Vocabulary for Numbers, Fractions & Percentages

Written by RevisionTown Team · Reviewed by RevisionTown Team · Published 30 August 2026 · Updated 30 August 2026

Numbers, Fractions and Percentages: Quick Facts

Table of Contents

1. Why numerical vocabulary matters
2. What official IELTS criteria require
3. Figures or words
4. Number, amount, figure, proportion and percentage
5. Vocabulary for exact values
6. Vocabulary for approximate values
7. Fractions and percentage equivalents
8. Fraction grammar
9. Percentage vocabulary
10. Percentage change vs percentage points
11. Ratios, multiples and proportions
12. Units, scales and large numbers
13. Ranges, gaps and comparisons
14. Using numerical language by task type
15. Worked examples
16. Common mistakes
17. Practical exam method
18. Practice exercises
19. Frequently asked questions

Why Numerical Vocabulary Matters in IELTS Writing Task 1

Academic Task 1 is an information-transfer task. A chart may communicate through bars, lines, slices, cells or labels; your response must transfer the important information into accurate prose. Numbers are therefore evidence. They support the trends, rankings, contrasts and exceptions stated in your overview and body paragraphs.

Numerical vocabulary has three jobs:

1. Accuracy: it preserves the value, unit and relationship shown.
2. Compression: it summarises several figures efficiently, for example by using a range.
3. Comparison: it explains which value was larger, how close two figures were or how a share changed.

A sentence such as “Sales were 42” is incomplete if the chart shows 42 million dollars. “Sales stood at $42 million” transfers the value and unit. “At $42 million, sales were approximately twice the figure for Product B” adds a useful relationship.

Range without precision is not strong vocabulary

Students sometimes memorise long lists—approximately, roughly, nearly, almost, just over, in the region of—and then insert them randomly. A wide vocabulary used inaccurately can distort the visual. Choose a phrase because it matches the number, not merely because it has not appeared before.

Numbers support features; they do not replace analysis

A paragraph containing ten correct values can still be weak if it does not identify a pattern. First select the feature, then choose representative figures. The key-features guide explains this feature-first approach, while the data-grouping guide shows how to organise the evidence into body paragraphs.

What Official IELTS Guidance Requires

Current official IELTS materials state that Academic Writing Task 1 requires at least 150 words and is intended to take about 20 minutes. Candidates describe visual information in their own words and may need to organise, present and compare data. The response must be connected prose rather than notes or bullet points.

The official key assessment criteria explain that Task Achievement includes selecting key features, providing enough detail to illustrate them, reporting information, figures and trends accurately, and highlighting principal changes or differences instead of recounting detail mechanically. Official preparation resources also explain that Lexical Resource assesses the range, accuracy and appropriacy of vocabulary.

What this means for numerical language

Use enough figures to demonstrate the important features, but do not copy every label. Vary language where the variation remains natural and exact. Check spelling, word formation, grammar and unit consistency. Most importantly, never sacrifice accuracy for a “higher-level” phrase.

Teaching format vs exam format

This guide uses tables, bullets and headings so that vocabulary is easy to learn. In the IELTS response, write normal paragraphs without headings, bullet points, diagrams or tables. Your final answer should normally contain an introduction, a clear overview and logically grouped body paragraphs. See the complete IELTS Task 1 structure guide.

Should IELTS Numbers Be Written as Figures or Words?

Official IELTS test-format information says numbers can be written using figures (1, 2, 3) or words (one, two, three). In Academic Task 1, figures are usually efficient for data: 17%, 2.4 million, $35,000 and 2019 are easy to scan. Words are useful for simple quantities, fractions and sentence variety: one quarter, half, twice, three categories.

Use figures for dense statistical information

• 18%
• 4.7 million residents
• £32,500
• 2010–2025
• 6.4 tonnes

Use words when they sound more natural

• one in five respondents
• half of all journeys
• twice the 2010 figure
• three of the five countries
• the first two stages

Be consistent within a comparison

“The figures were 12, fifteen and 18” is harder to scan than “12, 15 and 18.” When values perform the same function, present them consistently. Years are almost always clearer as figures.

Starting a sentence with a figure

It is often smoother to restructure: instead of “25% chose rail,” write “A quarter of respondents chose rail” or “Rail was selected by 25% of respondents.” This is a style choice, not a prohibition on figures.

Number, Amount, Figure, Proportion, Rate and Percentage

These words are related but not interchangeable. Choosing the correct noun improves both lexical and grammatical accuracy.

