How to write the introduction

1. One sentence is enough for the introduction.

2. Replace words in the general statement with synonyms or paraphrases
where you can.
3. If you cannot quickly write your introduction in your own words, do not
waste time. Write out the words in the rubric, but remember to change them
later.
4. In IELTS Writing Task 1, you need to take special care to avoid repetition of
words and phrases. If you simply copy your introduction directly from the
Writing task on the question paper, this will not be considered as part of
your writing. Instead you need to reword, or paraphrase, the information.
This is an important academic skill.
5. Do not write the word below from the rubric in your introduction.
6. Write an introduction that includes 2 or 3 main features of the chart.
7. Two paragraphs that provide details of the main features mentioned in the
introduction. (The main features are the most important pieces of
information on the chart.)
8. Become aware of the areas in which you make mistakes and focus hard on
trying to avoid them. Many students can use more complex structures
accurately but still make careless mistakes with subject/verb agreement or
articles, for example. Always leave a few minutes when you finish to check
for basic errors. It is amazing how often you will discover simple mistakes
that you have made which will reduce your grammar score.
9. Never include any information that is not shown in the diagram. Even if you
know a lot about the data given, do not try to explain the reasons for it or
give your own opinion.
10.Inclusion of irrelevant, inaccurate or inappropriate details that are not
shown in the data will limit a response to Band 6 for Task Achievement.
11.irrelevant: this task requires you to objectively analyse and present the key
data so do not add information which is not mentioned. Neither should you
speculate as to reasons why the data is what it is nor give personal opinions
on what the data shows.
 12.inaccurate: make sure when you do include data from the table that what
you write precisely reflects the graphical information. It's a good idea to
double check that the data you present is correct when you finish.
13.inappropriate: this task should adopt the correct tone and style for a piece
of academic writing so avoid informal or colloquial language.
14.Use one of the following four prompts to help you write an introduction:
a. The graph shows/illustrates the trends in ... between ... and ...
b. The graph gives/provides/reveals/presents information about (the
differences/ changes ...)
c. The graph shows that (there is a number of differences between ...)
d. The graph shows/illustrates how the sales have differed/changed ...

• Task Achievement (Task 1)

o Have you satisfied all the requirements of the task?
o Have you presented a clear, accurate and relevant description of
the information?
• Task Response (Task 2)
o Have you discussed all parts of the task?
o Have you developed and supported relevant ideas and
arguments, and made your position clear?
• Coherence and Cohesion (Tasks 1 & 2)
o Is your writing well-organized?
o Is there a clear progression of information and ideas?
o Are sentences and paragraphs logically linked?
• Lexical Resource (Tasks 1 & 2)
o Have you used a good variety of appropriate vocabulary?
o Is your spelling and word formation reasonably accurate?
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy (Tasks 1 & 2)
o Have you used a good variety of structures?
o Is your grammar and punctuation reasonably accurate?

Line graph; Bar chart; Pie chart; Table; A combination of the

above; Process diagram Map
 BAR CHARTs

Example1:

The chart shows the average number of hours each day that Chinese, American, Turkish and
Brazilian tourists spent doing leisure activities while on holiday in Greece in August 2019.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make
comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Answer:

The bar chart compares the amount of time each day that people from four different countries
spent doing activities while on holiday in Greece in August 2019. The activities were going to the
beach, visiting different attractions, and reading.
Overall, the tourists spent the most time reading books while they spent the least time visiting
places. The Chinese tourists spent the longest reading books with a total of eight hours per day.
By contrast, the Brazilians spent the longest at the beach with a total of six hours.

Both the American and the Turkish tourists spent the same number of hours every day visiting
places with a total of three hours each. Similarly, the Turkish and Brazilian groups spent a total
of four hours each reading books. The Chinese tourists spent twice the amount of time reading
books as the Turkish and Brazilian tourists, whereas the American and Turkish groups spent three
times the amount of time visiting places as the Chinese group.

Example2:

The bar chart and table show information about students from abroad studying in
four English-speaking countries in 2004 and 2012.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Answer:

The bar chart shows the number of foreign students studying in four English-speaking countries
in the years 2004 and 2012, while the table shows foreign students as a percentage of total
student numbers in the countries. We can see that the overall trend is an increase in both the
number and percentage of international students in most countries.

Starting with the number of students, the USA had the most foreign students, rising from
approximately 179,000 in 2004 to around 245,000 in 2012. The figures for Australia and the UK
were similar, increasing from around 120,000 to almost 200,000. Canada had a significantly lower
number of overseas students than the other countries, with about 41,000 in 2004 and
approximately 61,000 in 2012.

