Writing
IELTS Writing Task 1 band 9
Overview first, group data logically, and match tone for GT letters.
Academic Task 1 overview sentence
State the main trend or comparison without numbers in the overview. 'Overall, X rose steadily while Y remained flat' — details belong in body paragraphs.
Group data, don't list chronologically
Band 9 reports cluster similar trends — all increases together, all decreases together — rather than narrating year by year.
General Training letter tone
Formal letters avoid contractions; informal letters use them naturally. Opening and closing formulas must match the relationship to the recipient.