Useful language to refer to graphs:
IELTS
JOURNAL
31
•
As can be seen from the graph…
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It can be seen from the graph that …
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The graph shows…
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It can be concluded from the graph that…
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From the figures/statistics, it can be inferred that…
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The graph illustrates…
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It is noticeable that …
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We can see that …
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It is clear that …
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Overall, …
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It is clear from the … that …
Writing an 'overview' not a conclusion
IELTS teachers will often tell you to put the overview at the end like a 'conclusion', however
you don't need to write a conclusion for IELTS writing task 1. You need to write an "overview"
of the information. But why don't you need to write a conclusion? What's the difference
between a conclusion and an overview?
First, a conclusion is really a final judgment, decision or opinion. This is perfect for the task
2 essay, but task 1 asks you to write a description without analysis or opinions. On the other
hand, an "overview" is a simple description of the main points.
It is a summary of the
information shown in the graph or chart.
Second, a conclusion should be at the end of a piece of writing. An overview or general summary
could go either at the end or near the beginning. It is a good idea to describe the main features
of the graph or chart near the beginning of your essay.
So, the suggested report structure for task 1 looks like this:
1.
Introduction: what does the chart show?
2.
Overview / summary: what are the most noticeable features?
3.
Specific details: try to write 2 paragraphs.
