How to read an IELTS Graph Question
As explained before, the ideal time to attempt Task 1 is around 18 minutes. It is important to be able to scan important details quickly and start writing! The steps below are an example of how I analyze a graph and make mental notes.
- STEP 1: We carefully read the graph heading. It says "Inflow of foreign workers into Australia 1992-2001". Notice the years! It's 1992-2001. This means you shall write the whole graph in the past tense. Similarly, most charts will have a 'minimum' and 'maximum' range. Occasionally, you might get a graph that depicts future/projected trends.
- STEP 2: at the extreme left-hand side (the Y-axis), we read "Thousands." The Y-axis tells us the value/unit in which the data is represented.
- STEP 3: at the extreme right-hand side, we read two categories (the colour-coded legend), "Permanent Settlers" and "Temporary Workers."
- STEP 4: Notice there is a constant gap of 1 year from 1992 to 2001. The graph contains data for a total of 10 years. You will most likely exceed the word limit if you start comparing all ten years individually. We may either split the graph into '5 and 5' years (Paragraph 2 will highlight 1992 - 1996, and Paragraph 3 will highlight 1997 - 2001) or split the graph based on the two types of workers. Make sure you highlight patterns that indicate a rise, decline, or constant trend. For example, from an overall observation of this sample graph, it is evident that while the inflow stayed consistent for the first five years, there was a constant inflow of the number of permanent settlers and temporary workers to Australia starting in 1997. The trend continued till 2001.
Click here to go to the main IELTS Writing Menu
