Writing Task 1: Line Graph: Question 9
Syllabus W.task1
The line graph below shows average monthly household electricity consumption, in kilowatt-hours, in two cities, Rivenmouth and Sundale, over the course of one year.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
| Month | Rivenmouth (kWh) | Sundale (kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 420 | 260 |
| Feb | 400 | 250 |
| Mar | 350 | 260 |
| Apr | 300 | 300 |
| May | 260 | 350 |
| Jun | 230 | 420 |
| Jul | 220 | 480 |
| Aug | 225 | 470 |
| Sep | 250 | 400 |
| Oct | 300 | 320 |
| Nov | 370 | 280 |
| Dec | 410 | 270 |
The graph plots two lines across the twelve months of the year: Rivenmouth's consumption is highest in the winter months and lowest in mid-summer, while Sundale's consumption follows the opposite seasonal pattern, peaking in summer and falling to its lowest level in late winter; the two lines cross twice, once in spring and again in autumn.
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Worked solution
Examiner notes: why this is a band 9 response
Task Achievement
The overview goes straight to the single feature that defines this graph, the two cities’ opposite seasonal cycles and the resulting double crossover, rather than vaguely noting that consumption “changes over the year.” The body paragraphs then trace the two crossing points (April and October) precisely, alongside the winter and summer peaks, which together constitute the genuinely reportable main features, and all quoted figures match the table.
Coherence & Cohesion
The response is structured chronologically but with clear signposting of the two key turning points (“by April… had converged,” “from August onwards, the pattern reversed”), which keeps the comparison between the two cities continuous rather than treating them as separate descriptions.
Lexical Resource
Seasonal and trend language is precise and varied: “converged,” “narrowed steadily,” “peaked,” “fell steadily back,” “crossing… for a second time.” The phrase “close to its January level” shows an ability to compare a value against an earlier point in the same line, not just between the two cities.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
A wide range of accurate structures is used, including a colon to introduce the overview’s explanation, past perfect for the convergence point (“had converged”), and present-participle clauses (“crossing Sundale’s line for a second time”), all applied without error.
Common pitfalls specific to this task
See commonMistakes above: the most damaging is failing to report both crossing points, since a graph built around two lines with opposite seasonal cycles is specifically testing whether a candidate can identify where and when the relationship between the two lines changes, not just their respective highs and lows.