English · B2 · Writing · about 6 min
Two tasks in 60 minutes. Task 1 describes visual information; Task 2 develops an argument. This page practises the Task 1 overview.
Task1
Suggested time and minimumAbout 20 minutes; at least 150 words
Your jobSummarise the main features of a graph, table, chart or diagram
Task2
Suggested time and minimumAbout 40 minutes; at least 250 words
Your jobRespond to a point of view, argument or problem with developed ideas
| Task | Suggested time and minimum | Your job |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | About 20 minutes; at least 150 words | Summarise the main features of a graph, table, chart or diagram |
| 2 | About 40 minutes; at least 250 words | Respond to a point of view, argument or problem with developed ideas |
Original mini-data for this drill: cycling to work rose from 20% to 35% in Eastford and from 10% to 15% in Westford between 2010 and 2020. The main pattern is growth in both towns, with a larger rise in Eastford. This is a sentence-level warm-up, not a full Task 1 response or a band estimate.
Understand the visual
Overview
State the strongest pattern
Details
Group and compare accurate figures
Check
Do not invent causes the chart does not show
B2 is a useful place to practise comparisons and argument structure. It is not an IELTS band conversion.
Which sentence is the best overview for the mini-data?
Overall, cycling became more common in both towns.
An overview identifies the main pattern without listing every number.
Use it after you have checked that both data series really move upward.
In Eastford, the figure rose from 20% to 35%.
A detail sentence supports the overview with one accurate comparison.
Numbers belong in the body, where the reader can follow the evidence.
By contrast, Westford rose from 10% to 15%.
The second detail compares the size of the change, not just the direction.
‘By contrast’ works because Eastford's increase was larger.