Next, if we look at the percentage of foreign students, we can see that percentages increased for
all countries, with the exception of the USA. The percentage of foreign students was highest in
Australia at 24% of total student numbers in 2012. In the USA, the percentage of foreign students
remained stable at 2%, which was the lowest percentage of all four countries.

Example 3:
The bar chart shows the percentages of the Canadian workforce in five major industries in 1850
and 2020.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.
Answer:
The bar charts divide the Canadian workforce into five categories based on the type of industry
they work in for the years 1850 and 2020.
The overall trend shown in the data is a steep rise in the proportion of employees engaged in the
service industry, coupled with a decline in manufacturing. The most salient feature is that in 2020
81% of the workforce were involved in providing services, which contrasts sharply with the figure
of 33% in 1850. In contrast, we observe a huge drop in the manufacturing industry from over a
third in the mid nineteenth century to just 9% by the early twenty-first century.
Furthermore, the 170-year period saw a marked fall in the agriculture and fishing sectors, leaving
food production with a tiny 1% of Canadian workers. Similarly, workers in energy and water
companies decreased by two thirds. On the other hand, the construction industry experienced
significant growth from 5% to 8% over the period.
In general, the job profile of the Canadian workforce changed radically between 1850 and 2020,
with the increases coming in the construction and service industry but all other areas seeing a
decline.
Example 4:

The chart below shows the proportion of businesses making e-commerce purchases
by industry in Canada between 2015 and 2019.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.
Model answer
The bar chart provides information about the proportion of businesses purchasing items online
according to industry in Canada between 2015 in 2019.

The proportion of businesses involved in e-commerce purchases across the years and sectors
varied with the practice being most common in the information and communications industry.
In this sector, there was a greater proportion of businesses involved (just over 60% in 2015) than
the other sectors with a rise to just under 70% in 2019, including a peak to about 75% in 2018.
The proportion of businesses involved in purchases online in the retail sector followed a similar
pattern, increasing from about 35% to about 55% in 2019 with a peak of about 58% in 2018. Just
under 25% of construction businesses used online purchasing in 2015 compared to more than a
half in 2019, whereas in the wholesale industry the rise was much smaller from just over 40% to
about 60%. As regards manufacturing, there was a near 100% increase in the proportion of
businesses purchasing online from about 33% in 2015 in comparison with about 58% in 2019.

Example 5:

The graph below shows the average daily sales of selected food items at the Brisk
Café, by season.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.
 Model answer
The bar graph shows how many servings of certain food items are sold on average every day
in two different seasons at the Brisk Café. The average number of sales of each item changed
with the season.

Certain food items had much higher sales than others in the winter. Hot coffee had the highest
number of sales, with an average of 75 servings sold daily. Following this, the item with the
second highest number of sales was soup, with an average of 50 servings sold daily. Salad and ice
cream had average daily sales of 25 servings each, and iced coffee had the lowest number of
sales, with close to zero servings sold daily.

The sales numbers for each food item were different in the summer from what they were in the
winter. Iced coffee sales rose significantly, to an average of 40 servings sold daily. The item that
had the second highest number of sales was ice cream, with an average of 35 servings sold daily.
Hot coffee sales fell to just 30 servings daily. Soup and salad had the lowest number of sales, with
25 servings sold daily on average.

In general, the average daily sales of each food item changed when the season changed. Certain
items were more popular in the winter, but certain others were more popular in the summer.

Example 6:

The graph gives information about the age of the population of Iceland between 1990
and 2020.
Model answer
The bar chart compares the different ages of people living in Iceland between 1990 and 2020.

All in all, the size of the 25-54 age group increased the most over the period while the size of the
two younger age groups decreased a little bit. The number of people in the two older age groups
stayed about the same.

The 25-54 age group grew from approximately a third of the population in 1990 to nearly half of
the population in 2020.

The older two age groups did not increase or decrease much. The size of the 65 and over age
group remained at about 13%, whereas the size of the 55 -64 age group only fell from about 14%
to about 10% of the population.

By contrast, the 0-14 age group fell from just over 25% in 1990 to just under 20% in 2020.
Similarly, the 15-24 age group dropped from just over 20% of the population in 1990 to just under
10% of the population in 2020.

Example 7:

The chart gives information on the percentage of women going into higher education
in five countries for the years 1980 and 2015.
Model answer
The bar chart shows the percentage of females entering higher education in the years 1980 and
2015. The chart shows the percentages in five countries, the UK, the USA, Australia, South Korea
and France. Overall, the proportion of women in higher education increased in the five countries.

In general, there were more female students in 2015 than in 1980, with more than half of women
in higher education in all of the countries apart from South Korea. In four of the countries, the
percentage of women going into higher education rose.