“The number of” vs “a number of”

The number of refers to a count and normally takes a singular verb: “The number of users was 5,000.” A number of means several and normally takes a plural verb: “A number of categories were unchanged.” These expressions have different meanings.

People, persons and population

Use “people” or a specific group noun when describing counts: students, commuters, households or employees. “Population” is an uncountable collective measure in many contexts: “The population rose to 2 million,” not “the number of population.”

Rate is not a universal synonym

Do not call every percentage a rate. A pie-chart slice showing favourite sports is a percentage, proportion or share. It is not normally a “preference rate” unless the source labels it that way.

Vocabulary for Exact Numbers

Use exact language when a value is clearly labelled, a table cell supplies it or a chart point sits directly on a marked line.

Neutral exact-value verbs

Use “at” to attach evidence

“Norway had the largest share, at 46%.” Here, the first clause states the feature and “at 46%” supplies evidence. This compact pattern is useful for highest, lowest, peak and finishing values.

Do not approximate a labelled value without reason

If a table says 48.7%, write 48.7% when the decimal is relevant. “About 50%” may be acceptable in a broad overview, but the body should preserve the supplied precision when using that value as evidence.

Vocabulary for Approximate Numbers

Approximation is appropriate when the chart does not label every point, the axis makes an exact reading impossible, or a rounded expression communicates a broad feature. The approximation must still be close to the visible value.

Common approximation phrases

“Nearly” approaches from below

“Nearly 50%” means less than 50%, but close to it. A value of 52% cannot be “nearly 50%”; it is just over 50%. “Almost doubled” means the final value was slightly less than twice the original—not merely that it increased substantially.

“Over” is broader than “just over”

If the value is 76%, “over 50%” is true but imprecise. “Just over three quarters” is more informative. Reserve “just over” for a genuinely small difference from the reference point.

Avoid double approximation

Do not write “approximately about 60%,” “roughly just under half” or “nearly around 100.” Use one clear approximation signal unless two elements serve different functions, such as “approximately three times as high.”

Fractions and Their Percentage Equivalents

Fractions are useful for pie charts, proportions and broad overview statements. Use them when the percentage is exact or sufficiently close for a justified approximation.

Safe approximate fraction language

• 24%: almost or just under a quarter
• 26%: just over a quarter
• 32%: just under a third
• 34%: approximately a third
• 48%: just under half
• 52%: just over half
• 74%: nearly three quarters
• 76%: just over three quarters

These are practical examples, not rigid bands. The axis, chart precision and purpose of the sentence matter. A body sentence may need the exact 32%, while an overview may reasonably call it about a third.

“One in four” and similar expressions

“One in four students” also means 25% of students. This structure is natural when the denominator describes people or items: one in five households, two in three respondents. Do not use it when the relationship is not a count of members within a group.

Grammar for Fractions

Singular and plural denominators

Use a singular denominator when the numerator is one: one third, one quarter, one fifth. Use a plural denominator when the numerator is greater than one: two thirds, three quarters, four fifths.

Agreement depends on the noun after “of”

“Two thirds of the students were enrolled full-time” uses a plural verb because students are plural. “Two thirds of the land was agricultural” uses a singular verb because land is uncountable.

Hyphens before a noun

A compound fraction used as an adjective is commonly hyphenated: “a two-thirds majority” or “a one-quarter share.” When the fraction follows the verb or stands as a noun phrase, open formatting is natural: “The share was two thirds.” Consistency and readability matter more than decorative punctuation.

Use “of” with the group or total

Write “half of respondents,” “a third of the budget” or “one quarter of all journeys.” Do not write “half respondents.” Before a pronoun, “of” is required: half of them, not half them.

Vocabulary and Grammar for Percentages

Percentage of + noun

Use “the percentage of commuters who travelled by train” or “the percentage of energy generated from wind.” This identifies the measured group precisely.

Percent vs percentage

Percent normally accompanies a number: 42 percent or 42%. Percentage is a noun without a specific number: “the percentage increased.” Avoid “42 percentage”; write 42% or 42 percent.

Proportion vs percentage

A proportion can be expressed as a fraction, decimal or percentage. In Task 1 prose, “the proportion of households” is a useful noun phrase even when the chart labels the value as 38%. “Percentage” is more specific to a per-hundred value.

