100 Lesser-Known but High-Scoring Words for IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Reports

In IELTS Academic Writing Task 1, success hinges not just on presenting data but doing so clearly, accurately, and academically. While many candidates stick to basic vocabulary like “increase,” “go up,” or “big change,” high scorers distinguish themselves with more refined and specific language. This post presents 100 lesser-known but high-scoring words — including nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs — to elevate your descriptions of trends, features, and processes.

Each entry includes the word, part of speech, definition, and an example sentence suited for IELTS Writing Task 1.

Verbs for Describing Changes

Surge (v) – to increase suddenly and powerfully
The number of mobile users surged in the final quarter of 2020.
Plummet (v) – to fall rapidly and steeply
Sales plummeted after the product recall.
Escalate (v) – to increase quickly
Energy consumption escalated during the summer months.
Dip (v) – to decline slightly before rising again
There was a slight dip in the figures in May.
Stagnate (v) – to remain unchanged or stop developing
Unemployment figures stagnated from 2017 to 2019.
Fluctuate (v) – to rise and fall irregularly
The price of oil fluctuated throughout the year.
Taper off (v) – to decrease gradually
The increase in internet users tapered off after 2015.
Nosedive (v) – to fall sharply and quickly
Tourism numbers nosedived during the pandemic.
Climb (v) – to increase steadily
The literacy rate climbed year by year.
Skyrocket (v) – to increase dramatically
Smartphone sales skyrocketed in the third quarter.

Nouns for Trends and Changes

Uptick (n) – a small increase
There was a slight uptick in female enrollment in 2012.
Downturn (n) – a decline in economic or other activity
The chart reflects a downturn in housing starts.
Plateau (n) – a period of stability
The figures reached a plateau in the middle of the decade.
Decline (n) – a decrease in number or value
There was a gradual decline in coal usage.
Spike (n) – a sudden rise
A spike in sales occurred during the holiday season.
Drop-off (n) – a significant reduction
The graph shows a drop-off in air travel.
Lull (n) – a temporary pause or decrease
There was a lull in growth between 2005 and 2006.
Surge (n) – a rapid increase
A surge in enrollments is seen in the final year.
Volatility (n) – frequent change or instability
Stock prices displayed considerable volatility.
Descent (n) – a downward movement
A slow descent in revenue is observed after 2018.

Adjectives for Trends and Amounts

Marginal (adj) – small or insignificant
There was a marginal increase in figures.
Substantial (adj) – large in amount or degree
Substantial gains were recorded in Q2.
Gradual (adj) – slow and steady
A gradual decline followed the peak.
Consistent (adj) – uniform and stable
The data reveal a consistent upward trend.
Erratic (adj) – unpredictable or irregular
The sales data were erratic over the decade.
Moderate (adj) – average in amount
There was a moderate rise in prices.
Dramatic (adj) – sudden and noticeable
A dramatic fall is evident in 2008.
Steep (adj) – sharply inclined
A steep increase occurred in car sales.
Negligible (adj) – so small as to be insignificant
The changes in figures were negligible.
Pronounced (adj) – strongly marked or noticeable
A pronounced difference is visible after 2010.

Adverbs for Precision

Gradually – in a slow, step-by-step manner
Figures rose gradually over the five-year span.
Sharply – suddenly and significantly
Exports declined sharply in the first quarter.
Steadily – in a continuous and even way
The number of graduates grew steadily.
Exponentially – increasing rapidly by large amounts
The usage of social media rose exponentially.
Significantly – notably or meaningfully
There was a significantly higher turnout in 2021.
Slightly – by a small amount
The figures fell slightly in December.
Marginally – just above a minimum
Prices increased marginally in the final year.
Considerably – to a large extent
Production levels dropped considerably.
Noticeably – easily seen or noticed
The gap between categories widened noticeably.
Unexpectedly – not as anticipated
Revenue fell unexpectedly in Q3.

Advanced Vocabulary for Descriptions

Dominated (v) – to be the most prominent
The manufacturing sector dominated the chart.
Accounted for (v) – to comprise or make up
Imports accounted for 60% of total sales.
Prevailed (v) – to be widespread or predominant
Online learning prevailed after 2020.
Surpassed (v) – to exceed
Electric cars surpassed diesel in 2023.
Attributed to (v phrase) – caused by
The increase was attributed to policy changes.

