Writing — Task 1
Describe a chart in your own words.
You'll be marked on Task Achievement, Coherence & Cohesion, Lexical Resource and Grammatical Range & Accuracy — the same four criteria a real examiner uses. Aim for at least 150 words. Take 20 minutes.
The chart below shows the number of international tourist arrivals (in millions) in three South Asian countries — India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal — between 2010 and 2023.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Source Compiled tourist arrivals data, 2010–2023. Values in millions.
Before you write
3 techniques from Russell's
Plan for 5 minutes before you write. Yes, really.
Most candidates start writing immediately to "save time." This costs band scores. Spend five minutes outlining: a one-line opening identifying the main trend, the two or three most important comparisons, and a one-line summary. A planned response scores higher than a longer unplanned one.
Don't copy numbers — interpret them.
Listing every figure in the chart hurts your Task Achievement score. Examiners want to see which numbers matter. Pick the highest, the lowest, the biggest change, and any clear pattern. Leave the rest.
Hit 170 words. Not 150. Not 250.
Below 150 is an automatic band drop. But writing 250 words of padding is also penalised. The sweet spot is around 170 — comfortably over the minimum, tight enough to stay focused. Quality of comparison beats quantity every time.
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3 more techniques in the full course
Describing a chart without copying every number.
The four-paragraph structure examiners actually reward, with worked examples on line graphs, bar charts, pie charts, and process diagrams. The shape varies by chart type — most candidates use one template for everything and lose points for it.
Vocabulary range without sounding forced.
A bank of natural alternatives to "increased," "decreased," "the figure shows" — the four phrases that appear in roughly 80% of Indian Task 1 submissions. Replacing them is the single fastest way to lift your Lexical Resource score.
The 20-minute structure: a minute-by-minute plan.
Five minutes planning, twelve minutes writing, three minutes proofing. Most candidates miss the proofing step and submit avoidable grammar errors. The full course includes a practiced timing drill until it becomes automatic.