IELTS Pie Chart Task 1 Vocabulary

In academic writing task 1, you will be given a graph, chart, or table to describe facts or figures. Or, you will be given a diagram or process to explain how it works. IELTS examiner assesses Task 1 response based on four band descriptors.

• Task achievement
• Coherence and Cohesion
• Lexical resource
• Grammatical range and accuracy

From these band descriptors, lexical resources indicate the range of vocabulary and how accurately and appropriately used in the IELTS writing task. It carries 25% of marks in your overall band score. In this post, we are going to provide pie chart task 1 vocabulary, which improves your band score in the IELTS writing task 1.

Check Out our YouTube Channel to Practice Full-Length IELTS Listening Tests Daily

Pie chart vocabulary IELTS

There is a list of vocabulary that you need to know when writing an essay. Below, you will find the pie chart task 1 vocabulary which helps you to be assessed well on lexical resource band descriptors. 

Vocabulary: Percentage to Fraction or Ratios

Percentage	Fraction or Ratios
80%	four-fifths
75%	three-quarters
70%	seven in ten
65%	two-thirds
60%	three-fifths
55%	more than half
50%	half
45%	more than two-fifths
40%	two-fifths
35%	more than a third
30%	less than a third
25%	a quarter
20%	a fifth
15%	less than a fifth
10%	one in ten
5%	one in twenty

Vocabulary: Percentage to Qualifiers

Percentage	Qualifiers
77%	just over three quarters
77%	approximately three quarters
49%	just under a half
49%	nearly a half
32%	almost a third

Vocabulary: Percentages to other phrases

Percentage	Proportion/ number/ amount/ majority/ minority
75% - 85%	A very large majority
65% - 75%	A significant proportion
10% - 15%	A minority
5%	A very small number

Download ielts writing task 1 pie chart vocabulary pdf

Writing Task 1 Pie Chart: Tenses

Look for the dates in the pie chart title, subtitles, and in the diagram. If the given year is before the present year, then use the past tense. If the given year is after the present year, then use the future tense. If the year is not provided, then use the simple present tense. 

Check with attention that you have not shifted the tense halfway through. Sometimes, you need to use more than one tense but you have to do it cautiously.

How to structure your writing task 1 pie chart?

Learn the step by step process on how to effectively structure your pie chart description to excel in pie chart task 1. It is essential to sequence the answers and use the proper vocabulary to obtain a good band score in writing task. 

Step 1: Prepare

• Select and report the main features of the pie chart. Write about what the pie chart shows and and related synonyms under the IELTS pie chart diagram. 
• Identify the biggest and smallest sections of the pie chart. And, understand what it represents and know the percentage. 
• Note down the periods, dates and announcements.
• The point is to summarise so look for the bigger picture rather than getting lost into the details. 

Step 2: Organize what you have found into two groups

Focus on the following topics when organising the information into two groups. 

• Major trends 
• Major groups
• Exceptions
• Group Information
• Other similar ideas

The point of this step is to organize the major groups in your mind, which helps you to write all the major trends, comparisons and changes in your essay. It also prepares you to write a writing task 1 pie chart essay in a coherent and cohesive way. Remember, Coherence and Cohesion is one of the writing task 1 band descriptors, which carries 25% of your overall band score.     

Step 3: How to organize your paragraphs

The key thing that you must know is to construct paragraphs and sequence the ideas in order to get a good band score in IELTS academic writing task 1. Structure your essay with the following sections: Paragraph 1, Paragraph 2, Paragraph 3, Paragraph 4. Read the following ideas to understand what to write in each section. 

Paragraph 1 - Introduction

In this introduction paragraph, write about what a pie chart represents in one sentence. It needs to be clear and precise. You can even paraphrase the given title. But, make sure you have covered all the information given in the pie chart graph. 

Pie chart title: The pie chart shows the amount of money that a children's charity located in the USA spent and received in one year.

First sentence: The pie chart shows the revenue sources and expenditures for a one year of children charity organisation located in the USA. 

Paragraph 2 - Focus on the first group

In this paragraph, you have to write about what groups or major trends that you have identified in step 2. You have to focus on the first paragraph, write it in a way which covers the essential information about the first group. 

For example: In a total of  $53,561,580 revenue sources, a very large majority of revenue comes from Donated food. Community contributions is the second source of revenue, which is about 10.4%. And, the rest of all is a very small number such as Program revenue, Investment Income and Government grants.

Paragraph 3 - Focus on the second group

In the same manner as you did in paragraph 2, write about the second group. Include all the significant data about the second group or major trend in paragraph 2. 

For example: Children's charity organisation have spent a huge amount of money on Program Services, which amounts to 95.8%. Other expenditures are fundraising and management and general, and the total expenditures are $53,224,896. The amount of revenue sources is higher compared to expenditure. 

Paragraph 4 - Summarize the description

Summarize the overall pie chart graph in two sentences.

Writing Task 1 Pie Chart Sample Answer

The pie chart shows the amount of money that a children's charity located in the USA spent and received in one year.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.’

Write at least 150 words.

Answer:

The pie chart shows the revenue sources and expenditures for a one year of children charity organisation located in the USA.

In a total of  $53,561,580 revenue sources, a very large majority of revenue came from Donated food. Community contributions is the second source of revenue, which is about 10.4%. And, the rest of all is a very small number such as Program revenue, Investment Income and Government grants.

Children's charity organisation have spent a huge amount of money on Program Services, which amounts to 95.8%. Other expenditures are fundraising and management and general, and the total expenditures are $53,224,896. The amount of revenue sources is higher compared to expenditure. 

The organisation of children charity got an revenue of about $53,561,580 and its expenditure amount was $53,224,896. The large amount of money came from the Donated food. And, for the program services, 95.8% of money was spent.

(157 words)

Tips for Better Interpretation of Pie Chart Task 1 Vocabulary

• You don’t need to worry, If you are not able to compare the pie charts. It is fine to summarize each picture. Make comparisons where necessary. 
• Do not give personal opinions. Your task is to describe the pie chart not to give an opinion about that. 
• Pay attention to the time frame in the pie chart, use the appropriate tense.
• Try to bring out all the appropriate data from the pie chart when you are writing an essay.
• Read the pie chart title and the diagram carefully to extract the main ideas and information
• You must write at least 150 words for your essay. 
• Use the appropriate vocabulary when you are describing the pie chart. For instance, when relating information, use words like ‘related to’ or ‘connected to’. 

Read How to write pie chart to develop your pie chart writing skills