The most dramatic change was in South Korea, where the percentage doubled from 15% to 30%.
The smallest change was seen in France, where the number increased only from 50% to 54%. The
only country in which there was not an increase was Australia. Although the percentage of
Australian women going into higher education remained the same at 58%, this was the highest
in 1980 and equal highest with the USA in 2015.

Example 8:

The chart and graph below give information about participants who have entered the
Olympics since it began.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer
The two charts give information about the gender and number of athletes who have entered the
Games since they started. The bar chart illustrates the number of men and women entering the
Games, whereas the line graph shows the number of participants.

It is evident from the bar chart that, until 2012, there were always significantly more men
entering the Games than women. In 1924 and 1952, there were hardly any women entering the
Games, yet in 1952 there were over 4,000 male participants. In 2012, however, the number of
female athletes rose significantly to nearly 5,000, only approximately 1,000 lower than male
participants.

The line graph shows a similar trend, with the number of participants increasing throughout the
century. The most significant increase occurred between 1984 and 2012, when the number of
athletes rose from just over 6,000 to over 10,000 in 2012.

To summarise therefore, since 1924 the number of athletes entering the Olympic Games, has
increased dramatically. This is particularly the case for women, who are now represented in
nearly the same numbers as male participants.

Example 9:

The bar charts below give information on road transport in a number of European
countries.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer
The bar charts give information about methods of travel and commuting times for six European
countries, as well as the average figure for the European Union. From the information, we can
see that car use is highest in Denmark at about 12,500 kilometres per person a year, and lowest
in Spain and Germany.

Perhaps surprisingly, the Danish also make far greater use of alternative transport than people
in other countries, travelling over 3,000 kilometres a year by bus, tram, metro or bike, which is
more than double the EU average. By comparison, the British and French travel less than a third
of that distance by public transport.

When it comes to commuting times, British drivers spend about 47 minutes each day travelling
to work, which is more than any other country. In Denmark and Italy, on the other hand, where
many more people use public transport, commuting times are significantly lower.

Example 10:

The graph below shows the percentage of part-time workers in each country of the
United Kingdom in 1980 and 2010.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
Model answer
The bar chart shows the percentage of people who have part-time jobs in the countries that make
up the United Kingdom, both in 1980 and in 2010. There'has generally been a small increase in
part-time workers from 1980 to 2010, except in Northern Ireland. The graph also shows that
England and Wales have far more part-time workers than Northern Ireland and Scotland.

In 1980, 25% of people in England worked part time. The only country with a greater percentage
of part-time workers was Wales, with around 33% working part time. Both countries saw an
increase in the percentage of people working part time in 2010. In England, the percentage rose
to over 30% and in Wales percentage rose to just over 35%.

Scotland had the smallest percentage of part-time workers in 1980, with just over ten per cent.
However, this rose to almost 20% in 2010 which is a large increase. Lastly, Northern Ireland was
the only country which had a decreasing percentage of part-time workers. In 1980, it had around
15% of people in part-time work. This decreased by a couple of per cent in 2010.

Example 11:
Example 12:
Example 13:

The bar charts below show the percentages of men and women in employment in
three countries in 2005 and 2015.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer
The two charts show the percentages of men and women in employment in three countries in
the years 2005 and 2015. In general, we can see that the percentages of working people
increased, with the proportion of women showing the most significant rise.

In all of the countries covered, and in both years, the number of men in employment was greater
than the number of women. South Korea has the highest rate of male employment –
approximately 75% in 2005, rising slightly to about 78% in 2015 – and Canada has the lowest –
just over 60% in 2005 and 70% in 2015.

The proportion of women in employment was lower than men in all of the countries covered
over the two years. It was below 50% everywhere in 2005, but the figures had risen by 2015. In
Canada, over half of the women were working, and in Sweden the figure was exactly 50%. In
contrast, the number of South Korean women who were working was only about 35% compared
with a percentage which was more than double for men at over 70%.

PIE CHARTs

IELTS Writing - Pie charts

• Pie charts indicate proportions up to 100%, but can also contain numbers not
percentages.
• They can contain percentages adding up to 100%, as in the example here.
• Remember they can contain units in proportions that add up to more than 100.
• Different pie charts can show changes over time, or they can all relate to the
same year.

Example 1:

The pie charts below compare the proportion of energy capacity in gigawatts (GW) in
2015 with the predictions for 2040.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer
The charts show the expected changes in energy capacity in 2040 compared to 2015.

The most noticeable feature is the drop in the proportion of the annual gross capacity of fossil
fuels, with the projected capacity almost doubling from 6.688 to 11.678 gigawatts. It is expected
to experience a significant decline, falling from 64% in 2015 to 44% in 2040. By contrast, it is
predicted that there will be a dramatic rise in the proportion of energy capacity from solar energy
with a jump from 2% to 18% in 2040. While the proportion of the capacity for wind is anticipated
to increase more than twofold from 5% in 2015 to 12% in 2040, it is estimated that other
renewables will account for a smaller proportion with a decrease from 23% to 21%. The projected
proportion for nuclear energy will be 5% in 2040, a slight decline from 6%.

