IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: make the main pattern clear
Academic Task 1 practice asks you to select and organise the main features of visual information. GetYour9’s Writing workspace includes an Academic Task 1 category and AI feedback. Start with an accurate overview before polishing individual sentences.
By the GetYour9 team · Updated
Choose the Academic task category
Open Writing and choose Acad Task 1. Work from the exact prompt and visual provided, then submit your own response for feedback. This differs from General Training Task 1, which uses a letter-writing situation.
The original small data set below is a comparison exercise, not a complete official task. It helps you practise selecting the main pattern before writing a full response.
Select the main pattern before the details
Original practice data: bicycle journeys accounted for 20% of trips in Town A and 35% in Town B. Car journeys accounted for 60% in Town A and 45% in Town B. Other transport made up 20% in each town.
First identify what is similar and what differs. Cars account for the largest share in both towns; Town B has a larger bicycle share and a smaller car share. Avoid inventing reasons that the data does not provide.
First attempt
Town A has bicycles at 20% and cars at 60%. Town B has bicycles at 35% and cars at 45%.
One possible revision
Cars account for the largest share of trips in both towns, although cycling is more common in Town B. The share using other transport is identical in the two towns.
The revision selects the main comparison instead of listing all four figures. Details can follow in the body. It does not explain causes because the data gives no evidence about them.
Check units and the size of a comparison
The bicycle share is 15 percentage points higher in Town B: 35 minus 20. That is different from saying it is 15 percent higher. Choose the phrasing that accurately describes the comparison.
Check labels, units, and the period shown before submitting. For a process or map, focus on stages or changes rather than forcing a numerical comparison.
Which claim is supported by the original data: “Town B built more cycle lanes” or “Town B has a higher share of bicycle journeys”?
Show explanation
Only the higher bicycle share is supported. The data contains no information about cycle lanes. A plausible explanation is still an unsupported explanation.
Review task coverage before word choice
Use the report to check whether you selected the main features and represented them accurately. Then review organisation, precise language, and sentence control.
GetYour9 feedback is AI-generated and its bands are estimates. The examples here are not examiner-rated answers. Check the official sample tasks and criteria linked below.
Common questions
Do I need an account to practise?
This guide is public. The practice workspace requires an account, and practice allowances depend on your plan. Check the Pricing page and the allowance shown in your account before starting.
Is Academic Task 1 the same as General Training Task 1?
No. Academic practice describes visual information, while General Training Task 1 uses a letter-writing situation. Choose the category that matches your test.
Should I explain why the figures changed?
Only if the task supplies that information. Do not invent causes, survey methods, or research results to make a description sound more developed.
References and corrections
- IELTS: official sample test questions — Official tasks and test-format reference; examples on this page are original GetYour9 exercises.
- IELTS: scoring in detail — Official assessment information, separate from GetYour9 practice estimates.
Original teaching examples are illustrative. GetYour9 is not affiliated with or endorsed by the IELTS test owners. Report a content issue or read our Privacy Policy.
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