Line Graph Model Answer
Task
The graph below shows the percentage of households in three countries that had access to the internet between 2000 and 2020. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Chart
Key data
Country C started highest at 25% in 2000 and reached 90% by 2020. Country A rose steadily from 10% to 85%. Country B grew slowest initially (5% → 20% by 2010) then accelerated sharply to 70% by 2020.
Full Response
Band 7.5 annotated answer
Each paragraph is followed by an examiner note explaining exactly what earns marks.
Introduction
The line graph illustrates the proportion of households with internet access in three countries over a twenty-year period from 2000 to 2020.
'Proportion of households with internet access' paraphrases 'percentage of households that had access to the internet' using synonymous vocabulary and structure. The introduction is one clean sentence — no data, no opinion.
Overview
Key for Task AchievementOverall, internet access rose substantially in all three countries across the period, with Country C recording the highest levels throughout. The most notable feature was Country B's dramatic acceleration after 2010, despite starting from the lowest base.
Two key features are identified without any figures: the general upward trend across all countries, and Country B's acceleration as the standout story. This is the most important paragraph for Task Achievement — examiners look for a genuine overview, not a data summary.
Body Paragraph 1
In 2000, Country C had the highest proportion of internet-connected households at 25%, compared to 10% for Country A and just 5% for Country B. Country C continued to lead throughout the period, rising steadily to 90% by 2020. Country A followed a similar upward trajectory, climbing from 10% to 85% over the same timeframe, though it consistently remained approximately 5 to 10 percentage points below Country C.
All three starting points are given, then Country C and A are described together because they show similar gradual growth patterns. 'Approximately 5 to 10 percentage points' is precise without being pedantic — a hallmark of Band 7+ data handling. 'Trajectory' is good academic vocabulary.
Body Paragraph 2
Country B showed the most striking rate of change. After growing slowly from 5% to around 20% between 2000 and 2010, it underwent a period of rapid acceleration, reaching 70% by 2020. While this represented the largest absolute gain of the three countries — an increase of 65 percentage points — it nonetheless finished 20 percentage points behind Country C.
Country B is given its own paragraph because its acceleration after 2010 is the most significant feature of the graph. '65 percentage points' shows the candidate can calculate and select meaningful data. The concessive structure ('While... nonetheless') is a Band 7+ grammatical feature that contrasts two ideas in one sentence.
Comparison
Band 6 vs Band 7+ overview
The overview is the paragraph that most separates Band 6 from Band 7 in Task 1.
✗ Band 6
“Overall, the percentage of internet users increased in all three countries. Country C had the most users and Country B had the least.”
✓ Band 7+
“Overall, internet access rose substantially in all three countries across the period, with Country C recording the highest levels throughout. The most notable feature was Country B's dramatic acceleration after 2010, despite starting from the lowest base.”
What makes the difference
The Band 6 overview states the obvious (all increased, C was highest) without identifying the most interesting feature — Country B's acceleration after 2010. The Band 7+ uses 'most notable feature' to signal deliberate selection, and identifies the specific pattern that makes Country B the standout story of the graph.
Why it scores Band 7.5
Key strengths of this response
Overview identifies two key features without using any data figures
Country B separated into its own paragraph as the most significant feature
Concessive sentence structure in Body 2: 'While... nonetheless' — Band 7+ grammar
'65 percentage points' calculated and reported accurately — not confused with '65%'
Other Task 1 model answers