It is clear that despite the decline in the proportion of energy capacity from fossil fuels and the
rise in solar and wind sources, the former will remain a major energy source in 2040.
Example 2:

The charts give information about employment in the UK in 1998 and 2012.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer
The pie charts show the numbers and percentages of men and women in both full-time and part-
time employment in the UK in 1988 and 2012. Overall, we can see that all numbers increased but
there were significant differences in the proportions for each year.

Firstly, although the number of men in full-time employment was largest in both years, the
greatest change was in the number of women working full-time. This increased from 4,482,000
in 1988 to 7,696,000 in 2012. These changes can be seen in the percentages of the total
workforce; in 1988, women in full-time employment made up only 19% of working people, but
this increased to 26% in 2012. As well as the number of people working full-time, the number of
people working part-time also increased, with women being the largest number in both years:
5,268,000 and 5,979,000, compared with 1,550,000 and 2,131,000 for men.

In conclusion, apart from female full-time employment and male part-time employment,
percentage figures decreased between the two years. Most significantly, men working full-time
dropped below 50% to 47% in 2012.

Example 3:

The charts below show the favourite takeaways of people in Canada and the number
of Indian restaurants in Canada between 1960 and 2015.
Model answer
The pie chart shows which type of takeaway food is the most popular in Canada, while the bar
chart shows how many Indian restaurants existed in Canada between 1960 and 2015. We can
see that Chinese and Indian takeaways are the favourites, and that the number of Indian
restaurants in Canada rose steadily during this period.

The pie chart shows that Chinese and Indian takeaways are much more popular than all the
others, at 34% and 26%. There are another two types that quite a lot of people like. These are
Italian at 10% and Persian at 9%. Greek, Japanese and Mexican were only chosen by 1% of people.

The pie chart shows us that Indian food is popular and the bar chart shows how its popularity
grew. There was a rising trend from 1960 onwards. The increase was greatest in the 1990s, from
about 5000 restaurants in 1990 to almost 8000 in 2000. Since 2007, the number has remained
stable at just over 9000.
Example 4:

The charts show projections for global production by sector in 2040 and 2060.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer
The charts show projections for global production by sector in 2040 and 2060. Generally
speaking, there is little change in the projected proportion of production by the various sectors
in the two years, with manufacturing and services being the most dominant.

It is forecast that the services and manufacturing sectors together will account for more than half
of global production in 2040 and 2060, 71% (40% and 31%) and 74% (41% and 33%) respectively.
By contrast, the proportion of production from energy is expected to decline from 7% in 2040 to
5% in 2060, a drop of approximately one third. It is also anticipated that there will be a similar
dramatic drop for agriculture production from 4% to 1% with production in materials, by contrast,
comprising 4% in 2060 compared to 3% in 2040.

As regards info-communications and technology, there is expected to be little difference in the

proportion of production the sector constitutes, with a slight rise from 15% to 16% over the
period.

Example 5:

The pie charts compare ways of accessing the news in Canada and Australia.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer
The pie charts show the principle ways of finding out the news in two different countries,
Canada and Australia. The two nations show broadly similar patterns, though there are some
differences, both significant and minor.
One of the most prominent features of this data is that, while in Canada over a third of people
access the news online, in Australia the figure is more than half, at 52%. It is apparent that
viewing the TV news is popular in both countries, with about two fifths of Canadian population
favouring this mode of delivery and only 3% fewer in Australia. One major difference between
Canada and Australia is that over twice as many people read the news in print in the former,
compared with the latter. The figures are 14% and 7% respectively. Similarly, listening to the
news on the radio is preferred by three times more people in Canada than in Australia.

Overall, it can be said that the high levels of internet use in Australia mean that other methods
such as radio and print are used less in comparison with Canada.

Example 6:

The chart below shows the proportions of graduates from Brighton University in 2019
Model answer
The pie chart illustrates the career choices of Brighton University's 2019 graduates, giving the
percentages who worked in each of various sectors after finishing university. Overwhelmingly,
industry and government were the most popular choices.

Just under half the students went into industry, with service industries attracting more Brighton
graduates than any other sector by far — almost a third (33.0%). About half that number (16.3%)
took jobs in manufacturing.

Politics and public service were the next most popular choice, accounting for nearly a fifth of
graduates. Just over 12% went into politics and a further 5.6% chose the civil service. The other
significant career choices were education (about 15%) and two others: transportation and
warehousing, with 7.8%; and science and technology with 7.3%.

