IELTS Luminary
Best Online Centre for IELTS Preparation
How to Write an IELTS Task 1 Body Paragraph
In the Overview paragraph, we provided a summary of the significant features that we found in the diagram, and also added an outline sentence. But we didn't describe anything there. We saved the description for the body paragraphs.
On this page, we are going to show how to write the body paragraphs for an IELTS Task 1 report.
However, if you haven't already, you can check how we construct the Overview paragraph. Then go through this page. It will be a more organised reading for you.
We suggest you write two body paragraphs for an IELTS Task 1 essay. That means, pick just two major features from the graph, state them in the overview paragraph, explain and compare them in the body paragraphs. Very simple!
Hope you remember our body paragraph structure that we provided with details on the page IELTS Academic Task 1 Writing Structure. However, in case you didn't go through that page, our strategy for writing IELTS Task 1 body paragraphs is given below:
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)
Example
Let's go through the example question below, and see how we prepare the body paragraphs following the above-stated structure.
Source: Cambridge English IELTS Past Papers
Body Paragraph 1
Body Paragraph 1 is the 3rd paragraph of our IELTS Task 1 response. We will use the first and the second sentences of this paragraph just for stating the major points. The 3rd and 4th sentences will be used for explaining and comparing the major features.
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)
"In 2008, educational organizations contributed the most — 24% of all volunteers —followed by environmental and artistic organizations."
Sentence 2(Second Major Point)
"However, environmental organizations provided 29% of the volunteers in 2014."
Sentence 3(Extension Sentence 1)
"While environmental organizations had an increase from 21% to 29% during the same time period, educational institutions suffered a slight decline from 24% in 2008 to 17% in 2014."
Sentence 4(Extension Sentence 2)
"The lowest contributor in both times continued to be health care."
Complete Body Paragraph 1
"In 2008, educational organizations contributed the most — 24% of all volunteers —followed by environmental and artistic organizations. However, environmental organizations provided 29% of the volunteers in 2014. While environmental organizations had an increase from 21% to 29% during the same time period, educational institutions suffered a slight decline from 24% in 2008 to 17% in 2014. The lowest contributor in both times continued to be health care."
Look, we have used the first and the second sentences just for stating the two major points, whereas the 3rd and 4th sentences have been used for comparison/relative significance. That is it. Pretty easy. We've just completed the Body Paragraph 1.
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 in brief and then adding a final sentence to conclude the 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)
"However, only sport's contribution saw a large increase from 15% in 2008 to 25% in 2014, while all the other categories had only a slight uptick or decline."
Sentence 2(Extension of the Exceptional Feature)
"In addition, only the rates of volunteerism in the fields of health care, the environment, and sport rose during the same time period, whereas all the other three declined."
Sentence 3(Final Sentence)
"The greatest donors in 2008 and 2014, respectively, were Educational and Environmental, while Health Care remained the lowest contributor in both periods."
Complete Body Paragraph 2
"However, only sport's contribution saw a large increase from 15% in 2008 to 25% in 2014, while all the other categories had only a slight uptick or decline. In addition, only the rates of volunteerism in the fields of health care, the environment, and sport rose during the same time period, whereas all the other three declined. The greatest donors in 2008 and 2014, respectively, were Educational and Environmental, while Health Care remained the lowest contributor in both periods."
Take a look above, in the first sentence we've just stated the other features in brief. We used the second sentence for stating the overall comparison. At the end, the final sentence has simply wrapped up the whole discussion focusing on the major features. Remember, never write any new feature or any new statement in the final sentence. Because this is your concluding sentence, and a concluding sentence must answer the question based on the discussion above, it cannot come up with anything new.
Check our guaranteed Essay Correction Service
Next,
How to write a smart overview paragraph
Don't forget to go through all the important question types for IELTS Writing Task 1:
Check the following resources: