Structure of IELTS Writing Task 1 Table

 INTRODUCTION: 1 sentence – Paraphrasing

 OVERVIEW: about 2 sentences (main ideas)
 BODY 1: about 1-2 sentences (Khoảng 5 số liệu)
 BODY 2: about 1-2 sentences (Khoảng 5 số liệu)

INTRODUCTION (1 sentence – Paraphrasing)

The table below shows key data on the demographics of four different countries.

Paraphrasing: using synonyms

 The table → The table

 below → bỏ
 shows key data on → compares// indicates// gives information about…
 the demographics → nhìn vào biểu đồ ta thấy có 3 tiêu chí, nên ta sẽ paraphrase thành
population, GDP per capita and average life expectancy.
 of four different countries → of four different nations
Paraphrasing: The table gives information about population, GDP per capita and average life
expectancy of four different nations.

♦♦♦ Công thức “in terms of”

“in terms of”

When we see that the exam question is in the form of comparing countries according to certain
criteria, we can use the structure:

The chart + compares + countries + in terms of + tiêu chí/ thông tin so sánh

→ The table compares four different nations in terms of population, GDP per capita and
average life expectancy.

OVERVIEW: An overview is simply a summary of the main things you can see. Write two
overview sentences.

For the IELTS Writing Task 1 Table type, let's look at each column, then row by row to choose the
highest or lowest number.
Let's take a look at these 4 countries, which one has the most outstanding figures? The metric that
stands out is the largest or smallest number.
Pick out the most outstanding numbers (highest/lowest)
Looking at the chart we can easily see that:
• China has the largest population but the lowest GDP.
• The US has the largest GDP but the lowest life expectancy.
• The UK has the longest life expectancy, but has the least population.

We could include all three of these highlights in the article. However, usually we only choose the
two most popular criteria. Among the three criteria above, we chose the first two criteria, China and
the US.
We can start the overview with the following words/phrases:

Overall// It is clear that/ Generally, …

The words we need to write an overview are:

 nước đông dân nhất → the most populous nation

 GDP đầu người thấp nhất/ cao nhất → the lowest/ highest GDP per person
 tuổi thọ trung bình thấp nhất → the lowest life expectancy
 GDP = economic output

Eg: → Overall, the most populous nation is China, but this country has the lowest GDP per
person, while the US has the highest economic output per capita, but the lowest life expectancy.

(Tổng quan, quốc gia đông dân nhất là Trung Quốc, nhưng quốc gia này lại có GPD trên đầu người
thấp nhất, trong khi Mỹ có sản lượng kinh tế trên đầu người cao nhất, nhưng tuổi thọ trung bình thấp
nhất.)
BODY

Outline: The body can be divided according to the following criteria:

• Divided by country: Which countries have a lot of outstanding data → we put it in the
body 1, the rest of countries put it in the body 2.
• Divided by criteria: Body 1 is about Population and GDP, body 2 is about Life
expectancy

Body detail 1: Population and GDP

Population:

 China:  ≈ 1.3 billion people (highest)

 US: ≈ 318 million
 UK: ≈ 65 million (lowest) = half of Russia

GDP per person:

 US: ≈ $54,000 (largest)

 China: ≈ $6,800 (lowest)
 UK: ≈ $41,800 → double Russia

Body detail 2: Average life expectancy

 UK: 81.5 (highest)

 US: 69.2 (lowest)
 China and Russia: 75.2 and 72.3
WRTING THE BODY DETAIL 1 and 2

Vocabulary

 has a total population of…: có dân số là bao nhiêu

 followed by: theo sau bởi
 with the figure being significantly lower: với con số thấp hơn rất nhiều
 half the figure of…: bằng 1 nửa con số của…
 per person = per capita: trên đầu người
 around = about = approximately: khoảng, xấp xỉ
 The figure for: con số cho
 respectively: lần lượt là
 while = whereas: trong khi

We will have 2 body paragraphs as follows:

As can be seen from the table, China has a total population of over 1.3 billion, followed by the
US with the figure being significantly lower, at nearly 319 million. The population in the UK is the
lowest, at only around 65 million, half the figure of Russia. In terms of GDP per capita, the US has
the largest number, at nearly $54,000, while the lowest figure is recorded in China, just about $6,800.
GDP per person in the UK is approximately $41,800, almost double that of Russia.

According to the table, life expectancy, on average, of people in the UK is highest, at 81.5
years, while that of Americans is lowest only 69.2 years. The figures for China and Russia are 75.2
and 72.3 years respectively.

Body 1: “As can be seen from the…,”

Body 2: “According to the…,”

IELTS Writing Task 1 Table - Sample

The table compares four different countries in terms of population, GDP per capita and average life
expectancy.

Overall, the most populous nation is China, but this country has the lowest GDP per person, while
the US has the highest economic output per capita, but the lowest life expectancy.

As can be seen from the table, China has a total population of over 1.3 billion, followed by the US
with the figure being significantly lower, at nearly 319 million. The population in the UK is the
lowest, at only around 65 million, half the figure of Russia. In terms of GDP per capita, the US has
the largest number, at nearly $54,000, while the lowest figure is recorded in China, just about
$6,800. GDP per person in the UK is approximately $41,800, almost double that of Russia.

According to the table, life expectancy, on average, of people in the UK is highest, at 81.5 years,
while that of Americans is lowest only 69.2 years. The figures for China and Russia are 75.2 and
72.3 years respectively.

(175 words)
EX: IELTS Writing Task 1 Table

The table gives information about five types of vehicles registered in Australia in 2010, 2012 and
2014.

Model answer

INTRODUCTION

PARAPHRASING: (using synnonyms)

→ The table compares the numbers of five different kinds of vehicles that were registered in
Australia in three different years, 2010, 2012 and 2014.

OVERVIEW (about 2 sentences)

Only show the most prominent / main features in the chart.

tăng trưởng mạnh nhất

Overall, the numbers of all five types of vehicles registered increased over the period shown. In
addition, the figure relating to registered passenger vehicles was the highest in all three years,
but motorcycles saw the most dramatic growth.
BODY

OUTLINE
BODY PARAGRAPHS

In 2010, 11.8 million passenger vehicles were registered, while the figure for commercial ones was
significantly lower at only 2.3 million. Over the following four years, the number of passenger
vehicles rose by 10.2% to 13 million, whereas there were 0.4 million more commercial vehicles
registered, a rise of 17.4%.

Turning to the remaining types of vehicles, the greatest increase was recorded for motorcycles,
which grew from 540,000 registered in 2010 to 709,000 in 2014, an increase of 30.8%. During the
same period, the numbers of heavy trucks and light trucks registered also rose, by 8.3% and 23.5%,
respectively.

Model answer:

The table compares the numbers of five different kinds of vehicles that were registered in Australia
in three different years, 2010, 2012 and 2014.

Overall, the numbers of all five types of vehicles registered increased over the period shown. In
addition, the figure relating to registered passenger vehicles was the highest in all three years, but
motorcycles saw the most dramatic growth.

In 2010, 11.8 million passenger vehicles were registered, while the figure for commercial ones was
significantly lower at only 2.3 million. Over the following four years, the number of passenger
vehicles rose by 10.2% to 13 million, whereas there were 0.4 million more commercial vehicles
registered, a rise of 17.4%.

Turning to the remaining types of vehicles, the greatest increase was recorded for motorcycles,
which grew from 540,000 registered in 2010 to 709,000 in 2014, an increase of 30.8%. During the
same period, the numbers of heavy trucks and light trucks registered also rose, by 8.3% and 23.5%,
respectively.