IELTS ACADEMIC WRITING TASK 1 Sample

Flow chart
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The flow chart below shows how examination papers are marked in a university.
Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information below.

Write at least 150 words.
Reading Writing test collected

And listening
Marked by and Marked by an examiner

administrator
Writing answer Marks sent to an

collated paper sent to administrator
another examiner
Marks similar Marks different
stored reassessed
Certification sent
to candidates
The flow chart elucidates information on the system by which English examination papers for reading, listening and
writing are marked at a university.
It can be seen that reading and listening are marked differently – in a simpler manner- from the writing papers.
The system for marking the reading and listening papers is the same. The papers are collected and then marked by
an administrator. Afterwards, the results are then collated.
For the writing papers, the system is somewhat more complex. Once the papers have been collected, they are
marked by an examiner. Following this, the marks awarded are sent to an administrator, and the writing answer
papers are sent to another examiner to be checked. If the marks given by both examiners are the same, the results
are stored. If not, they are reassessed.
Finally the marks for reading, listening and writing papers are put on certificates, which are then sent the
candidates. [150]
Write a report for a university tutor describing the production process.
The flowchart illustrates the production of coloured plastic paper clips in a small factory.
Model answer
The flow chart elucidates information on the manufacture of coloured paper clips in a small factory.
There are four main stages in the production of plastic paper clips that have been shown in detail. Two of these
stages involve actual preparation of the clips, while the other two consist of quality control before the clips are sent
out from the factory to the retailers to be sold to the public.
To begin, molten plastic is poured into three different moulds depending on the colour required; the colours are
red, blue and yellow. Once these clips emerge from the moulds the strength of each clip is tested by the quality
control machine. Unsatisfactory clips are rejected.
In the third stage in the process the clips are stored by hand into two groups, mixed and single colours. When this
stage is complete the groups are checked a second time to ensure that the colour mixtures are divided correctly
into single colours and mixed-colour batches.
Finally, the clips are packed and dispatched to the markets.(152 words)
MAP OF PROPOSED SITES
The map below is of the town of Canterbury. A new school (S) is planned for the area. The map shows two possible sites for the
school.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
PROCESS DIAGRAM
MECHANICAL type
The diagram illustrates the process that is used to manufacture bricks for the building industry.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.
Model answer
The diagram illustrates the way in which bricks are made for building industry.
Overview 1
Overall, there are eight stages in the process, beginning with the digging up of clay culminating in delivery.
[Highlighted words indicated parallel structure]
Overview 2
There are eight stages that have been illustrated in detail. Each stage contains a picture of the process and the
material involved into making bricks beginning with the digging up clay and culminating in delivery
To begin, the clay which is used to make bricks is dug up by a large digger from the ground. The clay is then placed
onto a metal grid, which is used to break up the clay into smaller pieces. This process is assisted by a roller.
Following this, sand and water are added to the clay, and this mixture is turned into bricks by either placing it into a
mould or using a wire cutter. Next, these bricks are placed in an oven to dry for 24-48 hours.
In the subsequent stage, the bricks go through a heating and cooling process. They are heated in a kiln at a
moderate and high temperature [ranging from 200 to 1300] followed by cooling process in a cooling chamber for
2-3 days.
Finally, the bricks are packed and delivered.

PROCESS DIAGRAM
CONCURRENT TYPE
A diagram illustrating a process occurring inside a certain device or infrastructure in a sequential and cyclical
manner.
The diagram below shows the working of an air conditioner
Model Answer
The diagram elucidates the working of an air conditioner. T
Overview 1
Overall, there are six steps involved in the process where each part of the air conditioning device performs a
specific function. The air conditioner is made up of internal unit, internal and external fan coils, expansion valve,
compressor and condenser. The blue lines and arrows indicate the flow of cold air, while the red arrows show
movement of hot air.
Overview 2
There are six steps in the air conditioning process. It can be observed that the air conditioner does not only work in a
step by step procedure, but also works through a cyclical process that keeps repeating itself. Hot air enters the unit
and heat is dissipated through the condenser. Also, hot air becomes cooler by passing through an expansion valve
and enters through the condenser. Also, hot air becomes cooler by Passing through an expansion valve and enters
through the internal unit.
First, cold air flows from the internal fan coil to the internal unit. In the second and third steps, cold air is expelled out
of the internal unit while hot air goes into it. Next, the hot air moves from the internal fan coil towards the
compressor. From here, it travels to the external fan coil. In the next step it moves to the condenser which expels it
outside.
Following this, the hot air moves to the expansion valve. At this point, it becomes cooler and moves towards the
internal fan coil. Hereon the process repeats itself again and again.
PROCESS DIAGRAM
COntrast TYPE
The diagram shows how tea leaves are processed into five tea types.
all 5 leaves are similar
Differing
Methods employed
similarity
The diagram presents the manufacture of five

different types of tea.
It is immediately apparent that although all the teas are produced from the same leaf, the differences in the
manufacturing process result in five different types of tea.
The first three stages of manufacture are the same for all of the five teas. The leaves are grown; they are then
plucked, and following this withering of the leaves occur. The final stage is also the same, which sees all the leaves
dried in an oven. However, in the stages in between this, differing methods of production are employed.
To begin, white tea is unique as it involves no other processing. In contrast, green, oolong and large leaf black tea
are all rolled as part of the process. However, while green tea is steamed before being rolled but is not fermented,
the other two teas are first rolled and then both fermented (oolong only slightly but large leaf black completely).
Finally, small leaf black tea is neither steamed nor rolled, but is crushed before being fully fermented.
The appropriate voice is also used in the description, which is the passive.
When we write about a process, we are interested in the actions, NOT who is doing them. In this case we use the passive voice.
Here are some examples of the passive voice from this IELTS writing sample process:
...the teas are produced from the same leaf
The leaves are grown, they are then plucked
...differing methods of production are employed
It may not always be possible, but if you can you should also try to use synonyms for some of the words from the diagram rather
than copying them all.
For example, ‘completely’ fermented is used instead of ‘fully’.

NATURAL PROCESS DIAGRAM
Processes that are naturally occurring in nature
LIFE CYCLE
The diagrams below show the life cycle of the silkworm
Model answer
The diagram illustrates the various stages in the life of a honey bee.
We can see that the complete life cycle lasts between 34 and 36 days.
It is also noticeable that there are five main stages in the development of the honey bee, from egg to mature adult
insect.
The life cycle of the honey bee begins when the female adult lays an egg; the female typically lays one or two
eggs every 3 days. Between 9 and 10 days later, each egg hatches and the immature insect, or nymph, appears.
During the third stage of the life cycle, the nymph grows in size and sheds its skin three times. This moulting first takes
place 5 days after the egg hatches, then 7 days later, and again another 9 days later. After a total of 30 to 31 days
from the start of the cycle, the young adult honey bee emerges from its final moulting stage, and in the space of
only 4 days it reaches full maturity.
(169 words, band 9)
The diagrams below show the life cycle of the silkworm and the stages in the production of silk cloth.
Model answer
The diagram elucidates information on the life cycle of a silkworm and the process of silk cloth production.
Overall, there are four stages in the life cycle of a silkworm, from an egg to a moth. In the production of silk cloth,
five steps are involved which begins with selection and ends with weaving of silk material.
Active voice
To begin, the life cycle of a silkworm starts when an adult female moth lays eggs on the mulberry leaf. Ten days
later, the eggs hatch into silkworm larvae on the leaf. From here, the larva uses the mulberries’ leaf as their food
and completes the second stage in 4-6 weeks.
In the third stage, the larva creates silk thread around their body and remains there for 3-8 days before turning into
a cocoon. The fourth stage, which is the cocoon stage, lasts for 16 days. After a total of 33-40 days from the start of
the cycle, a moth emerges from the cocoon. Hereon, the moth finds a mate and the process repeats itself again.
CYCLIC PROCESS IN NATURE
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task
The diagram below shows the water cycle, which is the continuous movement of water on, above and below the
surface of the Earth.
Model answer
The image elucidates information on the process involved in water cycle, a process whereby water is passed from
the ocean, to air, and then land.
In this process, three stages have been illustrated in detail: evaporation, condensation and precipitation.
From the ocean, 80% of water is evaporated as a result of the intense heat from the sun. Following this, the vapours
are condensed in the atmosphere and clouds are formed; as the process of evaporation and condensation of
vapours continue, the clouds become denser. At this point, rain clouds accumulate and eventually droplets of
water fall from the sky as rain. This process is known as “precipitation.”
At the third stage in the cycle, rainwater may take various paths. Some of it may fall into lakes or return to the
oceans via ‘surface runoff’. Otherwise, rainwater may filter through the ground, reaching the impervious layer of
the earth. Salt water intrusion is shown to take place just before groundwater passes into the oceans to complete
the cycle.
(156 words, band 9)
The following diagram shows how greenhouse gases trap energy from the Sun.
Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below.
Model answer
The image elucidates information on how greenhouse gases trap the heat from sun and radiate it back to earth
It can be clearly seen how the effect of smoke from vehicles spewed in the air and deforestation can cause
“greenhouse effect” on earth.
To begin with, energy from the sun reaches the earth as heat. Some of this heat energy is subsequently radiated
into space, while some of it is trapped by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and reflected back to Earth. This is a
natural process, but in recent decades, human activities have led to an increase in the amounts of greenhouse
gases in the atmosphere which is now trapping too much heat.
One of the main greenhouse gases is carbon dioxide, and extra quantities of this are released released into the
atmosphere as a result of burning fossil fuels as a source of energy in power stations, factories and homes. Exhaust
gases from cars and lorries have resulted in further emissions of carbon dioxide.
Plants serve to remove some of the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by absorbing it through their leaves.
However, as large areas in the Amazon and elsewhere are deforested, less carbon dioxide is removed in this way.
The diagram below illustrates the carbon cycle in nature.
Model Answer
The diagram shows how carbon moves through various stages to form a complete cycle. This report will give a brief
description of the main stages in this cycle.
Overall, we can see that carbon moves in a natural cycle, although human factors may now be affecting the
balance.
First, we can see that energy from the sun is transformed into organic carbon through a process in plants known as
photosynthesis. This organic carbon is then transferred underground when plants, and the animals that feed on
them, die and decay. Some of this carbon is trapped underground in the form of fossils and fossil fuels.
Carbon is also released back into the atmosphere, however, through various means. One is when animals and
plants respire, and another is when humans burn fossil fuels in cars and factories. All this carbon enters the
atmosphere as CO2. It is then reabsorbed by plants, and the cycle begins again.
(154 words, IELTS 8.0)
Why does this Task 1 answer get an IELTS Band 8 score?

Task achievement: The model answer selects and describes most components of the diagram except for waste products and ocean uptake. There
is an overall description of the cycle followed by a clearly sequenced and divided description of the stages. The summary identifies something
noteworthy about the diagram. The length is sufficient.
Coherence and cohesion: The model answer is divided into clear paragraphs with a logical separation between the body paragraphs and
connective markers first, then, however, and overall. There is a general overview in paragraph 1 and a summary in paragraph 4. Referencing
techniques such as ellipsis (one is…) are used to avoid over-repetition of key words.
Lexical resource: The writer makes good use of the language in the diagram and is also able to change forms in the case of respiration > respire. The
writer also introduces a range of verbs for describing a process or cycle such as transform, transfer and release.
Grammatical range and accuracy: The model answer demonstrates accurate usage of a wide range of forms including countable/uncountable
nouns, active/passive structures, and transitive/intransitive verbs.
STRUCTURAL DIAGRAMS
Descriptive type
The diagram below illustrates the earth’s surface.
Model answer
The diagram elaborates the different layers of the earth. The layers are shown in the form of cross
section of the earth and their thicknesses are also mentioned. Information on the polar and equatorial
diameters is also provided.
The layers of the Earth are divided into four. The thinnest later of the Earth is the Crust which is also the
outermost layer. The inner three layers namely Inner Core, Outer Core and Lower Mantle are all more
than 2000 km thick. Also, It can be observed from the diagram that the Earth is flatter at the poles than
at the Equator as the polar diameter is less than the Equatorial diameter.
The innermost layer is the Inner Core. Its diameter is 2500 km. it is enveloped by the Outer core which is
2200 km thick. Next comes the Lower Mantle whose thickness is 2290 km. outside this layer is the Upper
Mantle which is only 630 km thick. The outermost layer of the earth is the Crust. The thickness of the Crust
varies from
6 to 40 km. The diameter of the Earth with respect to the poles is 12714 km and with respect to the
Equator is 12756 km.
Contrast type
MAP: PROPOSED SITES
Model answer #1
Given is a map of Canterury town illustrating the probable sites of two new schools in relation to various different zones [town
centre, housing and countryside] and major transport link.
As shown in the picture, the first possible site (S1) is situated in the countryside, to the north-east of the town centre. It is just outside
the main housing area of the town and not far from the main road that links Sturry with Canterbury. The location would probably
be in an ideal location only for students arriving from Sturry, which is only 5 kilometres away, and those who live on the east side of
Canterbury. If there are students coming from Chartham, which is 7 kilometres to the south-west, they would be able to reach the
school by taking the main road that runs south-west of Canterbury.
Meanwhile, the second potential site (S2) is located in the town centre itself. This site offers merits: first, it makes it practically
equidistant for students coming from either Sturry or Chartham. Second, it would presumably be relatively easy for students who
live in the housing area to reach the school. However, because of the no traffic zone in the town centre, no parent would be able
to drive their child all the way to school. This may make travel arrangements difficult for some parents.(206 words)
Model answer 2
Given is a map of Canterbury town illustrating the probable sites of two new schools in relation to various different zones and
major transportation link.
As shown in the picture, the town has three main zones and two neighboring towns, chartham[s-w] and sturry[n-e]. Located at the
center of the map is a relatively small town centre. Cars are not permitted in this area and two major roads terminate oppositely
at its outer edge; with one running to the north-east, and the other to the south-west. Surrounding the town centre is a much
larger residential zone which has within it a university in the north corner. Beyond this is an even larger countryside.
With regard to the planned locations of the two new schools, one is likely to be situated in the town center itself. This site offers
merit as it makes it practically equidistant for students arriving from either Sturry or Chartham, and would presumably be relatively
easy for students who live in the housing area to reach the school. The other will probably be placed on the outskirts of the town
to the north-eastern aspect, not distant from the main road, just outside the border of housing area. The location would be in an
ideal location only for students arriving from Sturry, which is 5 kilometres away, and those who live on the east side of Canterbury. If
there are students coming from Chartham, which is 7 kilometres to the south-west, they would be able to reach the school by
taking the main road that runs south-west of Canterbury and setting foot right across the town centre.
The figure below is a planning map of Sturry town showing the likely position of new shopping centres as well as the various
different zones and major transportation route of the town
Model answer
Given is a map of sturry town illustrating the probable sites of two new shopping centres in relation to various different zones as
well as major transportation links.
As show in the figure, the town has three main zones [central business district, residential and rural zones]. Located at the apex of
three arterial roads is a relatively small central business district. Cars are not permitted in this area and all major roads terminate at
its outer edge. Surrounding the town center is a a much larger residential zone which has within it two industrial area. Beyond this is
an even larger rural area. A railway line runs through the entire town from northwest to southeast.
With regards to the planned location of the two new shopping centres, one is likely to e situated in the town center and will be
accessible by train or by car on the edge of the central business district and walking. This site offers merit as it makes it practically
equidistant for shoppers arriving from the three neighboring towns, and would presumably be relatively easy for people who live in
the housing area to reach the shop. The other will probably be placed on the outskirts of the town to the north-western aspect, in
between the railway and main road, just outside the border of housing area. The location would be in an ideal location only for
people arriving from the town located northwest. If there are any shoppers coming from north and northeast corner, they would
be able to reach the shop by taking the main road that runs north and northeast of Sturry respectively. They would have to set
foot right across the town centre and travel by either train or car to reach the site.
Below is a map of the city of Brandfield. City planners have decided to build a new shopping mall for the area, and two sites, S1
and S2 have been proposed.
Map of Brandfield with two proposed sites for a

