Academic Task 1
IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Unemployment (line graph)
Question type: Academic Task 1: line graph
The question
The line graph below shows the unemployment rate in three countries between 2005 and 2025.
- Country A
- Country B
- Country C
View the data as a table
| 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country A | 5 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 4 |
| Country B | 11 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Country C | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
Write your own answer first. Then get an estimated band and corrections from our AI marker.
Answer this questionHow to approach it
- Compare the start and end of each line first: two countries finished lower than they began and one finished higher.
- Overview: Countries A and B rose then fell, while Country C climbed steadily and overtook Country A.
- Group Countries A and B in one paragraph because they follow the same shape, and give Country C its own.
Model answer
194 words (minimum 150). Written to show the features of a Band 8-level answer.
The line graph compares the percentage of people who were unemployed in three countries over a twenty-year period, from 2005 to 2025.
Overall, unemployment in Countries A and B rose at first and then fell, ending the period lower than it began. Country C showed the opposite trend: its rate was the lowest at the start but climbed steadily, so that by 2025 it was higher than in Country A.
Country B had the highest rate throughout. It stood at 11% in 2005 and peaked at 13% in 2010, before falling in each of the following periods, to 10% in 2015, 8% in 2020 and 7% in 2025. Country A followed a similar path at a lower level. Its rate almost doubled from 5% to 9% between 2005 and 2010, then declined gradually to 7%, 6% and finally 4%.
In contrast, unemployment in Country C increased over the period. Starting at just 3% in 2005, it rose to 4% in 2010 and remained at that level in 2015. It then went up to 5% in 2020 and 6% in 2025, overtaking Country A, although it was still slightly below the figure for Country B.
Useful language from this answer
- showed the opposite trend
- contrasting one line with the others
- peaked at
- reached its highest point
- followed a similar path at a lower level
- comparing two lines with the same shape
- declined gradually
- a slow, steady fall
- remained at that level
- no change between two points
Common mistakes with this question
- Missing the overview. A report without a clear summary of the main trends cannot score above Band 5 for Task Achievement.
- Explaining why unemployment changed, for example by mentioning a recession. Task 1 only asks you to describe the data.
- Describing each country year by year with no comparison. Say which was highest and when one overtook another.
Now write your own answer
Reading a model helps, but writing is what improves your band. Answer this question and get an estimated band for all four criteria, with corrections taken from your own sentences.
This model answer was written by TestWise Prep to show the features of a high-scoring answer. It is not official IELTS material. Use it for ideas and language, not to memorise.