An integral part of answering your IELTS writing task 1 academics essay is planning it in the right manner. Planning the right way and organizing your answer in a coherent way guarantees your desired band score. This article aims at discussing how to plan and strategize your essay for writing task 1. 

Let’s begin!!

The structure 

The following is the basic structure for answering your IELTS academics writing task 1 essay question: 

• Introduction 
• Overview 
• Body paragraph 1 
• Body paragraph 2 

                   Or 

• Introduction
• Body paragraph 1 
• Body paragraph 2 
• Overview 

How to plan your answer for writing task 1 in the IELTS academic exam?

There are 3 stages to a good planning for your writing task 1 essay:

1. Analyse your essay 

The first step to make sure you are on the right path to plan your answer in the right mannet for the writing task 1 academics essay question is to analyse the question correctly. 

Always take 1-2 minutes with the question, studying it with accuracy before you begin writing your answer. Read the instructions carefully and the data provided in the question image. Understand what needs to be done and what is being said. Look for ideas to form your answer properly through this understanding. 

Understanding the right information is integral to getting the right band score. If you do not get your basics right, the answer might be wrong and you could lose your desired band score on the basis of task response and accuracy. 

The only way to correct this mistake is to spend some calm time with the question and analyse it correctly, with all the little details and you are good to go! 

2. Identify the main features 

Focus on the key pieces of information provided in the question. Identify what is relevant and what is not. Analysis is the foundation for this step. Once you have analysed what the question is asking from you, you need to identify the information that forms an integral part of your answer. Try and include that information correctly in your essay. No matter the type of writing task 1 question, there are always going to be 2-3 key details that need to be included in the main features. 

3. Brainstorm all ideas and vocabulary keeoinh essauy structure in mind

Write an introduction 

In the first 2-3 sentences of the essay, paraphrase the question correctly. You simply need to use synonyms in the place of words already present in the question or change the sentence formation and structure a bit. That is the only thing you are required to do for the introduction. 

Write an overview 

Overview is a significant part of the complete answer you are trying to write. Therefore, never forget to write an overview. 

The overview can be a simple and short paragraph that explains to the examiner about the integral aspects that you are going to discuss in your answer. The overview paragraph should not talk in detail about the data, rather it should talk about a general idea of the features you are trying to shed light on. 

Presenting a clear overview is an important part of your answer for task 1. 

Write detailed paragraphs 

In the next two paragraphs, try to summarise your findings. Report how significantly the data is changing and what could be the possible explanation behind this change. 

When writing the details in the body paragraphs, you do not necessarily have to include every single detail in the answer. The minimal changes in the pictorial descriptions can be avoided.  If you do, however, copy every little detail of the data presented, you are not only overtly complicating your answer, but you are also increasing your word limit. Along with the same, you are also simply copying the question as it is. You do not have to do that. Don't add your opinions or reasons on the changes in the graph. 

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