IELTS Tips: Conclusion or Overview for Writing Task 1?


Knowing whether you need an overview or conclusion can make all the difference to your results. Transcript


Do I need a conclusion for task 1?


What is an overview?

Well overview is a paragraph and it contains all the key features of the chart or graph or whatever you have for your task 1. So all the key points are collected together and put in a overview paragraph.

Is the overview important?

It is so important it is critical for you IELTS writing task 1 this is for the criteria, task achievement. That’s 25 percent
of your marks and if you don’t have an overview, it will be almost impossible to get above band score five for that criteria. So very important indeed. And number 4:

Can I write an overview and a conclusion?

Please don’t. Again the overview contains all the key features and the conclusion is a repeat. We don’t want repetitive information. Also when you have an overview and a conclusion together, it means that you are dividing your key features into two different places and this will affect the criteria of coherence and cohesion, which is all about paragraphs. So it’s very important that all your key features are collected in one paragraph, in the overview, and they’re not again repeated anywhere else in that report. So definitely you cannot have both. And the last one :

Where can i put the overview?

The overview statement usually goes after the introduction but it is possible to put it at the end of your report after the body paragraphs. Which is the best place? For me, I prefer it after the introduction. I like to read all the main points before I read the details but again that’s up to you. Both places are logical. Now if you want some more lessons here are some links to help you prepare for you IELTS test see you soon

IELTS Writing Task 1 Structure and Paragraph Organisation

Conclusion or Overview: Video Tutorial

Note: This video replaces the reading video which will now be published next weekend.

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  1. Gian Carlo says:

    Hi Liz!

    First of all thank you for creating this website of yours. It is so helpful for us. I just want to clarify one question, because my previous instructor in IELSTS told me it is not allowed for us to use all capital letters in writing, is is true that we might penalize for doing it? Thank you Liz!! 🙂

  2. Hi Liz,
    Thank you for your advise. I want to ask that is it okay combining the introduction and overall paragraph in a one paragraph?
    Thank you,

    • It is possible but I only do it for diagrams when the intro sentence is very short. If you do put them together, make sure you use a linking word to highlight the overview statement. The intro statement and overview statement must be separate even if they are in the same paragraph.

  3. Alexandra says:

    Dear Liz,

    Many thanks for your useful website!!!
    Thats perfect!
    I would like to ask you how many paragraphs we need to have in Writing Task 1 and Writing Task 2?

  4. Juliette HUA says:

    Dear Liz,

    Do we also need to have an overview paragraph if the diagram we have to present is describing the different steps of a process (e.g. manufacturing yogurt)?
    I don’t really see the point of an overview paragraph in this case.

    Thank you,

    • Yes, you MUST have an overview. Here’s an example: “Overall, yogurt is made after raw milk is passed through pasteurisation and various temperatures before being inoculated with starter cultures.”. So, you can see, that we are choosing the key features to put in the overview. Another possible and simpler overview is: “Overall, raw milk is passed though 5 stages before becoming yogurt.” The overview is the most important paragraph in academic writing task 1.

  5. Hello Liz,

    Should we mention and write about all given data in two body paragraphs or it’s not necessary. Which is better way to do?

    Thank you in advance.

  6. Dear Liz, First of all, thank you for your excellent tips in the lessons: I have few questions regarding the IELTS Reading and Writing:
    1. Should we use pen or pencil for the writing tasks?
    2. Is lower case writing (all are written in small letters) affect the score?
    3. Is few spelling mistakes (two to four words in total) in writing affect the score by too much?
    4. Does IELTS center provide more answer sheets for Task 2?

  7. Anish Dhakal says:

    do the words enclosed inside braces count for the number of words in the writing task 1

  8. Hello.
    I did IELTS before 6 months and got score band 6 in writing 5.5 I had the mistake of in conclusion in task 1 does this mistake decrease my score 1 band or more.

