By English Test Coach · Updated
Academic Task 1 · Charts and data
Museum visitor trends
An original IELTS practice question with a planning route and a sample answer to learn from.
Aim for at least 150 words in about 20 minutes. Suggested practice level: foundation, not a predicted band.
Your writing task
The line graph shows the number of visitors to three museums between 2000 and 2020. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Open full-size diagram (new tab)Read the chart data as a table
These figures belong to the original English Test Coach practice visual. They are fictional teaching data, not measured statistics about real places.
| Year | City Museum | Art Gallery | Science Centre |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 300 | 700 | 200 |
| 2005 | 400 | 650 | 250 |
| 2010 | 600 | 550 | 300 |
| 2015 | 800 | 450 | 400 |
| 2020 | 900 | 500 | 550 |
Readings are rounded to the nearest 50 thousand visitors from the graph. For example, 300 represents approximately 300,000 visitors. Compare the overall direction as well as the starting and ending figures.
How to approach this question
Give an overview of the main patterns and support selected comparisons with accurate figures and units.
Line graphs: select trends and compare figures accurately →
Overview selection: compare the direction of change across all three museums and identify whether the most popular venue changes.
Detail grouping: compare starting and ending visitor numbers, then select important changes in ranking. Use the chart's units and approximate values where appropriate.
These are possible directions, not required opinions or facts to memorise. Develop your own response and check every claim against the task.
A possible plan
- Introduction: identify what is shown, including the time period or stages where relevant.
- Overview: select the largest changes, main contrasts or overall process without inventing causes.
- Details 1: group related features and support them with accurate data, locations or stages.
- Details 2: cover the remaining main features and make relevant comparisons. Check units, dates and direction of change.
Vocabulary you can use precisely
Choose language that fits your meaning. You do not need to include every phrase.
- overtook
- Became higher than another value or series.
The City Museum overtook the Art Gallery during the period shown.
- by contrast
- Introduces a difference from the preceding point.
By contrast, the Art Gallery ended below its starting level.
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