Task 1, Line Graphs

1. Line graph

1.1. Tips for Line graph

Line graphs always show changes over time. Here’s some advice about how to describe them:

• Try to write 4 paragraphs – introduction, summary of main points, 2 detail paragraphs.

• For your summary paragraph, look at the “big picture” – what changes happened to all

of the lines from the beginning to the end of the period shown (i.e. from the first year

to the last). Is there a trend that all of the lines follow (e.g. an overall increase)?

• You don’t need to give numbers in your summary paragraph. Numbers are specific

details. Just mention general things like ‘overall change’, ‘highest’ and ‘lowest’, without

giving specific figures.

• Never describe each line separately. The examiner wants to see comparisons.

• If the graph shows years, you won’t have time to mention all of them. The key years

to describe are the first year and the last year. You should also mention any ‘special’

years (e.g. a peak or a significant rise/fall).

• Start describing details (paragraph 3) with a comparison of the lines for the first year

shown on the graph (e.g. in 1990, the number of…).

• Use the past simple (increased, fell) for past years, and ‘will’ or ‘is expected/predicted

to’ for future years.

• Don’t use the passive (e.g. the number was increased), continuous (e.g. the number

was increasing), or perfect tenses (e.g. the number has increased).

1.2. Internet Users as percentage of population

The line graph compares the percentage of people in three countries who used the Internet between 1999 and 2009. It is clear that the proportion of the population who used the Internet increased in each country over the period shown. Overall, a much larger percentage of Canadians and Americans had access to the Internet in comparison with Mexicans, and Canada experienced the fastest growth in Internet usage.

In 1999, the proportion of people using the Internet in the USA was about 20%. The figures for Canada and Mexico were lower, at about 10% and 5% respectively. In 2005, Internet usage in both the USA and Canada rose to around 70% of the population, while the figure for Mexico reached just over 25%.

By 2009, the percentage of Internet users was highest in Canada. Almost 100% of Canadians used the Internet, compared to about 80% of Americans and only 40% of Mexicans.

1.3. International migration in UK

The chart gives information about UK immigration, emigration and net migration between 1999 and 2008. Both immigration and emigration rates rose over the period shown, but the figures for immigration were significantly higher. Net migration peaked in 2004 and 2007.

In 1999, over 450,000 people came to live in the UK, while the number of people who emigrated stood at just under 300,000. The figure for net migration was around 160,000, and it remained at a similar level until 2003. From 1999 to 2004, the immigration rate rose by nearly 150,000 people, but there was a much smaller rise in emigration. Net migration peaked at almost 250,000 people in 2004.

After 2004, the rate of immigration remained high, but the number of people emigrating fluctuated. Emigration fell suddenly in 2007, before peaking at about 420,000 people in 2008. As a result, the net migration figure rose to around 240,000 in 2007, but fell back to around 160,000 in 2008.

1.4. UK acid rain emission

The graph below shows UK acid rain emissions, measured in millions of tones, from four different sectors between 1990 and 2007.

I’ve made the following essay into a gap-fill exercise.

The line graph compares four sectors in ______ of the amount of acid rain emissions that they produced over a period of 17 years in the UK. It is clear that the total amount of acid rain emissions in the UK ______ ______ between 1990 and 2007. The most ______ decrease was seen in the electricity, gas and water supply sector.

In 1990, around 3.3 million tones of acid rain emissions came from the electricity, gas and water sector. The transport and communication sector was ______ for about 0.7 million tones of emissions, while the domestic sector ______ around 0.6 million tones. Just over 2 million tones of acid rain gases came from other industries.

Emissions from electricity, gas and water supply fell dramatically to only 0.5 million tones in 2007, a ______ of almost 3 million tones. While acid rain gases from the domestic sector and other industries fell gradually, the transport sector ______ a small increase in emissions, ______ a peak of 1 million tones in 2005.

Fill the gaps using these words:

produced, reaching fell, responsible, saw, considerably, terms, drop, dramatic

1.5. Water consumption

The graph and table below give information about water use worldwide and water consumption in two different countries.

The charts compare the amount of water used for agriculture, industry and homes around the world, and water use in Brazil and the Democratic Republic of Congo.It is clear that global water needs rose significantly between 1900 and 2000, and that agriculture accounted for the largest proportion of water used. We can also see that water consumption was considerably higher in Brazil than in the Congo.

In 1900, around 500km³ of water was used by the agriculture sector worldwide. The figures for industrial and domestic water consumption stood at around one fifth of that amount. By 2000, global water use for agriculture had increased to around 3000km³, industrial water use had risen to just under half that amount, and domestic consumption had reached approximately 500km³.

In the year 2000, the populations of Brazil and the Congo were 176 million and 5.2 million respectively. Water consumption per person in Brazil, at 359m³, was much higher than that in the Congo, at only 8m³, and this could be explained by the fact that Brazil had 265 times more irrigated land.

1.6. Car ownership

The graph below gives information about car ownership in Britain from 1971 to 2007.

The graph shows changes in the number of cars ______ household in Great Britain ______ a period of 36 years. Overall, car ownership in Britain increased ______ 1971 and 2007. In particular, the number of households with two cars rose, while the number of households ______ a car fell.

In 1971, ______ half of all British households did not have regular use of a car. Around 44% of households had one car, but only about 7% had two cars. It was uncommon for families to own three or more cars, _____ around 2% of households falling into this category.

The one-car household was the most common type from the late 1970’s ______, although there was little change in the ______ for this category. The biggest change was seen in the proportion of households without a car, which fell steadily over the 36-year period ______ around 25% in 2007. In contrast, the proportion of two-car families rose steadily, reaching about 26% in 2007, and the proportion of households with more than two cars rose ______ around 5%.

Fill the gaps in the essay with the following words:

almost, to, figures, per, between, by, over, with, without, onwards Writing Task 1 – Simon