How To Write an
IELTS Multiple Graph Essay

IELTS multiple graph questions are quite common in the Academic Task 1 Writing test. Students often panic when they see these as they are worried about having to interpret two different types of data.

However, as long as you’ve learnt how to write essays on each type of graph, you will have no problem with multiple graphs questions.

A question could include any combination of the following:

You’ll find lessons on each of them via the links above or in the menu at the bottom of this page.

The process for planning and writing IELTS multiple graph essays is the same as for any other Academic Task 1 essay.

Here is the 5 steps process I recommend that you use:

I’m going to take you through the whole process step-by-step as we work on a practice question.

Before we begin, here’s a model essay structure that you can use as a guideline for all IELTS Academic Task 1 questions.

Ideally, your essay should have 4 paragraphs:

Now that we have all these tools we need, we’re ready to begin planning and writing our IELTS multiple graph essay.

Here’s our practice question, which includes a pie chart and a table:

The pie chart shows the main reasons why agricultural land becomes less productive. The table shows how these causes affected three regions of the world during the 1990s.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Source: IELTS past paper

Step 1 – Analyse the question

The format of every Academic Task 1 question is the same, with the instruction sentence (highlighted below) identical in every question. Here is our practice question again.

Every question consists of:

Sentence 2 tells you what you have to do.

You must do 3 things:

All three tasks refer to the ‘main features’ of the graphic. You do not have to write about everything. Just pick out 2 or 3 key features and you’ll have plenty to write about.

Step 2 – Identify the Main Features

The graphics in IELTS multiple graph questions should not be difficult to interpret. Each question has been created to test your language skills, not your mathematics ability.

All you are looking for are the main features. These will usually be the easiest things to spot. In most Task 1 questions, you will be looking for two main features in one graph, chart or table. In multiple graph questions, look for one main feature in each graphic.

There will be lots of information in the graphics to help you identify them.

Here are some useful questions to ask? The first question relates specifically to bar charts and line graphs but the rest apply to all graph and chart types.

(I give more detail on how to use these questions, plus downloadable checklists for identifying the main features of all 7 different types of IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 questions, in the lesson on How To Understand & Analyse Task 1 Questions.)

So, what main feature stands out in each of the graphics in our practice question? Here are the pie chart and table again.

The main features are:

We’re now ready to begin writing our essay. Here’s a reminder of the 4 part structure we’re going to use.

Step 3 – Write an Introduction 

In the introduction, you should simply paraphrase the question, that is, say the same thing in a different way. You can do this by using synonyms and changing the sentence structure. For example:

This is all you need to do for the introduction.

Step 4 – Write an Overview (Paragraph 2)

In the second paragraph, you should report the main features you have identified, giving only general information. The detail comes later in the essay. However, with just 20 minutes allowed for Task 1, and a requirement of only 150 words, you won’t be able to include many details.

Here are the features we picked out above.

Now form these ideas into two or three sentences with a total of around 40 words. State the information simply using synonyms where possible. No elaborate vocabulary or grammar structures are required, just the appropriate words and correct verb tenses.

For example:

Step 5 – Write the 1st Detail Paragraph

Paragraphs 3 and 4 of your IELTS multiple graph essay are where you include more detailed information about the data in the graphics. In paragraph 3, you should give evidence to support your first key feature.

Here it is again:

And this is an example of what you could write:

Step 6 – Write the 2nd Detail Paragraph

For the fourth and final paragraph, you do the same thing for your second key feature. 

Here’s an example of what you could write:

Here are the four paragraphs brought together to create our finished essay.

Finished IELTS Multiple Graph Essay

This sample essay is over the minimum word limit so you can see that you don’t have space to include very much detail at all. That’s why it is essential to select just a couple of main features to write about.

Now use what you’ve learnt in this lesson to practice answering other IELTS multiple graph questions. Start slowly at first and keep practicing until you can plan and write a complete essay in around 20 minutes.

IELTS Writing Task 1 Multiple Graph Essay IELTS Writing Task 1 Multiple Graph Essay IELTS Writing Task 1 Multiple Graph Essay