# common-mistakes-ielts-line-graphs

- **Original Source:** `common-mistakes-ielts-line-graphs.pdf`
- **Category:** `errores`
- **Original Format:** `.pdf`

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IELTS buddy
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Finding Mistakes in an IELTS Line Graph 
Aim: 
To help students identify common mistakes made when writing 
IELTS line graphs 
Teacher notes: 
•Get the students in pairs or groups and give the students a copy 
of the line graph and the sentences (not the answers) 
•Tell them the sentences are descriptions of the trends in the 
graph, but some of them are wrong. They need to identify and 
correct the mistakes 
•The mistakes are not necessarily grammatical so they need to 
look carefully and compare the sentence with what is happening 
in the graph 
•After each pair has finished, mix up the groups and get them to 
discuss and compare their answers 
•Some mistakes are tricky to find, so if students have not found a 
particular mistake, guide them to where it might be and try to elicit 
the error with a series of questions. 
e.g. with question one, ask them which voice should be 
used with verbs to describe an IELTS line graph? Active or 
passive? Etc 
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IELTS buddy
 
Finding Graph Errors 
Take a look at the graph below. There are ﬁve sentences below that describe the 
graph. However, there is an error with each one. Compare each sentence carefully 
with the graph and decide why it is wrong. Then make the correction.
1. From 1960 to 1980, the proportion of elderly in the USA was increased by 5 per cent.  
2. In 2017, the percentage of elderly in Sweden will reach a peak of 20 per cent.  
3. Elderly people in Japan started at 5 per cent.  
4. The proportion of elderly in Japan rises sharply from around 2030 to 2033.  
5. In 1997, the proportion of elderly in the USA exceeded that of Sweden for the first time.  
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IELTS buddy
 
Answers 
1. From 1960 to 1980, the proportion of elderly in the USA was increased by 5 per cent.  
Correct: From 1960 to 1980, the proportion of elderly in the USA increased by 5 
per cent.  
Reason: 'Increase' is the verb, so it should be past simple. Don’t use the passive by adding the verb 'to be' (was) for graphs. It’s the active.  
2. In 2017, the percentage of elderly in Sweden will reach a peak of 20 per cent.  
Correct: In 2017, the percentage of elderly in Sweden will reach (or 'hit') 20 per 
cent.  
Reason: ‘A peak’ is the highest point on the graph. The highest point is not 20%, 
but 25% 23 years later. So that phrase should not be in there.  
3. Elderly people in Japan started at 5 per cent.  
Correct: The proportion (or percentage) of elderly people in Japan started at 5 per 
cent. 
Reason: ‘Elderly’ is not the subject of the graph. It’s the proportion / percentage of 
elderly (or old people). See this lesson on getting the subject correct. 
4. The proportion of elderly in Japan rises sharply from around 2030 to 2033.  
Correct: The proportion of elderly in Japan will rise sharply from around 2030 to 
2033.  
Reason: This part of the graph is about the future, so future tenses should be 
used, not present or past. 
5. In 1997, the proportion of elderly in the USA exceeded that of Sweden for the first time.  
Correct: In 1997, the proportion of elderly in Sweden exceeded that of the USA for 
the first time.  
Reason: The countries were the wrong way round.  
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