How do I describe a graph, chart, map or process in IELTS Writing Task 1?

Start by deciding which of the four visual types you are looking at, because each one has a different job: a graph or chart wants a trend and selected figures, a table wants the pattern inside the grid, a map wants changes in place and position, and a process diagram wants stages in order. Write a one-sentence opening that paraphrases the prompt, then an overview that names the most important features without numbers, then one or two body paragraphs that group the detail instead of listing it. Keep the register academic or semi-formal, keep the whole answer above 150 words, and use the past tense for changes that are already finished and the passive voice for stages where the person doing the work is not named. Finish by re-reading for articles, plurals and figures, because those small errors are the ones examiners can see immediately.

One detail rule is easier to remember than the four type names: every body paragraph should carry at least two figures taken from the visual with its own units, and no paragraph should introduce a number that the reader cannot find on the chart. When you finish, check three things in this order: does the first line paraphrase the prompt instead of copying it, does the second line give an overview with no numbers, and does the last line add no new data. Practising towards a target of about 170 words rather than stopping exactly at 150 keeps you above the minimum when a sentence is deleted during editing.

IELTS Writing Task 1: How to Describe Graphs, Charts, Maps and Processes →