The least popular choices included work in the charitable sector and careers in sport, both of
which were chosen by well under 1% of graduates. Finally, 2.8% entered work in other,
unspecified, sectors.

LINE GRAPHS

USEFUL ADJECTIVES
Adjectives can be used to demonstrate your range of vocabulary. Adjectives describe
nouns and usually come before the noun.

Note: these verbs are also commonly used as nouns.

• to rise / a rise
• to increase / an increase
• to decline / a decline
• to fall / a fall
• to drop / a drop
• to peak / a peak
• to decrease / a decrease
• to dip / a dip

As you look at a graph/table/chart for the first time, ask yourself:

• Are there any common trends in the graphical information?

• Does any of the information differ from the rest in an obvious and significant
way? If so, how?
• Is there anything that two or more categories have in common?
• Is there anything that only happens once?
Example 1:

The graph shows data about the annual earnings of three bakeries in Calgary, 2000-
2010.

Model answer
The graph shows information about the amount of money which was earned by three bakeries
in Calgary, over a ten-year period between 2000 and 2010.

Overall, what stands out from the graph is that there were considerable upward trends in the
income of both Bolo Cakery and Amandine Bakery, while the earnings of Mari Bakeshop saw a
considerable fall over the period in question. Another interesting point is that Mari Bakeshop was
the most popular bakery in 2000, but in 2010, Amandine Bakery earned more money than the
others.

Looking at the details, as regards Bolo Cakery, income started at $20,000 in 2000, then there was
a fluctuation over the next three years, at which point it levelled off at just under $40,000 until
2006. Then the figure went up significantly, finishing at around $65,000 in 2010. If we look at
Amandine Bakery, the trend was similar. Having remained stable at approximately $55,000 in the
first half of the decade, income then rose sharply, reaching nearly $100,000 in 2008. There was
then a gradual rise to around $105,000 in 2010.

By contrast, the income of Mari Bakeshop went in the opposite direction. Takings fluctuated
around $90,000 until 2004. After That despite falling sharply to just over $40,000 in 2008, the
figure then levelled off in the last two years.
Example 2:

The line chart below shows the results of a survey giving the reasons why people
moved to the capital city of a particular country.

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 sets out the key motivations for people relocating to the capital of a specific
country between 2000 and 2015.

Moving for the purpose of study saw the greatest rise overall, with a jump of approximately
62,000. It rose considerably in two periods - from 2000 to 2005 (by 22,000), and then again from
2010 to 2015 (by 33,000), with a more gentle growth of around 7,000 in between.

Elsewhere, the figure of people relocating for work began at 61,000 in 2000, then peaked at
92,000 in 2010 - the highest of any reason, in any year - before finishing as the joint-highest in
2015 (87,000 - on a level with those relocating in order to study). Notably, this category was the
only one of the four that underwent a downturn.

Turning to 'adventure', this category rose the most stably and steadily of all four categories, from
11,000 to 15,000 over the fifteen-year period. Meanwhile, the number of people relocating for
'family and friends' reasons climbed gently in the first five years (12,000 to 14,000), followed by
an upswing to 22,000, before eventually levelling off at around 23,000 in 2015.

Example 3:

The graph gives information about male and female gym membership between 1980
and 2010.

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 shows male and female gym membership over a thirty-year period. The vertical
axis represents the number of members in units of 1,000. The horizontal axis represents the
period from 1980 to 2010.

Overall, the graph indicates that there were greater fluctuations in gym membership among men
than among women. The number of male members started the period at just over two thousand
and reached highs of four thousand in 1985 and five thousand around 2005. The lowest rates
were between 1993 and 1997 and more recently in 2010 when the rate dipped as low as one
thousand.

Female gym membership began lower at one thousand, doubled by 1984, and then fluctuated
between two and three thousand for the remainder of the period. When male rates were at their
lowest, female rates were higher. This was particularly true between 1993 and 1997 when over
three thousand women held gym membership.

In brief, there were marked differences in rates of male and female gym memberships in the
period covered.

Example 4:

The graph shows the number of visitors to four international museums between 1980
and 2015.

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 shows how many people visited four museums in different countries in the world
between 1980 and 2015.

All in all, the Louvre Museum was the most popular, with between approximately 8 and 9 million
visitors each year. The least popular were the Shenzhen and the London Science Museum, with
no more than 4 million visitors each year.

The number of visitors to the London Science Museum decreased slowly from just over 4 million
in 1980 to around 2 million in 2015. By contrast, the visitors to the Vatican Museum increased
from just under 5 million in 1980 to around 9 million in 2015.