Share and account for

Use “share” and “accounted for” when categories divide a total: “Rent accounted for 35% of expenditure,” or “Renewables had a 28% share.” Do not use “accounted for” for an independent index value that is not part of a whole.

Percentage grammar examples

• Fifty percent of the students were part-time.
• Fifty percent of the land was forested.
• The percentage of students was highest in Canada.
• Percentages for the three regions were similar.

Percentage Change vs Percentage-Point Change

This distinction is one of the most important accuracy rules in data writing.

Percentage-point change

If a share rises from 20% to 30%, the arithmetic difference is 10 percentage points. Calculate it by subtracting the old percentage from the new percentage: 30 − 20 = 10 points.

Relative percentage change

The same rise from 20% to 30% is a 50% increase relative to the original value, because the 10-point gain is half of 20. The calculation is (30 − 20) ÷ 20 × 100 = 50%.

Why the distinction matters

Writing “the share increased by 10%” may be interpreted as a relative rise from 20% to 22%. If the chart shows 20% to 30%, write “increased by 10 percentage points,” “rose from 20% to 30%,” or “grew by half relative to its initial level” if that relative comparison is useful.

Safer Task 1 wording

When there is any risk of ambiguity, report both endpoints: “The proportion rose from 20% to 30%.” This is concise and indisputable.

Ratios, Multiples and Proportional Comparisons

Ratio language

A ratio of 2:1 may be expressed as “two to one.” If Group A contains 60 people and Group B 30, A is twice as large as B, while B is half the size of A. Check the direction carefully.

Twice, three times and multiples

Avoid ambiguous “times more”

“Three times more than” can be interpreted differently. Prefer “three times as high as,” “three times the figure for” or “triple.”

“Doubled” vs “increased twofold”

If a value moves from 40 to 80, it doubled or increased twofold. “Increased by double” is unnatural. A rise from 40 to 120 means it tripled, not doubled.

Units, Scales and Large Numbers

A correct number with the wrong unit is inaccurate. Read the axis title, legend and footnotes before writing.

Thousands, millions and billions

• 4,500 = four thousand five hundred
• 45,000 = forty-five thousand
• 4.5 million = 4,500,000
• 2.3 billion = 2,300,000,000

After a specific number, “hundred,” “thousand,” “million” and “billion” normally remain singular: 6 million people, not 6 millions people. Use the plural in a general expression: millions of people.

Scaled axes

If an axis says “in thousands,” a plotted value of 45 means 45,000. If it says “$ millions,” a value of 2.6 means $2.6 million. Do not copy the scale number without converting the unit into the sentence.

Currencies

Keep the currency shown: $, £, €, dollars, pounds or euros. Do not silently convert. Place symbols according to normal usage: $40 million and £25,000.

Measurements

Report tonnes, kilograms, kilometres, litres, megawatts, hours or other units exactly. Use “per” for rates: kilometres per hour, tonnes per day, dollars per household.

Dates and periods

Use “from 2000 to 2025,” “between 2000 and 2025,” “over the 25-year period” or “by 2025.” Do not combine “between” with “to”: not “between 2000 to 2025.”

Decimals

Read 2.5 as “two point five” when speaking, but normally write 2.5 in Task 1. Keep decimal precision consistent when comparing similar values if the chart does so.

Vocabulary for Ranges, Gaps, Equality and Comparison

Ranges

• ranged from 18% to 24%
• fell within the 40–50 range
• remained between 300 and 350 units
• varied by only five percentage points

A range compresses a cluster efficiently. State the lowest and highest limits in the correct order.

Gaps

• the gap was 12 percentage points
• A exceeded B by 8,000
• A was 8,000 higher than B
• the difference narrowed from 20 to 5 units
• the two figures diverged

Equality and similarity

• both figures stood at 45%
• A and B were equal
• the values were almost identical
• the figures were comparable
• A was marginally higher than B

Highs and lows

• peaked at 82 units
• reached a high of 82
• bottomed out at 14
• fell to a low of 14
• recorded the highest/lowest figure

Use “peak” and “trough” mainly for a time series. In a static chart, “the highest figure” and “the smallest share” are usually clearer.

Numerical Language for Different Task 1 Visuals

Line graphs

Prioritise starting values, finishing values, meaningful peaks, troughs and crossovers. Combine numbers with trend language: “The figure climbed from 12,000 to approximately 30,000 before peaking at 36,000.” For more options, see the IELTS line-graph vocabulary guide.

