, so leave 40 minutes for it.
What is the ideal paragraph structure?
Use four paragraphs: introduction, overview, body paragraph 1, body paragraph 2. If the graph has a lot of data, you may use three body paragraphs, but keep each one focused on a clear group of data.
Do I need to include every single number on the graph?
No. Select the most important data, such as starting points, end points, peaks, lows, and key changes, and compare them. Listing every figure makes your answer mechanical and hides the main trends.
What tense should I use?
It depends on the time period. Use the past simple (and past perfect where suitable) for completed periods, the present simple for current data with no time reference, and future forms (will, is expected to, is predicted to) for projections. Always check the dates on the time axis.