The graph below gives information on the population of turtles in India from 1980 to 2012.
Sample Response
The given line graph illustrates the populationsthe number of population of four speciesfour various kinds of turtles in India between 1980 and 2012. The figures are expressed as an index (1980 = 100)unit is measured in Index. It can be clearly seen from the graph that the number of Olive Ridley turtles soared within the given period of time and the figure of Leatherback Turtles gradually plummeted across the given period.
To begin with, in the year 1980 the populations of the different turtle speciesthe number different turtle population had the same index value of 100represented the same figure (100). After that, the Olive Ridley indexthe number of Leatherback progressively roserose up and reached over 130reached to above 130 in the year 1997. Thereafter it showed fluctuations and ended at an index of about 130presented the figure of the population to 130 in 2012during the year 2012.
For the overall series, the indexSimilarly, all species rose gradually to about 110 by 1987showed gradual increase till 1987 (110) and then it fluctuatedfollowing that depicted oscillation and finished at a figure of almost 110hit figure almost 110. Green Turtles showed a downward trend. The number of Green turtles fluctuatedpalpitated throughout the given period and the population figure fell to about 95 in 1988reached almost 95 in the year 1989.The number of Olive Ridley Turtles presented sharp increase till 1987(110) and thereafter showed sharp decline throughout the given years and reached its number to below 60 in the year 2012, which is the least number of the population showed among turtles.
Why this response received Band 5.5
The response has a clear paragraph structure and identifies the two most important overall trends correctly. However, the body reverses those trends, describing Leatherback turtles as rising to around 130 and Olive Ridley turtles as falling below 60, while the graph shows the opposite; several other series are only vaguely covered. Rebuild the detail paragraphs directly from each labelled line, checking species names and end values before drafting.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The overview identifies the correct principal trends, but the detailed account reverses the Leatherback and Olive Ridley series and gives limited accurate coverage of the others.
Match each species name to its line and report that Olive Ridley rises to about 130 while Leatherback falls below 60.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response is organised into a clear introduction and detail paragraphs, although mechanical linking and conflicting statements weaken progression.
Group the two rising or stable series separately from the declining series and use precise references to each species.
Lexical Resource
There is some range in trend vocabulary, but frequent inappropriate collocations such as number of population, palpitated, and reached its number reduce precision.
Use standard graph language such as population index, fluctuated, rose to, and fell to throughout.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A mixture of simple and complex sentences is attempted, but frequent article, preposition, agreement, and word-form errors reduce accuracy.
Practise complete comparison structures and remove nonstandard forms such as reached to and the number different turtle population.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The graph below gives information on the population of turtles in India from 1980 to 2012.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.