Task 1 language bank: describe any graph with the right words
Admin1 November 2026 2 min read
Academic Task 1 asks you to describe, compare and summarise data in 150 words. The data changes, but the language is the same. This bank covers it.
Describing change
| Pattern | Verbs | Noun forms |
|---|---|---|
| Up | rise, increase, grow, climb | a rise, an increase |
| Down | fall, decrease, decline, drop | a fall, a decline |
| Stay the same | remain stable, stay constant, level off | a plateau |
| Peak | peak at, reach a high of | a peak |
| Lowest | bottom out at, hit a low of | a low |
Size and speed
| Meaning | Adjective + noun | Verb + adverb |
|---|---|---|
| Large, fast | a sharp rise, a dramatic fall | rose sharply, fell dramatically |
| Moderate | a steady increase | increased steadily |
| Small, slow | a slight decline, a gradual rise | declined slightly, rose gradually |
Comparing
- X was twice as high as Y.
- X was considerably higher than Y.
- In contrast, Y remained stable.
- Whereas X rose, Y fell.
- The most popular option was..., followed by...
Approximate numbers
just over, nearly, around, approximately, almost, roughly, a little under, exactly
Overview sentences
- Overall, X increased while Y fell.
- It is clear that A was the most popular, whereas B was the least.
- The most noticeable feature is...
Tenses
| Time in the chart | Tense |
|---|---|
| Past years | Past simple |
| Future years | will, is expected to, is projected to |
| No time (a process) | Present simple |
Checklist before you finish
- Units written (%, millions, tonnes)
- Years correct
- An overview with no numbers
- Tenses match the time period
#writing#task 1#vocabulary
See it in a model answer
Read answers from band 4.5 to 9, annotated against the criteria.