A Report Writing Task in IELTS usually refers to Writing Task One in IELTS Academic, where candidates write a factual report based on visual information.
Instead of giving personal opinions, you must describe, summarize, and compare key features of the data or process shown.
This task is often called “report writing” because the response should be objective, clear, and formal.
Where It Appears
The Report Writing Task appears in:
- IELTS Academic Writing Task One
It does not apply to IELTS General Training Task One, which requires a letter.
Time and Word Count
Recommended time:
- 20 minutes
Minimum word count:
- 150 words
What You May Need to Describe
The task may include:
- Bar charts
- Line graphs
- Pie charts
- Tables
- Maps
- Process diagrams
- Combined visuals (two charts together)
What You Must Do
You need to:
- Select the main features
- Compare important information
- Summarize trends or stages
- Organize ideas logically
- Use formal language
You should not include personal opinions or unsupported reasons.
Common Types of Report Writing Tasks
Graph Report
Shows trends over time.
Example:
Sales increased from 2010 to 2020.
Comparison Report
Compares categories.
Example:
Country A had higher exports than Country B.
Map Report
Shows changes in a place over time.
Process Report
Explains how something is made or works.
Ideal Structure
Introduction
Paraphrase the question.
Overview
Summarize the main trends or most noticeable features.
Body Paragraph 1
Details of first key group.
Body Paragraph 2
Details of second key group.
Example Prompt
The chart below shows the number of students studying abroad in three countries between 2005 and 2020.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features.
What Examiners Assess
Your report is marked using:
- Task Achievement
- Coherence and Cohesion
- Lexical Resource
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Common Problems Candidates Face
Listing Every Number
This weakens summary quality.
No Overview
Missing overview often lowers scores.
Poor Data Selection
Choose important patterns only.
Informal Language
Use academic/formal style.
Grammar Errors with Numbers
Watch tense, plurals, comparisons.
High-Scoring Strategies
Find the Main Story
What changed most? What stands out?
Group Similar Data
Avoid random sentence order.
Use Comparisons
Higher than, lower than, similar to.
Use Correct Tense
Past for past data, present for current facts.
Keep It Objective
Describe the chart, not your opinion.
Useful Language
- increased steadily
- fell sharply
- remained stable
- the highest figure
- in contrast
- respectively
- accounted for
Time Plan
Suggested:
- Analyze chart: 3 minutes
- Write report: 14 minutes
- Check grammar: 3 minutes
Quick Tips
- Write at least 150 words.
- Include overview.
- Compare instead of listing.
- Use clear paragraphs.
Why Strong Candidates Perform Well
Top scorers quickly identify patterns and explain them clearly using accurate comparisons and logical organization.