shopping mall
Model Answer
The map illustrates plans for two possible sites for a shopping mall in the city of Brandfield.
It can be seen that the two sites under consideration are in the north and the south east of the town.
The first possible site for the shopping mall, S1, is just north of the city centre, above the railway line, which runs from the south east
of the city to the north west. If it is built here, it will be next to both large housing estate, thus providing easy access for those living
on the estate and people arriving in the city centre. It will also be next to the river, which runs through the town.
The site in the south east, S2, is located just at the intersection of the railway line and road. It is fairly close to the city centre, but it is
near to an industrial estate rather than housing.
There is a main road that runs through the city and is close to both sites, thus providing good road access to either location. A
large golf course and park in the west of the town prevents this area from being available as a site.190 words
The map below shows three proposed sites for a new hypermarket (A, B and C) in the city of Pellington.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and making comparisons where relevant.
Model answer
The map illustrates the three possible locations for a new supermarkert in Pellington city.
As can be seen, the three proposed sites for a hypermarket in Pellington, which has a population of 120,000, have been pointed in
relation to various different zones and transportation routes.
To begin, site B is in the countryside, to the north-eastern corner. It is situated distantly to the motorway, which runs through the
industrial from the south to the north. it offers advantage to only shoppers living near the area.
The next possible site, C, is also located in the countryside, to its southern aspect. It is sited just off the road, which passes through
the housing district. Just opposite the site, lies an industrial complex, and in western side is an airport. Although most of the
shoppers in the city can readily access the hypermarket, customers who are from Hampford will have to travel a considerable
distance before reaching the area.
Finally, the third potential site A is located in the residential area itself, and is just in the proximity of the road to Hampford, lying 15
kilometers to the north-western side of Pellington city. Just like site C, an industrial compound is found in the opposite direction.
Also, a car-free zone and a park can be found not far from the proposed hypermarket. The site offers a great advantage as it can
be relatively accessed by people from residential area, countryside or Hampford.
MAP: CHANGES OVER SINGLE PERIOD
You should spend 20 minutes on this task.
The diagrams below show the changes that have taken place at Quen Mary town between 1995 and present
Model answer
The two maps show the development that has occurred in Quen Mary town, during the periods between 1995 and present.
As can be seen from the illustration, Queensmary town has witnessed major development at present, which led to
more houses and better facilities. [Highlighted words indicated parallel structure]
At present, additional houses have been constructed in the housing area. The road which used to run in between residential spot,
connected to the road running from north to south, has been extended to the west. Also, a leisure complex has now been
erected at the northeastern corner where the forest park and farmland used to be.
In the southeast portion, a car park has been built next the hotel which is located just off the intersection point of the two arterial
roads. Opposite the hotel, lies a café which remains relatively unchanged over time.
Meanwhile, to the south western area, a pier that once stood at the seafront in 1995 has now been removed at present. The fish
markets were turned into apartment complex, while the shop, just opposite it, were converted into restaurant
The maps below provide information about an island in 1995 and 2005
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparison where relevant.
Write 150 words
Five main changes:

A bridge has replace the car ferry to connect the mainland to the island.
A resort has been built where the beach was.
New houses have been built on the western side of the island.
A new road now runs from the houses in the south to the new houses and then continues to the beach to the north.
A tour boat now operates from the south to the seals in the north.
Model Answer
The two maps show changes in an island during the periods between 1995 and 2005.
There have been several changes during that time which has led to more buildings, better infrastructure and quicker access.
[Highlighted words indicated parallel structure]
In 2005, the island is now connected to the mainland by a bridge for easy access , whereas in 1995, a car ferry had to be used.
Also, the road network has been extended allowing cars to reach the west, going up north to the beach area and penguin
colony. Meanwhile, additional three houses were built in the western corner of the island.
In 1995, there were no resorts in the island, only two beaches. Ten years later, there is now large resort on the eastern side, not far
from the penguin’s colony. Furthermore, tourists can now visit the seals off the north-east corner of the island by taking a tour boat
which departs from the south of the island and sails around the island past the resort.
The diagram shows how the Liverton dock has changed since 1980.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparison where relevant.
Model answer
The illustration shows the changes of liverton dock between 1980 and now
As can be seen from the picture, liverton has transformed its function from wet dock to a residential and heritage area.
We can see that at present there is a ship museum relative to the ships that used to cruise the river in 1980. It is also noted that a
bridge has been built to connect the two sides of river, and a flood barrier has been created towards the coast.
Cranes which were used in 1980 no longer exist now.
On the north side of the river, the warehouse on the west has been converted into education centre, while the one on the east
has been removed to make way for kids’ playing area. A sailing club has been erected at the position where the crane used to
be in the past.On the south of the river, the warehouse has been transformed into apartments, which are on the right of a new
hotel and on the left of the parking area. Along the bank of the river, a river walk has been created.
MAP: CHANGES OVER DOUBLE PERIOD
The diagrams below show the changes that have taken place at Queen Mary Hospital since its construction in 1960.
Model answer
The picture shows Queen Mary Hospital at three different stages in its development: 1960, 1980 and 2000.
As can be seen from the image given, the hospital saw major development overtime which has led to more buildings and better
facilities.
In 1960, the hospital was build close to a main road and next to a shopping centre. A large area behind the hospital was turned
into a car park, while the area behind the shopping centre was farmland.
By 1980, the shopping centre had been demolished in order to make way for two additional hospital building which became a
pharmacy and a cancer centre. Also, the hospital gained the farmland and converted it into a nursing school.
In 2000, the main hospital building remained relatively unchanged, however the cancer centre was renovated and extended to
cover the entire nursing school. As a result of this, the original car park area was divided into two so that it provided a smaller car
park and a small nursing school. 160
The diagrams below show the changes that have taken place at Queen Mary Hospital since its construction in 1960.
The maps illustrates how the Meadowside village and Fonton, which is a neighbouring town, have developed over three different
time periods [1962, 1986 and the present].
As is observed from the illustration given, Meadowside village and Fonton increased in size and has become Meadowside Suburb
as it emerged together with Fonton. It is also noted that there have been significant changes which has led to quicker access
routes, better infrastructure, and more housing facilities over the period given.
In 1962, MEadowside and Fonton were completely separate with no roads or rail connecting them. While Fonton had a railway
line running through it to the north, Meadowside, located to the west of Fonton only had a small road from the west.
By 1985, there was a considerable growth in the size of Meadowside village and Fonton. The small road in the Meadowside village
had been converted into main road and was also extended to the west to connect with Fonton. Meadowside, moreover, had
also developed a housing estate in the west, a leisure complex and a supermarket in the south.
Currently, both Meadowside, which is now a suburb, and Fonton are joined. The railway line which runs through Fonton has been
extended to the west; here a train station has been built. To the north of the station, a hotel has been constructed and opposite
the station to the south, there is now a business park.
LINE GRAPH
BUILDING COMPLEX SENTENCE
The number of Japanese tourist who travelled abroad increased. [basic fact]
Basic fact +adverb+figure approximation along with figures being estimated+ span of time + ending clause.
Pattern #1
The number of Japanese tourist who travelled abroad increased dramatically from just under 5 million to around 15
million between 1985 and 1995, a rise of about 10 million in 10 years.
[33 words]
Pattern #2
There was a dramatic increase in the number of Japanese tourists who travelled abroad from just under 5 million to
around 15 million between 1985 and 1995, a rise of about 10 million in 10 years. [37 words]

Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information in the graph below.
Sample answer
The line graph elucidates information on the number of X disease cases in Someland during the periods between the years 1960
and 1995.
It is evident from the data given that the number of cases of the disease increased fairly rapidly until the mid seventies, remained
constant for around a decade at 500 cases before the disease was totally eradicated in Someland in the late 80s.
In 1960, the figure for the number of x disease incidence stood at approximately 100. It hovered at that figure until 1965 before it
rose markedly to 200 by 1970. This was followed by another increase, although sharply, in 1975 to 500 cases. At this point, the
number of cases experienced a period of stability until1980.
In the succeeding years, the trend went into a declining pattern. In 1985, the cases declined at around 300 before it plummeted to
zero by 1990. From 1988 to 1995 Someland was free of the disease.
The chart below gives information about “Istanbul Promo plus” sales in 2007. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting
the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words
model answer:
The line graph elucidates information on the Promo Plus sales in Istanbul in the year of 2007.
It is evident from the data given that the sales experienced a period of major instability throughout the year, with highs in march
and lows in july and september
In the first month of 2007, Promo Plus sales stood at 200 million turkish lira . it slightly rose to about 225 million in February and was
succeeded by another increase, although much steeper, when sales peaked at 350 M Turkish Lira in march.
However, the trend of succeeding months of the year was reversed. Promo sales gradually declined hitting low at 100 million in
July. Apart from significant rise back in august, to the figure where it began in January, it dropped again in September to the
same figure in July. October came with a small increase of about 100 million in sales, hovering at that figure until November. It
ended the period with a figure of approximately 198 M lira in December.
The line graph shows Paris Metro station passengers. Summarise the information by selecting and report in the main features, and
make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words
Model answer:
The line-graph elucidates information on the number of people using a metro station in Paris over a given day of week.
It is evident from the data given that the greatest number of passenger gathers in the station early in the morning and evening.
To begin, approximately 100 passengers gather at the paris metro station At 6:00, This figure rises sharply reaching a peak of 400 at
8 am. Just after the morning peak, there is a steady drop from 300 at 9 am to 200 at 10 am. After a brief rise back at 11 am, the
number of passengers increases to hit at 300 at 12nn, hovering at that figure until 1400.
meanwhile In the afternoon, there is a decline in the number of citizens using the station to just 80 at 4 pm. interestingly, a pattern
can be observed from 1600 to 1900 similar to that of the morning between 600 and900. However the number of passenger quickly
drops to 120 by 2000. After the figure rises again at 2100, the number tails off again to 120 at 10 pm.
The line graph below shows changes in the amount and type of fast food consumed by Australian teenagers from 1975 to 2000.
Model answer 1
The line graph elucidates information on the amount of fast food consumed by Australian teenagers during the periods between
1975 and 2000.
It is evident from the data given that fish and chips was the most popular food among Australian teenagers, being eaten at 100
times a year in 1975.This figure was far higher than pizza and hamburgers, which were consumed approximately 5 times a year.
However, apart from a brief rise again from 1980 to 1985, the consumption of fish and chips gradually declined over the
succeeding 25 year timescale to finish at just under 40 times per year in 2000.
In stark contrast, teenagers ate the other two fast foods at much higher levels. Pizza consumption increased gradually until it
overtook the consumption of fish and chips in 1990. It then leveled off to approximately 85 from 1995 to 2000.
Meanwhile, the biggest rise was seen in hamburgers, increasing sharply throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s, exceeding fish and
chips consumption in 1985. It finished at the same level where fish and chips began, with consumption at 100 times a year.
Model answer 2
The line graph elucidates information on the amount of fast food consumed by Australian teenagers during the periods between
1975 and 2000.
It is evident from the data given that the consumption of fish and chips declined over the period, while the amount of pizza and
hamburgers that were eaten increased.
In 1975, the figure for fish and chips started out at 100. This was far higher than pizza and hamburger which were consumed 5 times
per year. However, apart from a brief rise from 1980 to 1985, the consumption of fish and chips declined gradually over the
succeeding 25 year timescale to finish at just under 40 times per year in 2000.
In contrast to this, Pizza was the least consumed food by teenagers in 1975, at around 8 times annually. It rose gradually and
corresponded with the consumption of fish and chips in 1990. It leveled off to around 85 times from 1995 to 2000.
Meanwhile, the significant rise was seen in hamburgers, increasing sharply throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s, overlapping fish and
chips consumption in 1995. It finished the same level that fish and chips began, with consumption at 100 times per year.
Complete the answer by filling the gaps with a word or phrase from the box below.
The line graph elucidates information on the average daily viewing figures for Channel One News over a 12-month period.
It is evident from the data given that the 6 pm news series had by far the highest number of viewers throughout the year. From 4.8
million viewers per day at the start of the year, the number viewers fluctuated in a declining manner, to finish the period at
approximately 3.4 million viewers in December. By contrast, 1pm News remained fairly stable, hovering at around 1.3 million
throughout the entire year.
For the 9:30 News, it gradually increased from 3.2 million viewers per day in January to a peak of 3.8 million in May. Meanwhile,
this month saw the introduction of the 11pm News, and the figure for the 9:30 News dropped gradually, hitting a low-point of 1.1
million in August. In the same period, the figure for the 11pm news surged from 0.2 million to 4.1 million. However, at this point, the
trend was reversed. From August onwards, the figure for the 9:30 news grew steadily, reaching 3 million by the end of the year,
whereas on the other hand, the figure for the 11pm News declined considerably finishing the period at around 1 million mark..
The graph below shows the number of books read by men and women at Burnaby Public Library from
2011 to 2014.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where
relevant.
Model answer
The graph gives information on how many library books people read at Burnaby Public Library between
2011 and 2014.
As can be seen from the graph, there were different trends for men and women. The number of books
read by men increased steadily between 2011 and 2012, from about 3000 to 4000. After that, the
number rose dramatically to 14000 books in 2014. This was the highest figure in the period.
Women started off reading more books than men, but their numbers followed a different pattern.
Between 2011 and 2012, there was an increase of 3000 from 5000 books to 8000 books, and then a
gradual rise to 10000 books in 2013. However, in 2014, their numbers fell back to 8000 again.
Overall, there was a strong upward trend in the number of books read by men. Although women read
more books than men in 2011, their reading fell to below the level of men in 2014.
(162 words)
You should spend 20 minutes on this task

