W10: Describing every number in Task 1

You see a table with 24 numbers. You feel you must mention all of them, so you write 24 sentences: "In 2010, Japan was 15%. In 2015, Japan was 18%. In 2020, Japan was 22%..." The result is long, boring, and actually scores lower. Task 1 rewards choosing the important information, not copying all of it.

Why this matters

The band descriptors reward selecting and reporting key features. A report that lists every number shows that you can't tell what's important. It also uses up your 20 minutes and leaves no time for a good overview or accurate grammar.

What to select

Look for these key features:

• The highest and the lowest values
• The start and the end of a time period
• The biggest change (the fastest rise or the sharpest fall)
• Peaks and dips (the top point and the bottom point)
• Crossovers (where one line overtakes another)
• Exceptions (one item that behaves differently from the rest)

Group similar items

If three items behave the same way, describe them together.

Instead of: "France rose from 10% to 20%. Germany rose from 12% to 22%. Italy rose from 11% to 21%."

Write: "France, Germany and Italy followed a similar pattern, each rising by about 10 percentage points to around 20%."

One sentence instead of three, and it shows the examiner you can see patterns.

Use approximations when helpful

You don't need exact figures every time.

• 49.7% can be almost half
• 26% can be roughly a quarter
• 3.1 million can be just over three million

Mix exact numbers with approximations. Both are good.

A worked example

Data: Hours spent on social media per day, by age group

Weak body paragraph: "In 2015, 16 to 24 year olds used social media for 2.5 hours. In 2025, they used it for 4 hours. In 2015, 25 to 34 year olds used it for 2 hours. In 2025 they used it for 3.2 hours..."

Strong body paragraph: "The youngest group spent the most time on social media in both years, with daily use rising from 2.5 to 4 hours. The 25 to 34 age group followed a similar upward pattern, reaching 3.2 hours by 2025. The most dramatic relative change, however, was among people aged 50 and over, whose usage more than tripled, from just half an hour to 1.6 hours a day."

The strong version still uses numbers, but it selects and compares.

How many numbers?

There's no fixed rule. But for a typical Task 1, about 6 to 10 well-chosen figures across two body paragraphs is usually enough.

Try it yourself

From the table above, write one sentence comparing the 35 to 49 group with the 50 and over group in 2025.

Sample answer: "By 2025, people aged 35 to 49 spent around two hours a day on social media, only slightly more than those aged 50 and over, at 1.6 hours."

Honest note

Selecting doesn't mean ignoring. If there's a clear exception or surprising figure, include it. The skill is choosing what tells the story.

Your task today

Take a Task 1 table. Highlight only the 8 most important numbers. Write the body paragraphs using just those.