Simon Videos Course Task 1

IELTS writing task 1

Lesson 1:

course aims

• methods and techniques
• break the task into parts
• types of question
  Remember:
• The task is to describe what you see. Write a report. Don’t give opinions.
• No conclusion (Final opinions, Final judgement) . Instead write a summary (the overview).

Question types

1. Line graph
2. Bar chart
3. Pie chart
4. Table
5. Diagram - comparing
6. Diagram - process

1-4 are the same, they show numbers, just describe something that show numbers.

• describe one number.
• compare more than one number.
• describe changes / trends, use increase / decrease language.

Essay

4 paragraphs

1. Introduction
2. Overview
3. Details
4. Details
   or put the overview at the end

1. Introduction

One sentence: Paraphrase the question

bit by bit, change the words / order, don’t need to change everything, just try to change the key words.

2. Overview

2 sentences: The main, general things

3+4. Details

include numbers, do comparasion, describe trends that shown.

Why 2 paragraphs?

This makes you organise or ‘group’ the information better.

eg: higher number in a paragraph and lower number in another.

No conclusion

Lesson 2: Line graphs

**Attention: ** You will not see a graph with only one line, you will almost definitely see 2, 3, 4 or 5 lines. 3 / 4 the most.

Your job is to compare the lines, not to describe them separately. Make sure you compare them.

Two types of comparison

First, make a very general comparison of the lines on the graph ( the information ) . summary / overview paragraph after the introduction part.

Second, compare the lines at specific points, it is for ‘details’ paragraphs

You can’t describe everything, so just make some selection.
Write at least one thing about each line , one / two about each line that is OK, make sure you make some comparisons.

Example

Question

whole example:

Introduction - paraphrase the question
The line graph compares the amount of electricity produced in France using four different sources of power over a period of 32 years.

Overview - 2 sentences, 2 main points
It is clear that nuclear power was by far the most important means of electricity generation over the period shown. Renewables provided the lowest amount of electricity in each year.

Paragraph 3 details
In 1980, thermal power stations were the main source of electricity in France, generating around 120 terawatt hours of power. Nuclear and hydroelectric power stations produced just under 75 terawatt hours of electricity each, and renewables provided a negligible amount. Just one year latter, nuclear power overtook thermal power as the primary source of electricity.

Paragraph 4 details
Between 1980 and 2005, electricity production from nuclear power rose dramatically to a peak of 430 terawatt hours. By contrast, the figure for thermal power fell to only 50 terawatt hours in 1985, and remained at this level for the rest of the period. Hydroelectric power generation remained relatively stable, at between 50 and 80 terawatt hours, for the whole 32 - year period, but renewable electricity production saw only a small rise to approximately 25 terawatt hours by 2012.

Don’t just take the word on the graph, add some your own thought.

No conclusion again , however write in summary is ok.