The line graph shows the percentage of people who used five different communication methods between 1998 and 2008.

Practice this IELTS Writing Task 1 question on IELTSX. The line graph shows the percentage of people who used five different communication methods between 1998 and 2008.

Five Communication Methods Usage 1998-2008 Line Graph - IELTS Writing Task 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

IELTS Writing Task 1 chart for Five Communication Methods Usage 1998-2008 Line Graph
Chart supplied with the IELTS Writing Task 1 question: Five Communication Methods Usage 1998-2008 Line Graph

A student's answer to this task, and the feedback on it

Written by an IELTSX user under exam conditions and published unedited and anonymously. Band 9 · 199 words.

The line graph compares the proportion of people using five distinct communication methods over a decade ending in 2008.

Overall, it is clear that mobile broadband and fixed broadband exhibited broadly comparable trends throughout. Meanwhile, cellular phone service surpassed its counterparts and emerged as the leading category, experiencing the most pronounced rise over the timeframe. In addition, the disparity between landline service and internet service narrowed significantly over the period in favour of the latter.

As for the category witnessing the most significant growth, cellular phone service stood at nearly 5% in 1998; this figure then increased steadily, reaching approximately 60% in 2008. Similarly, internet service rose gradually at first, reaching about 11% by 2004, before increasing more sharply to around 23% by the end of the period.

Regarding the remaining categories, landline service stood at nearly 15% at the outset, making it the most used method at that time. From 1998 to 2006, the figure levelled off, before dipping slightly by about 2% in 2008. Likewise, mobile broadband and fixed broadband remained close to 0% from 1998 to 2004. Afterwards, both categories rose slightly to approximately 5–6% by the end of the timeframe, although their patterns differed somewhat.

Examiner feedback

This is an exceptional response that meets all the criteria for Band 9. It provides a highly effective summary of the data, grouping information logically and using a sophisticated range of vocabulary and grammatical structures. The overview is particularly strong, as it doesn't just list trends but compares the relationship between different categories over time.

Task Achievement - 9

- The response fully satisfies all requirements of the task, providing a comprehensive and accurate description of the line graph. - A very clear and sophisticated overview is provided, identifying the dominant trend (cellular phone growth) and the shifting relationship between other categories. - All key features are expertly selected and illustrated with precise data points (e.g., the 5% to 60% growth for cellular service).

Coherence & Cohesion - 9

- Information is organized with perfect logic; the writer groups the high-growth categories together and the lower-usage/static categories separately. - Cohesion is used so naturally that it is almost invisible, with seamless transitions like 'Meanwhile', 'Similarly', and 'Regarding the remaining categories'. - Paragraphing is used skillfully to enhance the clarity of the data presentation.

Lexical Resource - 9

- The vocabulary is sophisticated, precise, and varied (e.g., 'surpassed its counterparts', 'most pronounced rise', 'disparity narrowed', 'leveled off'). - Collocations are used with native-like fluency ('at the outset', 'throughout the timeframe'). - There are no spelling or word formation errors.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 9

- A wide range of complex structures is used with full flexibility and accuracy (e.g., using semicolons for contrast, participial phrases like 'making it the most used method'). - The majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is handled masterfully. - Tense usage is consistently correct, reflecting the past timeframe of the data (1998–2008).

Related prompts

Start Practice