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User-written IELTS example

Writing Academic Task 1 Band 6.0 Example

Original task prompt, user essay, band score, and related examples in the same report workspace.

242 words AcademicTask 1Line Graph
Task 1

Illustrative target band for this original model answer.

Plan your answer

Try your own response before reading the samples.

Ideas to explore

  • Compare which series begins higher and which one ends higher; here, production starts slightly above consumption, but consumption finishes much higher.
  • Identify the different rates of change: production rises gradually, while consumption accelerates after the early plotted years.
  • Mention the axis-label problem: the task’s stated dates do not match the displayed years, and the last year is printed twice.

Suggested structure

  1. Introduce the graph, measures, and units.
  2. Give an overview of the overall direction and the main contrast between the two lines.
  3. Describe production’s starting level, plateau, and gradual later rise.
  4. Describe consumption’s early stability and sharper increase, then compare the final plotted values.
  5. Briefly note that the displayed dates are inconsistent or duplicated where this affects interpretation.
Useful vocabulary & examples
rose gradually
increased slowly over time

Oil production rose gradually after remaining near 3 million barrels per day.

remained stable
stayed at approximately the same level

Production remained stable at around 3 million barrels per day for a period.

increased substantially
went up by a large amount

Consumption increased substantially and reached about 6.3 million barrels per day at the final plotted point.

the gap widened
the difference between two values became greater

The gap between oil consumption and production widened as consumption climbed.

Task Prompt

The line graph below shows the oil production and consumption in China between 1982 and 2006.
IELTS Writing Task 1 visual

User Essay Analysis

Review the public answer with report-style highlights.

Band 6.0

The provided line graph illustrates the fluctuations of Chinese production and consumption of the oil over a period of 24 years, commencing in 1982. Overall, the figures of both oil producing and consuming recorded an upward trajectory. However, while the Chinese oil-making industry saw a gradual growth, it seemed that the volume of oil used increased considerably faster.

Overall, both series increase, but consumption rises much faster and finishes well above production. Production initially exceeds consumption, before the two lines cross in the middle of the displayed sequence.

At the first plotted point, production is about 2 million barrels per day, slightly above consumption at approximately 1.8 million. Production rises to around 3 million at the next point and remains near that level for a time. It then increases only gradually, ending at roughly 3.5 million barrels per day.

Consumption is initially almost stable at around 2 million barrels per day. It subsequently rises to a little above 3 million, passing production, and continues to approximately 4 million before increasing more steeply. At the final point it reaches about 6.3 million barrels per day, leaving a gap of roughly 2.8 million above production.

The title states 1982–2006, but the horizontal axis displays different years and repeats its final label. The trend and values can be described from the plotted points, while the image does not support a reliable year-by-year account for the period named in the title.

Targeted Improvement Tips

1
The chart title and axis disagree, and the last axis label is repeated. Describe plotted values and the crossing carefully, with consumption ending around 6.3 and production around 3.5 million barrels daily; do not invent corrected years.
2
Use an overview and group details by the actual comparison rather than describe every label in turn.
3
Check the quoted revisions and retain precise figures, dates, locations and tone.

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