★ IELTS Task 1 · Writing Handbook ★

The Pie Chart
Mastery Book

Sách hướng dẫn 6 bước · 6 pattern thư viện · 16 nhóm paraphrase bank · ngôn ngữ part-of-whole

📖 6 chapters 🥧 6 patterns 💬 16 paraphrase groups 🎯 4 CEFR bands
🧭
Chương 1

Quy trình 6 bước

Pie Chart đặc thù ở chỗ luôn diễn đạt part-of-whole (tổng = one hundred percent). 6 bước được điều chỉnh để bám sát logic composition.

1
Data — Identify & rank

Đọc dữ liệu

Rank các slice theo kích thước. Phân nhóm theo size: large (>twenty-five percent), medium (ten–twenty-five percent), small (. Nếu có dominant slice (>forty percent), đánh dấu để mở câu.

Rank slicesSize bucketsDominant?
2
Language — Part-whole + overview

Chọn ngôn ngữ part-whole

Lựa verb phù hợp: accounted for, comprised, constituted, made up. Chọn 2 ý overview — KHÔNG nêu số liệu cụ thể.

Part-whole verbsOverview no figures
3
Outline — Group by size

Lập outline

Cấu trúc: Intro · Overview · Body 1 (large) · Body 2 (medium/small). Nếu 2-pies, có thể đổi cấu trúc theo category (không theo pie).

4 đoạnBy size hoặc by category
4
Errors — Pie-specific

Phát hiện lỗi

5 lỗi đặc trưng pie: trend verb cho single, bare category name, missing part-whole, sum ≠ one hundred percent, listing each slice individually.

5 pie errors
5
Write — Chip + textarea

Viết câu

Trong tool, bấm vào chip A2/B1/B2/C1 ở Step 5 để chèn cụm vào textarea. Mỗi body câu phải có part-whole verb + %.

Part-whole verb + %Compare ≥ 2 slices
6
Check — Self-review

Tự kiểm tra

Đọc lại + tick Chương 5 checklist. Đếm word count (≥150). Quan trọng: kiểm tra tổng % = 100 nếu có nhắc.

≥150 wordsSum = one hundred percent
🥧
Chương 2

Pattern Atlas — 6 loại Pie Chart

3 single-pie variants (ranking / dominant / balanced) + 3 multi-pie variants (2-time / 2-group / 3-group). Mỗi loại có chiến lược viết khác nhau.

PC1

Single · No dominant

Household spending Australia — 5 categories, max thirty-four percent
B1

Ví dụ chart

Tỷ lệ chi tiêu hộ gia đình Australia trên 5 categories (Housing thirty-four percent, Food twenty-six percent, Transport eighteen percent, Healthcare thirteen percent, Entertainment nine percent)
Skill chínhGroup slices by size (large/medium/small). KHÔNG có dominant → tả ranking từ cao xuống thấp.
Body 1 — Large slices (>twenty-five percent)Housing thirty-four percent, Food twenty-six percent
Body 2 — Medium & smallTransport eighteen percent, Healthcare thirteen percent, Entertainment nine percent
Hard rule · No trend verbs · Group by size · Subject phải có noun phrase ("Housing expenditure"), không bare "Housing"
PC2

Single · Dominant (>forty percent)

Energy sources — coal chiếm phần lớn
B1

Ví dụ chart

Tỷ lệ nguồn điện — 1 nguồn chiếm trên forty percent (coal, gas, etc.)
Skill chínhMở overview bằng dominant slice. Dùng vocab was the leading category, the largest share, the lion's share.
Body 1 — DominantMô tả category dẫn đầu (>forty percent) + context
Body 2 — Remaining slicesCác category còn lại, group by size
PC3

Two pies · Time change

Diet change 2000 vs 2023 — có rank reversal
B2
2000
2023

Ví dụ chart

2 pies (2000 vs 2023) — 4 food categories, có rank reversal: Ready Meals fourteen percent → thirty-four percent
Skill chínhFocus vào WHAT CHANGED. Highlight rank reversal. Note stable categories.
Body 1 — Categories that roseReady Meals fourteen percent → thirty-four percent (rank reversal)
Body 2 — Fell or stableFresh produce dropped; others largely stable
PC4

