Task 1 Writing Guide

Tracks how one or more values change over time. Most line graphs reward a clear trend summary before the fine detail.

• Open with an overview sentence naming the overall trend(s) — rising, falling, fluctuating, or stable.
• Group lines that behave similarly instead of describing every point in sequence.
• Use trend vocabulary (rose steadily, fluctuated, peaked at, leveled off) instead of repeating 'increased'.
• Reference specific data points only to support the trend, not as a substitute for it.

Compares discrete categories at one point in time, or the same categories across a few points in time.

• Identify the highest and lowest categories early — examiners look for comparison, not a category-by-category list.
• Group bars into clusters (e.g. 'the three Asian countries' vs 'the two European countries') where the data allows it.
• Use comparative language (significantly higher than, roughly double, marginally lower) rather than just stating numbers.
• If there are multiple charts, write one overview sentence that covers both before going into detail.

Shows proportions of a whole, often with two or more pie charts to compare across time or category.

• Convert raw percentages into relative language (just under a third, nearly half, a negligible share).
• Order your description from largest to smallest segment, not the order shown in the chart.
• When there are two pies, organize by what changed most, not chart-by-chart.
• Avoid trying to mention every single slice — group the smallest segments together if there are many.

Presents precise figures across multiple categories and variables — the most data-dense Task 1 format.

• Scan for the two or three most reportable contrasts before writing — a table almost never needs every cell described.
• Decide whether rows or columns make a more natural comparison, and organize paragraphs around that choice.
• Round figures sensibly in prose (around 45%, just over half) rather than copying every decimal.
• Keep a consistent reporting order (e.g. always country before year) so paragraphs don't read as a random list.

Illustrates the stages of a natural or manufacturing process, sometimes cyclical.

• State in the overview whether the process is linear (start to end) or cyclical (returns to the start).
• Use sequencing language (first, following this, at the final stage) instead of 'and then' repeatedly.
• Use the passive voice where the agent doesn't matter (the water is heated, the material is filtered).
• Count the stages in your overview sentence so the reader knows the scope before the detail.

Compares a location at two or more points in time, or compares two related locations.

• Open with an overview naming the single biggest change (a new road, a converted building, a removed park).
• Use spatial language precisely (to the north of, adjacent to, in place of) rather than vague positioning.
• Group changes by area of the map rather than describing every feature in isolation.
• Use the passive for changes with no clear agent (the field was converted into a car park).

Written to an organization or authority you don't know personally, raising a problem and requesting action.

• Open by stating who you are and the reason for writing in one or two sentences.
• Keep the tone firm but polite — state the problem clearly without becoming aggressive.
• Close with a specific, reasonable request for what you want done.
• Use formal register throughout: no contractions, no casual phrasing.

Written to a company, school, or institution to ask for details you need.

• State the purpose of your letter immediately — don't bury the request.
• List your specific questions clearly, ideally as separate points so none get missed.
• Explain briefly why you need the information, if relevant.
• Thank the reader and indicate how you'd like to receive a reply.

Written to someone you have a professional but less distant relationship with — a landlord, a manager, a colleague.

• Balance politeness with directness — semi-formal still avoids slang but can be warmer than a stranger-to-stranger letter.
• Reference the existing relationship briefly (as your tenant, as a regular customer) to set context.
• Keep paragraphs short and the request clear.
• Sign off with a moderately warm but professional closing.

Written to someone you know well, sharing news, an invitation, or a personal request.

• Open with a friendly, natural greeting and a personal line before the main content.
• Use natural spoken-register phrasing and contractions — overly formal language reads oddly here.
• Stay on topic even though the tone is relaxed; the letter still needs to cover everything the prompt asks for.
• Close warmly and consistently with the relationship described in the prompt.