Bar charts

Use ranks, ranges and gaps: “At 68%, Canada recorded the highest proportion, 12 percentage points above France.” Static bars need comparison vocabulary rather than unsupported trend verbs. The bar-chart vocabulary and structure guide provides full models.

Pie charts

Use share, proportion, accounted for, represented, combined and fraction equivalents: “The two transport categories together accounted for almost three quarters of the total.” Ensure combined percentages are arithmetically correct.

Tables

Use ranges and grouped comparisons to avoid reading every cell: “The four northern regions formed a narrow cluster of 42–47 units.” See the IELTS table strategy guide.

Maps and processes

Some maps include dimensions, capacity or area; some processes show temperature, time, volume or quantity. Report these accurately, but do not force percentage vocabulary into a visual that is primarily spatial or sequential.

Worked Examples: Choosing the Best Numerical Phrase

The following figures are original RevisionTown practice data, not official IELTS questions.

Example 1: Exact percentage

Data: Rail = 25%.

Good: Rail accounted for 25% of journeys.

Also good: One quarter of all journeys were made by rail.

Avoid: About one third used rail. This changes the value substantially.

Example 2: Approximate chart reading

Data: A line point sits slightly below the 60-unit gridline.

Good: The figure reached just under 60 units.

Avoid: The figure was exactly 59.2. The graphic does not support that precision.

Example 3: Change between percentages

Data: The share rises from 35% to 50%.

Good: The share rose by 15 percentage points, from 35% to 50%.

Relative calculation: The increase was about 42.9% relative to the starting share. Usually, the endpoint sentence is simpler and safer.

Example 4: Cluster

Data: Regions A–D = 41%, 43%, 46% and 44%.

Good: The four regions were similar, with figures ranging from 41% to 46%.

Avoid: Region A was 41%, B was 43%, C was 46% and D was 44%. This is accurate but mechanical.

Example 5: Multiple

Data: Product A = 90, Product B = 30.

Good: The figure for Product A was three times as high as that for Product B.

Also good: Product A recorded triple Product B’s figure.

Example 6: Combined pie slices

Data: Housing 40%, food 22%, transport 18%, other 20%.

Good: Housing and food together represented 62% of expenditure, or just under two thirds.

Avoid: Housing and food were two thirds. The exact combined share is slightly lower and the noun phrase is incomplete.

Complete mini-paragraph

Housing was the largest expense in all four countries, accounting for between 35% and 48% of household budgets. Country A recorded the highest share, at 48%, while Country D spent just over a third on this category. By contrast, transport represented less than one fifth in three countries, although the figure rose to exactly 25% in Country B.

This paragraph combines a range, highest value, fraction approximation, contrast and exception without listing every cell.

Common Mistakes with Numbers, Fractions and Percentages

1. Losing the unit

If the axis is in millions, “45” is not the full value. Write 45 million or refer clearly to “the figure” after the unit has been established.

2. Confusing number and amount

Use number with countable nouns and amount with uncountable quantities. “The amount of people” is normally incorrect; use “the number of people.”

3. Writing 25 percentage

Use 25%, 25 percent or a percentage of 25. “Percentage” does not directly follow a specific number in that form.

4. Saying “nearly” for a value above the reference

52% is just over half, not nearly half. Nearly normally approaches from below.

5. Confusing percentages and percentage points

A rise from 40% to 50% equals 10 percentage points but a 25% relative increase. Use endpoints when uncertain.

6. Using an inaccurate fraction

40% is two fifths, not two thirds. Learn a small set of exact equivalences and approximate only when the value is genuinely close.

7. Adding plural endings after specific numbers

Write 5 million people and 20 thousand tonnes, not 5 millions people or 20 thousands tonnes.

8. Overusing “respectively”

“A and B were 30% and 40%, respectively” is useful for a clear two-item pairing. Long lists with respectively force the reader to match too many items and increase error risk.

9. False precision

Do not invent decimals from an unlabeled graph. “About 70” is more accurate than an unsupported “69.4.”

10. Reporting every number

Task 1 is a summary. Use figures to illustrate selected key features, not to reproduce the visual in sentence form.

A Practical Method for Using Numbers in the Exam

A three-colour planning method

In practice, mark main features in one colour, supporting numbers in another and units in a third. In the real test, simple circles or underlining are enough. The objective is to separate the claim from its evidence.

