Learner can select and formulate strong comparisons rather than just listing data points.
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Teach comparison by rank, gap, change, proportion, speed, similarity, difference, exception.
Many IELTS students make a critical mistake: they treat Task 1 like a reading exercise. They simply list every data point on the chart, one by one.
To score a Band 6.5 or higher, you cannot just list data. The prompt explicitly asks you to "make comparisons where relevant." You must show the examiner how the numbers relate to each other.
Comparisons require a visual showing two data points being contrasted (e.g., a gap between two lines).
Noticing how the distance between two data points changes is a high-level comparison.
Higher/lower, larger/smaller, faster/slower, similar/different, biggest/smallest, before/after.
Train your eyes to look for these essential Task 1 opposites.
Comparing static amounts
Comparing rates of change
Comparing trend patterns
Ranking the extremes
Comparing the gap between lines
Comparing time periods
Learner selects two data points and labels the comparison type.
Terms
Definitions
Choose strong comparison over listing, vague claim, or inaccurate comparison.
Data Context: In 2020, France produced 60 million tons of wheat, while Germany produced 58 million tons. Which sentence demonstrates the strongest comparison for Task 1?
Push learner to name the move: rank, gap, trend, proportion, similarity, exception.