APIEIELTS Academic Writing: Risk, Insurance and Disaster Planning
Risk, insurance and disaster planning
Answers and an explanation for each question appear once you add this activity to your own library.
IELTS Task 1 Data Foundation: Library Usage Statistics
Learn key words, collocations, and paraphrase structures for describing charts, trends, and figure comparisons.
How to use this lesson
👩🏫 For the Teacher
Guide C1 students through these 4 short vocabulary and sentence exercises to prepare for Task 1 data reports.
Check student understanding using the automated answer keys before moving on to the main writing task.
🎓 For the Learner
Complete the word form and collocation activities first to strengthen your reporting vocabulary.
Next, practice filling in data phrases and choosing accurate sentence paraphrases before writing your report in Module 2.
Word Forms Practice
Complete each sentence by writing the correct form of the word in brackets. All sentences refer to public library visit and borrowing records.
1. The number of daily visitors to the central library showed marked (fluctuate) throughout the week.
2. A significant (proportionate) of library members preferred borrowing digital audiobooks over printed copies.
3. Weekend loan rates were subject to seasonal (vary), peaking during school holidays.
4. Book renewals dropped (sharp) after the introduction of automatic online extensions.
5. The library recorded a (steadily) rise in evening visitors after extending opening hours until 9 PM.
Data Collocations
Choose the word that naturally completes each description of library data.
1. There was a _____ increase in morning visits following the launch of the free quiet study zone.
2. Library loan figures experienced a _____ decline during the month-long refurbishment of the building.
3. The computer room witnessed a _____ rise in user numbers between 3 PM and 5 PM on weekdays.
4. Over the five-year reporting period, total active library card holders remained relatively _____.
5. The branch survey recorded a _____ shift towards weekend book reservations over the past two years.
Reporting Figures & Proportions
Use the phrases from the word bank to complete the reporting statements accurately.
📦 Word Bank
1. Digital loans _____ 45% of all library transactions in the final quarter of the year.
____2. In July, visitor attendance _____ 12,000 visits per week before declining in August.
____3. At the start of the survey period, weekend library attendance _____ 1,500 visitors per day.
____4. The library issued 800 new student membership cards in October, _____ only 300 in September.
____5. Evening computer workstation reservations made up _____ half of the total available seating hours.
____Paraphrasing Key Information
Select the sentence option that expresses the original library data statement accurately using different words.
Original Statement:
"The proportion of adult book borrowers increased steadily between 2015 and 2020."
Which sentence means the same thing?
Original Statement:
"Book loans peaked in August before falling sharply in September."
Which sentence means the same thing?
Original Statement:
"Saturday opening hours were extended, whereas weekday schedules remained unchanged."
Which sentence means the same thing?
Writing Task 1: Practice Report
Now it is time to write your full Task 1 report based on the table below.
Useful Sentence Pattern
"In the event of a flood, uninsured families stand to lose everything they own."
IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The table shows the share of home-insurance claims paid by one insurer for five causes of damage in two years, as percentages of all claims paid. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
| Cause of damage | 2008 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | 24% | 38% |
| Storm | 31% | 29% |
| Fire | 22% | 12% |
| Theft | 15% | 9% |
| Subsidence | 8% | 12% |
(Figures are fictional.)
Task 1 Self-Check Checklist
Before submitting your report, confirm that your essay includes each of the following essential requirements:
Write Your Report
🤖 Evaluated on 4 IELTS CriteriaType your Task 1 report below (minimum 150 words). When you submit, AI feedback will evaluate your response based on Task Achievement, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy.
____ (Type your report here...)Model Answer & Phrase Analysis
Study this high-scoring Task 1 report and examine how key data phrases report figures and ratios accurately.
Open Model Answer (175 Words)
The table shows how the share of home-insurance claims paid by one insurer was divided between five causes of damage in 2008 and 2023.
Overall, flood overtook storm as the largest cause of paid claims, while the shares for fire and theft registered notable declines. In 2023, flood and storm together made up just over two thirds of all claims, compared with 55% in 2008.
In 2008, storm accounted for the largest share of claims at 31%, followed by flood at 24% and fire at 22%. By 2023, however, the proportion for flood had climbed to 38%, making up more than a third of all claims paid. Storm, in contrast, dipped slightly to 29%, which kept it in second place.
Among the other causes, the share for fire almost halved to 12% in 2023 from 22% in 2008. Similarly, theft fell from 15% to 9%, which is under a tenth of all claims paid. By contrast, subsidence grew by half, rising from 8% to 12%, which put it level with fire in the final year.
Why This Works: Key Phrase Analysis
Here is a breakdown of the 7 bolded phrases from the model answer and why each one is useful for your Task 1 writing.
1. registered notable declines
Why it works: Sums up the fall in two categories in the overview, without giving the figures yet.
2. accounted for the largest share of
Why it works: Names the biggest category in a natural way, instead of "was the biggest percentage".
3. followed by
Why it works: Lists the next items in order (24% and 22%) in one short phrase, so you do not have to repeat "then" or "after that".
4. making up more than a third of
Why it works: Turns 38% into a fraction. A third is about 33%, so 38% is "more than a third".
5. almost halved to
Why it works: Shows a fall to nearly half. Half of 22% is 11%, and the new figure is 12%, so "almost halved" is accurate.
6. under a tenth of
Why it works: Compares 9% with a tenth (10%), so the reader sees at once that it is a small share.
7. grew by half
Why it works: Describes a rise of one half: 8% plus half of 8% (4%) is 12%.
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