1: Overview Essentials
Which paragraph in IELTS Writing Task 1 gives a general summary of the main trends without including specific data or numbers?
The Overview (paragraph)
What is the past form of the irregular verb "rise" used to describe an upward trend?
Rose
What preposition completes this timeframe: "The survey was conducted ______ 2010 and 2020"?
Between (between 2010 and 2020)
What academic verb can replace "shows" in the opening phrase: "The graph shows..."?
Illustrates / Compares / Demonstrates
What is the recommended minimum word count for IELTS Writing Task 1?
150 words
Identify the major mistake in this sentence for an overview: "Overall, the figure for cars rose by 15% from 1990 to 2010."
It includes specific data/percentages (numbers should not be in the overview).
Give one common synonym for the verb "decrease".
Decline / Fall / Drop
If the number of students started at 50 and ended at 80, fill in the preposition: "The number climbed ______ 80 in December."
To
Provide one natural synonym for the word "teenagers".
Adolescents / Young individuals / Youth / Young people
How much time should you spend writing Task 1 during the 60-minute IELTS Writing test?
Approximately 20 minutes
When looking at a line graph, what two key elements should you ideally report in your overview?
The main overall trends (increases/decreases) and the highest/lowest (most striking) points.
Fill in the blank: When a line reaches its highest point and stays there for a moment before dropping, we say it "reached a ______ of 80 in June".
Peak
If a price was $100 and became $120, fill in the preposition: "The price increased ______ $20."
By (by shows the margin of difference)
What is the difference between "the proportion of people" and "the number of people"?
"Proportion" is used for percentages/fractions (%), while "number" is used for countable units/people.
How many paragraphs does a standard, well-structured Task 1 report typically have?
4 paragraphs (Introduction, Overview, Body 1, Body 2)
True or False: You must write a conclusion paragraph at the end of Task 1 in addition to the overview.
False (an overview is essential; an opinionated conclusion is not required and wastes time).
Which phrase correctly describes a figure that stays at the exact same level: "remained stable" or "remained unstable"?
Remained stable (or stayed the same)
Which preposition correctly completes the expression: "The percentage of cyclists stood ______ exactly 25% in 2005"?
At (stood at / remained at)
Rephrase "young people who took part in sports" using a participle clause starting with "Young people...".
"Young people taking part in sports..." (or participating in sports)
True or False: In Task 1, you should explain why a trend happened (e.g., "car sales dropped because of high fuel prices"), even if reasons are not on the graph.
False (never add external reasons or personal opinions; describe only what is shown).
Which overview sentence is better for Task 1?
A: "Overall, swimming increased by 15% and football reached 40%."
B: "Overall, swimming saw an upward trend, while football remained the most popular sport."
Sentence B
Transform the verbal phrase "sales increased dramatically" into an equivalent phrase using There was a...
"There was a dramatic increase in sales."
Correct the preposition mistake: "The reading club reached a peak at 70 participants in June."
Replace at with of ("reached a peak OF 70...").
Complete this sentence using a common paraphrase for "hobbies":
"Students spent most of their weekends taking part in various leisure ______."
activities (Accept: pastimes / pursuits)
What happens to your score in Task Achievement if you describe every single detail accurately but completely forget to include an Overview?
The Task Achievement score is capped at Band 5.0 (cannot exceed Band 5).