In addition, the number of visitors to the Shenzhen Museum stayed about the same over the
thirty-five-year period. They fell from just under 4 million in 1980 to just over 3 million in 2000
and then rose to just under 4 million again in 2015.

Example 5:

The chart below shows the movement of people from rural to urban areas in three
countries and predictions for future years.
Model answer
The line graph shows the figures in millions for the migration of people from the countryside to
cities in three different countries over the period 2000 to 2025, including future predictions.
Overall, it is clear that the shift from rural communities towards urban metropolitan areas is
upwards.

All three countries began the period with similar numbers of urban migrants. Russia started with
the most migrants (around 15 million) and over the period sees significant increases, particularly
between 2010 and 2015 (around 42 to 70 million) with this upward trend predicted to continue
(reaching approximately 86 million by 2025). Similarly, Iran after a slow start between 2000 and
2005 sees a dramatic rise in urban migration, and after 2015 is predicted to see an even more
dramatic increase, surpassing Russia’s figures in 2020 reaching around 95 million by 2025.
However, Indonesia bucks the trend somewhat. Whilst consistently steady between 2000 and
2020, its growth is far less dramatic than the other two countries (10 to 30 million). Furthermore,
post 2020, it is predicted to level off at around 30 million.

To sum up, while all three countries have seen growth up to 2015, only the figures for countries
Russia and Iran are predicted to see continued growth up to 2025.

Example 6:

The graph below shows the number of hours per day on average that children spent
watching television between 1950 and 2010..
Model answer
The graph shows the number of hours per day on average that children spent watching television.
The graph covers the period between 1950 and 2010.

From 1950 to 1960, there was a modest rise in the average number of hours children spent in
front of the television set. This was followed by a marked increase from approximately one hour
to four hours of viewing per day among children between 1965 and 1982. Over the next five
years, there was a decrease. However this trend proved negligible as the viewing figure then rose
again marginally, and it reached a peak of over four hours in 1995.

Between 1995 and 2010, there was another modest decline in the hours children spent watching
television.

Overall, it can be concluded that there has been a significant rise in television viewing over the
sixty-year period, though there is some indication that this trend may be changing.

Example 7:

The chart below shows the changes that took place in three different areas of crime
in Panama City from 2010 to 2019.
Model answer
This graph illustrates how crime rates altered in Panama City during the period 2010-2019. We
can see immediately that the greatest change occurred in the number of burglaries, while
incidents of theft remained low but steady.

In 2010, we can see that burglary was the most common crime, with approximately 3,400
reported cases. The figure rose to around 3,700 in 2011, but then there was a downward trend
until 2015. At this point the figure stood at just over 1,000 incidents. This rose slightly in 2016,
then continued to fluctuate for the remaining period.

In 2010, the number of cars being stolen stood at around 2,800 and followed a similar trend to
burglary until 2013. At this point the number rose, standing at around 2,200 in 2014. There was
a marginal decrease in the following year, but from then on, the trend was generally upwards.

Finally, robbery has always been a fairly minor problem for Panama City. The number of offences
committed changed little over nine years. It is interesting to note that the figure of approximately
700 in 2010 is the same figure for 2019.

Example 8:

The graph shows the impact of vaccinations on the incidence of whooping cough, a
childhood illness, between 1940 and 1990 in Britain.
 Model answer
The graph shows the changing number of cases of whooping cough in Britain from 1940 to 1990,
and how the introduction and use of a vaccine for the disease affected the pattern. Apparently,
there was a direct link between the administration of the vaccine and the number of cases of
whooping cough among children during this period in history.

Overall, the number of cases fell from a high of 170,000 to almost zero. However, there were
significant fluctuations in the trend. For example, just after 1940, there was a surge in the number
of cases from 50,000 to approximately 170,000. Although the figure fell back in the next few
years, it peaked again in the early 1950s and fluctuated considerably until the introduction of a
vaccination in the late 1950s.

Following this, the number of cases dropped sharply to well below 20,000 in the mid-1970s, until
a sudden fall in vaccinations, from 81 percent to 30 percent, resulted in a parallel rise in the
incidence of the illness. Figures then went up again to 60,000 around 1980, but gradually fell back
to their earlier level as vaccinations were resumed. By 1990, 94 percent of children were being
vaccinated against whooping cough, and there were few, if any, cases.

Example 9:

The graph below gives information about changes in the birth and death rates in New
Zealand between 1901 and 2101.

Birth and death rates in New Zealand

Source: http://archive.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/population/estimates_and_projections/changing-face-of-nzs-
population.aspx
 Model answer
The graph shows changes in the birth and death rates in New Zealand since 1901, and forecasts
trends tip until 2101.