  9. Hi liz!
    Writing task was same for both IPD and BC same or different.pls tel me.Because i am taking ipd exam.

  10. great

  11. thank you liz

  12. Liz, you are awesome, thank you very much 🙂

  13. Is it OK to write “Overall as the graph shows ….” or after “overall” simply state the key information without “as the graph shows”.

    • It’s not going to help your score writing “as the graph shows” but it also isn’t a problem if you decide to add it.

  14. Hi Liz, First of all, thank you for your helpful lessons.
    I have a question about overview part, is it right : we must not write any number in overview part ? for example:
    x experienced the greatest increase by 27% while y had the least growth by 5%
    is it better I don’t write the numbers ?

  15. Hi Liz, in the official Cambridge IELTS books, the overview is always in the end (in the model answers). Then why are you preferring to put overview after introduction? Please explain.

    • There is no right or wrong place to put the overview. It is usually best to present the key features because writing about detail. However, it makes no difference to the score.

  16. Hi liz ,
    What a wonderful and fantastic website for all ielts candidates!
    I feel like I have found the right medicine for my ielts test wound .
    Your lessons are very helpful for us . Thank you so much for your hard work and generous effort .

  17. Hi Madam,
    What is the different between overview & conclusion please

    • A conclusion summarises main points already written. An overview contains key features not previously highlighted.

      • Shuvo Sarker says:

        Hi Liz,
        So overview and summary is different from each other. If use both..will it hamper or increase my band score?

        • You don’t repeat information in a short report. The overview contains the key features – you don’t summarise them again later.

  18. Abdulrahman says:

    Hello Liz,

    I would like to ask about the summary.
    Is it possible to write both the (Overview) which is after the introduction and the (Summary) which is at the end of the report ?

  19. Hi Liz,
    Can you tell me the differences between an overview and body part? i don’t know how to avoid repeating the key features in the body part. And if the task have 2 pie charts that i can’t compare information between them, what should i organize my report? do i need to have an overview for both or just move directly to body parts for each chart?
    Thank you

  20. Hi Liz! First of all, thanks for the great lessons!
    I got an overall 7.5 on my test. With 8.5 in speaking, 8 in Listening, 7.5 in reading, but only 6 in writing. I watched all your videos, and i followed all your steps. I cant figure out what i did wrong, other than the fact that both my essays were shorter than 150 and 250 words, and maybe some grammar mistakes. I’ll have my IELTS exam again in a few days. Any recommendations?

  21. Sreelatha rajesh says:


    I wrote ielts exam in last month . I got 6.5 in listening and reading ,6 in speaking,very less score in writing;5 . In which part should I focus more to get band score of 7.In which way I have to practice ??i am not getting enough ideas to write task 2 topics.Even I don’t have much knowledge about the topic as exam date is 28th May.

  22. i got 6 overall band but 4.5 in reading ,6 from listening and writingand 6.5 in speaking

  23. very useful

    Really you are amazing ….I like your way to explain the steps

  24. HRN Blake says:

    Thank you so much, it is very useful. You are amazing.

  25. Hello Liz, I completely understand the choice of overview over a conclusion in task 1, nevertheless, I’m not sure if I should include also data in the overview paragraph or to provide it in the body paragraph? I mean to say if I should include for instance, data about years, currency etc as the case maybe?

    • The units and categories on the graph or chart should be put in the introduction. The selected key features should be in the overview. The only data that usually does in an overview is when you have totals, such as in a table.
      All the best

  26. Hello!! I have a doubt. In task 1 when we have a map or a life cycle do we need to have an overview?? Thanks a lot.

  27. All of your videos and tutorial tips are very useful for preparation. Thank you very much for your Yeman service.

  28. Hello Liz.

    How to Calculate the band score in IELTS exam. Mostly in Writing parts.
    I am Little bit confuse on Task 2. So can you please helping out to me. My exam on 9th Jan 2016.