The graph below shows waste recycling rates in the U.S. from 1960 to 2011.
The graph depicts waste recycling rates in the U.S. from 1960 to 2011, in both percentage and tons.
it is evident from the data given that the percentage of garbage being recycled annually remained relatively
steady at just over 6% between 1960 and 1970. It then rose slightly over the next 15 years to 10.1% in 1985.
On the other hand, the amount of garbage being recycled tripled during the same period, from 5.6 million tons in
1960 to 16.7 million tons in 1985. Following this sharp increase, the amount of waste material being recycled has
risen significantly between 1985 and 2011 when it peaked at 86.9 million tons.
Similarly, the recycling rate continued to grow sharply from 1985 to 1995, and then at a slower rate over the next 15
years until it reached a peak of 34.7% in 2011. However, this figure is still disappointing compared to the total
amount of waste being recycled each year.
(150 words)
The graph below gives information about international tourist arrivals in five countries.
Model answer
The line graph elucidates the numbers of tourist arrivals in five different countries [namely brazil, Egypt, Malaysia,
france and USA] between 1995 and 2010. It is evident from the data given that the number of tourist arrivals of the
five countries shows an upward trend.
In 1995, over 70 million tourists visited the United States, more than twice as many as the next most popular
destination shown, France. However, between 2005 and 2010 there was a slight decrease of approximately 1.5
million in the number of visitors going to the United States, whereas there was an increase of nearly 20 million tourists
visiting France. As a result, both the United States and France finished the period at around 90 million each.
Meanwhile, the number of tourists visiting in Malaysia rose steadily over the whole period and ended at under 50
million in 2010. The countries with the fewest tourist arrivals were Brazil and Egypt. The number of tourists going there
was similar between 1995 and 2000, however, there was a greater increase in tourists going to Egypt than to Brazil
from 2005 to 2010. Egypt finished just below 20 M while Brazil at 15 M.
The line graph below gives information about the number of visitors to three London museums between June and September 2013.
Test Tip
Check the horizontal axis to find whether the graph refers to past, present, future or all three.
We use the present simple to describe the graph: The graph shows … , We can see …
If the graph refers to past period of time, we use the past simple, and if the graph includes future times, we use will or it is predicted that.
Look at the line graph and complete the text with the correct forms of the verbs in brackets and the correct prepositions.
The line graph elucidates information on the number of people who visited three museums in London in the summer
of 2013.
It is evident from the data given that the British museum was the most popular destination among visitors in london,
being visited at 600 times a year in june. However, apart from a brief rise in july at around 750 visitors, the figure
gradually declined hitting low at 500 in august. However, it was succeeded by significant increase finishing at 650
in September.
By contrast, the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum received fewer visitors. The number of people
who visited the Science Museum dropped gradually from 400 thousand to 300 from June to August, and then rose
to 450 thousand in September. It is also noted that the trend for the Natural History Museum was similar. There was a
sharp drop in visitors between month of June and July from 550 to 400. It hovered at that figure until August before it
increased gradually increased to finish at 460 in September.
The bar chart below shows the percentage of students who passed their high school competency
exams, by subject and gender, during the period 2010-2011.
relevant.
Students passing high school competency exams, by subject and gender, 2010-2011
*includes French, German and Spanish
Model answer
The graph shows the percentages of boys and girls who were successful in their high school
competency exams in the period from 2010 to 2011, by subject.
Overall, students of both sexes did/performed their best in Computer Science, Mathematics, and
Foreign Languages, including French, German and Spanish. Results for boys and girls were roughly
comparable/equivalent/equal/the same in Computer Science and Mathematics. In other
subjects,however, there were some significant differences.
Girls achieved by far their best results in Computer Science, with a pass rate of 56.3%, which was
considerably 14% higher than the boys. The difference was even greater in Chemistry, where more than
16% girls passed. The (only/one/single)subject where boys’ results were better than girls
was Geography where they achieved a pass rate of 30.4%, which was 10% higher than that/the
figure/the percentage/the pass rate/the resultfor girls.
In general, we can (say/see)/the statistics show that during the period in question girls performed better
in most subjects in the competency exams than boys.
The column graph elucidates information on the proportion of male and female students who passed their
competency exams in seven different subjects[ physics, chemistry, history, geography, foreign languages,
mathematics and computer science]
It is evident from the data given that the girls in the secondary school level and did their best in majority of the subjects in
comparison to boys who only excelled in one field.
To egin, girls achieved by far the best results in science with pass rate of 60 per cent which is 10 % higher than the boys do.
Likewise in the subject chemistry, females attained twofolds of passing rate[30%] compared to that of the males[15%]
Meanwhile, in foreign languages and mathematics, the girls passing rate exceeded the boys y 1 %. A similar pattern is also noted
in physics and history, where boys results were outran by girls at 2%
Interestingly the only subject where boys were better than girls is geography, where they incurred a pass rate somewhere in the
vicinity of 30% which is approximately 10% higher than girls rate.
The bar chart below gives information about the number of students studying Computer Science at a UK university between 2010
and 2012.
Model answer
The bar chart illustrates the number of male and female students studying Computer Science at a UK university over three years. It
also indicates whether they were home or international students. Compared to the number of home students, the number of
international students was significantly smaller. Nevertheless, there was clear statistical growth in the latter group from 2010-2012.
Furthermore, the number of female home students eventually overtook the number of males from the same group, reaching a
high of 45 in 2012.
The year 2011 saw the most dramatic developments; the number of male home students fell from just below 40 to 24 and the
number of females rose from 32 to 44. There was also significant growth in the number of male students from overseas, climbing
from 20 in 2010 to 39 in 2012. Overall, we can see an upward trend in the number of students at the university.
(150 words)
The bar chart below shows shares of expenditures for five major categories in the United States, Canada,
the United Kingdom, and Japan in the year 2009.
Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information below.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Test Tip
In Writing Task 1, it is a good idea to end your answer by summarizing the main information shown by the
diagram. You are not required to explain this information.
Read the following sample answer. Complete the answer by filling the gaps with the words in the box.
The bar chart compares how consumers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Japan
allocated different shares of total spending to categories such as food, housing, and transportation in
2009.
We can see that the United States had the highest housing expenditure share, 26% of total expenditures
in 2009. The United Kingdom and Japan followed, with 24% and 22%, respectively. Canada had
the lowest housing share at 21%. Housing was the largest expenditure component in all
countries except Japan.
By contrast, Canada had the largest transportation share of all four countries at 20%. The United States
and the United Kingdom had the next-highest transportation shares, 17% and 15%, respectively. Japan
had the lowest, at 10%.
However, in Japan, consumers spent 23% of their total expenditures on food in 2009. The United
Kingdom had the second-highest share at 20%. Canada, with 15%, and the United States, with 14% had
the lowest food expenditure shares among the countries studied.
Overall, the data indicates that housing and health care shares of total expenditures were higherin the
United States than in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Japan in 2009, whereas Americans had the
lowest clothing share. Canada had the highest clothing and transportation shares, and Japan had the
highest food share, among the countries compared.
(214 words)
The chart below gives information about the UK's ageing population in 1985 and makes predictions for
2035.
relevant.
Source: Office for National Statistics, National Records of Scotland, Northern Ireland Statistics and
Research Agency
Exam Tip
In Writing Task 1, it is essential to understand what the graph or chart is representing. Look closely at the information
in the instructions as well as all details of the graph or chart.
The graph in this task shows the percentage of over 65s in each country of the UK.
The following are incorrect statements:
Wales had more over 65s than England. (The graph is in percentages, not numbers)
Northern Ireland had 12% of over 65s in 1985. (The countries do not add up to 100% so Northern Ireland did not have
12% of all over 65s. The graph shows that 12% of the population of Northern Ireland was over 65.)
Model answer
The graph shows how the size and distribution of the UK's ageing population is likely to change over a
50-year period. The information is segregated on the basis of countries – England, Wales, Scotland,
Northern Ireland and UK.
Overall, the proportions are predicted to increase in all UK countries. In 1985, 15 per cent of the UK
population was over 65, but by 2035, this will account for 23 per cent of the total population.
A closer look at the data reveals that the ageing population is expected to rise more in some parts of
the UK than in other. In 1985, Wales had the highest percentage of people aged 65 and over, at 16 per
cent. The second-largest group could be found in England and the third in Scotland. Northern Ireland
had lowest proportion, with 12 per cent aged 65 and over.
By 2035, Wales is still going to have by far the greatest percentage of over 65s, with figures likely to
reach 26 per cent. However, the biggest increases in this age group, relative to the rest of the
population, are predicted to occur in Northern Ireland and Scotland. In Northern Ireland, for example,
this figure will increase almost double to 23 per cent.
(189 words)

The graph below shows female unemployment rates in each country of the United Kingdom in 2013 and
2014.
relevant.
Model answer
The bar chart shows the unemployment rates among women in the countries that make up the United
Kingdom, both in 2013 and in 2014. There has generally been a small decrease in female
unemployment rates from 2013 to 2014, except in Scotland.
In 2013, 5.6% of women in Northern Ireland were unemployed. The only country with a smaller
percentage of women unemployed was Wales, with a rate of 5.4%. Both countries saw a decrease in
the percentage of unemployed women in 2014. In Northern Ireland, the percentage fell to 4.6% and in
Wales it fell to 5%.
England had the greatest percentage of unemployed women in 2013, with 6.8%. However, this
decreased by 0.3% in 2014. Lastly, Scotland was the only country which had an increasing percentage
of unemployed women. In 2013, it had 6.1% of women out of work. This increased to 6.7% in 2014,
making it the country with the highest female unemployment rate of the four countries.
(160 words)
Sample task
Analysing the key details:
Don’t look at the whole chart, look at the x axis and the y axis separately
The first step is to analyse the chart – carefully. Don’t rush this stage. One way to do this is by asking yourself questions. One tip is to look at the y
(vertical) and x (horizontal) axes one by one to see if you can see any patterns and/or exceptions. It can be very confusing of you look at the chart
as a whole. As you do this, it is normally a good idea to look at the extremes as these are almost always key details.
Test yourself:
Ask yourself if the lines look similar, different or the same
Try this brief quiz to analyse the y axis. As you go through the test, you should notice how I ask simple questions. What is the biggest? Are they the
same, different or similar? Does any one bar look different from the rest? Remember that you are looking for patterns.
OVERVIEW
My conclusion from this is that we must state:
hotels were the most common form of accommodation at over 50%
self-catering was second most popular (just below 30%) but there is one major exception
caravan and camping holidays were typically least popular (around 10%) but again there was an exception
England, Scotland and Wales follow a broadly similar pattern (Scotland is only slightly different)
the popularity of caravanning in Northern Ireland needs to be highlighted
ORGANIZE
Organising the report – choose the simplest option
There is always more than one way to organise a report. In the exam you are under time pressure, so it makes sense to choose the simplest option.
Here the 2 main choices you have are:
go through each type of accommodation (the y axis option)
go through the countries (the x axis option)
My choice would be to use the countries. There are only 4 of them and 3 of those are very similar and it seems natural and easy to group England,
Scotland and Wales together. Northern Ireland is the odd one out.
This bar chart shows the results of a survey on whether people in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland
and Wales stayed in hotels, caravans, campsites or self-catering accommodation when they went on
holiday in 2010.
“The most striking feature of the chart is that in all four countries the majority of people chose to stay in
hotels. This figure was highest in England at around 55%, almost twice the number of people who
cooked for themselves (27% of the sample) and far greater than the number who stayed in campsites
(12%) and finally caravans (6%).
A similar pattern was repeated for the Scots and the Welsh. In each case, around 50% of holidaymakers
went to hotels with around 30% in self-catering apartments. The one difference being that caravan
holidays at 12% were twice as popular than camping holidays in Scotland, while the opposite pattern
could be seen in Wales.
The one country that shows a different pattern is Northern Ireland. It is notable how there just over 30% of
the population chose caravan holidays in preference to self-catering accommodation and camping
(both around 12%).”
The chart shows the division of household tasks by gender in Great Britain.
Write a report for a university lecture describing the information shown below.
You should write at least 150 words.
Study these three sentences and then write three similar sentences about other parts of the chart.
1. Women spend over twice as much time doing kitchen tasks as men.
2. Men spend 30 minutes a day doing kitchen tasks whereas / while women spend 74 minutes a day.
3. Women are more active in the kitchen than men (74 minutes a day for women as opposed to 30 minutes for men).
Sample Report
Look at the following sample answer to the writing task.
Write a word in each space.
The chart shows the average number of minutes per day men and women in Great Britain spend on jobs around the house.
In total, men spend just over two-and-a-half hours on household tasks whereas women spend slightly less than four hours. Women
spend more than twice as much time doing kitchen tasks such as cooking and washing up as men (74 minutes for women as
opposed to 30 minutes for men. Women are also more active in cleaning the house- it takes 58 minutes of their day compared to
/ with 13 minutes for men - and childcare, where women put in more than twice as much time as men.
On the other hand, men are more active in gardening and pet care, where they spend twice as long as women, and
maintenance and DIY, on which they spend 15 minutes more than women. Women account for almost all the time spent on
washing and ironing clothes. This takes them 25 minutes, while / whereas men spend just 2 minutes on this task.
Overall the figures show that women spend more time on routine domestic chores than men, while / whereas men do more
household maintenance, gardening and pet care.
The chart below shows information about Heart Attacks by Age and Gender in USA.
model answer:
The graph shows how age and gender influence the frequency of heart attacks in the US.
Less than 6% of all heart attacks occur in the 29-44 age group. The number of women who suffer heart attacks in this group is
negligible - only 3000 per year, compared to 123,000 men.
However the proportion of men and women with heart attacks rises dramatically between 45 and 64, with over half a million per
year. Over 420,000 men a year in this age group have heart attacks. The incidence amongst women increases - women have one
heart attack for every three men in this age group.
Over the age of 65, the number of men suffering heart attacks only increases slightly. However there is a huge increase in the
number of women with heart attacks - they comprise over 40% of all victims.
In conclusion, men are more likely to be the victims of heart attacks at all ages, but women are increasingly likely over the age of
65.
The bar chart shows the scores of teams A, B and C over four different seasons.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where
relevant.
IELTS Bar Graph - Model Answer