Between 1901 and the present day, the birth rate has been consistently higher than the death
rate. It stood at 20,000 at the start of this period and increased to a peak of 66,000 in 1961. Since
then the rate has fluctuated between 65 and 50 thousand and it is expected to decline slowly to
around 45,000 births by the end of the century.

In contrast, the death rate started below 10,000 and has increased steadily until the present time.
This increase is expected to be more rapid between 2021 and 2051 when the rate will probably
level off at around 60,000, before dropping slightly in 2101.

Overall, these opposing trends mean that the death rate will probably overtake the birth rate in
around 2041 and the large gap between the two levels will be reversed in the later part of this
century.

TABLE

Example 1:

The tables below show people's reasons for giving up smoking, and when they
intend to give up.
Model answer
The two tables together give a snapshot of the reasons people choose to stop smoking and when
they intend to give up.

The main reason smokers give for stopping is for general health (71%), with financial
considerations (31%) and the risk of smoking-related diseases (25%) being the next two most
popular reasons. One fact to highlight from this table is that almost twice the percentage of heavy
smokers cite present health problems as the reason compared to light smokers.

According to the second table, the majority of smokers questioned (71%) intended to give up,
with light smokers more inclined to stop (79%) than heavy smokers (60%). 35% of smokers said
they were planning to give up within the next six months and only 12% said they were prepared
to try within the following month. Although only 29% of smokers on average were unwilling to
give up, heavy smokers were almost twice as unwilling to try as light smokers, which perhaps
reflects the level of addiction in the former group.

Example 2:

The table below shows the percentage participation of women in senior management
in three companies between 1975 and 2015.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer
The table shows the percentage of women in senior management positions in three companies
from 1975 to 2015.

While more women were in senior positions at Finsbury Ltd than the other two companies in
1975 at 16%, the trend was fairly erratic with a 2% drop to 14% in 1980, followed by a rise of 1%
five years later. In 1990, women held 7% more top management jobs than in 1985. After a slight
drop back to 20% in 2000, by 2015 26% of top posts were filled by women.

By contrast, at Eldan Ltd women fared much better. In 1975, 3% of senior posts were occupied
by women with no change five years on. By 1985, the figure had increased to 14%, doubling to
28% in 1990. Ten years afterwards, there was a 5% increase in female senior management jobs
with a near twofold jump in 2015 to stand at 64%, the highest for the three companies.

The situation was less remarkable at Bamforth Ltd than the other two firms except for the year
2015. In 1975, the percentage of senior posts held by women was 9% climbing at the rate of 2%
in each subsequent period until 2000, after which it leapt to 46%.

From the data, it is clear that women dominated senior posts at Eldan by 2015.
Example 3:

The table below shows top ten countries with largest population in 2019, and how it
is projected to change by 2100.
Model answer
The table compares the population of the world's top ten countries in 2019 with projected
numbers in 2100.

In 2019, China had the highest population of 1,439 million, with India second on 1,380 million.
However, by 2100, India is projected to have the highest population of 1,551 million with China
second on 941 million - down 498 million since 2019. Although the USA is projected to increase
its population from 331 million to 478 million, it steps down from third to fourth place, being
overtaken by Nigeria, which moves up from seventh place with 206 million, to a total of 730
million, representing a massive increase of 524 million. Brazil drops from sixth place in 2019 with
213 million, down to tenth in 2100 on 177 million - a decrease of 36 million.

Three of the ten most populous countries in the world will no longer be among the top ten in
2100, and all three will be supplanted by rapidly growing nations in Africa.

Except for China and Brazil, all other projections show an increase between 2019 and 2100, but
there is a significant shuffling of position by some countries, the elimination of others, and the
introduction of new contenders for a top-ten placing

Example 4:

The table below shows the results of surveys in 2005, 2010 and 2015 about McGill
University.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

 Percentage of students giving good ratings for
different aspects of McGill University

Model answer
The table shows the change in attitude, over ten years, of students at McGill University to
different aspects of its academic provision.

Overall, the most striking set of statistics relate to approval for student services. There was a
sharp increase in the number of students giving these services a good rating, particularly in the
first five years: from 54 percent in 2005, to 81 percent in 2010, and 95 percent in 2015. There
was also an overall improvement in ratings for teaching quality, though the increase was
relatively small (74 percent in 2005 rising to 78 percent in 2015) and there was a decline in the
interim (72 percent in 2010). There was also a fluctuation in attitudes to library resources, rising
from 86 percent to 88 percent in the first five years and then falling by one percent in 2015. Good
ratings for the university’s sports and social facilities were identical throughout, at 65 percent.
Finally, there were poor ratings at the beginning of the period for the range of modules offered
(39 percent in 2005) and they got worse, falling steadily to 31 percent in 2010 and 25 percent in
2015.

