IELTS Writing Task 1: analyse model essays

Maybe you read my line graph essay last week, but did you really study it?

Here's some example analysis of last week's essay:

• Structure - 4 paragraphs: introduction, overview, 2 specific details
• Paraphrasing - proportion of the population = percentage of people (find more examples)
• Overview - overall trend, then biggest change
• Selecting key information - first year (1940), middle years (1990, early 2000s), end of period (2030 to 2040)
• Comparing - in each country, most dramatic, and, compared to, by contrast, while, slightly lower, respectively (analyse my sentences to learn how to use these words correctly)
• Verbs - compares, increases, is expected to see, were, rose, remained... (look carefully at the use of tenses)

It's possible to read model essays quickly and learn a little. It's also possible to spend a long time studying them carefully and learn a lot!

Comments

[Adel Ansari]

Hi Simon,
After seeing this lesson, I learned the rules which can improve my writing.

[Nana]

Hi I am Nana
Other one is proportion of people the number of people whose are......

[Phuong Nguyen]

Hi Simon,

Thank you very much for this useful website. It helped me lots during the time I was preparing for my exam in March. I got 7.5 as the overall band score, and I think your website and many friends here made great support for me. Many thanks to all, and lots of love.

Wish you all the best.

Phuong

[Jay]

hi Simon

could U give me one advice plz, because i m having exam on 31

in TAsk 1

plz clarify difference below?? I know u mentioned before..but I couldnt find it..

in 1920s
in the year 1920
in 1920.

which is suitable or in every sentence, it can be used.

Thnx a lot

[Docent]

Hello, Simon,
Why do you never give any advice on letters?

[Adel Ansari]

Hello Jay,
I saw this in the third paragraph of Simon's writing task 1.
In 1940, around 9% of Americans were aged 65 or over, compared to about 7% of Swedish people and 5% of Japanese people.
He used *In 1940* .

[Simon]

Congratulations Phuong!

...

Hi Jay,

The first one refers to the decade (1929-1929). The other 2 refer to one year only. All are correct depending on the context.

...

Hi Docent,

I don't normally teach the GT (my students here in Manchester all do the academic test) so I haven't made my own materials for the letter task.

[Elis]

Hi Simon,

When it comes to year numbers, is it ok to pronounce twenty-thirty (2030) or should I say two thousand and thirty ? Are there any difference?

Thanks

[Simon]

Hi Elis,

It doesn't matter, but I'd say 20-30.

[Yusun]

I am not convinced that how to have a good result in W1.
Is it okay that reading, coping samples on your website and trying to remember sentences? will it fine/enough to look your website in writing task 1 ?

[dio]

Would you please let me know can I use question in writing task 2? My teacher said that question belongs to TOEFL not IELTS? Would you guide me?

[Simon]

Hi Yusun,

I think you'll find my task 1 lessons useful, but you could do other things too, such as write your own essays and find a teacher who can check them.

...

Hi Dio,

Do you mean "is it ok to write questions in task 2 essays?" My advice is not to write questions in your essays.

[hathu]

Hi Simon
Could you give me some suggestions about the writing task 1-test 4-cambridge ielts 7 please? How many paragraph should i use? Could I compare both the units and percentage in the same essay. (I create the percentage by myself, cause it not concern in the graph. Is it ok?)
Regard,

[dave]

hi simon,

here in the Philippines, our coaches always remind us that we should not use dramatic/dramatically in the task 1 because they say that there is no drama in task 1.anyway i still believe in your writing examples because you are a native english speaker.

[priya]

hi simon,
could you tell me that actually we do not need to write the conclusion paragraph for task1 questions

[Simon]

Hi Hathu,

I think I did that essay here:

http://ielts-simon.com/ielts-help-and-english-pr/2010/12/ielts-writing-task-1-four-pie-charts-essay.html

...

Hi Dave,

I disagree with that. "increased dramatically" is a normal expression that has no relation to "drama". Have a look on Google and you will find many examples from all kinds of real sources.

...

Hi Priya,

Look at this lesson:

http://ielts-simon.com/ielts-help-and-english-pr/2012/01/ielts-writing-task-1-you-dont-need-a-conclusion.html

[pamella najera]

It's possible to read model essays quickly and learn a little.