The bar chart shows the scores of three teams, A, B and C, in four consecutive seasons.
It is evident from the chart that team B scored far higher than the other two teams over the seasons,
though their score decreased as a whole over the period.
In 2002, the score of team B far exceeded that of the other two teams, standing at a massive 82 points
compared to only 10 for team C and a very low 5 for team A. Over the next two years, the points for
team B decreased quite considerably, dropping by around half to 43 by 2004. In contrast, team A’s
points had increased by a massive 600% to reach 35 points, nearly equal to team B. Team C,
meanwhile, had managed only a small increase over this time. In the final year, team B remained
ahead of the others as their points increased again to 55, while team A and C saw their points drop to 8
and 5 respectively.
(Words 168)

The chart shows British Emigration to selected destinations between 2004 and 2007.
relevant.
IELTS Bar Chart Model Answer

The bar chart shows the number of British people who emigrated to five destinations over the period
2004 to 2007.
It is evident from the chart that throughout the period, the most popular place to move to was Australia.
Emigration to Australia stood at just over 40,000 people in 2004, which was approximately 6,000 higher
than for Spain, and twice as high as the other three countries. Apart from a jump to around 52,000 in
2006, it remained around this level throughout the period.
The next most popular country for Britons to move to was Spain, though its popularity declined over the
time frame to finish at below 30,000 in 2007. Despite this, the figure was still higher than for the remaining
three countries. Approximately 20,000 people emigrated to New Zealand each year, while the USA
fluctuated between 20-25,000 people over the period.
Although the number of visitors to France spiked to nearly 35,000 in 2005, it was the country that was the
least popular to emigrate to at the end of the period, at just under 20,000 people.
(Words 179)
The following bar chart shows the different modes of transport used to travel to and from work in one
European city in 1960, 1980 and 2000.
relevant.
IELTS Bar Chart - Model Answer

The bar chart shows the changing patterns of transport use in a European city during the period
from 1960 to 2000. In brief, the chart shows that the use of the car as a means of transport dramatically
increased over the period shown, while the others fell.
In detail, in 1960 the motor car was used least as a method of transport with only about 7% of the
population using this method but car use grew steadily and strongly to finally reach about 37% of the
population by 2000. This was a massive 5-fold increase in use.
Over this same period, however, the popularity of walking, which had been the most popular means of
transport with 35% of the population in 1960 having it as their preferred way of getting around, fell to
10%. Bicycle use also fell from a high of about 27% in 1960 to just 7% in 2000.
On the other hand, bus use was more erratic being popular with almost 20% of the population in 1960
and rising to a peak of about 27% in 1980 before falling back to about 18% in 2000.
(188 Words)
The table below highlights data on the number of travelers using three major German airports between
2007 and 2012.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where
relevant.
Airport visitors, 2007-2012 (millions of travelers per year)
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Dusseldorf 27.2 36.4 48.2 37.1 33.2 45.6
Frankfurt 36.5 41.9 44.4 47.3 51.1 69.3
Berlin Tegel 17.3 26.6 39.9 43.3 43.3 43.3
model answer:
The table elucidates information about how many people visited Germany through three major airports, over a
five-year period, there was a fluctuant trend in the number of travelers who travelled via Dusseldorf, while the other
two airports saw an upward trend. Another interesting point is that Frankfurt airport was the most popular at the
end.
Looking at the detail, the number of passengers at Dusseldorf started at 27.2m in 2007, and then increased
remarkably to reach the highest point of 48.2m in 2009. In 2011, the figure dipped to 33.2m. At the last year, there
was a slight growth to 45.6m. On the other hand, Frankfort began at 36.5m in 98, after that it rose remarkably for the
next three years, at 47.3m. In 2012, Frankfort hit the peak point at 69.3m passengers.
However, if we look at Berlin Tegal airport, it started at the lowest point of 17.3m travelers in the first year. After this
point, the trend increased significantly to 43.3m passengers.
(165 words)
The Table below shows the results of a survey that asked 6800 Scottish adults (aged 16 years and over)
whether they had taken part in different cultural activities in the past 12 months.
relevant.
Participation in cultural activities, by age
All aged 16
16-24 25-44 45-74
and over
% % % %
Any performance* 35 22 17 22
Undertaking any crafts 11 17 22 19
Cultural purchases 11 17 18 16
Any visual arts 30 16 11 15

Any writing 17 6 5 7
Computer based 10 9 5 6
* Dancing, singing, playing musical instruments and acting
IELTS Tip
Begin with an introductory statement, e.g. The table/graph shows…
Don’t try to describe every detail. Look for significant features, e.g. the biggest change, the overall trend, etc.
Don’t speculate about reasons for trends. Stick to the facts.
End with a comment on general trends, e.g. From this evidence we can conclude that…
Model answer
The table shows details of participation in a variety of cultural activities over a year, according to the
age of the participants.
Overall, any performance, which includes dancing, singing, playing musical instruments and acting,
had the highest level of participation, with 22% of respondents participating in the previous 12 months.
By contrast, computer based activities had the lowest level of participation (6 per cent).
People aged between 45 and 74 years old were most likely to undertake any activity to do with crafts
(22 per cent), while performances were more likely to be participated in by those aged 16 to 24 (35 per
cent). The differences between age groups were particularly marked in the case of visual arts and
writing categories, where participation rates were around three times higher for younger people than
for the older ones. It is clear from the evidence that age plays a significant role in the popularity of the
cultural activities listed.
(157 words)

The following table gives statistics showing the aspects of quality of life in five countries.
Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information in the table below.
Table: The Quality of Life in Four Countries
COUNTRY GNP PER HEAD DAILY CALORIE LIFE EXPECTANCY AT INFANT MORTALITY
(1982: US SUPPLY PER HEAD BIRTH (YEARS) (PER 1000 LIVE BIRTHS
DOLLARS)
Bangladesh 140 1877 40 132
Bolivia 570 2086 50 124
Egypt 690 2950 56 97
Indonesia 580 2296 49 87
USA 13160 3653 74 12
What is the table measuring?

