Great follow-up, Марина! When describing speed and degree of change in IELTS Writing Task 1, you want to use precise adverbs and adjectives to show how fast or how much something changes. Here's a handy list to enrich your vocabulary:
📈 When describing an upward trend in a line graph for IELTS Writing Task 1, it's important to use varied and precise vocabulary. Here are five useful words and expressions that convey an increase:
🔼 Upward Trend Vocabulary
- Increase – A general term for any rise in numbers or values.
Example: "Sales increased steadily over the period." - Rise – Slightly more dynamic than "increase"; often used with adjectives like "sharp" or "gradual."
Example: "There was a sharp rise in temperature in July." - Grow / Growth – Often used to describe expansion or improvement.
Example: "The company’s revenue grew significantly in Q2." - Climb – Suggests a steady or effortful upward movement.
Example: "Unemployment figures climbed slowly between 2010 and 2012." - Surge – Indicates a sudden and dramatic increase.
Example: "There was a surge in internet usage during the pandemic."
Absolutely, Марина! 📉 When describing a downward trend in IELTS Writing Task 1, it's important to vary your vocabulary just like with upward trends. Here are five solid expressions to show decline:
🔽 Downward Trend Vocabulary
- Decrease – A basic and versatile word for any drop in figures.
Example: "The number of visitors decreased gradually over the year." - Decline – Slightly more formal; often used in academic contexts.
Example: "There was a noticeable decline in car sales after 2019." - Drop – Implies a sudden or significant fall.
Example: "Profits dropped sharply in the third quarter." - Fall – Common and flexible; can be used with modifiers like "slight" or "dramatic."
Example: "Temperatures fell steadily throughout the night." - Plummet – Very strong; used for dramatic and rapid decreases.
Example: "The stock price plummeted after the announcement."
Want to practice using these in a sample IELTS paragraph? Or maybe compare trends across two graphs? I’ve got plenty of tricks up my sleeve.
🟰 Vocabulary for Plateau or Stability
- Level off – Suggests that the trend stops rising or falling and becomes steady.
Example: "After a sharp increase, the figures leveled off in June." - Stabilize – Implies that the data becomes consistent after fluctuations.
Example: "The unemployment rate stabilized at around 5%." - Remain steady / constant – Indicates no significant change over a period.
Example: "Sales remained steady throughout the final quarter." - Reach a plateau – A direct way to describe a flat phase after movement.
Example: "The number of users reached a plateau at 10,000 in August." - Hold steady – Slightly more informal, but still acceptable in IELTS writing.
_Example: "Production held steady after the initial drop."
Want to try writing a paragraph using all three types of trends—upward, downward, and plateau? I can help you polish it for a high band score.
⚡ Words for Speed of Change
These describe how quickly something rises or falls:
- Rapidly – "The number of users increased rapidly in March."
- Quickly – "Sales dropped quickly after the holiday season."
- Gradually – "The population grew gradually over the decade."
- Slowly – "Profits declined slowly during the recession."
- Steadily – "Employment rates rose steadily throughout the year."
📊 Words for Degree or Magnitude of Change
These describe how big or small the change is:
- Significantly – "There was a significantly higher turnout in 2020."
- Slightly – "Prices fell slightly in the final quarter."
- Sharply – "Production dropped sharply due to supply issues."
- Considerably – "Revenue increased considerably after the launch."
- Marginally – "The figures improved marginally compared to last year."
Here's a Band 9-style IELTS Writing Task 1 description for the line graph titled "Fast Food Consumption in UK (1970–1990)":
📊 IELTS Task 1 Sample Description
The line graph illustrates the weekly consumption of three types of fast food—Hamburgers, Fish & Chips, and Pizza—in the UK between 1970 and 1990, measured in grams.
Overall, the graph reveals a significant shift in dietary preferences over the two decades. While the consumption of Hamburgers and Pizza increased markedly, the intake of Fish & Chips declined steadily.
In 1970, Fish & Chips were the most popular fast food, consumed at around 300 grams per week. However, this figure gradually decreased to approximately 200 grams by 1990. In contrast, Hamburger consumption rose dramatically from about 80 grams in 1970 to nearly 500 grams in 1990, overtaking Fish & Chips around 1980. Pizza also saw a substantial increase, climbing from a modest 20 grams per week in 1970 to roughly 280 grams by the end of the period.
Notably, the rise in Hamburger and Pizza consumption was particularly sharp after 1980, suggesting a growing preference for international fast food options among UK consumers.