This is an IELTS writing task 1 sample answer essay on a line chart showing temperate and sunshine in London, New York, and Sydney.

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IELTS Writing Task 1 Sample Answer Essay Line Chart: Temperature & Sunshine

The charts below give information about the typical temperatures in London, New York, and Sydney as well as total hours of sunshine for each city.

The line chart and table detail both average annual temperatures and total hours of sunshine in a given year in London, New York, and Sydney. Overall, London and New York display broadly similar four-season climates, though the extremes are more pronounced in New York while Sydney has a reverse weather pattern with milder overall temperatures. In terms of overall sunshine, New York leads, followed closely by Sydney and distantly by London.

Looking first of all at London and New York, both undergo serious drops in temperature beginning in November as the former falls to just over 10 degrees Celsius, intersecting the latter at the same point. From there, temperatures in New York plummet throughout the winter with a low of under 5°C in January and February, while London bottoms out at around 9 degrees. Both rise steadily in the spring and peak in summer at around 23°C for London and nearly 30°C for New York. In contrast, Sydney is warmest from December to February (plateauing at over 25 degrees) and cools steadily to under 15 degrees from June to October.

Overall sunshine shows a different pattern with New York (2,535 hours) and Sydney (2,473) proximate and London much lower at 1,180.

Analysis

1. The line chart and table detail both average annual temperatures and total hours of sunshine in a given year in London, New York, and Sydney. 2. Overall, London and New York display broadly similar four-season climates, though the extremes are more pronounced in New York while Sydney has a reverse weather pattern with milder overall temperatures. 3. In terms of overall sunshine, New York leads, followed closely by Sydney and distantly by London.

  1. Paraphrase what the graph or chart shows.
  2. Write a general overview that covers all areas – don’t leave anything out but don’t be too specific by including data.
  3. Make sure that you mention the table as well.

1. Looking first of all at London and New York, both undergo serious drops in temperature beginning in November as the former falls to just over 10 degrees Celsius, intersecting the latter at the same point. 2. From there, temperatures in New York plummet throughout the winter with a low of under 5°C in January and February, while London bottoms out at around 9 degrees. 3. Both rise steadily in the spring and peak in summer at around 23°C for London and nearly 30°C for New York. 4. In contrast, Sydney is warmest from December to February (plateauing at over 25 degrees) and cools steadily to under 15 degrees from June to October.

  1. Begin to compare the data.
  2. Finish comparing the data.
  3. Shift to the last area and describe all the data there.

1. Overall sunshine shows a different pattern with New York (2,535 hours) and Sydney (2,473) proximate and London much lower at 1,180.

  1. Describe the table fully as well. Sometimes the table and graph will relate to each other closely but these ones don’t so you don’t have to compare them.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean?

The line chart and table detail both average annual temperatures and total hours of sunshine in a given year in London, New York, and Sydney. Overall, London and New York display broadly similar four-season climates, though the extremes are more pronounced in New York while Sydney has a reverse weather pattern with milder overall temperatures. In terms of overall sunshine, New York leads, followed closely by Sydney and distantly by London.

Looking first of all at London and New York, both undergo serious drops in temperature beginning in November as the former falls to just over 10 degrees Celsius, intersecting the latter at the same point. From there, temperatures in New York plummet throughout the winter with a low of under 5°C in January and February, while London bottoms out at around 9 degrees. Both rise steadily in the spring and peak in summer at around 23°C for London and nearly 30°C for New York. In contrast, Sydney is warmest from December to February (plateauing at over 25 degrees) and cools steadily to under 15 degrees from June to October.

Overall sunshine shows a different pattern with New York (2,535 hours) and Sydney (2,473) proximate and London much lower at 1,180.

Answers

detail describe

average annual temperatures how hot/cold it usually is

total hours of sunshine how much sun they get

given year any year

display broadly similar show almost the same

four-season climates spring, summer, fall, winter places

extremes at the high and low

pronounced striking, stronger

reverse weather pattern opposite trends

milder in the middle, not extreme

leads is highest

followed closely behind it a bit

distantly behind it a lot

looking first of all at considering firstly

undergo serious drops experience big falls

former mentioned first

intersecting cross over

latter mentioned last

same point intersection

plummet throughout the winter descrease a lot all during winter

a low of lowest point

bottoms out decreases to a low point at

rise steadily increase at regular intervals

peak reach a highpoint

nearly almost

in contrast in comparison

warmest not cold

plateauing levelling off

cools steadily gets cooler gradually

different pattern not the same trend

proximate close

much lower a lot less

Pronunciation

Listen and repeat:

ˈdiːteɪl 
ˈævərɪʤ ˈænjʊəl ˈtɛmprɪʧəz 
ˈtəʊtl ˈaʊəz ɒv ˈsʌnʃaɪn 
ˈgɪvn jɪə 
dɪsˈpleɪ ˈbrɔːdli ˈsɪmɪlə 
fɔː-ˈsiːzn ˈklaɪmɪts
ɪksˈtriːmz 
prəˈnaʊnst 
rɪˈvɜːs ˈwɛðə ˈpætən 
ˈmaɪldə 
liːdz
ˈfɒləʊd ˈkləʊsli 
ˈdɪstəntli 
ˈlʊkɪŋ fɜːst ɒv ɔːl æt 
ˌʌndəˈgəʊ ˈsɪərɪəs drɒps 
ˈfɔːmə 
ˌɪntə(ː)ˈsɛktɪŋ 
ˈlætə 
seɪm pɔɪnt
ˈplʌmɪt θru(ː)ˈaʊt ðə ˈwɪntə 
ə ləʊ ɒv 
ˈbɒtəmz aʊt 
raɪz ˈstɛdɪli 
piːk 
ˈnɪəli 
ɪn ˈkɒntrɑːst
ˈwɔːmɪst 
ˈplætəʊɪŋ 
kuːlz ˈstɛdɪli 
ˈdɪfrənt ˈpætən 
ˈprɒksɪmɪt 
mʌʧ ˈləʊə 

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

The line chart and table d________l both a___________________________s and t_____________________________e in a g______________r in London, New York, and Sydney. Overall, London and New York d______________________r f___________________________s, though the e_____________s are more p___________________d in New York while Sydney has a r______________________n with m____________r overall temperatures. In terms of overall sunshine, New York l_______s, f____________________y by Sydney and d_____________y by London.

L__________________________t London and New York, both u__________________________s in temperature beginning in November as the f____________r falls to just over 10 degrees Celsius, i________________g the l___________r at the s________________t. From there, temperatures in New York p________________________________r with a____________f under 5°C in January and February, while London b________________t at around 9 degrees. Both r___________________y in the spring and p_________k in summer at around 23°C for London and n____________y 30°C for New York. I__________________t, Sydney is w_______________t from December to February (p__________________g at over 25 degrees) and c_______________y to under 15 degrees from June to October.

Overall sunshine shows a d____________________n with New York (2,535 hours) and Sydney (2,473) p______________e and London m______________r at 1,180.

Listen and check:

Listening Practice

Learn here about winter in New York:

Reading Practice

Learn more about British weather here:

https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-24305230

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following questions from the real speaking exam:

Skies

Do you often look at the sky?

Do you prefer to look at the sky during the day or at night?

Have you ever taken a course about stars?

Where is the best view of the sky where you live?

Real Past IELTS Speaking Exam

Writing Practice

Write about the following graph then check with my sample answer. The graph below shows the percentage of people in different age groups in one city who attended music concerts between 2010 and 2015.

ielts writing task 1 sample answer essay line chart
ielts writing task 1 sample answer essay line chart

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