These are cliffs, not small slips
Most mistakes cost you one small mark. You can still get a good score. But a few big mistakes are different. They drop your Task Achievement score fast, all at once, because they break what Task 1 is really testing. The good news is that every one of these six is easy to see and easy to avoid. Here they are, with the fix for each.
6 mistakes that drop your Task 1 score fast
Mistake 1: No overview
In 1990, sales were 20 million. In 1995, they were 35 million. In 2000, they reached 50 million.
Overall, sales rose steadily across the whole period. (Then give the numbers in the body.)
The overview is the most important sentence in Task 1. It gives the big picture in one or two lines, with no exact numbers. Missing it is the number one reason Task 1 scores stay low.
Mistake 2: Giving an opinion or a reason
Sales rose because the company advertised more, which I think was a smart move.
Sales rose sharply between 1990 and 2000.
Task 1 is a factual report. Unlike Task 2, there is no opinion and no reason. Do not guess why something happened. Just report what the chart shows.
Mistake 3: Describing every single number
France was 12 percent, Spain 11 percent, Italy 10 percent, Germany 9 percent, Poland 8 percent...
Most countries were close to 10 percent, but France had the largest share.
You get marks for selecting and grouping the key features, not for reading every number out loud. Listing every figure, especially in a table, wastes time and hides the main points.
Mistake 4: Writing fewer than 150 words
You describe the chart in 110 words and stop, because it feels like enough.
Aim for 150 to 200 words: an overview, then two body paragraphs of detail.
150 words is the official minimum for Task 1. Writing fewer than that lowers your score on its own, before the examiner even looks at your ideas.
Mistake 5: No comparisons, just item by item
Line A rose. Line B rose. Line C fell. (Each one described alone.)
Lines A and B both rose, while line C fell in the opposite direction.
Task 1 rewards comparison. Describing each item on its own, one after another, misses the point of the chart. Group related data and compare it.
Mistake 6: Copying the question word for word
The chart below shows the number of visitors to three museums between 2000 and 2010.
The graph gives the visitor numbers at three museums over a ten-year period.
Copied sentences do not count toward your word total and show no language skill. Paraphrase the title in your own words, changing the wording but keeping the meaning.
Avoid all six and you protect your band
Start with a clear overview sentence, no exact numbers.
Report only. No opinion, no reason, no guessing why.
Select and group the key features, do not list every number.
Write 150 or more words, aiming for 150 to 200.
Compare and group the data, never item by item.
Paraphrase the question, never copy it word for word.
Read next
Keep going with the series: how to write a strong overview and 6 Task 1 myths that lower your score.
Check your report before the exam
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