How to Write A Task 1 Bar Chart Band 9 Report

A bar chart presents categorical data with rectangular bars with heights or lengths proportional to the values that they represent. This is one of the seven most frequent question types for your IELTS Writing Task 1 exam.

On this page, you will find a complete discussion on IELTS Task 1 Bar Chart question. The discussion will proceed under the following 7 major steps:

Analyse the question
Identify the major features
Remember the 4 paragraph structure
Paraphrase the question sentence
Write an Overview paragraph
Write the Body paragraph 1
Write the Body paragraph 2

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Example

1. How to Analyse A Task-1 Bar Graph Question?

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To understand the question fully, we should identify three key parts:

The main topic of the question, which is waste collection by a recycling centre.
Specific keywords that help us to focus on particular aspects of the topic, such as paper, glass, tins, gardens, and the years 2011-2015.
Action words that tell us what we need to do, such as comparing different features in the given diagrams or data sets.

Once we have identified these three parts, we can then proceed to analyse the diagrams and identify the major features that are relevant to the question.

2. How to Find The Main Features in A Task 1 Bar Chart

Finding the main features in an IELTS Task 1 Bar Chart involves carefully examining the graph and identifying key points, trends, and comparisons. Here are some steps to guide you:

Start with the Title and Axes: Begin by understanding what the bar chart is about. The title will give you the context, while the axes will provide specific details such as the quantities being measured and the time frame.

Identify Major Trends: Look for overall trends or patterns. Is there an overall increase or decrease? Are there any patterns such as cyclical trends, fluctuations, or constant levels?

Look for Highest and Lowest Points: Noticing these can often provide valuable information about peaks or troughs in the data.

Compare Different Categories: If there are different categories represented in the bar chart, identify differences or similarities between these categories.

Identify Significant Changes: Note if there are any significant changes or outliers in the data. If a certain bar stands out for being dramatically higher or lower than the others, that's a main feature.

Note Periods of Stability or Significant Changes: Look for periods when the data doesn't change much, or periods when there are significant changes. These can both be key features.

Contrast Beginnings and Endings: If the graph shows data over time, compare the data at the beginning and end of the time frame. Significant changes or consistencies can be important main features.

Remember, your goal isn't to describe every detail in the chart, but to present an overview of the most significant features. Practice this with various types of charts and with time, you'll become more adept at quickly identifying the main features in an IELTS Task 1 Bar Chart.

So, applying the steps that we have described above, we've identified the following major features:

In all the years except 2013, paper waste was the largest amount collected.
Glass was consistently the second highest waste collected, except in 2013.
Tins and gardens were consistently the third and fourth highest, respectively.
In 2015, the total waste collection was the highest at 196 tones, followed by 176 tones in 2011 and the lowest was 133 tones in 2012.

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3. IELTS Task-1 Bar Chart Essay Structure

We can complete the essay using only 10 sentences! Yes, it is that much simple! Take a look how we place the 10 sentences in our 4 paragraph essay. You can look into the eBook to learn how to write each paragraph perfectly.

1. Paraphrasing the Question Sentence

Paraphrase the question statement using just one or two sentences.

2. Overview Paragraph

Sentence 1: summary statement 1(preview of the essay without presenting data)

Sentence 2: summary statement 2 (more preview without presenting data)

3. Body Paragraph 1

Sentence 1: first major point

Sentence 2: second major point

Sentence 3: extension sentence 1 (compare/combine the major points stated above)

Sentence 4: extension sentence 2 (extension of the previous sentence, or adding an exceptional feature).

4. Body Paragraph 2

Sentence 1: exceptional feature

Sentence 2: extension of the exceptional feature

Sentence 3: final sentence (wrapping-up the whole essay, completely based on the discussion above, nothing new)

Let's develop the answer step by step applying the above-stated 4 paragraph essay structure.

4. Paraphrasing the Question Sentence

The introductory paragraph of our IELTS Task 1 essay is designed to paraphrase the question statement. The primary objective of this paragraph is to restate the question sentence in your own words, without altering the original meaning.

To accomplish this effectively, you must have a solid grasp of paraphrasing techniques which you can find in detail in the eBook. The examiner will assess this paragraph to determine the depth of your comprehension of the question presented.

Let's look at the actual question statement that we are using on this page:

"The chart below shows waste collection by a recycling centre from 2011 to 2015."

We can paraphrase this statement as below:

"The presented diagram showcases various waste categories collected by a recycling centre for a continuous span of five years, ranging from 2011 through to 2015. The units of measurement for each category are in tons."

That's it, quite simple. Our first paragraph is complete, and you have already used 28 out of 150 words. Let's move to the next part of the essay, the Overview Paragraph.

5. Task 1 Bar Chart Overview Paragraph

The second paragraph of our IELTS Writing Task 1 essay is the overview, and it holds significant weight in the scoring process. In the absence of an overview paragraph, your essay is unlikely to receive a score higher than band 5 in the IELTS Writing section. Therefore, it is crucial to approach this paragraph with utmost care. You can check this chapter in the eBook where we have given in-depth discussion on how to write an impressive overview paragraph.

An overview serves as a summary of the key features that you will be discussing in the subsequent body paragraphs. This paragraph should not contain any data but should instead highlight the obvious features that are visible in the presented diagrams. Its purpose is to provide readers with a general idea of the essay's content.