Two pies · Group comparison

Leisure time — 2 age groups (older vs younger)
B2
Older
Younger

Ví dụ chart

2 pies cho 2 age groups, cùng 5 categories — không có time, là so sánh giữa nhóm
Skill chínhSo sánh giữa 2 nhóm. Body 1 = activities older prefer; Body 2 = younger prefer. Highlight similarities + differences.
Body 1 — Older-dominantActivities older spend more time on
Body 2 — Younger-dominantActivities younger prefer + shared activities
PC5

Single · Balanced

Study abroad reasons — không có dominant, ngang nhau
B1

Ví dụ chart

Lý do du học — 5 reasons phân bổ tương đối đều (fifteen-twenty-five percent mỗi cái)
Skill chínhDùng balanced language + qualification: roughly equal, broadly similar, comparable, neck and neck.
Body 1 — Top-cluster2-3 reasons có % cao nhất, gần ngang nhau
Body 2 — RemainingCác reasons còn lại, cũng tương đồng
PC6

Three pies · Multi-group

Transport modal 3 cities (Amsterdam, Toronto, Berlin)
B2
Amsterdam
Toronto
Berlin

Ví dụ chart

3 pies — modal share cycling/car/bus/walking ở 3 thành phố. Contrast cao: Amsterdam cycling thirty-two percent vs Toronto five percent.
Skill chínhChọn 2 thành phố contrast nhất làm anchor. Group theo category, không city-by-city. Luôn name city explicitly.
Body 1 — High-contrast modesCycling, car (Amsterdam vs Toronto cực kỳ khác)
Body 2 — Convergent modesBus, walking — các city tương đồng
Hard rule · Structure theo CATEGORY không theo city · Luôn name city · Tìm ≥ 1 shared pattern across cities
💬
Chương 3

Paraphrase Master Bank

16 nhóm cụm từ chuẩn — chia thành core (mọi pie dùng), structural (theo pattern type), transition (multi-pie).

📌 Core (chung mọi pie)

🥧 1. Part-whole verbs

Verbs bắt buộc cho mỗi body sentence của pie.

Composition verbs All 6

A2took up · made up · was X% B1accounted for · represented · made up · comprised B2constituted · amounted to · accounted for C1constituted the dominant share of · represented a substantial proportion of · comprised the vast majority of

📊 2. Proportion nouns

Danh từ chỉ tỷ trọng — thay thế cho "%" lặp đi lặp lại.

Proportion nouns All 6

A2part · piece B1share · proportion · percentage · fraction B2component · segment · slice · sector C1component · constituent · element · stake

📏 3. Approximation phrases

Diễn đạt phân số / xấp xỉ — quan trọng cho pie vì giá trị thường tròn (twenty-five percent ≈ a quarter).

Fractions & approximations All 6

A2about · around · half · a quarter B1approximately · roughly · just over · just under B2just over a quarter · approximately a third · fewer than one in ten · roughly half C1a little under a fifth · marginally above a quarter · approximately one-third of the total

🎯 4. Subject patterns

Cấu trúc mở câu — KHÔNG dùng bare category name.

Share-of / Noun-phrase / Proportion-led / Ranking-led All 6

A2[CATEGORY] spending · the part for [CATEGORY] · the biggest part was [CATEGORY] B1the share of [CATEGORY] · [CATEGORY] expenditure · the largest share went to [CATEGORY] B2the proportion of [CATEGORY] · expenditure on [CATEGORY] · the leading category was [CATEGORY] C1the share attributable to [CATEGORY] · outgoings on [CATEGORY] · [CATEGORY] occupied the dominant position

🔢 5. Value expressions

Exact / approximation / fraction / majority — diễn đạt số %.

Value expressions All 6

A2[N]% · about [N]% · most · a few B1approximately [N]% · the majority · a minority · one in ten B2in the region of [N]% · the overwhelming majority · a significant minority · just over a quarter C1a recorded share of [N]% · the preponderance of [TOTAL] · the lion's share

⚖️ 6. Comparison phrases

So sánh giữa các slice trong cùng pie.