What type of language do you need to use (Change? Comparing and contrasing?)
What tense would you use?
Which country has the best quality of life and which has the worst?
What information could you use for an overview / conclusion?
How could you group the information?
How many paragraphs would you have and what you would write about in each one?
Making a Plan
You should always ask yourself these kind of questions before you write your task one. You can then use the answer to these questions to make
yourself a quick plan.
Here are some notes made by a student during the planning stage:
Topic Standard living of 5 countries

Language Comparison
Time 1982
Tense Simple past
Overview USA far higher
Group trends USA highest
Egypt/Indo/Bol similar
Bangladesh very low
Now, take a look at this IELTS table model answer and notice how the organization matches the plan. The groups chosen that are similar are
grouped together into paragraphs.
The language is focused on the language of comparison and contrast as the table is not over time. The compare and contrast structures have been
highlighted so you can see how they are used.
Is it similar to the way you would have organized the information? Take a look at the sample answer
Sample Answer
The table uses four economic indicators to show the standard of living in five selected countries in 1982.
Overall, it can be seen that the quality of life in the USA was far higher than the other four countries.
To begin, the USA, which is a sdeveloped country, had the highest GNP at 13,160 dollars per head. It
also had a much higher daily calorie intake and life expectancy, and the lowest rate of infant mortality.
The other developing countries had quality of life ratings that were significantly lower. The range of
indicators for Egypt, Indonesia and Bolivia were similar, with Egypt having the highest quality of life
amongst the three. However, the infant mortality rate in Egypt’s was slightly higher than Indonesia’s at
97 deaths per 1000 compared to 78 in Indonsssesia.
Bangladesh had by far the lowest quality of life in all the indicators. Its GNP was one hundred times
smaller than the USA’s. Its calorie intake and life expectancy were about half those of the USA, and its
infant mortality rate was 10 times greater. Words 178

The table illustrates the proportion of monthly household income five European countries spend on food
and drink, housing, clothing and entertainment.
relevant.
Proportion of household income five European countries spend on food and drink, housing, clothing and
entertainment.
Food and
Housing Clothing Entertainment
drink
France 25% 31% 7% 13%
Germany 22% 33% 15% 19%
UK 27% 37% 11% 11%
Turkey 36% 20% 12% 10%
Spain 31% 18% 8% 15%
IELTS Tables - Model Answer
The table shows the amount of household income that five countries in Europe spend per month on four
items.
Overall, it is evident that all five countries spend the majority of their income on food and drink and
housing, but much less on clothing and entertainment.
Housing is the largest expenditure item for France, Germany and the UK, with all of them spending
around one third of their income on this, at 30%, 33% and 37%, respectively. In contrast, they spend
around a quarter on food and drink. However, this pattern is reversed for Turkey and Spain, who spend
around a fifth of their income on housing, but approximately one third on food and drink.
All five countries spend much less on the remaining two items. France and Spain spend the least, at less
than 10%, while the other three countries spend around the same amount, ranging between 13% and
15%. At 19%, Germany spends the most on entertainment, whereas UK and Turkey spend approximately
half this amount, with France and Spain between the two.
(175 Words)
The table below shows the worldwide market share of the notebook computer market for manufacturers
in the years 2006 and 2007.
relevant.
Company 2006 % Market Share 2007 % Market Share
HP 31.4 34
Dell 16.6 20.2
Acer 11.6 10.7
Toshiba 6.2 7.3
Lenovo 6.6 6.2
Fujitsu-Siemens 4.8 2.3
Others 22.8 19.3
Total 100 100
The table gives information on the market share of notebook computer manufacturers for two
consecutive years, 2006 and 2007.
In both years, HP was clearly the market leader, selling 31.4% of all notebook computers in 2006, and
slightly more (34%) in 2007. This is a greater market share than its two closest competitors, Dell and Acer,
added together.
Dell increased its market share from 16.6% in 2006 to 20.2% in 2007. In contrast, Acer saw its share of the
market decline slightly from 11.6% to 10.7%.
The other companies listed each had a much smaller share of the market. Toshiba’s share increased
from 6.2% in 2006 to 7.3% in 2007, whereas Lenovo’s decreased slightly from 6.6% to 6.2%. Fujitsu-
Siemens’ share more than halved from 2006 to 2007: from 4.8% of the market to only 2.3%.
Other notebook computer manufacturers accounted for 22.8% of the market in 2006 – more than all the
companies mentioned except HP. However, in 2007 the other companies only made 19.3% of notebook
computer sales – less than both HP and Dell.
(174 words)
The pie chart below shows the main reasons why agricultural land becomes less productive. The table
shows how these causes affected three regions of the world during the 1990s.
Summarize the in formation by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where
relevant.
» You should write at least 150 words.
Sample Answer 1:
The given information shows the main reasons of lands get less productive and also shows the effect of
land losing its productivity in three different regions of the world during 1990s.
As is presented in the graphs, over-grazing & deforestation are two main reasons for lands becoming
less productive and these two reasons contribute to 65% of this short of less productivity of lands.
Another important reason for lands are getting less productive is over cultivations which is 28% reason for
this effect. All other reasons cause 7% of this decreased productivity of land.
The reasons for which the lands degraded vary region to region and according to the table data,
European lands are getting less productive by 23% in 1990s because of deforestation, over-cultivation
and over-grazing. Deforestation was the major reason why the European lands got less productive and
it was 9.8% while two other reasons were around 5% to 7%. In Oceana region which comprised a large
portion of South Pacific Islands, Australia and New Zealand had 13% decrease of land’s procuring
capability and over-cultivation was not the reason there. Finally North American countries were less
affected (only 5%) for those man created reasons of land’s decrease in productivity.
Sample Answer 2:
given are two figures concerning land degradation. The pie chart elucidates information on land
degradation, while the table compares the land affected by those causes in three different causes in
three different parts of the world [namely n.america, Europe and oceania] in the periods 1990.
As is presented in the pie chart, Overgrazing and deforestation are the predominant reasons for losing
productivity of land which accounted to 65% when combined. This was followed by man-made activity
overcultivation which is responsible for degrading land up to 28% almost four times larger in proportion
the other factors.
Meanwhile, according to the data given in the table in 1990 the land in Europe degraded to much
extent totaling to 23% as compared to the other two regions. The man cause for this was deforestation
which contributed 9.8% of land, five time greater than oceania. However, deforestation in n.america
was less observed at 0.2% only
Interestingly, overcultivation had no effect on the islands of southern pacific region. Nervertheless, the
proportion of the two remained between 3 to 8% overgrazing was less common in n.america however
almost 10 times greater than oceania
The diagrams below show UK students' responses to the question of to what extent would they describe themselves as financially
organised.
Very organised %
All students 21
Age up to 22 years 18
Age 23-25 years 26
Age over 26 years 35
Source: http://www.unite-group.co.uk/binaries/MungoBlobs-1350377092294.pdf
Test Tip
In IELTS Writing Task 1, you do not need to describe all the information given. To summarise, you must select the main features from
what is shown. Information is often given in the form of a graph, a chart, or a table. Read any headings, key and sources for the
data to understand what it relates to. The data may show differences or changes over time, between places, or between groups
of people. Try to identify significant contrasts, similarities, or trends.
Model answer
The two diagrams show students' responses to the question of how good they are at managing their finances.
The pie chart illustrates the ability of UK students to manage their finances and the table shows the proportion of students, by age,
who think they are very organised at managing their finances.
More than three-quarters of students (76%) believe they are either ‘very’ or ‘fairly’ organised financially, while one in five (20%) say
they are not very organised in this area. Only 4% of students rate themselves as ‘not at all’ competent.
The ability to manage one’s finances well would seem to develop with age and experience as older students are almost twice as
likely to say they are ‘very’ organised than younger ones (31% of students aged 26 or over compared to just 17% for those aged
up to 22).
Overall, the findings suggest that students generally manage their finances well.

