Grammar - Structure

Increase/grow/rise ( increased/grew/rose) ( increase/growth/rise/jump) - spike/surge/soar( rise sharply )/ make a recovery to …/ bounce back to…

decrease/ decline / fall/ drop ( decreased / declined/ fell/ dropped) - plummet ( fall sharply)

Fluctuation between .. / fluctuate / vary / ( significant - slight ) variation / in the range from 5% to 10%/ hover around the 8% mark

Reach a low of …./ hit a low of/ hit a trough of

reach a peak of…/ peaked at (v) / hit a high of / increased to a peak of…/…..,with a rise to high of….

Remain ( relatively/ comparatively/ (virtually) unchanged/ stable (stability) = level off (v) ( a leveling of) = Plateau at (v) = hit a plateau of….

Significant / dramatic/ sharp/ considerable/ substantial(ly)

slight/ slow/ gradual-steady/ marginal (ly)/ negligible….

moderate (ly)

Progressive = gradual = slow + steady (ly)

Respectively / in that order / respective figures

Similarly , also, meanwhile, by contrast , conversely , however , whereas, likewise

V + adv:

The number of students rose significantly

Saw/witnessed/ experienced + a adj + N :

The number of students saw a significant rise

A + adj + N was seen / witnessed …. in ….

A significant rise was seen in the number of students

There was a + adj + N

There was a significant rise in the number of students

There was …., followed by ( slow/significant ) increase / decrease to … ( and a final to…)

The number of students saw a significant rise, followed by a decline to … and a final ….

…., after which ( and then )…

The number of students saw a significant rise, from 5000 to 7000 over the first 10 years, after which ( and then ) it declined considerably to 4000 before making a recovery to 5500

…. data, with subsequent increase/ decrease / levelling off and a final … (N)

The number of students saw a significant rise, from 5000 to 7000 over the first 10 years. After that/ then/ thereafter, it declined considerably to 4000 before making a recovery to 5500

After/before….,….

Coffee production in Vietnam rose to a peak of 20 million tonnes in 2010 before falling slightly to 17 million tonnes at the end of the period.

After rising to a peak of 20 million tonnes in 2010, coffee production in Vietnam fell slightly to 17 million tonnes at the end of the period.

The figure/ data for …. + change , ending / finishing at

The figure for Vietnam’s coffee production rose to a peak of 20 million tonnes, ending the period with a slight drop to 17 million

The figure for … saw similar/opposite changes, v-ing

The figure for Vietnam’s coffee production saw similar changes, rising ….

Opposite/ similar changes can be seen in the figures(s) for …. , V-ing .

Despite

despite relatively frequent fluctuations, especially in the latter half of the period, cinema attendance among all four groups rose considerably, with 15-24 year-olds being the most frequent cinema-goers throughout the period.

V-ing

the figure for vietnam rose significantly, ending the period at 20,000.

There was a significant rise in the figure for Vietnam, increasing to 20,000,

Structure of IELTS Task 2 Introduction

"1. Paraphrase the question

2. Optional: Give background/context

3. State your thesis or outline both views"

Paraphrase this: People have little understanding of the importance of the natural world.

A sizable proportion of the public are unaware of the significance of the natural world.

Example: Intro for 'Environmental protection is the responsibility of politicians...'

There are those who believe that environmental protection should be handled by politicians. However, I personally do not hold this view as the collective impact of individuals can suffice to make a discernible change.

Structure for 'Discuss both views and give your opinion' essay

"1. Paraphrase the issue

2. Mention both sides

3. Clearly state your opinion"

How to write a balanced opinion (adv vs disadv)?

Despite having certain benefits, this proposal has far more dire consequences.

Intro for 'Thanks to low-cost airlines, many people can travel abroad...'

Given the increasing affordability of air travel, many people can travel to other countries. Despite some environmental concerns, this is a predominantly positive development for personal, social, and cultural reasons.

Structure of IELTS Task 1 Introduction

"1. Identify chart type (e.g., bar chart, pie chart)

2. Use synonyms for 'shows' (e.g., illustrates, gives information about)

3. Use noun clauses like 'how much/many'

4. Add time frame using 'between X and Y' or 'from X to Y'"

Countable noun structure

'How many' or 'The number of /data…= the figure/data+ noun' e.g., The chart illustrates how many ( S+V) people traveled to 5 Asian countries between 2000 and 2020

The number of people who visited Vietnam…..

Uncountable noun structure

'How much' or 'The amount of / data…/ the figure + synonyms + noun e.g.,The chart illustrates how much ( S+V) money was spent on/ invested in different sectors of the economy in Vietnam from…

The amount of money spent on education …..

Using percentage or proportion in Task 1

The percentage= proportion= share of ( overview —>) N . how many/ how much- intro)/data … the figure … (synonyms)’ e.g.,

The chart illustrates how many overseas students chose to live alone when studying in the US

The percentage of overseas students living alone was 3%.

Synonyms for 'visitors'

Use: tourists / overseas visitors / international visitors / people who paid a visit to...

How to paraphrase 'shows' in introduction

Use 'illustrates', 'gives information about', or 'compares'

Example of complete Task 1 introduction

The chart illustrates how much oil was produced daily in four countries between 2000 and 2004.

the line graph / bar /table /pie

The chart

Between .. and .. ←> from .. to…

Example : The table below shows daily oil production in 4 countries from 2000 to 2004

—> The chart illustrates how much oil was produced on a daily basis in four nations between 2000 and 2004

Paragraphing + main features

1) Trends

2) Time

3) Differences

What are the main features ? ( grouping + comparing )

Change (significant / slight)

Remain unchanged

Similar changes / opposite

Significant differences (biggest / lowest / times)

Equal / similar levels

Surpass / overtake

Peaks / lows

Ranking

How can you connect ideas ?

