An integral part of writing tests for academic students is Report writing. It is task 1 in IELTS Academic writing and a crucial one. It constitutes one-third of the total grading. If the student can attempt this part of the test successfully, half of his battle is won in the writing module.
Report writing is very versatile and gives the candidate freedom to write their perspective. It also gives them flexibility. As long as the fundamentals are covered, the student can modify his ideas in writing.
Choosing appropriate vocabulary for IELTS writing task 1 is quite crucial too. Since the report writing is formal, the thesaurus should be formal too.
The minimum word count prescribed by IELTS is 150 words; however, the student can touch the count up to 180, which is an ideal situation. Lengthy reports should be avoided as they do not translate into better bands. Long paragraphs can be discursive or repetitive. The Report writing has to be crisp and to the point.
At this point, we can take a look at types of IELTS writing task 1 topics that can be anticipated in the exam and relevant word-bank.
1. Line Graphs/ Bar Graphs/ Pie Charts/ Tables
2. Diagrams/ Processes / Flowcharts
3. Maps/ Layouts
Apart from this, remember to write using the correct tense. If the date or year is mentioned in the graph, your tense should change accordingly. Besides, if there is no mention of the period, the report must be written in the present tense.
Below given is a model question along with a sample answer.
Model Question
Sample Answer
The given bar chart illustrates the results of a study conducted to know Australia’s purchasing and consumption habits of hot beverages in five of its cities.
It is pretty evident that residents of Melbourne have visited the cafe to buy coffee or tea in the last four weeks is the maximum. In contrast, the individuals in Hobart grab the top position when it comes to purchasing instant coffee. The highest number of locals who bought fresh coffee is in the city of Sydney.
To begin with, Australians do like buying their beverages from a restaurant a lot. A high number of natives of Melbourne and Hobart (63-64%) visited cafes in the last four weeks, which is the highest compared to other cities in Australia. Nonetheless, the people of Adelaide are the least interested, and only 50% of them go to cafes.
Furthermore, the population of Hobart is at the forefront in buying the largest number of instant coffees in this period (50%), but Sydney accounts for only 45%, taking the last position. However, they are keener on buying fresh coffee (44%) and tops in this list, whereas dwellers of Brisbane occupy the bottom place at a meagre 34%.
It is an illustration to give you an idea about how to kick start your journey in the IELTS Writing Task 1 Report writing section. However, it is always recommended to get professional guidance on such topics to enable you to write better and ultimately score your desired band.
Do consult and follow some of the best IELTS coaching institutes websites to get access to several mock tests and rehearse before you sit for your actual exam.
More such sample writings and helpful articles are coming your way. Till then, Happy Writing!
About the Author
I am a certified IELTS teaching professional and have vast experience training IELTS students to crack their tests successfully and nurture the IELTS trainers with their training journeys.