Two rowing boats racing side by side on a misty river at sunrise – IELTS Writing Task 1, step 7: Comparing
Step 7 · Comparing
Step 7 of 10 – one move: than · while · compared with · twice as many as · overtook · the gap narrowed – at least one comparison sentence. Read the rule, do the two short exercises, then write only your part of 4 short reports – and read the rest of each report: it has small gaps.
1 / 8 Comparing

The task says: “make comparisons where relevant”. One or two comparison sentences show the examiner that you see the lines together.

ToolExample
more / higher / lower … thanTeachers earned €4,000 more than nurses.
A …, while B …Nurses earned €48,000, while teachers earned €44,000.
compared with50% of men, compared with 35% of women
twice / three times as many … asthree times as many bicycles as cars
overtook / caught up withBy 2020, women had overtaken men.
the gap narrowed / widenedThe gap between the two countries narrowed.

Example: In 2000, men were far more active than women (50% compared with 35%), but by 2020 women had overtaken men, at 60% versus 55%.

Traps: more then → than · more higher → higher · twice more than → twice as many as · outnumbered to → outnumbered.

What you already know – steps 1–6
  1. Introduction: The line graph + illustrates / compares + how many… / the proportion of… + where + from … to … (one sentence, your own words).
  2. WHO: The number of + people / things you can count · The amount of + water, wheat, money · The proportion of + … (%) · This figure.
  3. DID WHAT: rose · fell · remained stable · peaked at · fluctuated · overtook – Past Simple.
  4. NUMBERS: from 20 to 45 · to 45 · by 25 (the difference) · at 30 · between 7 and 11 · doubled / halved.
  5. The sentence machine: WHO + DID WHAT + NUMBERS + WHEN (in 2010 · between 2000 and 2010 · by 2020 · until 2005).
  6. Overview: four questions – up? down? biggest? overtook? → “Overall, A rose, while B fell. A was the largest throughout.” No numbers.
2 / 8 Spot it
clears only the answers on this slide
3 / 8 Build it
clears only the answers on this slide
4 / 8 Report 1 of 4
Your part: the comparison sentence at the end of Body 2 – put the two lines side by side: than / while / compared with / twice as many as.

The graph below shows the percentage of men and women in Canada who did regular exercise between 2000 and 2020.

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

Men and women in Canada who exercise regularly, 2000–2020

Read the whole report: two small gaps in the text – the number or year is on the graph.

IntroductionThe line graph compares the proportion of Canadian men and women who exercised regularly from 2000 2020.
OverviewOverall, both men and women became more active, but the rise was much bigger among women. Women caught up with men in 2015 and overtook them by 2020.
Body 1The percentage of men who exercised regularly rose slightly from % to 55% in 2010 and then remained stable.
Body 2Women started much lower, at 35%, but the figure rose steadily to 60% by 2020.
Your part · the comparison sentence (end of Body 2)
  • ✗Write your part first.
  • ✗Put the two lines side by side: than / while / compared with / twice as many as / overtook.
  • ✗“than” for comparing – “then” means “after that”.
  • ✗“higher / bigger” already compares – no “more” before it.
  • ✗“twice as many as”, not “twice more than”.
  • ✗“outnumbered” + noun, without “to”.
  • ✓Looks fine.
✗ Some gaps are not right yet – look at the graph and the words around them, then press Check again.The answers to the gaps are shown in amber.Fill in your part, then press Check.✓ Now compare your part with the model.
The model – your part is highlighted
IntroductionThe line graph compares the proportion of Canadian men and women who exercised regularly from 2000 to 2020.
OverviewOverall, both men and women became more active, but the rise was much bigger among women. Women caught up with men in 2015 and overtook them by 2020.
Body 1The percentage of men who exercised regularly rose slightly from 50% to 55% in 2010 and then remained stable.
Body 2Women started much lower, at 35%, but the figure rose steadily to 60% by 2020. In 2000, men were far more active than women (50% compared with 35%), but by 2020 women had overtaken men, at 60% versus 55%.
104 words
5 / 8 Report 2 of 4
Your part: the comparison sentence at the end of Body 2 – put the two lines side by side: than / while / compared with / twice as many as.

The graph below shows the average yearly salary of nurses and teachers in Ireland between 2005 and 2025.

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

Average yearly salary of nurses and teachers in Ireland, 2005–2025

Read the whole report: two small gaps in the text – the number or year is on the graph.