Slice-vs-slice All 6

A2more than · less than · much more than · the biggest · the smallest B1higher than · lower than · compared with · similar to · followed by B2considerably higher than · substantially below · in contrast to · whereas · by comparison C1markedly higher than · dwarfed all other · negligible in comparison with

🏗️ Structural (theo pattern type)

👑 7. Dominant language

Cho pie có category >forty percent.

Dominant slice PC2, PC6

A2the biggest · the most B1accounted for the greatest proportion · was the leading category · the largest share B2far exceeded all others · the lion's share · accounted for a clear majority C1constituted the dominant share · was preponderant · monopolised the chart

📈 8. Change verbs (rise / fall)

Cho 2-pies time change. Khác với single pie ở chỗ ĐƯỢC dùng trend verbs.

Rise (X% → Y%) PC3 only

A2went up · became bigger B1rose from X% to Y% · increased to · climbed to B2increased significantly from X% to Y% · a rise of X percentage points C1surged from X% to Y% · underwent a marked expansion

Fall (X% → Y%) PC3 only

A2went down · became smaller B1fell from X% to Y% · dropped to · declined to B2declined from X% to Y% · a fall of X percentage points C1contracted sharply from X% to Y% · underwent a marked reduction

Stable language PC3 only

A2stayed the same · did not change much B1remained relatively stable · changed little B2remained broadly stable · held steady at around · plateaued C1maintained a broadly constant level · exhibited little variation

Rank reversal PC3 only

A2they swapped places B1changed places with · the order changed B2a rank reversal · positions were reversed · displaced from the top C1underwent a complete reordering · was displaced as the leading category

👥 9. Group comparison vocabulary

So sánh giữa 2 nhóm hoặc nhiều pies.

Higher / Lower across groups PC4

A2more than the other group B1higher among [GROUP] than among [GROUP_B] B2significantly higher in [GROUP] · markedly above [GROUP_B] C1substantially exceeded the figure for [GROUP_B] · disproportionately high among [GROUP]

Group references PC4

A2older people · younger people B1the older group · the younger group · those aged X–Y B2individuals in the [GROUP] cohort · the [GROUP] demographic C1members of the [GROUP] cohort · those belonging to the [GROUP] demographic

Similarity language PC4, PC6

A2also · the same · similar B1similarly · likewise · both groups B2in a similar manner · mirroring this pattern · a comparable proportion C1in analogous fashion · uniformly across [GROUPS] · a parallel pattern

⚖️ 10. Balanced language

Cho pie không có dominant, các slice gần ngang nhau.

Balanced descriptors PC5

A2all about the same · similar size B1roughly equal · broadly similar · comparable B2fairly evenly distributed · in close proximity · neck and neck C1exhibited considerable uniformity · broadly comparable shares · within a narrow range

Qualification phrases PC5

A2a little bit more · just slightly B1slightly above · marginally higher · with a small lead B2narrowly ahead · with a marginal edge · only marginally C1by a slim margin · negligibly above · with a barely discernible lead

🏙️ 11. City / region reference

Cho multi-pie với entities (cities, countries).

Naming entities PC6

A2in [CITY] B1in [CITY] · among residents of [CITY] B2the figure for [CITY] · residents of [CITY] · in the [CITY] context C1the [CITY] reading · the [CITY] profile · the [CITY] case

Contrast language PC6

A2but in [CITY] · different in [CITY] B1whereas in [CITY] · in contrast to [CITY] B2unlike [CITY] · [CITY] presented a different picture · in stark contrast C1[CITY] exhibited a markedly different profile · diverged sharply from [CITY]

🔀 Transition (multi-pie)

⏰ 12. Temporal markers

Định vị thời gian — cho 2-pies time change.

In year / By year / Between / Duration PC3

A2in [YEAR] · by [YEAR] · from [Y1] to [Y2] B1in [YEAR] · come [YEAR] · over a [N]-year period B2in the year [YEAR] · by the time of [YEAR] · over the [N]-year span C1as recorded in [YEAR] · by the conclusion of [YEAR] · across the [Y1]–[Y2] window

🔀 13. Cross-pie transition

Chuyển focus giữa các pies — cho multi-pie.

