I often hear my students complain about Writing Task 1, and I see them struggle with it firsthand. It’s easy to make mistakes, even if you know the basics. Today, I’ll cover three common struggles that can really hurt your score and show you how to fix them.
1. Copy Words Directly from the Question
Example: If the question says, “The graph shows the number of students studying abroad from 2000 to 2020,” some people write, “The graph shows the number of students studying abroad from 2000 to 2020” without changing anything.
Using the exact same words shows that you can’t paraphrase well. The IELTS exam tests your ability to use different words and sentence structures.
Correct Version: “The graph illustrates how many students went to study abroad between 2000 and 2020.”
Tip: Practice changing the vocabulary and structure to show your skills.
2. Use the Wrong Synonyms
Example: “The graph shows the amount of guests to three separate art galleries from 2010 to 2020.”
“Amount” is wrong because it’s used for things you can’t count, like water or air. “Guests” doesn’t work well here because it usually means invited people or those staying at hotels, and “art galleries” isn’t the right synonym for “museums.”
Correct Version: “The graph shows the number of people visiting museums from 2010 to 2020.”
Tip: Double-check that your synonyms have the right meaning and fit the context.
3. Make Sentences Too Complicated
Example: “The given graphical representation delineates the vehicular transaction alterations across a decade,” instead of just saying, “The graph shows changes in car sales over 10 years.”
Using overly complicated words makes your writing hard to understand. Examiners prefer clear and simple language that is easy to follow.
Correct Version: “The graph shows changes in car sales over 10 years.”
Tip: Focus on making your writing clear and easy to read, not fancy.
4. Describe Every Detail Instead of Summarising
Example: Writing about every data point, like, “In 2001, there were 5,000 units sold, then in 2002, it increased to 6,000 units,” and continuing this for each year.
Listing every number makes your report hard to follow and misses the purpose of summarising. Task 1 asks for the main trends or key features, not every small detail.
Correct Version: “Overall, sales showed a steady increase from 2001 to 2005, with only slight fluctuations.”
Tip: Focus on identifying and describing the most important trends or differences.
5. Not Changing the Introduction
Example: Copying, “The table below shows the number of tourists visiting different countries in 2020,” exactly from the prompt.
Copying the introduction word-for-word shows that you lack paraphrasing skills. The examiner wants to see that you can express the same idea in different words.
Correct Version: “The table provides data on how many tourists visited various countries in 2020.”
Tip: Practise rewriting introductions using synonyms and changing the sentence structure.
6. Misread the Data or Trends
Example: Writing, “The number of visitors to the museum decreased significantly between 2015 and 2020,” when the graph only shows a small drop.
Misinterpreting the data leads to an inaccurate description, which lowers your Task Achievement score. It’s important to read the information carefully and describe it accurately.
Correct Version: “The number of visitors to the museum saw a slight decline between 2015 and 2020.”
Tip: Double-check your understanding of the data and use precise language, like “slightly,” “significantly,” “remained stable,” or “sharply increased,” to describe trends correctly.
Which of these mistakes are you making? Let me know in the comments!