  29. Hello Liz,

    I wrote IELTS 2 times, But I couldn’t get band score more than 6 in writing both the times…
    In which part I have to focus to get 6.5 or 7

  30. Hi angel,just want u to know that u r amazing and generous…i am sure universewilpay you back…bless u xx

  31. Thank you very much for clearing the doubt between overview and conclusion.

  32. Hi, Liz

    You said that overview is important in Task 1. Conclusion is not a good idea for this task. But in “Road To IELTS” I have found that the sample task 1 uses conclusion. Since that free materials are suggested by British Council, I am little bit confused now. To me an overview is way better than a conclusion in task 1. Would you please tell me why sample passage in “Road To IELTS” uses conclusion?

    • There are many teachers and authors that tell students to write an overview. However, you will not find one ex-examiner or any person who has completed the IELTS examiner training course who will tell you to do that. However, this is your choice. The band score descriptors published by IELTS clearly show the examiner is looking for an overview in order to give any score over band 6 – you decide if you want to write one or not.
      All the best

      • Hello, Liz
        Thanks in advance,

  33. Is there difference between overview and conclusion?
    Do you think when I read more half an hour each day my writing skill will improve?
    Is there difference between task1 & task 2?

    • Please read my lessons on the main writing pages for your answers. All these questions have already been answered.

    • Bonn Flores says:

      Hi Liz.This is my first time to take the IELTS test. What are your advices?

      • Watch my IELTS preparation video on the home page and then start reading IELTS lessons.

        • Bonn Flores says:


          • To rephrase something doesn’t mean writing it word for word. You paraphrase the meaning which means write it again in your own way.

  34. hi liz. I can not write task 2 well. what should I do exactly? pls help me with this

  35. Hello Liz .
    I have a problem with the overview . In this video I know that it’s important to write a overview but when I read some exemples on Ielts Write Right book I did’t see any overview . But all of these exemples was graded over 7 band . So can you tell me why is it ?

  36. hi Liz, i really had a problem with my Writing Skill.. When it was explained, it seems very easy to me. But when i had to write on my own, i got nothing to say anymore..Can you please help me on this matter? thaNks 🙂

  37. Hello Liz,
    Here you mentioned about not writing the coclusion in short notes .However, when i was going through a book ” Cambridge ielts 8 “, I found an answer with conclusion in it ( at page 168 ) .so, I am confused what model to follow .
    also , do the examiner reduce the marks for handwriting and poor presentations ( like crossing the mistaken words here and there)

    Thank you

    • Sorry, I don’t know what you mean by “short notes”. There is no such type of task in writing task 1.
      All the best

      • Hello Liz,
        sorry for not writing the question clearly , Here is what i mean.
        In this video ,you have mentioned about not writing the conclusion in short reports ( 1:10 secs in video ) ,as you mean to say not to write conclusion in writing task 1 . But when i was going through a page 168 of cambridge book 8, i found a answer with a conclusion . so i got confused as iam following your classes for preperation.
        Hope you will clear me out on this.


        • The IELTS Cambridge test books are written by IELTS not by teachers. They make their models as different as possible to ensure the exam remains challenging. It is always best to follow models from teachers who have been trained as examiner by IELTS. You should also follow the band score descriptors published by IELTS which clearly show that an overview is needed for task 1 and a conclusion is needed for task 2.
          all the best

  38. Hi Ms.Liz
    Thank you for your ielts lesson scripts and videos. They are helping me enormously a lot since I am reviewing by myself.
    I wish I’ve seen your site before I took my first ielts so I might not have need to retake it again to have better scores.
    Anyways, more powers to you. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.

  39. Your voice is strong , clear and pleasant . Your method of teaching is very easy and new style. Please give us more and more video lesson that is most useful.

  40. Shannel says:

    Hi Liz!

    I have my tutor assessed my writing task 1 yesterday.
    after watching your lectures on writing task 1, I used ‘Overall’ to start my overview but my tutor said that this is definitely a No No in Task 1. now i’m confused.

    • The examiner is looking for an overview and the word “Overall” indicates an overview. It is essential that the examiner can locate your overview quickly and easily. Using “overall” helps the examiner find your overview.
      All the best

  41. great job

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