Lesson 7 — See & Say

IELTS Task 1 Intro & Overview · B2 · Lesson 1 of 3 (Set 3)

What you'll be able to do by the end of this lesson: open any Task 1 with a clean two-sentence frame — first a paraphrased intro that says what the chart is about (without copying the question), then an overview that names the one or two main features (without numbers). Most weak Band-5 candidates lose marks here. Get this right and you've already passed the structure test before you write a word about the data.

Spot the good intro

Each task below shows the original question and three possible opening sentences. Pick the one that paraphrases properly — same meaning, different words.

Question 1

"The graph below shows the number of tourists visiting a particular country between 2000 and 2020."

Which intro is best?

The graph below shows the number of tourists visiting a particular country between 2000 and 2020.

The line graph illustrates how many tourists visited a particular country over a 20-year period from 2000 to 2020.

In this graph we can see tourists information.

Option 1 is just copied — examiners give it zero credit. Option 3 is too informal and grammatically broken. Option 2 paraphrases shows → illustrates, the number of tourists → how many tourists, between 2000 and 2020 → over a 20-year period from 2000 to 2020. Same meaning, new words.

Question 2

"The pie charts below show the proportion of household income spent on six categories in the UK in 1990 and 2020."

Which intro is best?

The pie charts show the proportion of household income spent on six categories in the UK in 1990 and 2020.

The two pie charts compare how UK households divided their spending across six expense categories in 1990 and again in 2020.

The pie charts give us information about people spending money in 1990 and 2020.

Option 2 paraphrases show → compare, proportion of household income spent → how UK households divided their spending, names that there are two charts (one per year). Option 1 is copied; option 3 is vague and missing the comparison angle.

Question 3

"The bar chart below shows the average weekly hours spent on four activities by UK teenagers in 2024."

Which intro is best?

The bar chart presents the typical number of hours UK teenagers devoted each week to four different activities in 2024.

The bar chart shows the average weekly hours spent on four activities by UK teenagers in 2024.

In 2024 UK teenagers spent 28 hours on social media, 14 on studying, 7 on sport, and 3 on reading.

Option 1 paraphrases cleanly. Option 2 is copied. Option 3 jumps straight into numbers — that's data, not an intro. The intro should describe WHAT the chart is about, not WHAT THE NUMBERS SAY.

The two-sentence frame that opens every Task 1

Every Task 1 should start with the same two-sentence frame. Memorise the shape — fill in the words for whatever chart you get.

Sentence 1 — The Intro (paraphrase the question)

The [chart type] illustrates / depicts / presents / compares [topic, paraphrased] over / in [time / place].

Examples that fit this shape:

The line graph illustrates how the number of tourists changed over a 20-year period from 2000 to 2020.
The two pie charts compare how UK households spent their money in 1990 and in 2020.
The bar chart presents the typical weekly hours UK teenagers spent on four activities in 2024.

Sentence 2 — The Overview (1–2 main features, NO NUMBERS)

Overall, [main feature 1], and / while [main feature 2].

Examples that fit this shape:

Overall, tourist numbers rose dramatically across the period, while dipping briefly during the 2008 financial crisis.
Overall, housing took up a much larger share of spending in 2020 than in 1990, while food spending fell significantly.
Overall, social media took up by far the most time, and reading took up the least.

✅ DO in the overview

Pick the BIGGEST features — top & bottom of a ranking, sharpest rise/fall, biggest contrast.
Use general words: much higher, the most, dominated, fell sharply.
Keep it to one sentence (or two short ones).

❌ DON'T in the overview

Don't put any numbers in the overview — those go in the body paragraphs.
Don't list every category — only the 1–2 main features.
Don't write "I think" or "in my opinion" — Task 1 has no opinion.

Mini-quiz — which sentence is the OVERVIEW (not the intro)?

Pick the overview.

The line graph illustrates how online banking use changed between 2005 and 2020.

Overall, online banking saw a dramatic rise across the period, while branch visits fell sharply.

In 2005, only 10% of customers used online banking, compared with 80% in 2020.

Option 1 is the intro (says what the chart is about). Option 3 is body data (specific numbers). Option 2 is the overview — it names two big features in general terms with no numbers.

The paraphrase toolkit

To paraphrase the question, you swap the original words for synonyms. Memorise these swaps — they cover 90% of the words used in Task 1 questions.

