IELTS writing task 1 vocabulary, paraphrasing numbers and statistics. - Chia Sẻ Kiến Thức Điện Máy Việt Nam

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Paraphrasing percentages and statistics in IELTS academic writing task 1.

Updated: Feb 10th 2022

One thing that can be challenging in IELTS writing task 1 academic is how to report on all the data in a chart or graph. Something that can help your vocabulary band score is using specific language, such as the language of approximation, proportion and fractions to paraphrase percentages.

It takes a bit of practice to use these in a task 1 report but if you can use them accurately it goes a long way to getting to Band 7. You don’t need to know about maths either so don’t worry this is not a maths lesson.

There are 2 methods to use here, paraphrasing percentages and using the language of approximation. Make sure you have practiced these well in your writing to avoid confusing the reader.

Paraphrasing percentages:

Four-fifths – 80%
Three quarters – 75%
Seven out of ten – 70%
Just over half – 53%
Two fifths – 40%
Just over a third – 35%
Just under a third – 30%
One quarter -25%
a fifth – 20%
Less than a fifth – 15%
One in ten – 10% (this is used for people or objects)
From two fifths to less than a fifth – From 40% to 15% (for trends graphs)
Halved (verb) – dropped by half

Example sentences:

Around fourth fifths of university students stated that the library was the best place for their research.
Coal accounted for one-quarter of fossil fuels used as an energy source.
One in ten people reported that they went to fast-food restaurants at least once a month.
According to the graph, car production in France halved between 1999 and 2004.
Just under a third of visitors stated that they were happy with the renovations in the museum.
Exports of semiconductors dropped from two fifths to less than a fifth in three years.

Approximation and proportion

I also advise using set phrases to show approximation and proportion, remember that these are approximate and not exact, such as:

Just over a fifth – around 22%
Just under a fifth – around 18%
Slightly less than a quarter – 23%
More than two fifths – around 42%
Approximately half – 48%
Around a fifth – 19%
A large number of – around 70%
A large proportion of – around 70%
A significant proportion of – around 80%
A small minority of – around 5 to 10%
A small number/amount of – 5 to 10%
An insignificant amount of – around 2%

Example sentences (taken from various task 1 reports):

Approximately half of all vehicles produced in Japan were exported.
A large proportion of the population of Italy is under 65 years old.
This figure increased but then dropped to slightly less than a quarter in 2011.
The graph shows an insignificant amount of software was downloaded in the last part of 2002.
It can be seen from the table that around a fifth of all passengers used buses in the period between 2012 and 2016.
The pie chart shows that a large number of tourists visited Kyoto in the first part of 2015

Practice 1

Try this exercise below using the statistics in brackets to help you. Then check your answers. More than one answer is possible。

1. According to the chart, _______________ of imports came from China in 2014. (75%)
2. Tourists accounted for _______________ of total visitors to the Tate gallery in 2016 (80%)
3. Production of TVs ____________ in the period between 2012 and 2014. (dropped by 50%)
4. Mobile calls showed a gradual rise to _______________ from 2000 to 2001. (23%)
5. _____________ the population in Japan is expected to be over 60 years old in 2029. (around 70%)

Answers:

1. According to the chart, three-quarters of imports came from China in 2014. (75%)
2. Tourists accounted for four-fifths of total visitors to the Tate gallery in 2016. (80%)
3. Production of TVs halved in the period between 2012 and 2014. (dropped by 50%)
4. Mobile calls showed a gradual rise to slightly less than a quarter from 2000 to 2001. (23%)
5. A large proportion of the population in Japan is expected to be over 60 years old in 2029. (around 70%)

Practice 2

Below are 2 pie charts with percentages, Paraphrase the sentences using fractions or the language of proportion.

Can you paraphrase these sentences based on the percentages in the chart?

1. 40% of people stated that comfort was a factor in driving to work.
2. The proportion of people stating that they cycled to work to reduce pollution stood at 30%.
3. 11% of people said that driving to work was safer than cycling.
4. 15% of people stated that they cycled to work because they did not have to worry about parking.
5. 14% of those polled stated that the main factor for driving to work was to transport items.

1. Two-fifths of the people polled stated that comfort was a factor in driving to work.
2. The proportion of people stating that they cycled to work to reduce pollution stood at just under a third.
3. Slightly more than one in ten people said that driving to work was safer than cycling.
4. Less than a fifth of people stated that they cycled to work because they did not have to worry about parking.
5. Just under a fifth (14%) of those polled stated that the main factor for driving to work was to transport items.

Key point: you can state the percentage in brackets to make it clearer and more accurate such as: Two-fifths (40%) of the people polled stated that comfort was a factor in driving to work.

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Leave a comment below if you have any questions.

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