Peaked (v) – to reach the highest point
The data peaked in July at 75%.
Leveled off (v phrase) – to stop increasing or decreasing
After a sharp rise, figures leveled off in 2018.
Widened (v) – to increase in range or gap
The disparity between groups widened over time.
Narrowed (v) – to reduce the difference
The income gap narrowed slightly in 2020.
Superseded (v) – replaced by something newer or more effective
Smartphones superseded traditional mobile phones.
Stood at (v phrase) – to be at a specific figure
The number stood at 4.2 million in 2001.
Dwindled (v) – to gradually become smaller
The proportion of smokers dwindled over the decade.
Featured (v) – to include or highlight
The chart featured four distinct product types.
Exhibited (v) – to display clearly
Both graphs exhibited similar trends.

Data-Specific Nouns

Ratio (n) – the relationship between two numbers
The male-to-female ratio remained constant.
Proportion (n) – a part in relation to a whole
A large proportion of respondents preferred coffee.
Distribution (n) – the way values are spread
The age distribution reveals a younger population.
Breakdown (n) – a detailed analysis
The graph provides a breakdown of annual expenses.
Segment (n) – a part of a whole
The pie chart contains five segments.
Sector (n) – a division of a chart
The healthcare sector saw the largest growth.
Category (n) – a group or type
Spending was highest in the ‘Food’ category.
Component (n) – a part of a whole
Each component is illustrated separately.
Range (n) – a set of values
The range of data covers 2000 to 2020.
Interval (n) – a time or value gap
There were five-year intervals between each data point.

Adjectives for Detailed Descriptions

Prevalent (adj) – widespread or common
This trend was most prevalent in urban areas.
Peak (adj) – at the highest point
Peak sales occurred in the third quarter.
Minimal (adj) – very small
There was minimal change in 2019.
Maximal (adj) – as large as possible
Maximal output was reached in June.
Uniform (adj) – the same throughout
The growth rate was uniform across all years.
Variable (adj) – likely to change
Electricity prices were highly variable.
Incremental (adj) – increasing in small steps
Incremental gains were seen monthly.
Aggregate (adj) – total or combined
The aggregate revenue exceeded expectations.
Yearly (adj) – occurring annually
The chart shows yearly fluctuations.
Quarterly (adj) – happening every three months
Quarterly figures are provided in the bar graph.

More Adverbs to Enhance Precision

Annually – each year
Profits increased annually.
Sequentially – in order
Data was presented sequentially from 2000 to 2020.
Noticeably – in a way that is easy to observe
Revenue increased noticeably after the merger.
Substantially – largely or significantly
Expenditure rose substantially in 2015.
Inversely – in an opposite manner
Employment and inflation moved inversely.

Conceptual and Comparative Words

Contrasted (v) – to show differences
The two sets of data are contrasted in the chart.
Varied (v) – differed in amount or nature
Responses varied across age groups.
Dominant (adj) – most important or prevalent
The dominant mode of transport was cars.
Equivalent (adj) – equal in value
Spending on transport and healthcare was equivalent.
Correlated (v) – linked or related
Higher education correlated with better income levels.
Disproportionate (adj) – out of proportion
There was a disproportionate rise in online sales.
Relative (adj) – compared with something else
There was a relative increase in digital consumption.
Respective (adj) – corresponding to individuals
Each bar represents the respective year’s data.
Comparable (adj) – able to be compared
Figures from both countries are comparable.
Analogous (adj) – similar in certain respects
Spending trends were analogous across the sectors.

Functional Verbs for Descriptions

Depict (v) – to show visually
The pie chart depicts age distribution.
Illustrate (v) – to make clear with examples or images
The graph illustrates changes over time.
Represent (v) – to stand for
Each bar represents a different income group.
Detail (v) – to describe thoroughly
The table details household spending.
Portray (v) – to describe or show
The figure portrays a consistent upward trend.
Demonstrate (v) – to show with evidence
The chart demonstrates significant improvement.
Reveal (v) – to make visible or known
The data reveal important disparities.
Contrast (v) – to highlight differences
The two graphs contrast urban and rural trends.
Quantify (v) – to express in numbers
The chart quantifies pollution levels.
Enumerate (v) – to list one by one
The table enumerates various types of expenditures.

Final Thoughts

Mastering IELTS Writing Task 1 involves more than just describing visuals — it requires doing so with precision, variety, and academic formality. Incorporating less common yet high-scoring vocabulary enhances not only your lexical resource score but also the overall quality and coherence of your writing. Practice using these words in real IELTS-style tasks and elevate your band score with confidence.

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