Verbs that introduce a chart

Original	Swap to one of these
shows / gives information about	illustrates · depicts · presents · displays · sets out
compares	contrasts · sets X against Y
shows changes over time	tracks · charts · maps the change in

Time and period

Original	Swap to
between 2000 and 2020	over a 20-year period from 2000 to 2020 · across two decades · in the years from 2000 to 2020
in 2024	during 2024 · in the year 2024 · for the year 2024
from 1990 to 2020	over a 30-year period · across three decades · between 1990 and 2020

Numbers / quantities

Original	Swap to
the number of	how many · the quantity of · the count of
the amount of (uncountable)	how much · the level of · the volume of
the proportion / percentage of	the share of · the fraction of · what proportion of
the average	the typical · the mean · on average

People / places

Original	Swap to
people in [country]	[country] residents · the population of [country] · [country]'s citizens
in the UK	in Britain · across Britain · in British households
teenagers / students / workers	young people · pupils · employees / staff

Tip: you don't have to swap EVERY word. Aim to change the verb (shows → illustrates) and one or two key nouns. Words like dates, numbers, and proper nouns (UK, France, Tokyo) usually stay the same.

Apply it — fill in the intro frame

For each task prompt, pick the right word at each gap to build a clean intro sentence.

Task 1

"The graph shows the number of cars sold in three countries between 2010 and 2020."

The line graph cars were sold in three countries from 2010 to 2020.

Task 2

"The pie chart shows the proportion of UK adults who use four social media platforms in 2024."

The pie chart British adults using each of four social media platforms .

Task 3

"The bar chart compares the average monthly rent in five UK cities in 2024."

The bar chart monthly rent across five British cities .

Task 1: illustrates / how many / over a 10-year period

Task 2: presents / the share of / during 2024

Task 3: contrasts / the typical / in 2024

Notice: each one uses a different verb (illustrates / presents / contrasts), a different number-word (how many / the share of / the typical), and a different time phrase. That variety is what gets you marks.

Now add the overview

For Task 1 above, here are the two main features. Write a one-sentence overview that joins them — no numbers.

Task 1 facts: Germany car sales rose sharply across the decade. Italy stayed flat. Japan fell.

Write your overview (one sentence, starts with "Overall,"…)

Overall, German car sales rose sharply across the decade, while sales in Japan fell and Italy remained stable. Notice: no numbers, just direction words. The three countries are named because they're the WHOLE chart — fine to mention.

The intro drill — paraphrase the question

Ten cards. Read the original question, write your paraphrased intro, then reveal the model. Aim for 8 out of 10 before moving to Lesson 8.

Card 1

"The graph shows the percentage of households with broadband access in the UK between 2005 and 2020."

The line graph illustrates the share of British households with access to broadband over a 15-year period from 2005 to 2020.

Card 2

"The bar chart shows the average salary in five professions in Australia in 2023."

The bar chart presents the typical salary in five different professions in Australia during 2023.

Card 3

"The pie charts show the proportion of energy produced by four sources in Germany in 2000 and 2020."

The two pie charts compare the share of energy generated by four different sources in Germany in 2000 and again in 2020.

Card 4

"The graph shows the number of international students in Canadian universities from 1990 to 2020."

The line graph charts how many overseas students attended Canadian universities across three decades, from 1990 to 2020.

Card 5

"The bar chart compares the amount of meat eaten per person in three countries in 1980, 2000, and 2020."

The bar chart contrasts the volume of meat consumed per person in three different countries at three points in time: 1980, 2000, and 2020.

Card 6

"The chart shows how many people visited four UK museums in 2023."

The bar chart depicts the number of visitors to four British museums during 2023.

Card 7

"The graph shows the average monthly temperature in three cities over the course of a year."

The line graph tracks the typical monthly temperature in three different cities over a 12-month period.

Card 8

"The pie chart shows the proportion of crimes committed by type in one city in 2022."

The pie chart presents the share of crimes by category in one particular city during 2022.

Card 9

"The bar chart compares spending on three categories by men and women in the UK in 2024."

The bar chart contrasts how British men and women divided their spending across three categories in 2024.

Card 10

"The graph shows the unemployment rate in four EU countries between 2010 and 2020."

The line graph illustrates how the unemployment rate changed in four EU countries over a 10-year period from 2010 to 2020.

Done. Go to Lesson 8.

Now move to Lesson 8 — Transform. You'll be tested cold (no synonym table) and you'll add the overview sentence on top of the intro.