How to use IELTS vocabulary accurately when describing data.
Updated: July 2023
In IELTS writing task 1, vocabulary accounts for 25% of your marks. Being able to use a wide variety of vocabulary accurately will help your score. I did a post on this before about using specific vocabulary in the academic task 1 writing section click here to see that post.
In this post, I want to review this vocabulary and there is an exercise for practice based on a line graph. Notice that the line graph is dynamic, which means it changes over time. This vocabulary can also be used with static data, which doesn’t change over time.
Common IELTS academic task 1 vocabulary.
Note that some of these words can change tense such as past tense, present tense, and gerunds (-ing form) Always analyse the task first to make sure you know what tense to use. So obviously if the task shows dates in the past then you would use the past tense.
represents / representing / represented
accounts for / accounting for / accounted for
is made up of
the number of + countable noun / the amount of + uncountable noun
the proportion of/ the figure for/ figures for
Is equal to that of… (comparing equal figures)
consists of / consisted of
comprised / comprises / comprising
constitutes / constituted / constituting
amounts to / amounting to / amounted to
numbered / numbers / numbering
totalled / totals / totalling
according to / regarding the graph / chart / data / diagram
by the end of the period / by the end of the timeframe
More details in this lesson here-> click here to see it
Using the vocabulary in context.
1. The figure for car imports to the UK comprised just over one-fifth (21%).
2. Figures for computer sales in France amounted to 59%.
3. The figure for the employment rate in Spain represented 26%.
4. The amount of rice exported from Vietnam accounted for just under half (49%).
5. The proportion of semiconductor imports to the EU totalled 64%.
6. The number of car imports to Germany consisted of 31% by the end of the timeframe.
7. The total number of doughnuts sold was equal to that of cupcake sales at approximately 41%.
8. According to the graph, almost half of the population is made up of people under the age of 50.
9. The figure for employment rates in the public sector constituted just under 40% by the end of the period.
10. The proportion of people that ate at fast-food restaurants showed a sharp decline in 2019.
11. According to the chart, students that studied math represents just over 23% with science accounting for around 19%.
12. Regarding the pie chart, the figure for tobacco sales saw a significant decrease in 2021, comprising the lowest income of all.
Practice exercise
Source: Cambridge IELTS 15 book page 49
Study the line chart above and using the vocabulary from the example sentences fill in the gaps below. More than one answer is possible. The first one has been done.
1. The figure for visitors staying on cruise ships represented half a million by 2011.
2. The total _________ ___ visitors __________ ____ 3.5 million by the end of ____ __________.
3. The ___________ of visitors who stayed on an island saw a levelling off from 2013 to 2015.
4. _____________ to the graph, total visitor numbers saw a significant increase throughout the __________.
5. ______________ those who stayed on cruise ships, this __________ witnessed some fluctuations from 2010 to 2013.
6. By the _______ ____ the period, the_________ for visitors who stayed on cruise ships __________ ____ 2 million.
7. The _____________ of visitors staying on an island _____________ 1.5 million by the _______ of the ___________.
8. Overall, total visitor ___________ saw a substantial climb throughout the given period _______________ ____ 3.5 million visitors by 2017.
9. By mid 2015, visitors that stayed on an island were _______ _____ _______ _____ those who stayed on cruise ships at just under 1.5million.
Click the blue button below to check the answers. These are my ideas, answers may vary
Answers
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