The pie charts below show the average household expenditures in Japan and Malaysia in the year
2010.
relevant.
Average Household Expenditures by Major Category
Read the following model answer. Complete the answer by filling the gaps with a word from the box below.
main but than higher
smallest in contrast compared with lower
higher overall indicates while
Model answer
The pie charts show the proportion of money spent on various household expenses in Malaysia and
Japan in 2010.
We can see that in Malaysia the greatest proportion of expenditure (34%) was on housing, while in
Japan housing accounted for just 21% of the total. In contrast, in Japan the greatest single expense was
other goods and services at 29%, compared with 26% in Malaysia. Food came in second place in
Japan, at 24%, while in Malaysia the actual proportion was higher (27%). In Japan another major
expense was transport, at 20%, but this was much lower In Malaysia (10%). In both countries
the smallest percentage of expenditure was on health care.
Overall, the data indicates that in both cases food, housing and other goods and services were
themain expenses, but that in Japan, transport and other goods and services took up
a higherproportion of total expenditure than in Malaysia.
The two graphs show the main sources of energy in the USA in the 1980s and the 1990s.
Write a report for a university lecturer describing the changes which occurred.
» Write at least 150 words.
Sample Answer:
The given pie charts shows data on the main energy sources in the United States of America for two
decades. As is presented in the pie charts, oil was the main energy source for the USA both on 80s and
90s.
According to the given data, oil was the main energy source in the USA which was 42% in 1980. The
second largest energy source in this decade was the natural gas which supplied 26% of total energy in
the same period. Then coal supplied more than 20 percent energy demand in USA while hydroelectric
power and Nuclear power both supplied 5% of the total energy.
In the next decade, the Nuclear power produced one tenth of total energy demand and that was
almost double that it was in the previous decade. The hydroelectric power as an energy source
remained unchanged as it provided 5% of total energy demand in this decade also. The two other
main sources for energy in the USA remained almost unchanged in this decade and those two sources
were Coal and Natural Gas. Finally the use of oil as an energy sources reduced to 33%, which is almost
10% less than the previous decade, but remained the largest source albeit the reduction in this 90s
decade.
In summary, the use of oil and coal had reduced and their places as energy sources were replaced by
the use of Nuclear power in the USA.
The graphs show changes in spending habits of people in UK between 1971 and 2001.
Write a report to a university lecturer describing the data.
» Write at least 150 words.
Sample Answer:
The provided pie charts give information on the spending habits of UK citizens in 1971 and 2001. As is
observed from the charts, the expenditure on petrol & furniture reduced significantly while the amount
spent on computers increased.
Initially in 1971, British people spent 36% on petrol which was the highest percentage among the given
expense categories. Their expense on Furniture was second largest (32%) while they spent 25% on
restaurants. The least amount spent by them was in computer which was only 7% in this year.
After 30 years in 2001, the expense on petrol and furniture reduced to 8% which is significantly lower
than the percentage in 1971. But the expense on computers increased by 5% in 2001. People spent 1%
on books in this year. The expenses for restaurant decreased to 14% compared to the 25% in 1971 and
this is probably people spent more on food preparing at home. The highest amount spent in 2001 by UK
people was in car and that consist almost the half of the total expense in this year.
The pie charts show the average consumption of food in the world in 2008 compared to two countries;
China and India.
Write a report to a university lecturer describing the data.
» Write at least 150 words
Sample Answer:
The given pie charts show the average food consumption of the world and two countries with large
population namely China and India for the year 2008. As is observed from the given data, processed
food items were consumed in the highest percentage by the people than other food items.
According to the pie charts, people of the world as well as China and India ate processed food more
than any other food item. People ate almost 41% processed food in the world in 2008. This percentage
was higher in India than China. On an average 29% vegetable and fruits were consumed by the
people of the world while this percentage was 32% in China and 23% in India. Foods from animals were
the third largest consumed item and Indian ate more than world average. Nuts and seeds consumed in
India and China was much higher than the world average.
In summary, Indian ate more animal foods than Chinese while Chinese consumed more vegetables,
fruits and seeds items than the Indian. On an average, Indian population ate more animal foods and
seeds items than the world population while Chinese people ate more vegetable and seeds than rest of
the world.
Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information in the two graphs below.
» You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
Sample Answer :
The given pie charts compare the highest education level among women of someland in 50 years
duration.
As is observed from the given data, the women made remarkable progress in education over the 50
year’s period in someland.
Initially in 1945, more than one third women in someland did not have any schooling experience while
another one third could manage education till third grade only. Less than 1% women in this year
managed to get their graduation or post-graduation degree. This reflects the poor education level
among the female of someland in 1945.
After 50 years, the education level among women in someland remarkably improved and more than
50% women finished their first degree while 20% of them completed their post graduates. Remaining
women either finished their 12th grade education or studied till 9th grade. No women were left
unattended to school and that’s a remarkable progress for women in education in someland.
In conclusion, education level among women improved significantly over the

The pie chart shows the amount of money that a children's charity located in the USA spent and
received in one year.
relevant.
Revenue Sources and Expenditures of a USA Charity in one year.
Model Answer
The pie charts show the amount of revenue and expenditures over a year of a children’s charity in the
USA.
Overall, it can be seen that donated food accounted for the majority of the income, while program
services accounted for the most expenditure. Total revenue sources just exceeded outgoings.
In detail, donated food provided most of the revenue for the charity, at 86%. Similarly, with regard to
expenditures, one category, program services, accounted for nearly all of the outgoings, at 95.8%.
The other categories were much smaller. Community contributions, which were the second largest
revenue source, brought in 10.4% of overall income, and this was followed by program revenue, at 2.2%.
Investment income, government grants, and other income were very small sources of revenue,
accounting for only 0.8% combined.
There were only two other expenditure items, fundraising and management and general, accounting
for 2.6% and 1.6% respectively. The total amount of income was $53,561,580, which was just enough to
cover the expenditures of $53,224,896.
Words 164

The pie charts show the main reasons for migration to and from the UK in 2007.
relevant.
The pie charts illustrate the primary reasons that people came to and left the UK in 2007. At first glance
it is clear that the main factor influencing this decision was employment.
Having a definite job accounted for 30 per cent of immigration to the UK, and this figure was very similar
for emigration, at 29%. A large number of people, 22%, also emigrated because they were looking for a
job, though the proportion of people leaving the UK for this purpose was noticeably lower at less than a
fifth.
Another major factor influencing a move to the UK was for formal study, with over a quarter of people
immigrating for this reason. However, interestingly, only a small minority, 4%, left for this.
The proportions of those moving to join a family member were quite similar for immigration and
emigration, at 15% and 13% respectively. Although a significant number of people (32%) gave ‘other’
reasons or did not give a reason why they emigrated, this accounted for only 17% with regards to
immigration. 173 words
The chart and graph below give information about sales and share prices for Coca-Cola.

» You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
Sample Answer :
The given pie chart and line graphs show the data on sales volume and share price of Coca-Cola. As is
given in the illustration, in the year 2000, Coca-Cola was sold most in America where it had more than
55% sales volume. The share price of Coca-Cola was highest in 1998 and reached to around 55 in 2001
with some fluctuation.
As is presented in the pie chart, in 2000, Coca-Cola had more than 55% sales in Latin and North
America. In Europe it had more than 20% sales volume, in Asia 16.45% and in Africa it had 7% sales
volume. This indicates that American continent has the largest market for Coca-Cola while this market is
least in African Continent.
Again, the share price of Coca-Cola was only $ 33 in 1996 and this price increased to $ 68 in 1997. The
price reached to the highest in 1998 when it was $ 80 per share. The price then started dropping and
with some fluctuations it reached it around $ 60 in 2001.
In summary, the American Continent was the largest market for Coca-Cola in 2000 and the average
share price of it is $60 though this price varies year to year.

IELTS ACADEMIC WRITING TASK 1 Sample

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IELTS ACADEMIC WRITING TASK 1 Sample

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Flow chart

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information below.

Reading Writing test collected

Marked by and Marked by an examiner

Writing answer Marks sent to an

Marks similar Marks different

Write at least 150 words.

MAP OF PROPOSED SITES

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

Finally, the bricks are packed and delivered.

The diagram elucidates the working of an air conditioner. T

all 5 leaves are similar

The diagram presents the manufacture of five

For example, ‘completely’ fermented is used instead of ‘fully’.

The diagrams below show the life cycle of the silkworm

Write at least 150 words.

Write at least 150 words.

Write at least 150 words.

The diagram below illustrates the carbon cycle in nature.

Why does this Task 1 answer get an IELTS Band 8 score?

Write at least 150 words.

Map of Brandfield with two proposed sites for a

Write at least 150 words.

Write 150 words

Five main changes:

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

Write at least 150 words.

*includes French, German and Spanish

Write at least 150 words.

Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information below.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

Analysing the key details:

IELTS Bar Graph - Model Answer

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

IELTS Bar Chart Model Answer

IELTS Bar Chart - Model Answer

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

Airport visitors, 2007-2012 (millions of travelers per year)

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Any visual arts 30 16 11 15

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

Table: The Quality of Life in Four Countries

What is the table measuring?

Topic Standard living of 5 countries

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

Write at least 150 words.

Age 23-25 years 26

Age over 26 years 35

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

main but than higher

smallest in contrast compared with lower

higher overall indicates while

» Write at least 150 words.

» Write at least 150 words.

» Write at least 150 words

In conclusion, education level among women improved significantly over the

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

» You should write at least 150 words.

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