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Academic IELTS Task 1 Overviews

For writing task 1, it is important to write an overview. It is a requirement for band 6 and above.

Tip: Make your overview very easy to find. Having it in the introduction is an easy way to make it obvious. Another alternative is to put it at the end. Click here for how to write introduction and overviews

Data tasks:

Dynamic:

Is there a general trend?

Overall, earnings increased for all cafes except for Blue room café.

Overall, pollution levels fell in all cities.

Overall, while most sports became more popular, there were fewer participants in golf and cricket over the period.

Compare the highest at the beginning with the highest at the end.

Overall, while Blue room café had the highest earnings at the beginning of the year, Delicate cakes café became the top earner by the end of the year.

Overall, London was always the most populated city in England.

Overall, even though the pollution levels fell in London, it was still the most polluted city for the whole period.

Static:

Focus on the superlatives (highest/ lowest)

Overall, football was clearly the most popular sport whereas the fewest students were interested in wrestling.

Overall, spending time at home was the most common free time activity and the least popular one was gardening.

Can make a general comparison when there are two categories (males/ females or different age groups)

Overall, women are expected to live longer than men in all countries.

Overall, the younger age group of workers are more involved in the company training programs apart from the money management one which has a larger number of older participants.

Maps:

How do we write an overview for maps?

Looking for a general change

How could we compare the two maps in a general way.

Verbs for a general change

Urbanized
Industrialized
Modernized
Expanded

Adjectives to describe general areas

Urban
Industrial
Modern
Rural
Natural
Green
Residential
Agricultural

General nouns

Leisure/ transport/ educational/ shopping facilities
Retail outlets
Infrastructure
Small town/ village
Large city

Examples:

Overall, the small residential area was transformed into an industrial zone.

Overall, while it was a mostly green agricultural area in 1990, by 2000, it had become a large town with improved transport facilities.

Processes, cycles, and flowcharts:

What can we write as an overview for a process?

You can compare the first stage with the last stage.
You can mention how steps are involved.
You can compare input with output.

Examples:

The process starts with the trees being cut down and ends with pencils ready to be used.

Overall, there are seven steps involved in the production of pencils.

Wood, graphite, and paint are used and the final outcome is pencils.