IELTS Writing Task 1 Templates Generator - Academic Version

Confused by IELTS Charts? Learn the IELTS Writing Task 1 Templates for All 6 Types in 15 Minutes

You flip open your test booklet. A messy table with 12 data points? A process diagram with 9 stages? A map showing a town before and after?

Here's what happens next for most test-takers: Panic. Confusion. 8 minutes gone trying to figure out what to write. Then a rushed, disorganized response that caps at Band 6.

The problem isn't that you can't write. It's that each of the 6 IELTS chart types needs a different game plan — and nobody tells you what changes.

Until now.

The Universal Framework (Then We Customize It)

Every Task 1 response needs these four paragraphs:

[30 sec] INTRO: Paraphrase what the chart shows
[1 min]  OVERVIEW: The biggest pattern/change in one sentence
[2 min]  BODY 1: First major feature + specific data
[2 min]  BODY 2: Second major feature + comparisons

But here's the trick: what goes in those paragraphs completely changes based on chart type.

Type 1 & 2: Line Graphs + Bar Charts (The Siblings)

These two work almost identically — both show trends over time or comparisons between categories.

Your Outline Strategy:

• Overview: "Overall upward/downward trend" OR "X consistently exceeded Y"
• Body 1: Highest and lowest points with exact figures
• Body 2: Key comparisons between lines/bars

Bad approach: In 2010 coffee was 50k, then in 2012 it was 70k, then in 2015... ❌ Examiner stops reading after sentence 2

Smart outline you write in 5 minutes:

INTRO: The line graph compares sales figures for coffee and tea over an eleven-year period from 2010 to 2020

OVERVIEW: Coffee sales more than doubled while tea remained relatively stable throughout the period

BODY 1: Coffee began at 50,000 units in 2010 and surged to a peak of 130,000 in 2018 before declining slightly to 120,000 by 2020

BODY 2: In contrast, tea sales fluctuated minimally between 40,000 and 45,000 units, consistently remaining below coffee sales after 2012

Power phrases for line/bar charts:

• "soared from X to Y"
• "plateaued at approximately X"
• "eclipsed [other category] by X units"
• "experienced a sharp decline"
• "remained stable throughout"

Type 3: Pie Charts (The Percentage Game)

Pie charts aren't about trends — they're about proportions at a specific moment.

Your Outline Strategy:

• Overview: Which category dominates?
• Body 1: Top 2-3 categories with exact percentages
• Body 2: Remaining categories grouped together

Bad approach: Transport is 30%, food is 25%, housing is 20%, entertainment is 15%... ❌ Just reading the chart back

Smart outline you write in 5 minutes:

INTRO: The pie chart illustrates how households allocated their spending across six categories in 2020

OVERVIEW: Transport and food together accounted for over half of all household expenditure

BODY 1: Transport represented the largest share at 30%, followed closely by food at 25%, meaning these two categories comprised 55% of the total budget

BODY 2: Housing expenditure constituted one-fifth of spending at 20%, while entertainment (15%), utilities (8%), and other expenses (2%) made up the remaining 45%

Power phrases for pie charts:

• "represented the lion's share at X%"
• "accounted for nearly one-third"
• "comprised the smallest proportion"
• "together constituted over half"

Type 4: Tables (The Data Matrix)

Tables are dense with numbers. Don't describe every cell — your job is to find patterns across rows and columns.

Your Outline Strategy:

• Overview: Highest and lowest values in the entire table
• Body 1: Compare across rows (which country/category had highest values)
• Body 2: Compare across columns (how values changed over time)

Bad approach: Robot reading spreadsheet

Smart outline you write in 5 minutes:

INTRO: The table compares internet usage rates across four age brackets in 2015 and 2020

OVERVIEW: All age groups experienced growth, with the 18-25 bracket maintaining the highest usage throughout

BODY 1: Young adults aged 18-25 led in both years, rising from 85% to 95%, while those over 60 remained lowest despite increasing from 20% to 38%

BODY 2: However, the 60+ demographic showed the most dramatic growth, nearly doubling their usage (90% increase), while younger groups saw more modest gains of 10-18 percentage points

Power phrases for tables:

• "across all categories"
• "experienced the most dramatic increase"
• "remained consistently higher/lower than"

Type 5: Process Diagrams (The Step-by-Step)

Process diagrams show how something is made or works. This isn't about data — it's about sequence.

