What you’re looking at
Line Graphs
A line graph plots values over time, using one or more lines to show how a quantity rises, falls or stays constant across a period. It is the visual most closely associated with describing trends.
You may be given a single line tracking one variable, or several lines tracking related variables — for example, sales figures for three different products across ten years.
How to analyse it
Reading a line graph before you write
What is the overall direction?
Look at the start and end points of each line. Is the general movement upward, downward, or largely flat?
Where do the lines cross or diverge?
A point where two lines intersect, or a moment where they suddenly separate, is usually significant.
Are there sudden changes?
Identify any sharp rises, sharp falls, or periods of fluctuation that break from the general trend.
What you should look for
Features worth reporting
Start and End Points
The overall change from the first to the last data point is almost always worth stating in your overview.
Peaks and Troughs
The highest and lowest points on each line, along with when they occurred, are important supporting details.
Vocabulary & terminology
Language for describing line graphs
Verbs of movement
rise / fall / fluctuate
“increased,” “declined,” “fluctuated,” “levelled off,” “remained constant”
Describing speed
sharply / gradually
“rose sharply,” “fell gradually,” “increased steadily,” “dropped dramatically”
Noun forms
a rise / a decline
“a steady increase,” “a sharp decline,” “a gradual downward trend”
Common mistakes
What costs candidates marks
Only Using “Increase” and “Decrease”
Relying on the same two verbs throughout, instead of varying vocabulary for speed and degree of change.
Describing Point by Point
Narrating every small movement along the line instead of identifying the overall trend and key turning points.
Mixing Up Tenses
Using the wrong tense for graphs that show projected future data versus completed past data.
See it in practice
Example Task and Sample Answer
The example below is original and written for teaching purposes.
Example IELTS Task
The line graph below shows average monthly electricity consumption for a small town between 2000 and 2020.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Sample Answer
Sample Overview and Data Paragraph
The line graph illustrates changes in average monthly electricity consumption in a small town over a twenty-year period.
Overall, consumption rose steadily for most of the period, although there was a brief but sharp decline around the midpoint before the upward trend resumed.
In 2000, average consumption stood at approximately 200 kilowatt-hours per household. This figure climbed gradually to around 280 by 2010, before dropping suddenly to roughly 230 the following year. From that low point, consumption increased again, reaching a peak of nearly 350 kilowatt-hours by 2020 — the highest level recorded across the entire period.
Why the Sample Works
Trend first, turning points second
The overview identifies the overall upward trend and flags the one exception — the brief decline — without listing every individual value. The data paragraph then supports that overview with specific figures at meaningful turning points, using varied vocabulary for both speed (“gradually,” “suddenly”) and direction.
Ready for the next step?
Explore another visual type.
Structuring Your Answer
Review the overview-and-data framework that applies to every Task 1 visual.