Overview Paragraph Structure

Remember our Overview paragraph structure:

Sentence 1: summary statement 1(preview of the essay without presenting data)

Sentence 2: summary statement 2 (more preview without presenting data)

Sentence 3: outline sentence (state how the discussion will proceed.)

Let's form the paragraph:

Sentence 1(Summary Statement 1)

"In general, over the entire five-year period with the exception of 2013, paper waste was the most substantial category of waste, followed by glass, tins, and gardens, respectively. "

Sentence 2(Summary Statement 2)

"However, apart from 2015, the total amount of waste collected from these four categories remained mostly constant throughout the period."

Complete Overview Paragraph

"In general, over the entire five-year period with the exception of 2013, paper waste was the most substantial category of waste, followed by glass, tins, and gardens, respectively. However, apart from 2015, the total amount of waste collected from these four categories remained mostly constant throughout the period. "

Quite simple. Previously we wrote 28 words for the first paragraph (paraphrasing the question sentence). And just now we have added 44 more words to write the 2nd paragraph (Overview paragraph). That means we've completed the 1st two of our 4 paragraph IELTS Task 1 essay. Therefore, we're already halfway through. It's time to move to the Body Paragraph 1 and Body Paragraph 2 respectively.

6. Task 1 Bar Chart Body Paragraph 1

In the overview paragraph, we have given just a general statement of significant features, we haven't discussed any detail. Now it's time to explain them in the two body paragraphs.

Body Paragraph 1 Structure

Remember our Body Paragraph 1 structure:

Sentence 1: first major point

Sentence 2: second major point

Sentence 3: extension sentence 1 (compare/combine the major points stated above)

Sentence 4: extension sentence 2 (extension of the previous sentence, or adding an exceptional feature).

Let's form the paragraph following the above-stated structure:

Sentence 1(First Major Point)

"Over the entire five-year period, the relative proportions of waste collected from each of the four categories remained consistent."

Sentence 2(Second Major Point)

"Paper waste was the most frequently collected waste category, followed by glass, tins, and gardens, respectively."

Sentence 3(Extension Sentence 1)

"However glass was the leading waste material in 2013."

Sentence 4(Extension Sentence 2)

"Throughout this period, the levels of tins and garden waste were neck and neck, although garden waste consistently remained lower."

Complete Body Paragraph 1

"Over the entire five-year period, the relative proportions of waste collected from each of the four categories remained consistent. Paper waste was the most frequently collected waste category, followed by glass, tins, and gardens, respectively. However glass was the leading waste material in 2013. Throughout this period, the levels of tins and garden waste were neck and neck, although garden waste consistently remained lower."

By adding 62 words to the first body paragraph, we have already covered 75% of the required length for an IELTS Task 1 essay. It's remarkable how simple it can be - we just need to describe the major features we see in the diagrams.

With 28, 44, and 62 words respectively for the first three paragraphs, we have used up 134 out of the total 150 words. This means we only need to write at least 16 more words for the final paragraph. Let's proceed to the second body paragraph.

7. Task 1 Bar Chart Body Paragraph 2

Body paragraph 2 is the final paragraph of our IELTS Task 1 essay. This is the easiest paragraph in the whole essay. Because here we're just stating other features briefly in the first sentence, adding another overall comparison statement in the second sentence, and then writing a final sentence summarizing the whole essay. Lets's apply our structure for the second body paragraph:

Body Paragraph 2 Structure

Sentence 1: exceptional feature

Sentence 2: extension of the exceptional feature

Sentence 3: final sentence (wrapping-up the whole essay, completely based on the discussion above, nothing new)

Let's form the paragraph following the above-stated structure:

Sentence 1(Exceptional Feature)

"The trend for the total amount of waste collected, however, differed from that of individual categories."

Sentence 2(Extension of the Exceptional Feature)

"The highest amount of waste, totalling 196 tons, was collected in 2015, followed by 2011 and 2014."

Sentence 3(Final Sentence)

"Therefore, despite fluctuations, paper waste consistently dominated throughout the period, and 2015 saw the highest amount of waste collected by the centre in a single year."

Complete Body Paragraph 2

"The trend for the total amount of waste collected, however, differed from that of individual categories. The highest amount of waste, totalling 196 tons, was collected in 2015, followed by 2011 and 2014. Therefore, despite fluctuations, paper waste consistently dominated throughout the period, and 2015 saw the highest amount of waste collected by the centre in a single year."

We've added 58 more words to the previous 134, and just finished the final part of our 4 paragraph essay. That means we have just completed an IELTS Task 1 essay with 192 words, which is absolutely okay. In fact, you should write somewhere between 170 and 220 words for convey a smart description.

In conclusion, writing a task-1 bar chart band 9 report may seem daunting, but with these strategies in hand, it's an achievable goal. Remember, the secret lies in effective interpretation, clear organization, and varied language use. Practice identifying key features and trends, comparing and contrasting data, and accurately representing numerical data in your own words. Ensure that your introduction, overview, and detailed paragraphs follow a logical flow, maintaining a high degree of coherence and cohesion.

Moreover, focus on improving your lexical resource by employing a variety of vocabulary, grammatical structures, and synonyms. Lastly, while preparing for your IELTS task-1, be sure to review top-tier band 9 samples to identify the essential elements of a successful response. Just like mastering any skill, it takes practice and dedication to write an impressive bar chart band 9 report, but rest assured, with the right approach, you're well on your way to achieving that IELTS band 9 score.

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