Introduction to Line Graph Questions
Line graph tasks are among the most common question types in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1, typically showing changes over time for one or more data series. Many candidates struggle to describe trends accurately while selecting the most significant features. This model answer demonstrates how to identify key patterns, use appropriate trend vocabulary, and write a clear overview—all essential for achieving a Band 7+ score.
IELTS Writing Task 1 Line Graph Question
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The graph below shows population changes in four major cities between 1980 and 2020.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
You should write at least 150 words.
Model Answer
The line graph compares population growth in Tokyo, Mumbai, London, and Sydney over a 40-year period from 1980 to 2020, with figures measured in millions.
Overall, the population of all cities grew. Tokyo remained the most populous city throughout the period, while Mumbai experienced the most dramatic growth. In contrast, London and Sydney showed relatively modest increases and remained the smallest of the four cities.
In 1980, Tokyo’s population stood at approximately 28.5 million, making it by far the largest city. This rose steadily to reach around 37 million by 2020. Mumbai, starting at just under 9 million, grew rapidly and more than doubled to exceed 20 million over the same period, overtaking London in the early 1990s.
London’s population initially declined slightly from around 7.7 million in 1980 to approximately 6.8 million in 1990, before recovering gradually to reach 9 million in 2020. Sydney remained the smallest city throughout, growing steadily from 3.2 million to 5.4 million.
Words: 158
Rationale for the IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
1. Clear Overview
The model provides a clear summary of the most significant trends, noting that Tokyo was consistently the largest while Mumbai showed the fastest growth. This immediately tells the examiner that the candidate has understood and prioritised the key features.
2. Effective Organisation (Coherence & Cohesion)
The essay follows a logical structure:
- Introduction
- Overview
- Body paragraph 1: Tokyo and Mumbai (the larger/faster-growing cities)
- Body paragraph 2: London and Sydney (the smaller/slower-growing cities)
- Time markers: “In 1980,” “by 2020,” “over the same period,” “in the early 1990s”
3. Well-Selected Data (Task Achievement)
Rather than describing every data point, the response highlights key features such as:
- Starting and ending figures for each city
- Mumbai’s dramatic growth and overtaking of London
- London’s initial decline followed by recovery
- Sydney’s consistent position as the smallest city
4. Varied Sentence Structures & Vocabulary (Lexical Resource & Grammar)
This version uses:
- Trend language: “rose steadily,” “grew rapidly,” “declined slightly,” “recovering gradually”
- Comparison structures: “by far the largest,” “more than doubled,” “remained the smallest”
- Approximation: “approximately,” “around,” “just under,” “to exceed”
Advanced Vocabulary Glossary
| Word / Phrase | Meaning / Use in Context |
| Rose steadily | Increased gradually and consistently over time; indicates stable upward growth. |
| Grew rapidly | Increased quickly; suggests a fast rate of change. |
| Declined slightly | Decreased by a small amount; useful for minor downward trends. |
| Recovered gradually | Returned to previous levels slowly after a decline. |
| Stood at | Was at a particular level at a specific point in time. |
| Approximately / Around | Used to give estimated figures rather than exact numbers. |
| More than doubled | Increased by over 100%; useful for showing dramatic growth. |
| Overtook | Surpassed or exceeded another value; shows when lines cross on a graph. |
| Remained the smallest | Stayed at the lowest level throughout the period. |
| By far the largest | Significantly bigger than all others; emphasises a clear lead. |
| Fluctuated | Went up and down repeatedly; indicates unstable or variable data. |
| Peaked | Reached the highest point before declining or levelling off. |
IELTS Task 1 Vocabulary Quiz: Advanced Line Graph Language
Part 1: Multiple Choice (Choose the best answer)
- The phrase rose steadily describes:
a. A sudden, dramatic increase
b. A gradual, consistent increase
c. An unpredictable fluctuation
d. A sharp decline - Which word best describes data that goes up and down repeatedly?
a. Peaked
b. Fluctuated
c. Plateaued
d. Stabilised - What does “overtook” mean in the context: “Mumbai overtook London in population”?
a. Fell below
b. Matched exactly
c. Surpassed or exceeded
d. Remained equal to - The phrase “stood at approximately” is used to:
a. Give an exact figure
b. Indicate an estimated value at a specific point
c. Describe a future prediction
d. Show a period of no change - If a trend “recovered gradually,” it:
a. Dropped sharply
b. Remained stable after a fall
c. Increased slowly after a decline
d. Disappeared completely
Part 2: Fill in the Blanks
Use the words from this list: peaked / fluctuated / doubled / stabilised / dramatic
6. Tokyo’s population __________ at around 37 million before levelling off.
7. London’s numbers __________ between 1980 and 2000, showing periods of both decline and growth.
8. Mumbai experienced the most __________ increase of all four cities.
9. The population of Mumbai more than __________ over the 40-year period.
10. After years of growth, Sydney’s population __________ at around 5 million in the final decade.
Answer Key
- B
- B
- C
- B
- C
- peaked
- fluctuated
- dramatic
- doubled
- stabilised
How to Continue Your IELTS Study
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