Contrast pie / All shared / Switch focus / Rank differs PC3, PC4, PC6

A2in [PIE_A], … but in [PIE_B], … · all [PIES] had X B1in [PIE_A]…, whereas in [PIE_B]… · turning to [PIE_B] B2by contrast, [PIE_B] showed… · with respect to [PIE_B] · a feature shared by all [PIES] C1[PIE_B] exhibited a markedly different profile · turning attention to [PIE_B] · a pattern uniformly observed across all [PIES]
⚠️
Chương 4

Common Errors & Upgrades

8 lỗi đặc trưng nhất của Pie Chart — đa số liên quan đến composition logic và part-whole language.

Lỗi 1 · Trend verb cho single pie

Dùng "rose/fell" cho chart 1 thời điểm

Single pie là snapshot, không có thời gian. Phải dùng part-whole verbs (accounted for, comprised).

Housing rose to thirty-four percent of household spending.
Housing accounted for thirty-four percent of household spending. / Housing comprised the largest share at thirty-four percent.
Lỗi 2 · Bare category name

Dùng "Food was twenty-six percent" không có noun phrase

Phải dùng noun phrase đầy đủ: "Food expenditure", "the share of food", "spending on food".

Food was twenty-six percent. Transport was eighteen percent.
Food expenditure accounted for twenty-six percent, followed by transport at eighteen percent. / The share of food was twenty-six percent, while transport made up eighteen percent.
Lỗi 3 · Missing part-whole language

Chỉ nêu % mà không có verb composition

Housing at thirty-four percent. Food at twenty-six percent.
Housing accounted for thirty-four percent of the total, while food comprised twenty-six percent.
Lỗi 4 · Listing each slice individually

Tả từng slice một dòng — không group

Pie phải group theo size (large/medium/small) hoặc theo category (cho multi-pie). KHÔNG tả slice-by-slice.

Housing was thirty-four percent. Food was twenty-six percent. Transport was eighteen percent. Healthcare was thirteen percent. Entertainment was nine percent.
Body 1: Housing and food together constituted the largest share (sixty percent)… Body 2: Transport, healthcare and entertainment made up the remaining forty percent, with transport leading at eighteen percent…
Lỗi 5 · Sum ≠ one hundred percent

Cộng các slices không bằng one hundred percent

Pie luôn là part-of-whole, tổng phải = one hundred percent. Kiểm tra lại trước khi nộp.

Housing thirty-four percent, Food twenty-six percent, Transport eighteen percent, Healthcare thirteen percent, Entertainment ten percent = one hundred and one percent ✗
Đọc lại từ chart, dùng đúng số liệu.
Lỗi 6 · Value in overview

Overview chứa số liệu cụ thể

Overview = tóm tắt. Phải nêu xu hướng/cấu trúc chung, KHÔNG số liệu.

Overall, Housing was thirty-four percent, Food was twenty-six percent…
Overall, household spending was led by essentials, with housing and food together accounting for the majority of expenditure, while entertainment received the smallest share.
Lỗi 7 · Multi-pie tả city-by-city

Cho 2-3 pies, tả từng pie trước rồi pie sau

Multi-pie phải tả theo CATEGORY, không theo pie. So sánh cross-pie liên tục.

Body 1: In Amsterdam, cycling was thirty-two percent, cars eighteen percent, bus twenty-five percent, walking twenty-five percent. Body 2: In Toronto, cycling was five percent, cars fifty percent…
Body 1: Cycling showed the starkest contrast — Amsterdam at thirty-two percent versus Toronto at just five percent. Body 2: Car use followed the opposite pattern, with Toronto reaching fifty percent while Amsterdam stood at eighteen percent…
Lỗi 8 · Conclusion thừa

Viết "In conclusion" cuối Task 1

In conclusion, the chart shows different proportions.
(không viết — kết thúc ở câu cuối Body 2)
✅
Chương 5

Self-Check Checklist

Tick từng mục trước khi nộp. CRITICAL · HIGH · MEDIUM.