Your Outline Strategy:

• Overview: Total number of stages + what starts and ends
• Body 1: First half of process in order
• Body 2: Second half leading to final product

Bad approach: Boring numbered list with no flow

Smart outline you write in 5 minutes:

INTRO: The diagram illustrates the nine-stage process of transforming cacao pods into packaged chocolate bars

OVERVIEW: The production involves both natural and mechanical stages, beginning with harvesting and ending with packaging

BODY 1: The process commences with harvesting ripe cacao pods, which are then split to extract the beans. These beans undergo fermentation for 5-7 days before being sun-dried on large trays, followed by roasting at high temperatures

BODY 2: Once roasted, the beans are crushed and shells are removed to separate the nibs, which are subsequently ground into a liquid chocolate paste. In the final stages, this paste is tempered, molded, cooled, and packaged for distribution

Power phrases for process diagrams:

• "the process commences with..."
• "subsequently / following this"
• "once X is complete, Y takes place"
• "the final stage involves..."

Type 6: Maps (The Before/After)

Maps show changes to a location over time — buildings added, roads expanded, areas demolished.

Your Outline Strategy:

• Overview: Major transformation type (urbanization/expansion/development)
• Body 1: What was removed or changed
• Body 2: What was added or newly constructed

Bad approach: Stating obvious without showing transformation

Smart outline you write in 5 minutes:

INTRO: The maps illustrate transformations to a town center between 1990 and 2020

OVERVIEW: The area underwent substantial commercial development, with green space replaced by retail and transport infrastructure

BODY 1: The large central park that dominated the 1990 map was completely removed, along with two residential streets on the eastern edge which were demolished

BODY 2: In their place, a shopping mall with an adjacent parking lot was constructed in the center, while the former residential streets were replaced by high-rise apartments and an office building. A new main road was built running north-south, though the western residential area remained largely intact

Power phrases for maps:

• "was demolished to make way for..."
• "underwent significant expansion"
• "was erected in the location where X previously stood"
• "to the north/south/east/west of"

The Decision Tree: Which Template Do I Use?

Lines or bars showing change over time? → Line/Bar template
Circle divided into percentages? → Pie chart template
Grid full of numbers? → Table template
Arrows connecting steps/stages? → Process template
Two maps showing before/after? → Map template

Multiple charts combined? Write Body 1 about the first chart, Body 2 about the second.

What Kills Your Score Across All Types

• Describing every single detail (shows you can't identify key features)
• No overview paragraph (automatic Band 6 cap)
• Copying question word-for-word (weak paraphrasing)
• Adding opinions or explanations (Task 1 = describe only)
• Getting numbers wrong (accuracy counts)
• Writing under 150 words (you'll be penalized)

Your 2-Week Practice System

Week 1: Learn the 6 templates

• Day 1-2: Line graphs and bar charts (3 outlines each)
• Day 3-4: Pie charts and tables (3 outlines each)
• Day 5: Process diagrams (2 outlines)
• Day 6: Maps (2 outlines)
• Day 7: Mixed practice (1 outline of each type)

Week 2: Speed and accuracy

• Set timer for 5 minutes per outline (no full writing yet)
• Check: overview, 2-3 key features, specific data
• Days 10-14: Write full 20-minute responses, time yourself

Copy-Paste Checklist for Exam Day

Minute 1:  Read question → Identify chart type
Minute 2:  Find the BIGGEST pattern → Write overview in your head
Minute 3:  Pick 2-3 key features with data points
Minute 4:  Paraphrase intro sentence
Minute 5-20: Write full response (intro, overview, body 1, body 2)

Final check before moving to Task 2:
✓ Did I include an overview?
✓ Did I compare/contrast data, not just list it?
✓ Did I use varied vocabulary?
✓ Did I hit 150+ words?

Your Next Step (Right Now)

1. Pick your weakest chart type.
2. Find one sample question for that type online.
3. Spend exactly 5 minutes writing just the outline.
4. Compare with a model answer to see if you spotted the same key features.

Repeat this for 3 different samples of your weak type. Outlines are where Band 7+ starts — you can't write a strong response without a clear plan.