Introduction to IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Types of Visuals Explanation Free Video Lesson
You’re likely familiar with getting information from charts and graphs in your daily life. Data on topics like weather patterns, sales reports, or population statistics is often presented visually. This can include bar charts, pie charts, line graphs, tables, diagrams, flow charts, or even maps.
Let’s explore these visuals one by one and identify the data they present.
Bar Chart:
This example shows the age at which women first got married. The chart has two axes: the vertical axis indicates the number of women per thousand who got married, and the horizontal axis shows the age at which they married. The bars are color-coded to represent data from three different years.
Pie Chart:
Titled “Origins of English,” this chart shows where the English language has come from. In a pie chart, the whole pie represents 100% of something—in this case, the English language. The size of each slice indicates the influence of various languages on English.
Line Graph:
This graph shows changes in power usage in the UK. The vertical axis represents gigawatts (a unit of power), while the horizontal axis shows time on a 24-hour clock. Like the bar chart, it has two axes and tracks data over time.
Table:
This table compares changes in transport use between 2004 and 2014, over a ten-year period. It contains both words and numbers to convey information.
Diagram:
This diagram illustrates how electricity is produced from fossil fuel. Diagrams typically progress from left to right or top to bottom and combine words with pictures.
Flow Chart:
Flow charts, similar to diagrams, show how a process works or is produced, often using arrows alongside words and images. This example details the production of molten steel, guiding you from left to right.
Map:
Maps, commonly used in Task 1 of the Writing Test, require you to describe the location of places relative to others. For instance, this map is titled “Map of Port Hay,” indicating the name of the town.
In this overview, I’ve shown you typical examples of the visuals you may encounter in Task 1 of the IELTS Academic Writing Test.
