The graph below shows the area of land from which grain was harvested. World grain harvested area, 1950 – 96
Sample Response
The line graph gives data on the grain harvesting areas worldwide over a period of 46 years, commencing from 1950. As an overall trend, the area of land in which the seed was cultivated throughout the world increased during the period and land programmes initiated by the USSR, grain price increase and retrenchment affected the land area in which farmers grew the crops. As can be seen from the given line graph, just below 600 million hectares of the land area was used to grow different grains in 1950 and the USSR Virgin land programme initiation positively affected the total lands devoted to cultivating grains. This programme was initiated around 1955 and as a result, the total cultivable lands increased to around 650 million hectares in 1960. In the next ten years, the total grain harvesting lands gradually increased with some minor fluctuations. The grain price doubles in 1975 and due to this the land for grain harvesting also soared to the peak with approximately 750 million hectares. The retrenchment affected negatively to the land area for grain harvesting and reduced the land to around 700 million hectares in 1990. With some oscillations, the total grain harvesting lands stood at just over 700 million hectares after 1990.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use precise measure Original: grain harvesting areas Suggested revision: area harvested for grain Why it matters: The graph measures land area rather than multiple harvesting areas.
- 2. Natural time phrase Original: commencing from 1950 Suggested revision: beginning in 1950 Why it matters: Beginning in is the natural phrase for the start of a period.
- 3. Name the commodity Original: the seed was cultivated Suggested revision: grain was cultivated Why it matters: Seed is imprecise because the graph specifically concerns grain.
- 4. Fix noun phrase Original: grain price increase Suggested revision: the increase in grain prices Why it matters: This noun phrase requires an article, preposition, and plural prices.
- 5. Match graph measure Original: farmers grew the crops Suggested revision: grain was harvested Why it matters: The visual reports harvested area, not the broader activity of growing crops.
- 6. Remove redundant wording Original: just below 600 million hectares of the land area Suggested revision: just under 600 million hectares of land Why it matters: Of the land area is redundant after a measurement in hectares.
- 7. Use programme name Original: USSR Virgin land programme initiation Suggested revision: start of the USSR Virgin Lands Programme Why it matters: This is the natural form and correct capitalization of the named programme.
- 8. Use uncountable land Original: lands Suggested revision: area Why it matters: Land is uncountable here, so area is the precise measured noun.
- 9. Report harvested area Original: total cultivable lands Suggested revision: total harvested area Why it matters: The graph shows land actually harvested for grain, not all cultivable land.
- 10. Natural data phrase Original: grain harvesting lands gradually Suggested revision: area harvested for grain gradually Why it matters: Area harvested for grain is the standard expression for this measure.
- 11. Use past tense Original: grain price doubles Suggested revision: grain prices doubled Why it matters: A completed historical change requires the past tense and plural prices.
- 12. Correct event timing Original: in 1975 Suggested revision: around 1973 Why it matters: The graph places the doubling of world grain prices in the early 1970s, not 1975.
Suggested Rewrites
- grain harvesting areas area harvested for grain
- commencing from 1950 beginning in 1950
- the seed was cultivated grain was cultivated
- grain price increase the increase in grain prices
- farmers grew the crops grain was harvested
- just below 600 million hectares of the land area just under 600 million hectares of land
Why this response received Band 7.0
The response presents a clear chronological account of the broad rise in harvested land and supports it with several well-chosen figures. Its main limitation is imprecise timing and interpretation around the mid-1970s rise, the early-1980s peak, and later retrenchment, while some awkward grammar and collocation reduce polish. Prioritise matching turning points to exact years and values from the graph, then proofread verb tense and preposition choices.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
A clear overview and relevant figures describe the long-term rise and subsequent decline, although some turning points are dated or linked imprecisely.
State the early-1980s peak and the later sharp fall with their correct years and approximate values rather than implying the peak occurred in 1975.
Coherence and Cohesion
The report progresses logically from the overall trend through the major chronological stages, with generally effective referencing and linking.
Separate the overview more clearly from the detailed chronology and reduce repeated phrasing about grain-harvesting land.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is varied and suitably academic, including precise trend language, though several collocations such as plural lands and cultivable lands are awkward.
Use natural data-reporting combinations such as harvested area, land devoted to grain, and fell to instead of less precise alternatives.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A useful range of complex structures is mostly controlled, but recurring tense, article, and preposition errors weaken accuracy.
Keep past tense consistent and correct structures such as affected the area negatively rather than affected negatively to the area.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The graph below shows the area of land from which grain was harvested. World grain harvested area, 1950 – 96
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.