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Notes 1–3 — vocabulary patterns

Note 1:

A/an + dramatic/ sharp/ enormous/ steep/ substantial/ considerable/ significant/ rapid/ moderate/ gradual/ slight/ marginal/ minimal + increase/ decrease

Note 2:

Sth+ dramatically/ enormously... + increased/ decreased...

Note 3:

You can use the following structures to transition to Body 2:

As for / regarding / in regard to / turning to / when it comes to + something, + sentence

For ex: As for the feature in the city that has seen few developments, the shop to the south has been left intact.

Practice translation: As for the number of students in Shamkir, it increased.

Describing change & figures

Something increased to / decreased to + figure. You can show the amount of increase or decrease as follows:

The number of students decreased to / increased to 30, a rise / increase / decrease of + figure.

The number of students increased to 30, a rise of 10. This means the amount of increase was 10 units, for example from 20 to 30.

Practice translation: The number of cars owned by Orkhan decreased to 3, a fall of 10 units.

There is / was + an increase / a decrease / a fall / a rise / a boom / growth / a climb + of + figure + in + something, from + figure + to + figure.

There was a drop of 50% in the proportion of students who read books, from 70% to 20%

Peak at / reach a peak of / reach its or their peak at + figure.

Increase / climb / rise / surge to a high of + figure.

It increased to a high of 70% — maximum point.

Reach a low of / drop / decrease / fall / plunge / plummet to a low of + figure.

The number of students fell to a low of 5.

Rise / increase from a low of + figure to a high of + figure.

The number of students rose from a low of 5 to a high 75.

Decrease / fall from a high of + figure to a low of + figure.

The number of students fell from a high of 75 to a low of 5.

Something showed / witnessed / experienced / saw + a decrease / fall / increase + of + figure, or from + figure to + figure.

The number of students witnessed an increase of 20%, from 10% to 30 %

A reduction / increase of + figure was witnessed / experienced / recorded in something, from + figure to + figure.

At the start / beginning of the period, or initially, something stood at + figure.

Initially, the proportion of the old stood at 20 %

Increase / decrease to + figure.

It increased ( from 10%) to 30 %

Increase / decrease by + figure — this shows the amount of increase or decrease.

It increased by 30% ( from 40% to 70%)

Something remained steady / unchanged / stable / constant at + figure.

Something levelled out / reached a plateau / plateaued / levelled off / did not change / maintained the same level / stood steady at + figure.

Something fluctuated / oscillated / was volatile between + figure and + figure.

A/an fluctuation/ oscillation / a period of volatility + was witnessed/ experienced/ recorded/seen+in+sth

Fluctuations (between 10 and 20) were seen in the number of students from SHAMKIR

Something had a climb / decrease of + figure.

Following / before / after / gerund

Extra:

How to use “Following and followed by”

Sth happens, following sth2 (this happens first)

Here, the action described in “something 2” happens before “something”.

Note: following + noun phrase / object + gerund.

Example: He died, following his wife’s death.

Here, his wife died first.

“sth”happens, followed by “sth2”

Here, the action described in “something” happens first.

Example: She died, followed by her husband’s death.

Here, the woman died first again.

Example of use in IELTS:

The number of students dramatically increased by 100, following a sharp decrease of 70.

Here, the decrease happened first.

The number of students experienced a sharp increase of 100, followed by a dramatic decrease of 70.

Here, by contrast, the increase happened first.

Sth happens before sth else happens

I sold my car before I sold my house ( First, I sold my car. Then, I sold my house)

Before=after which

I sold my car after which I sold my house

Sth happens after sth else happens

I sold my house after I sold my car

After=before which

I sold my house before which I sold my car

Gerund

I sold my car before selling my house

I sold my house after selling my car

I sold my car before you sold your house – in this sentence- we cannot use -before selling-because -the subject after the word “before” is different

I killed her before I buried her

Who did the killing?-I

Who did the burying-I So it means I can use a gerund, because both actions are done by the same person

I killed her before burying her.

Passive Voice (with gerund)

My car was sold before (after which) my house was sold

My house was sold after (before which) my car was sold

Passive Voice (with Gerund)- subjects of both parts should be the same

He was beaten before he was arrested--- He was beaten before being arrested

He was arrested after he was beaten- He was arrested after being beaten.

Pie chart

PIE chart

Contribute to=make up=to be composed of=constitute=comprise=to be comprised of=consist of=account for

Make up

Small unit+make up/contribute to/constitute/comprise/account for+ %+of+big unit

Ex: Boys make up 20% of the class.\/////// Boys contribute to 20% of the class.

Make up- Passive Voice

%+of+Big unit+to be+made up of/comprised of/composed of+small unit

Ex: 20% of the class is made up of boys.

Note: %+of+big unit+consist of+small unit

20% of the class consists of boys.

Common vocabulary for PIE CHART

Generate/produce/create/engender

Cause/bring about/lead to/pave the way for

Note: because pie-chart categories are usually given as percentages, use:

the proportion / the rate / the percentage / the amount / the quantity + of + something.

