IELTS Writing Task 1: double, twice as, twofold

A few students have asked me about how to use 'double', 'twice as', 'three times', 'twofold', 'threefold' etc. Compare how each word/phrase is used in the following examples:

1. 'double' (verb)

The number of unemployed people doubled between 2005 and 2009.

2. 'twice as...as/compared to', 'three times as...as/compared to'

There were twice as many unemployed people in 2009 as in 2005.
Twice as many people were unemployed in 2009 compared to 2005.

3. 'twofold', 'threefold' (adjective or adverb)

There was a twofold increase in the number of unemployed people between 2005 and 2009. (adjective with the noun 'increase')
The number of unemployed people increased twofold between 2005 and 2009. (adverb with the verb 'increase')

Try using these forms in your own sentences. Make sure you follow the patterns.

Comments

[Sandy]

Hi Simon

I do like visiting your blog which is very useful~I also highly recommend it to all of my friends who are studying the IELTS test.

In regard to word of "Double"
Coule I write:
The figure for X increased to nearly 20% in 1997, which almost doubled its initial rate in 2000.

I visited an academic website which provides some skills for students. One of its sentence is that

The inequity in the distribution of wealth in Australia is yet another indicator of Australia's lack of egalitarianism. In 1995, 20% of the Australian population owned 72.2% of Australia's wealth with the top 50% owning 92.1% (Raskall, 1998: 287). Such a significant SKEW in the distribution of wealth indicates that...

Another question is that could I use SKEW to describe 2 figures are contrasting? For instance:
The significant skew in oil supply and oil consumption was indicated that middle East held a sheer volume of oil resources.
(Information is form Official IELTS Practice Materials 2)

Do you think that in this sentence, SKEW is a appropriate word to describe the figures or items?

Thank your answers in advance

[Ld]

very sad today,
got the result- l-7.5 R-7.5 W-6.5 S-6.5
need 7 in each module.I did lot of mistake in speaking thats why got 6.5 but I dont know why I got 6.5 in writing.
I think examiner had a fight with her/his partner that day or split.LOL

I have to take it again means £100 pound will go to developed country from developing country.

[RUFAT]

Dear Simon
we would like to ask you help us to write a essay in Cambridge 8 for the first question about a Writing 1

[JING]

Hi Simon,

I just got my ielts result and I am so happy right now.
My result:
L8.5 R8 W7.5 S7.5

Thank you for your invaluable lessons, I will recommend your website to my friends!!~

And once again, everyone, please follow simon's instruction, his lessons are really useful!

[Fira]

Hello everyone. Congratulations, JING. Hope that result for myself as as well :D. I want to ask you, how long have you been preparing IELTS?
Here are my examples.
1. double
The amount of precipitation in Baku doubled between July and December.
2. twice as....as/compared
There were twice as many precipitation in Baku in December as in July.
Twice as many precipitation in Baku in December compared to July.
3.twofold....threefold
There was a twofold increase in the amount of precipitation in Baku between July and December. (adjective)
The amount of precipitation in Baku increased twofold between July and December.

[JING]

Hi Fira,

I follow Simon's website for around one month, and improve both writing and speaking from 6.5 to 7.5.
Simon's lessons are really useful, giving me a lot of hints about how to answer questions.

This "HOW" is very important to me, and I am sure if you find out your right way, you can get what you want soon.

[Simon]

FROM SIMON:

Congratulations to Jing, and sorry to Ld.

I'll answer some of the other grammar questions in tomorrow's lesson here on the blog.

[thangngovan]

Hi simon and every one. I have just writen an essay using two fold and can you give me some advices and comments on my work. Thank you so much.
This is the link of picture
http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb349/thangngovan/holiday-chart.png
and here is my essay
The bar chart illustrates the proportion of four holiday accommodations: self-catering, caravan, camping and hotel by people in parts of UK in 2010. It can be clearly seen that, hotel is the most common choice in their vacations.
In England, there are 55% people stayed in hotel, as two folds of the number people choosing self-catering. Visitors in this area rarely stayed in camping (12%) and much less lived in Caravan (6%). The pattern of Scotland and Wales is the same as England with percentage of hotel choice is about 50% and approximately 30% of self- catering. However, there is a little difference in Scotland when the proportion of Caravan and Camping (12%-6%) is contrast with two others.
For the last part of British- Northern Ireland, there is a significant difference in number of people stayed in Caravan, the second highest proportion in four choices. In addition, it is noticeable that the number of people choosed Self-catering and Camping stayed the same at 12%.

[sabeeka]

THE NO OF ADMISSIONS IN FACULTY OF PHARMACY OF KARACHI UNIVERSITY DOUBLED BETWEEN 2005 AND 2009.
THERE WERE TWICE AS MANY ADMISSIONS IN 2008 AS IN 2005.
TWICE AS MANY ADMISSIONS WERE IN 2008 AS COMPARED TO 2005.
THERE WAS TWO FOLD INCREASE IN ADMISSIONS BETWEEN 2005 AND 2009.
THE NUMBER OF ADMISSION INCREASED TWOFOLD BETWEEN 2005 AND 2009.