📋 Introduction & Overview

CRITICALĐã paraphrase đề bài (không copy)
CRITICALCó "Overall" / "In general" mở overview
CRITICALOverview KHÔNG chứa số liệu cụ thể
HIGHOverview có 2 ý lớn (dominant + grouping pattern)

🥧 Body Paragraphs — Pie-specific

CRITICALMỗi câu body có part-whole verb + %
accounted for · comprised · constituted · made up.
CRITICALSubject KHÔNG là bare category name
Dùng "The share of X" / "X expenditure" / "Spending on X".
CRITICALSingle pie KHÔNG dùng trend verbs (rose, fell)
Chỉ 2-pies time change (PC3) mới có rose/fell.
CRITICALTổng các % = one hundred percent (kiểm tra lại)
HIGHGroup slices theo size (large/medium/small) hoặc theo category
KHÔNG tả slice-by-slice.
HIGHMulti-pie: tả theo CATEGORY, không theo pie
MEDCó ít nhất 1 linking phrase mỗi body
MEDCó ≥ 1 cụm approximation (a quarter, just under half…)

🔧 Grammar & Mechanics

CRITICALThì nhất quán
Single pie: simple past (chart năm cụ thể) hoặc simple present (timeless).
HIGHSubject-verb agreement đúng
HIGHArticles (a / the) chính xác
MEDCó ≥ 1 câu phức

📝 Format & Length

CRITICALWord count ≥ 150
HIGH4 đoạn: Intro · Overview · Body 1 · Body 2
MEDKHÔNG có "In conclusion"
🎯
Phụ lục

Practice Prompts

6 bài tập tương ứng 6 pattern Pie. Bắt đầu từ single (PC1, PC2, PC5) → multi-pie (PC3, PC4, PC6).

Bài 1 · PC1 · B1

Single ranking — Household Spending

Viết 150–170 từ về 5 categories chi tiêu Australia (Housing thirty-four percent, Food twenty-six percent, Transport eighteen percent, Healthcare thirteen percent, Entertainment nine percent). Focus:

  1. KHÔNG trend verbs — dùng accounted for, comprised
  2. Group: Body 1 large (>twenty-five percent); Body 2 medium/small
  3. Subject: "Housing expenditure", không "Housing"
Bài 2 · PC2 · B1

Single dominant — Energy sources

150–170 từ về 1 nguồn điện chiếm >forty percent (ví dụ coal fifty percent). Focus:

  1. Mở overview bằng dominant slice
  2. Bank 7: held the largest share, the lion's share
  3. Body 2 group các nguồn còn lại
Bài 3 · PC5 · B1

Single balanced — Study abroad reasons

150–170 từ về 5 reasons phân bổ đều (fifteen-twenty-five percent mỗi cái). Focus:

  1. Bank 10: broadly similar, roughly equal, neck and neck
  2. Qualification: slightly above, marginally higher
  3. KHÔNG nhấn dominant — không có category nào dẫn rõ
Bài 4 · PC3 · B2

Two-time change — Diet 2000 vs 2023

160–180 từ về 4 food categories qua 2 thời điểm, có rank reversal. Focus:

  1. ĐƯỢC dùng trend verbs (PC3 only)
  2. Bank 8: rose from X% to Y%, declined, a rank reversal
  3. Bank 12 (temporal): "in 2000", "by 2023"
  4. Bank 13: in 2000…, whereas by 2023…
Bài 5 · PC4 · B2

Two-group comparison — Leisure (older vs younger)

160–180 từ về leisure activities 2 age groups. Focus:

  1. Bank 9: higher among older / among younger
  2. Body 1 = older-dominant; Body 2 = younger-dominant
  3. Highlight ≥ 1 shared pattern (similarity_language)
Bài 6 · PC6 · B2

Three-group — Transport modal 3 cities

160–180 từ về modal share 3 cities (Amsterdam, Toronto, Berlin). Focus:

  1. BẮT BUỘC tả theo CATEGORY, không city-by-city
  2. Chọn 2 city contrast nhất làm anchor
  3. Bank 11: "the figure for Amsterdam", "unlike Toronto"
  4. Bank 13: by contrast, [CITY] showed…

IELTS Task 1 — Pie Chart Mastery Book · 2026
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