The proportion of people who had a computer decreased in 2005.

Line graphs & bar charts

Step 1: Identify whether the data changes over time. If it does, focus on trends: increases, decreases, fluctuations, peaks, and final positions.

Step 2: Choose the main features. Usually these are the highest figure, lowest figure, biggest rise or fall, and any unusual exception.

Step 3: Group logically. Do not simply describe category A, then B, then C. Pair items with similar movements or clear contrasts.

Good grouping examples: rising categories together; falling categories together; high figures in one body paragraph and low figures in the other.

Useful language: rose steadily, increased sharply, declined slightly, remained stable, fluctuated, reached a peak, fell to a low.

Overview model: Overall, most categories increased over the period, while only one showed a decline. The highest figure was recorded by X, whereas Y remained the lowest throughout.

Pie charts & tables

Pie charts: Focus on proportions. Identify the largest share, the smallest share, and any categories with similar percentages.

Better wording: Do not write “Joining family was 13%.” Write “The proportion of people who moved to join family was 13%.”

Useful language: accounted for, made up, represented, constituted, comprised, the largest share, a small minority.

Tables: Scan rows and columns for patterns. Look for the highest and lowest values, repeated patterns, and clear differences between groups.

Table grouping: Body 1 can describe the strongest and weakest groups. Body 2 can describe middle figures, exceptions, or remaining categories.

Overview model: Overall, the figures were broadly similar across most categories, although X recorded the highest values while Y was generally the lowest.

Mixed charts

Mixed charts contain two visuals, for example a bar chart and a pie chart. Your job is to connect the main message instead of treating the visuals as two unrelated tasks.

Introduction: Mention both visuals in one sentence.

Overview: Give one main point from each visual, or show how the two visuals are connected.

Body 1: Describe the first visual with the most important figures.

Body 2: Describe the second visual and make a comparison with the first if possible.

Useful sentence: While the first chart shows differences by age group, the second chart focuses on the composition of the same group by household type.

Maps & processes

Maps: Identify what changed, what stayed the same, and where the biggest changes happened. Use location language: to the north, in the centre, on the western side, next to, opposite.

Map overview model: Overall, the area was significantly redeveloped, with new facilities added in the centre, while the northern section remained largely unchanged.

Future map language: is expected to, is planned to, is projected to, will be replaced by, will be converted into.

Processes: Count the stages, identify the first and final stages, and state whether the process is linear, cyclical, natural, or man-made.

Process overview model: Overall, the process consists of six main stages, beginning with raw material collection and ending with the final product being packaged.

Process grammar: Use passive voice when the person doing the action is not important: “The materials are heated”, “The mixture is transported”, “The product is stored.”

Body grouping: Body 1 usually covers the early stages; Body 2 covers the later stages.

Opinion / agree-disagree

• Agree/disagree essays (some people call these opinion essays).
• Typical prompts: Do you agree or disagree? To what extent do you agree (or disagree)? What is your opinion?
• Example topic: Some people think that human needs for farmland, housing and industry are more important than saving land for endangered animals. Do you agree or disagree with this point of view? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice?
• Approach (a): Agree but under some conditions.
• Approach (b): I agree but there may be some exceptional cases.
• Intro: Paraphrase the topic sentence.
• Sample stance: In my view, while I believe that humans, especially the young, should be prioritised over protecting endangered animals, we should not ignore all species that are at risk of extinction.
• Body 1: I agree because humans are more important than animals — we cannot raise children in an environment where they are half-hungry and have no place to play, damaging their psychology.
• Body 2: But this does not mean we can give up on all endangered animals; some are extremely important. For example, which ones???
• Conclusion: Restate your main arguments shortly (which have been explained in Body 1 and Body 2).

  Note: Do not give or mention new arguments that have not been analyzed or explained in body paragraphs.

Discussion (both views + your opinion)

• Discussion essays: discuss both sides and give your opinion.
• Prompt example: It is generally believed that some people are born with talents while others are not. However, it is sometimes claimed that any child has certain talents, for instance for sport or music, and can be taught to become a good sports person or musician.
• Task wording: Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
• Ways to respond:
  • a) Both views are wrong.
  • b) There may be cases where both are correct — it depends on the situation (both views can be correct depending on the country, age, or specific field).
• Structure (c):
  • Intro — Paraphrase the topic + your opinion.
  • Body 1 — Discuss the first side and why they think this way (1 reason + explanation).
  • Body 2 — Discuss the second side in the same way.
  • Body 3 — My personal opinion.
  • Conclusion: In conclusion, although people may vary in their opinions, I am convinced that + state your opinion. (Your opinion should shortly show why your approach is better; shortly mention your arguments explained in Body 3.)
• My opinion on this topic:

  I believe that anyone can be successful in any sport if they do not have a physical disability that prevents it; similarly, anyone can be successful in music, even if they don't have a natural voice — thanks to technology.

  The only difference between them and those born talented is that they will have to work much harder to achieve success.

