The number of international conferences in three cities (City A, City B, City C) from 1965 to 2010.
Practice this IELTS Writing Task 1 question on IELTSX. The number of international conferences in three cities (City A, City B, City C) from 1965 to 2010.
Number International Conferences Three Cities 1965-2010 - 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.

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 8 ยท 187 words.
Overall, City A and City B showed some fluctuations during the period, while City C increased steadily and became the city with the highest number of conferences by the end of the period.
In 1965, City A had the largest number of international conferences, at about 35. City B followed with around 30 conferences, whereas City C had almost none. However, by 1975, the figure for City A dropped sharply to 20, while City B decreased slightly to approximately 28. In contrast, City C rose to 10 conferences.
Between 1975 and 1995, City C experienced significant growth, reaching nearly 28 conferences. During the same period, City A recovered to around 30 in 1985 before falling slightly to 27 in 1995. City B remained relatively stable, fluctuating between 26 and 29 conferences.
From 1995 onwards, the trends changed again. City A increased to 30 conferences in 2005 but then fell considerably to 20 in 2010. City B showed only minor changes and ended the period at about 25 conferences. Meanwhile, City C dipped slightly in 2005 before climbing to around 29 conferences in 2010, becoming the leading city.
Examiner feedback
This is a very strong response that effectively summarizes the main features of the graph. It uses a logical structure, a wide range of vocabulary for describing trends, and maintains a high level of grammatical accuracy throughout. To reach Band 9, the overview could be slightly more sophisticated by synthesizing the overall movement of all three cities more concisely.
Task Achievement - 8
- The response covers all key requirements of the task, providing a clear overview and highlighting major trends across all three cities. - Data points are accurately selected and compared, although some figures are approximate (which is appropriate given the nature of line graphs). - The summary identifies the change in leadership among the cities, satisfying the requirement for an overview.
Coherence & Cohesion - 8
- Paragraph organization is logical, following a chronological approach that groups data into manageable time blocks. - Cohesive devices such as 'while', 'however', 'meanwhile', and 'during the same period' are used effectively to link ideas. - The progression of information is clear and easy to follow, allowing the reader to track the three variables over time.
Lexical Resource - 8
- The vocabulary used is precise and varied, with terms like 'fluctuations', 'rose', 'significant growth', and 'dipped'. - Use of uncommon lexical items such as 'recovered' and 'climbing' is appropriate for the context. - Collocations are generally natural, though 'almost none' is a bit informal compared to the rest of the report.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 8
- A wide range of structures is used accurately, including complex sentences and varied verb forms. - The majority of sentences are error-free, demonstrating a high level of control over grammar and punctuation. - Minor lapses, such as the use of 'the city with the highest number' (which is accurate) and tense consistency, are well-managed.
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