Final 60-second numerical check

• Check every copied digit.
• Check decimal points and zeroes.
• Check each unit and currency.
• Check whether an approximation is above or below the reference.
• Check fraction equivalence.
• Check percentage-point calculations.
• Check that comparisons point in the correct direction.

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Convert percentages to natural phrases

Write two accurate versions for each: 20%, 24%, 33%, 51%, 67%, 74% and 80%. Example: 24% = 24% / just under one quarter.

Exercise 2: Correct the error

1. The amount of visitors was 40,000.
2. Nearly 50% means 52%.
3. The share rose from 30% to 40%, an increase of 10%.
4. Three millions people used the service.
5. Housing accounted 35% of spending.

Corrections: number of visitors; just over 50%; 10 percentage points; three million people; accounted for 35%.

Exercise 3: Compress a cluster

Turn 42%, 44%, 43% and 46% into one comparison sentence. Suggested answer: “The four figures were comparable, ranging from 42% to 46%.”

Exercise 4: Explain both types of change

A share moves from 25% to 40%. The percentage-point increase is 15 points. The relative increase is 60%. Practise writing the safer endpoint sentence first.

Exercise 5: Build a body paragraph

Select four related figures from a practice chart. State the feature, support it with a range or endpoints, then add one comparison. Check that every numerical phrase adds meaning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I write numbers as figures in IELTS Writing?

Yes. Official IELTS information says numbers may be written as figures or words. Figures are usually efficient for chart data.

Should I spell out numbers below ten?

There is no special IELTS rule requiring every small number to be spelled out. Use a clear, consistent style appropriate to the sentence.

Is 25% a quarter?

Yes. It is exactly one quarter. Values slightly below or above may be described as just under or just over a quarter.

Is 33% one third?

It is approximately one third because the exact recurring percentage is 33.3…%. In most Task 1 summaries, “about a third” is accurate.

Is 66% two thirds?

It is close to two thirds. Use “approximately two thirds” unless the chart itself rounds the relationship.

What is the difference between percent and percentage?

Percent accompanies a specific value, such as 40 percent. Percentage is a noun, as in “the percentage increased.”

When should I use “approximately”?

Use it when the chart supports only an estimate or when rounding communicates a broad feature. Do not add it to every exact labelled value.

Can I say “approximately 25%”?

Yes if 25% is a rounded reading. If the table states exactly 25%, approximation is unnecessary.

What does “just over half” mean?

It means a value slightly higher than 50%, such as 51% or 52%, depending on chart precision.

What does “nearly three quarters” mean?

It means a value close to but below 75%, for example 73% or 74%.

How do I report a rise from 20% to 30%?

Write that the share rose by 10 percentage points, from 20% to 30%. Relative to the initial share, this is a 50% increase.

Can I use “double” and “twice”?

Yes when the arithmetic is accurate. If A is 80 and B is 40, A is twice as high as B or double B.

Should I include every percentage?

No. Include enough selected data to support the major trends, rankings and comparisons.

Can I round decimals?

You may round when appropriate, but do not remove meaningful precision from a table. Signal rounding with about, approximately or a suitable fraction.

Does advanced vocabulary guarantee Band 7?

No. Task Achievement, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy are all assessed. Vocabulary must be accurate, appropriate and integrated into a well-organised response.

Methodology and Scope

This guide focuses on numerical language for IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 charts and tables. It was developed from current official IELTS test-format information, public Writing assessment criteria, band descriptors and preparation resources. The fraction conversions and percentage-point examples use standard arithmetic. Practice figures and model sentences are original RevisionTown teaching material and are not presented as official IELTS questions.

No fixed list of “Band 7 words” is published by IELTS. The recommendations therefore prioritise the official principles of range, accuracy, appropriacy, relevant support and accurate reporting. Learners should treat the latest official descriptors as the final authority.

Official Sources and Further Reading

• IELTS Academic Writing test format
• IELTS Academic test format in detail
• IELTS Writing key assessment criteria
• IELTS Writing Task 1 band descriptors
• IELTS Writing preparation resources

Continue Your IELTS Task 1 Preparation

Apply this vocabulary inside a complete response with RevisionTown’s Task 1 structure guide, overview guide, key-feature guide, data-grouping guide, line-graph vocabulary, bar-chart strategy and table strategy.

Your next step: Choose one chart and underline every number you plan to use. Label each as exact, approximate, fraction, range, ratio or percentage-point change. Then write two body paragraphs and check whether every numerical phrase is accurate, necessary and easy to verify against the visual.