AOTEAROA NZCHE
A CATHOLIC COLLEGE OF HIGHER EDUCATION

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Lesson summary:

Episode: 6 of 6

Bar graphs are a common visual format used in IELTS Writing Task 1. They represent data using rectangular bars, with the length of each bar proportional to the value it represents. Here's a breakdown of what to expect with bar graphs and the key grammar points to remember:

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Understanding IELTS Bar Graphs:

• Axes: The x-axis (horizontal) typically represents categories being compared, while the y-axis (vertical) represents the numerical values.

• Bars: Each bar represents a specific category and its corresponding data point.

• Key Features: Look for the overall trends (highest/lowest values), comparisons between categories, and any significant changes or fluctuations.

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Grammar for Describing IELTS Bar Graphs:

• Introduction: Briefly paraphrase the title and key features of the bar graph (e.g., "The bar chart illustrates the...").

• Overview Paragraph: Provide a general summary of the main trends across all categories.

• Body Paragraphs: Focus on specific comparisons between categories, highlighting the highest/lowest values and any significant differences.

• Numbers: Use specific figures from the graph to support your observations (e.g., "Tourists from China made up 30% of visitors...").

• Comparison Vocabulary: 

  • Use words like "highest," "lowest," "more than," "less than," "increased," "decreased" to show comparisons.

  • Use approximations (e.g., roughly, around, about, just over, just under etc.).

• Transition Words: Utilize connectives (e.g., "in contrast," "similarly," "furthermore") to link ideas and show relationships between categories.

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Click here for the IELTS Bar Graph Cheat Sheets, and here for the IELTS Summary Sheets.