The graph below shows the number of enquiries received by the Tourist Information Office in one city over a six-month period in 2011.
Sample Response
The line chart illustrates the number of inquiries sent to the Tourist Information Office in a particular city via three means of communication, between January and June in 2011.
It is clear that visitors to the city made more inquires in person and via telephone, while written letters and emails became the least common choices. Additionally, the number of enquiries in person experienced the most dramatic change among the different options.
In January, the Tourist Information Office received 900 telephone enquiries, while just under 800 letters and emails were received. N ot many tourists chose to ask for information in person, with just over 400 queries. Over the next three months, the telephone still remained the most popular method of enquiry, at approximately 1000 queries.
Meanwhile, the number of enquires made in person saw considerable growth to 800, surpassing the figures for emails and postal enquires. From March to June, enquires in person were the most common method of inquiry. By June, the number of in person enquires soared by more than 1,000 to peak at 1,900. During this period, there was also a significant rise in the figure for telephone enquiries, from 1000 to 1600. By contrast, fewer people sent emails or letters to make enquires, with slightly less than 400 enquires in May and June.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Match receiving perspective Original: inquiries sent to Suggested revision: enquiries received by Why it matters: The graph records enquiries received by the office rather than messages sent by it.
- 2. Use natural collocation Original: number of enquiries in person experienced Suggested revision: number of in-person enquiries underwent Why it matters: A numerical series can undergo a change, while experienced is awkward here.
- 3. Correct spelling Original: enquires Suggested revision: enquiries Why it matters: Enquiries is the correct noun spelling.
- 4. Use singular series Original: the figures for emails and postal enquires Suggested revision: the figure for letters and emails Why it matters: Letters and emails form one combined series, so figure should be singular.
- 5. Correct crossover month Original: March Suggested revision: April Why it matters: Telephone enquiries remained higher in March, and in-person enquiries led only from April.
- 6. Fix compound term Original: number of in person enquires Suggested revision: number of in-person enquiries Why it matters: The compound modifier needs a hyphen and enquiries is misspelled.
- 7. Correct noun spelling Original: enquires Suggested revision: enquiries Why it matters: Enquiries is the correct spelling of the noun.
- 8. Correct noun spelling Original: inquires Suggested revision: enquiries Why it matters: Enquiries is the correct spelling of the plural noun.
- 9. Remove redundancy Original: written letters Suggested revision: letters Why it matters: Letters are necessarily written, so written adds no useful meaning.
- 10. Name methods precisely Original: most dramatic change among the different options Suggested revision: largest change among the three methods Why it matters: This phrasing gives a more precise comparison of the three series.
- 11. Use direct trend verb Original: saw considerable growth to 800 Suggested revision: rose considerably to 800 Why it matters: Rose is a concise verb for an increasing numerical series.
- 12. Fix compound term Original: enquires in person were Suggested revision: in-person enquiries were Why it matters: Enquiries is misspelled and in-person needs a hyphen before the noun.
Suggested Rewrites
- inquiries sent to enquiries received by
- number of enquiries in person experienced number of in-person enquiries underwent
- enquires enquiries
- the figures for emails and postal enquires the figure for letters and emails
- March April
- number of in person enquires number of in-person enquiries
Why this response received Band 7.0
The report presents the overall trends clearly and supports them with well-selected figures in a logical sequence. Its main limitation is timing accuracy: in-person enquiries became the leading method in April, not March, and telephone was no longer the most popular option throughout the stated three-month period. Check crossover points and month-by-month rankings carefully while retaining the concise comparative structure.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The main trends and most key figures are covered accurately, but the report misplaces the point when in-person enquiries became the leading method.
Check the March-April crossover carefully and qualify time spans so every ranking matches the graph.
Coherence and Cohesion
Information progresses logically from the overview through early values to later trends, with effective paragraphing and comparison.
Make the chronological transitions more exact so the shift in the leading enquiry method is fully coherent.
Lexical Resource
A sufficiently varied range of trend and comparison vocabulary is used, despite repeated misspellings of 'enquiries' and a few awkward combinations.
Proofread recurring task vocabulary and use consistent forms such as 'in-person enquiries' and 'telephone enquiries'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Varied complex structures are generally accurate and meaning remains clear, with only occasional minor form and punctuation slips.
Polish article use, hyphenation, and small typographical errors while maintaining the existing sentence variety.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The graph below shows the number of enquiries received by the Tourist Information Office in one city over a six-month period in 2011.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.