IntroductionThe line graph compares how much nurses and teachers in Ireland earned per year, on average, 2005 and 2025.
OverviewOverall, salaries rose in both professions, but nurses’ pay grew faster. Teachers earned more at the beginning of the period, while nurses earned more at the end.
Body 1The average salary of a teacher rose from €,000 to €40,000 between 2005 and 2015. Teachers’ pay remained stable at €40,000 until 2020 and then reached €44,000.
Body 2Nurses earned €28,000 in 2005. Their salary rose steadily and then sharply, to €48,000, by 2025.
Your part · the comparison sentence (end of Body 2)
  • ✗Write your part first.
  • ✗Put the two lines side by side: than / while / compared with / twice as many as / overtook.
  • ✗“than” for comparing – “then” means “after that”.
  • ✗“higher / bigger” already compares – no “more” before it.
  • ✗“twice as many as”, not “twice more than”.
  • ✗“outnumbered” + noun, without “to”.
  • ✓Looks fine.
✗ Some gaps are not right yet – look at the graph and the words around them, then press Check again.The answers to the gaps are shown in amber.Fill in your part, then press Check.✓ Now compare your part with the model.
The model – your part is highlighted
IntroductionThe line graph compares how much nurses and teachers in Ireland earned per year, on average, between 2005 and 2025.
OverviewOverall, salaries rose in both professions, but nurses’ pay grew faster. Teachers earned more at the beginning of the period, while nurses earned more at the end.
Body 1The average salary of a teacher rose from €32,000 to €40,000 between 2005 and 2015. Teachers’ pay remained stable at €40,000 until 2020 and then reached €44,000.
Body 2Nurses earned €28,000 in 2005. Their salary rose steadily and then sharply, to €48,000, by 2025. In 2005, teachers earned €4,000 more than nurses, but by 2025 nurses were earning €4,000 more than teachers.
108 words
6 / 8 Report 3 of 4
Your part: the comparison sentence at the end of Body 2 – put the two lines side by side: than / while / compared with / twice as many as.

The graph below shows the number of new bicycles and new cars sold in the Netherlands between 2000 and 2020.

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

New bicycles and new cars sold in the Netherlands, 2000–2020

Read the whole report: two small gaps in the text – the number or year is on the graph.

IntroductionThe line graph compares how many new bicycles and new cars were sold in the Netherlands 2000 to 2020.
OverviewOverall, sales of bicycles fell slightly, while car sales rose and then fell. Many more bicycles than cars were sold every year.
Body 1Bicycle sales fell from million to 1 million between 2000 and 2010 and then remained stable.
Body 2Car sales rose from 0.4 million to 0.5 million in 2005 and stayed at that level until 2010. The number of new cars sold then fell to 0.3 million in 2020.
Your part · the comparison sentence (end of Body 2)
  • ✗Write your part first.
  • ✗Put the two lines side by side: than / while / compared with / twice as many as / overtook.
  • ✗“than” for comparing – “then” means “after that”.
  • ✗“higher / bigger” already compares – no “more” before it.
  • ✗“twice as many as”, not “twice more than”.
  • ✗“outnumbered” + noun, without “to”.
  • ✓Looks fine.
✗ Some gaps are not right yet – look at the graph and the words around them, then press Check again.The answers to the gaps are shown in amber.Fill in your part, then press Check.✓ Now compare your part with the model.
The model – your part is highlighted
IntroductionThe line graph compares how many new bicycles and new cars were sold in the Netherlands from 2000 to 2020.
OverviewOverall, sales of bicycles fell slightly, while car sales rose and then fell. Many more bicycles than cars were sold every year.
Body 1Bicycle sales fell from 1.2 million to 1 million between 2000 and 2010 and then remained stable.
Body 2Car sales rose from 0.4 million to 0.5 million in 2005 and stayed at that level until 2010. The number of new cars sold then fell to 0.3 million in 2020. In 2000, three times as many bicycles as cars were sold, and by 2020 the difference was even bigger: more than three bicycles for every car.
116 words
7 / 8 Report 4 of 4
Your part: the comparison sentence at the end of Body 2 – put the two lines side by side: than / while / compared with / twice as many as.

The graph below shows the percentage of adults in Spain who read the news online and in printed newspapers between 2006 and 2022.

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

Adults in Spain who read the news online and in print, 2006–2022

Read the whole report: two small gaps in the text – the number or year is on the graph.

IntroductionThe line graph compares the proportion of Spanish adults who got their news online and from printed newspapers from 2006 to 2022.
OverviewOverall, online news became much more popular, while printed newspapers lost readers. The two lines crossed in the early 2010s.
Body 1The percentage of people who read printed newspapers fell steadily from % to 20% over the period.
Body 2Online news from 20% to 75% between 2006 and 2022.
Your part · the comparison sentence (end of Body 2)
  • ✗Write your part first.
  • ✗Put the two lines side by side: than / while / compared with / twice as many as / overtook.
  • ✗“than” for comparing – “then” means “after that”.
  • ✗“higher / bigger” already compares – no “more” before it.
  • ✗“twice as many as”, not “twice more than”.
  • ✗“outnumbered” + noun, without “to”.
  • ✓Looks fine.
✗ Some gaps are not right yet – look at the graph and the words around them, then press Check again.The answers to the gaps are shown in amber.Fill in your part, then press Check.✓ Now compare your part with the model.
The model – your part is highlighted
IntroductionThe line graph compares the proportion of Spanish adults who got their news online and from printed newspapers from 2006 to 2022.
OverviewOverall, online news became much more popular, while printed newspapers lost readers. The two lines crossed in the early 2010s.
Body 1The percentage of people who read printed newspapers fell steadily from 60% to 20% over the period.
Body 2Online news rose from 20% to 75% between 2006 and 2022. In 2006, printed newspapers were three times as popular as online news, but by 2022 online news was almost four times as popular as print.
95 words
8 / 8 Done
Keep this in your head
Comparing: higher than · while · compared with · twice as many as · overtook · the gap narrowed / widened.
Exercises: Reports:
0 / 0
first answers right in Spot it and Build it

Send your reports to your teacher – she will check what the quick check can’t. Then wait for the live lesson before Step 8: the move goes into long-term memory when you use it out loud.

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