IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Bar Graph

Like line graphs, bar graphs are often given in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1. Bar graphs display data either horizontally or vertically and allow viewers to compare items shown. Most data relate to things like amounts, characteristics, times, frequency,etc. Bar graphs display information in a way that helps us to make generalisations and conclusions quickly and easily.

When interpreting a bar graph, you should look at the tallest bar and the shortest bar. You should also look at the title, inconsistencies, and ask why they are there.

If there are many bars, you can sometimes group them together for the description of two or three bars which have similar or the same values. lf there are very many bars and you cannot group them, just describe the ones that are the most significant.