Effective Techniques for Commenting on Data in IELTS Graph Writing

Effective Techniques for Commenting on Data in IELTS Graph Writing

  1. Comparing different parts of a graph using a relative clause:

This technique involves comparing different parts of the graph and highlighting the differences between them. A relative clause is used to provide additional information about the particular data point being discussed. For example:

"The income of Lovely Loaves fell significantly to around $40,000 in 2008, which meant it earned far less than the other bakeries." This sentence compares the income of Lovely Loaves with the income of other bakeries and emphasizes the significant drop in income.

  1. Commenting on the peak using an extra verb:

Adding an extra verb can help emphasize the importance of a particular data point. For example:

"There was a considerable rise in the takings of Robbie's bakery in the last two years to $105,000, this figure being the peak level of income during the whole period." This sentence emphasizes the fact that Robbie's bakery earned the highest income during the whole period.

  1. Adding a superlative:

Adding a superlative can help emphasize the highest or lowest point in the graph. For example:

"The income of Robbie's bakery rose sharply in 2008, rocketing to just under $100,000." This sentence emphasizes the sharp rise in income at Robbie's bakery.

  1. Grouping data into a period of time:

Grouping data into a period of time can help organize the information and make it easier to understand. For example:

"There was a significant fluctuation in the income of Lovely Loaves in the first half of the decade." This sentence groups the income data of Lovely Loaves into the first half of the decade, highlighting the significant fluctuation during that time.

In IELTS graph writing, it is important to provide a clear and detailed description of the data presented in the graph. Using the techniques mentioned above, such as commenting on the peak or grouping data into a period of time, can help demonstrate the candidate's ability to analyze and interpret the data. This can lead to a higher score in the Task Achievement and Coherence and Cohesion criteria. Additionally, using a variety of sentence structures and language features can also help demonstrate a candidate's range of language skills, which can lead to a higher score in the Lexical Resource and Grammatical Range and Accuracy criteria.