25 Essential IELTS Line Graph Vocabulary for Band 7+

Introduction

If you’re preparing for IELTS Writing Task 1, chances are you’ve come across a line graph that made you pause. You probably know what’s happening in the graph — but do you know how to describe it in a way that sounds academic, precise, and worthy of a Band 7+?

That’s where vocabulary makes all the difference. Using the right verbs, adverbs, and connectors will not only help you describe a line graph more effectively, but also impress the examiner with your IELTS academic writing vocabulary.

Let’s explore the 25 essential IELTS line graph vocabulary items you need to boost your score and feel more confident on test day.

Why Vocabulary Matters in Line Graphs

In IELTS Writing Task 1, one of the four scoring criteria is Lexical Resource — which simply means your range and accuracy of vocabulary.

Examiners want to see:

• Precision: Are you using the right word to match the trend?

• Variety: Are you repeating “increase” over and over?

• Formality: Are your words academic enough?

In short, if you want to score Band 7+, you need to describe line graphs with words that are:
✅ Specific
✅ Varied
✅ Academic

Let’s break down the vocabulary into five easy-to-learn categories.

IELTS Line Graph Vocabulary: The 25 Essentials

🔼 Verbs for Describing Trends

These verbs describe what is happening in the graph — rising, falling, staying the same, or fluctuating.

Basic Verb	Band 7+ Alternative
increase	rise, grow, climb
decrease	fall, drop, decline
go up	surge, soar
go down	dip, plummet, sink
stay the same	level off, remain stable, plateau
change a lot	fluctuate

Examples:

• The number of car users rose steadily from 2000 to 2010.

• Unemployment plummeted after 2012.

• Figures fluctuated significantly between 2010 and 2020.

📈 Adverbs & Adjectives for Degree of Change

These describe how much or how fast the change happens.

Adverbs (used with verbs):

• sharply

• dramatically

• significantly

• steadily

• slightly

• gradually

Adjectives (used with nouns):

• rapid

• steep

• moderate

• slight

• noticeable

• minimal

Examples:

• Sales increased dramatically in 2015.

• There was a gradual rise in population.

• Energy consumption fell slightly after the peak year.

⚖️ Phrases for Comparison

IELTS Writing Task 1 often requires you to compare trends over time or between categories.

Useful comparison phrases:

• compared to

• in comparison with

• more than / less than

• the same as / as high as

• nearly doubled / halved

• slightly higher / much lower

Examples:

• In 2010, the figure for exports was twice as high as in 2005.

• The number of users in the UK was significantly lower than in Germany.

⏳ Time Phrases & Connectors

Time references help structure your answer and show when events occurred.

Common time phrases:

• from 2000 to 2020

• between 2005 and 2015

• over the next five years

• during the period

• in the first/second half of the decade

• by 2010

Examples:

• Between 2005 and 2010, internet usage grew steadily.

• By 2015, the unemployment rate had dropped below 5%.

🎓 Band 7+ Alternatives (High-Level Vocabulary)

Instead of basic verbs like “go up” and “go down,” try these more advanced, academic options.

Examples:

• The number of tourists soared after visa restrictions were removed.

• CO₂ emissions stabilised between 2015 and 2020.

• The chart shows a surge in online purchases after 2018.

Example Sentences Using the Vocabulary

Here are some Band 7+ sample sentences that use the vocabulary in context:

1. The percentage of renewable energy usage rose steadily from 2000 to 2015.

2. After peaking in 2011, mobile phone sales declined sharply over the next three years.

3. There was a slight increase in the number of students enrolling in science courses.

4. The figures for Country A fluctuated throughout the entire period.

5. By 2020, exports in Country B had surged to over 90%, nearly doubling since 2005.

Mini Line Graph Practice

Practice Task (Text Description Only):
The line graph shows the number of people using three types of public transport in London from 2000 to 2020.

Your Task:
Write a sentence about the train usage, which increased sharply from 2005 to 2015 and then levelled off.

Sample Sentence:
Train usage soared between 2005 and 2015 before levelling off in the final five years.

Bonus Tip: Try describing the bus and underground trends using 3–4 vocabulary items from this post!

Final Tips to Learn & Use Vocabulary

Let’s face it — memorising 25 words and phrases can feel overwhelming. Here’s how to make it stick:

🧠 Spaced repetition: Review the vocabulary in short daily sessions.
✍️ Writing drills: Rewrite sample answers using different vocabulary each time.
📊 Vocabulary charts: Create a chart linking each verb with matching adverbs (e.g. “soar sharply”).
🗣️ Say it out loud: Practice speaking full Task 1 sentences with these terms to boost fluency.

The more often you use these words, the faster they’ll become second nature on test day.

Want to Master IELTS Writing?

Ready to turn your vocabulary into a Band 7+ writing score?

🎁 Download our free PDF worksheet with all 25 IELTS line graph vocabulary items, examples, and a mini practice task.

🧑‍🏫 Or, enrol in our IELTS Writing Task 1 course and get step-by-step guidance, real teacher feedback, and proven Band 7+ model answers.

👉 Join thousands of learners at IELTSzone.org and take the next step in your IELTS journey!