1 idea → explain → example → discussion → link (optional) idea → example 1 → example 2 → link
idea → explain → acknowledge opposing points → counter
idea → explain → counter
Multiple ideas: Topic sentence → Idea 1 → support (result/reason/example) → Idea 2 → ...

Idea wizzards ?

Ideas	Reasons + results (possible flaws?)	Examples (specific + general)	Discuss
			(1) What happened? / what's happening?
			(2) Benefits / problems
			(3) If not
			(4) Other cases

Step to revise a Task 1

Learn to write accurately

Learn to group information logically

Learn to support your data sufficiently

Learn to write flexibly

With/ Given/ Considering/ Due to/ Because of + N

Used to introduce reasons or circumstances using noun phrases. Example: Due to technological advancements, communication has become more efficient.

Because/ As/ Since + S + V

Used to explain causes with full clauses. Example: Since people are living longer, healthcare systems are under more pressure.

A → C… This is because B

Structure for showing a result followed by a reason. Example: Children are more distracted at school. This is because they spend too much time on their phones.

A → C… The reason for this is that B

Alternative structure for explaining cause after result. Example: Obesity rates are rising. The reason for this is that people are becoming less physically active.

State a fact, meaning that…

Used to clarify or infer the implication of a previous fact. Example: Many workers now use AI tools, meaning that productivity has increased significantly.

Allow/ Help/ Enable (S–V)

Used to link a cause with its effect. Example: Online learning helps students access knowledge at their convenience.

Result in/ Lead to/ Give rise to + N

Expresses outcomes or consequences from actions. Example: Poor diet can result in serious health issues.

Which in turn

Used to show chain effects in complex sentences. Example: Education improves employment prospects, which in turn reduces poverty.

Thus/ Therefore/ As a result/ Consequently, + S + V

Transition words to introduce effects or conclusions. Example: The population is aging. Therefore, more funds are needed for elderly care.

Thereby/ Thus/ Hence

Used to show how one action leads directly to a result. Example: He studied consistently, thereby improving his test scores.

If

Introduces a condition. Example: If people recycle more, less waste will end up in landfills.

By

Introduces a method or means of doing something. Example: By exercising regularly, individuals can maintain a healthy weight.

To illustrate, S + V

Introduces an example. Example: To illustrate, many students prefer learning through videos.

To illustrate this, S + V

Introduces a supporting example. Example: To illustrate this, one can look at the rising use of e-books in schools.

For example, S + V

Introduces a common example. Example: For example, urban areas suffer from traffic congestion.

For instance, S + V

Introduces a specific example. Example: For instance, Singapore has implemented strict littering laws.

This can be seen in + N

Shows example with a noun (how S + V / the way S + V). Example: This can be seen in the way students use technology to study.

We see this in + N

Refers to a previously stated example. Example: We see this in countries that offer universal healthcare.

Such as + N

Provides specific examples from a category. Example: Fruits such as apples and bananas are rich in nutrients.

Like + N

Offers comparisons or examples. Example: Some countries, like Japan and South Korea, have low crime rates.

Including…

Adds further examples as part of a group. Example: Several countries, including Sweden and Norway, use renewable energy.

Namely

Specifies or names exact examples. Example: Three countries were mentioned, namely France, Germany, and Italy.

Oil consumption structure 1 (…,and)

Oil consumption in Japan was about 70 million tonnes, and the figures for the UAE and Canada were significantly/considerably/much lower, at 20 million tonnes and 35 million tonnes respectively.

Oil consumption structure 2 ( While …, the figures)

While the amount of oil consumed in Japan was about 70 million tonnes, the figures for the UAE and Canada were far lower, at 20 million tonnes and 35 million tonnes respectively.

Oil consumption structure 3(….,with)

Oil consumption in Japan far (slightly) exceeded (was slightly higher than) that in the UAE and Canada, with the respective figures being 70 million, 20 million and 35 million tonnes.

Oil consumption structure 4 ( …. was far higher …., which)

Oil consumption in Japan (about 70 million tonnes) was far higher than that in the UAE and Canada, which was 20 million and 35 million tonnes respectively.

Oil comparison structure ( much more oil…., compared to ….)

Japan consumed much more oil than the other two countries, compared to/ as opposed to/ in comparison to about 20 million tonnes in the UAE and 35 million tonnes in Canada.

Gender comparison (sports) ( much more likely. While … ,only)

Girls are much more likely than boys to play sports. While around 18% of girls enjoy playing sports, only 10% of boys do so.

Dramatic differences pattern

Dramatic differences/ disparities/ (similarities)/ (the reverse pattern was...) were seen/ observed/ recorded in the proportions of girls and boys doing art and craft, which were 25% and 4% in that order.

Seen differences A > B

A > B. Dramatic differences were also seen in the proportions of girls and boys doing art and craft (25% compared to 4%), playing the piano (15% compared to 3%), and cycling (50% compared to 13%).

Twice as much structure

The Middle East produces twice as much oil as Europe, and the figures are...

Double that in structure

Oil production in the Middle East was 70 million tonnes, which was double that in Europe.

Three times as much

Western countries consume three times as much oil as the Middle East (600 million tonnes compared to only 200 million tonnes).

The same amount

South Korea and Japan produce the same amount of natural gas, with 100 million tonnes of this fuel being produced each year in these countries.

Both countries equal

Both South Korea and Japan produced low amounts of natural gas, as 100 million tonnes and 90 million tonnes of this fuel was produced each year in these countries.

Equal / the same / similar

The production of oil in The Middle East and Europe is equal / the same / similar, at...