Positive / negative development

• Positive/negative essays: Is this a positive or negative development / approach?
• Intro: Paraphrase + your opinion.
• (a) In my opinion, it is positive, but only if certain conditions are met.
• (b) In my opinion, this varies from person to person, country to country, age to age, man to woman, and profession to profession.
• Language: For instance: Is Orkhan a good teacher?
  • “Orkhan, as a teacher, offers advantages” — INCORRECT. (The fact that someone has good sides does not show that he or she is a good teacher.)
  • “Orkhan is a good teacher.” — CORRECT.
  • “This trend has advantages” — INCORRECT.
  • “This trend is advantageous” — CORRECT.
• Example question: Most people accept that we now live in a globalised world but not everyone agrees that this is beneficial. To what extent is globalisation a positive or negative development? (It varies from country to country.)
  • Body 1: This is positive for developed countries.
  • Body 2: It is a problem for developing (weakly developed) countries — exposure to exploitation.

Advantages outweigh disadvantages

• Important: Only when the question uses the word outweigh. If you do not see “outweigh”, you cannot use this “which side is stronger” balanced answer for a simple “discuss the advantages and disadvantages” task.
• Here are 3 approaches you can take to write this essay type:
  • (a) It may or may not outweigh, provided certain conditions are met. Body 1 — Cases where it outweighs. Body 2 — What measures have been taken against the factors that put this outweighing at risk (must use if sentences).
  • (b) From person to person, country to country: Body 1 — In which country or for which types of people the positives outweigh and a comparison with possible negatives. Body 2 — In which country the negatives create a more serious problem and make possible positives meaningless.
  • (c) A mixture of (a) and (b).
• Example: Some companies spend a lot of money on scientific research and use animals for testing. Do the advantages of using animals in research outweigh its disadvantages?
  • Intro: Paraphrase the topic + your opinion (e.g., it depends on the magnitude of the research).
  • Body 1: Research involving medical research is good.
  • Body 2: But for luxury and beauty products, the negative aspects are too serious.

Problem & solution

In a Problem–Solution essay, there is normally no opinion.

If there are words that directly ask for your opinion, such as “YOU think” or “what can you suggest,” you should add “I consider that…” The rest of the structure remains the same. Sometimes “In my view…” is added to the conclusion—but normally, these essays do not include an opinion.

• Intro: Paraphrase the topic + “However, some steps can be taken to solve these issues.”
• Body 1: You talk about the root of the problem or the problem itself — 2 arguments. In some questions, it asks for “effects / what problems does this cause?”: in that case, we don’t say why it happens; we talk about the result.
• Body 2: Solutions.
• Conclusion.
• Example: The number of homeless people is rising in many countries. What are the reasons and how can this problem be solved?
• Note: Know the difference between “cause and effect” as some questions do ask you about the effects and solutions.
  • Reasons / causes: “What are the causes?” “Why is this?” “What are the reasons?” — these require you to discuss the reasons for a problem.
  • However — effects: “What problems does this cause?” “What are the effects of this?” “What problems are associated with this?” — these ask you to discuss the effects of a situation.

Structure in detail — how to start each paragraph

Replace X with the topic. In Body 1, use the causes or effects set depending on the question wording.

1. Introduction

General statement (pick one opening pattern):

• In modern times, the issue of … has become highly controversial.
• In the modern era, … … … have become an essential part of everyday life.
• The last few decades have seen enormous changes in the way of people’s lives that are affected by …
• These days, more and more … … … are … … …
• An increasing concern for many people around the world is …
• One of the most topical issues in modern society is …

Main statement (match the question — pick one type):

• Causes: The main causes of X are … + noun phrase / This is mainly because of …
• Effects: There are two main results of X / There are a variety (or number) of issues which result from X.
• Solutions (preview): There are a number of solutions which should be implemented to deal with X.

2. Body 1 — causes or effects

Topic sentence — causes (pick one, then First, …):

• A) There are two main reasons why … (topic) …
• B) There are two main causes of … (topic) …
• C) The primary reason for … (topic) is … (first reason)

Topic sentence — effects (when the question asks about problems/results, not reasons):

• There are two main issues which are caused by … (topic). First, …

Support & second point:

• Support sentence: In other words / That is to say / As a result / In consequence (choose carefully — “As a result” and “In consequence” fit effects more than causes)
• Second point: Secondly; Furthermore; In addition
• Another point: Another cause / result of X is …
• Support again: … (explain the second point)

3. Body 2 — solutions

Open the paragraph (pick one):

• However, there are a variety of possible solutions available to address this problem.
• Despite these challenges, there are a number (or variety) of ways to resolve this issue.
• There are two effective solutions to the problem of X.

Solution points:

• The main way to combat this issue is by + gerund …
• A second potential solution is …
• One way to tackle this is …
• Support: … (explain how the solution works)
• Second solution: Secondly; Furthermore; In addition …

4. Conclusion

• In conclusion, despite this problem having become common in many places, were … and … to be implemented, this issue would hopefully be solved soon. (Name the solutions from Body 2 — do not introduce new ideas.)