IELTS Writing Task 1 Line Graph — Band 9 Sample Answer
A line graph Task 1 requires trend vocabulary, clear chronological organisation, and an overview that captures the big picture before the detail. This page shows a full band 9 response comparing three countries over twenty years, with examiner commentary on every criterion.
What does a band 9 IELTS Task 1 line graph answer look like?
A band 9 line graph response opens with a paraphrased introduction, provides a concise overview of 2–3 overall trends without specific data, then describes the lines in two well-organised body paragraphs — typically grouping lines with similar patterns together and contrasting them where they differ. Trend vocabulary is varied (rose steeply, levelled off, accelerated markedly), and key turning points are described with accurate figures.
Quick Facts
- Task type
- Academic Writing Task 1
- Chart type
- Line graph (3 lines, 20 years)
- Word count
- 183 words
- Predicted band
- 9.0
The chart data
Task 1 Question
The line graph below shows the percentage of households with internet access in three countries — the United Kingdom, South Korea, and India — between 2000 and 2020.
| Year | UK (%) | South Korea (%) | India (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 25% | 44% | 0.5% |
| 2005 | 55% | 73% | 2% |
| 2010 | 76% | 95% | 7% |
| 2015 | 88% | 98% | 25% |
| 2020 | 96% | 99% | 50% |
Band 9 sample answer — 183 words
Band 9 Sample Answer — 183 words
The line graph illustrates the proportion of homes with internet connectivity in the UK, South Korea, and India over a twenty-year period from 2000 to 2020.
Overall, internet access grew in all three countries throughout the period, though the rates and trajectories differed considerably. South Korea began with the highest levels and reached near-universal access relatively early, while India started from an extremely low base but experienced the most dramatic proportional growth, particularly after 2010.
In 2000, South Korea already had 44% of households connected, compared to 25% in the UK and a negligible 0.5% in India. South Korean access rose steeply to approximately 95% by 2010 and then levelled off, approaching 99% by 2020. The UK followed a similarly upward but slightly slower trajectory, climbing steadily from 25% to 96% over the same period.
India's growth, while the lowest in absolute terms throughout much of the period, accelerated markedly from around 2010. The figure rose from just 7% that year to 50% in 2020, representing the sharpest rate of increase among the three countries in the final decade.
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Why this answer scores band 9 — examiner breakdown
TA
Task Achievement
- +Overview identifies: all three rose; South Korea reached near-universal access earliest; India's dramatic acceleration from 2010 — all without data, as required
- +Key data points selected intelligently — not every data point listed, but the turning points and most significant figures included
- +Both absolute figures and proportional comparisons used to show full data understanding
C&C
Coherence & Cohesion
- +Logical structure: introduction → overview → paragraph on South Korea and UK (higher starting countries) → paragraph on India (lower starting country with exceptional late growth)
- +Time references anchor each paragraph: 'In 2000', 'by 2010', 'from around 2010', 'in 2020' — clear chronological progression
- +Smooth paragraph transitions: 'India's growth, while the lowest in absolute terms... accelerated markedly from around 2010'
LR
Lexical Resource
- +Precise trend language: 'rose steeply', 'levelled off', 'climbing steadily', 'accelerated markedly' — no repetition of 'increased'
- +'Negligible 0.5%' accurately describes a near-zero starting point with a single precise adjective
- +'Sharpest rate of increase' distinguishes proportional speed from absolute size — shows analytical lexical control
GRA
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
- +Comparative structures: 'compared to 25% in the UK', 'the most dramatic proportional growth', 'the sharpest rate of increase'
- +Concession clause: 'while India started from an extremely low base but experienced...' — complex subordination used accurately
- +Participial phrase: 'representing the sharpest rate of increase' — adds density without errors
- +Zero grammatical errors across 183 words
How to structure a band 9 line graph answer
Introduction
Paraphrase the task description. Change 'shows' → 'illustrates', 'percentage of households with internet access' → 'proportion of homes with internet connectivity'.
“'The line graph illustrates the proportion of homes with internet connectivity...'”
Overview (critical — do not skip)
State 2–3 main trends: overall direction, which country was highest, which showed the most dramatic change. No specific figures here.
“All three rose; South Korea reached near-universal access early; India's dramatic acceleration post-2010.”
Body paragraph 1 — countries with similar patterns
Group the lines that moved in similar ways. Compare their starting and ending points, and note any significant moments (plateau, peak).
“South Korea (high start, early plateau at ~99%) and UK (steady climb from 25% to 96%) — compared directly.”
Body paragraph 2 — contrasting line / notable change
Describe the line that differs most from the others. For India, the key insight is the acceleration after 2010 rather than the absolute values.
“India: low absolute figures throughout, but the fastest rate of increase in the final decade.”
Trend vocabulary that lifts this answer to band 9
These phrases from the sample answer cover the core of IELTS line graph vocabulary. Learn them as fixed expressions rather than individual words.
“rose steeply”
Combines direction and gradient — more precise than 'increased a lot'
“levelled off”
Describes a line that approaches a ceiling and stops growing — essential line graph vocabulary
“climbing steadily”
Gradual, consistent upward movement — contrasts with 'rose steeply'
“accelerated markedly”
Captures the increasing speed of change — vital for lines that bend upward
“negligible 0.5%”
'Negligible' precisely characterises a near-zero starting point without overstating
“near-universal access”
Describes 99% without repeating the figure — precise and natural
Check your own Task 1 answer — instant band score
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Frequently Asked Questions
Use past tense for historical data ('internet access rose from 25% to 96% between 2000 and 2020'). If the graph includes a future projection, use future forms ('is predicted to reach' or 'is expected to exceed'). The most common line graph task in IELTS Academic shows historical data — past tense is almost always correct.
Identify 2–3 patterns that apply to the graph as a whole, without using specific figures. Look for: the overall direction of all lines (did they all rise?), which line was highest throughout or at the end, which line changed the most dramatically, and whether any line peaked and then fell or levelled off. State these in 2–3 sentences before your body paragraphs.
No. Describing every data point makes your response mechanical and hard to read. Instead, identify the key moments: starting point, ending point, any peak or trough, and any period of acceleration or deceleration. Use approximate language for minor fluctuations ('rose gradually throughout most of the period') rather than quoting every value.
For upward trends: rose, climbed, increased, grew, surged, soared (for dramatic rises). For downward trends: fell, dropped, declined, decreased, plummeted (for sharp falls). For stability: remained stable, levelled off, plateaued, fluctuated around X%. For speed: steeply, gradually, steadily, sharply, dramatically, marginally. Never repeat the same verb — vary your trend language throughout.
Use direct comparison language: 'South Korea began with a higher proportion than the UK', 'India's growth rate exceeded that of the other two countries by 2015'. Group lines with similar patterns together in one paragraph, and devote a separate paragraph to lines that behave differently. This organisation makes your C&C score much stronger than describing each line separately from start to finish.
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