Example 5:

The table below gives information about student enrolments at Manchester

University in 1937, 1967 and 2017.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

 Model answer
In the table we can see information about the numbers of students enrolling at Manchester
University in the three years, 1937, 1967 and 2017. It compares the percentages of females and
males, and also students from abroad and those from within 40 miles of the city.

The most noticeable changes concern the overall growth of student numbers, from 327 in 1937
to 6254 in 2017, and the proportions of local students, who constituted 55% of the total in 1937,
but only 1-2% in 2017.

It is surprising to note that the percentage of female enrolments did not rise steadily, but dropped
between 1937 and 1967. However, at the same time, the percentage of the student population
who came from abroad remained almost unchanged between 1937 and 1967, being 6% and 7%
respectively, but rose markedly after that, so that by 2017 foreign students represented 32% of
the total.

Example 6:

The table below shows the changes in some household types in Canada from 1984 to
2020.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer
The table shows the changes in household types in Canada at 10-year intervals from 1984 to 2014
and again in 2020.

There has been a steady increase in households without children during this period. One-person
households doubled from 6% in 1984 to 12% in 2020, whilst the percentage of couples with no
children rose from 19% in 1984 to 23% in 2004 and to 25% in 2014. However, this figure levelled
out in 2020. Even bigger changes have occurred when it comes to couples with dependent
children. This category shrank from 52% in 1984 to 36% in 2020. In contrast, the percentage of
lone parents trebled over the same period, rising from 4% in 1984 to 12% in 2020. The percentage
of families with non-dependent children has remained more stable: 10% in 1984, rising only 1%
over the next 20 years before falling to 9% in 2014.

In conclusion, the table shows definite patterns of change within the Canadian family over the
past 40 years, in particular the decline in the traditional. model of one couple with dependent
children.
Example 7:

The table below shows the estimated literacy rates by region and gender for 2000-
2004.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer
The table shows estimated literacy rates for men and women in 2000-2004 in five regions: Africa,
the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania. It also shows average world literacy rates for both
genders for the same years.

According to the table, Europe has the highest literacy rates, reaching almost 99%. There is
virtually no difference in literacy rates for European men and women.

In Oceania and the Americas, the figures for both men and women are almost the same. In both
regions over 93% of the population is literate.

In both Asia and Africa, there are considerable differences in literacy rates between men and
women. In Asia, only 72.5% of women are literate, whereas the figure for Asian men is 13%
higher. In Africa, the gap is nearly double, with 53.9% of all African women being literate and
71.6% of the African men being able to read and write.
Overall, around 82% of the world population is literate. In Europe, Oceania and the Americas the
literacy rates are the highest, with over 90% of the population able to read and write. Asia and
Africa have lower literacy rates than the other regions in the graph.

Example 8:

The table below shows the results of a 20-year study into why adults in the UK attend
arts events.

Model answer
The table illustrates four reasons why adults in the UK have attended arts events over the past
twenty years. The major reason over the whole twenty-year period was a desire to see a specific
performer or artist; while the least important reason was attending arts events for work-related
reasons.

The percentage of people who attended events out of a desire to see a particular performer has
remained relatively stable throughout the twenty-year period; varying from 58% twenty years
ago to 56% today.

On the other hand, the percentage of people accompanying children has shown a significant
increase, from 9% 20 years ago to just under a quarter today. As far as those who attended arts
events because of special occasions or celebrations are concerned, the percentage fell slightly
from 27% 20 years ago to 20% a decade ago, dropping dramatically to 9% today.

There has been a slight increase in the percentage of people attending arts events for work or
business, from 6% 20 years ago to just over 10% today.

Overall, there has been a rise in people attending events in order to accompany children and for
work-related reasons, while fewer people choose to attend an arts event as a form of celebration.
 MAP
Example 1:

The maps show Pacific Railway Station station in 1998 and now.
Model answer
The maps show Pacific Railway Station in 1998 and the present day. We can see that the station
has been expanded, with significantly more facilities available to customers now compared with
1998. Firstly, the station has been developed and the number of platforms has increased.

In 1998, there were only four platforms but today there are seven. A restaurant has been added
between the new and old platforms and the number of shops has grown, as there are now two
shops situated next to the restaurant and the old shop has been removed. The ticket office
remains in the same place but has been extended and is now much larger.

The Café has also stayed in roughly the same place, which is at the bottom of the old platforms.
The toilets were previously in a separate building next to the platforms, but they have now
disappeared. A new supermarket has been built at the bottom of the new platforms.

Example 2:

The maps below show changes in the city of Nelson in recent times.
Model answer
The two maps show the main changes which have taken place in the town of Nelson between
the year 2000 and today.

In general, it appears that Nelson has become a much more modern city, with far more shopping
and transport facilities.

One interesting change is that a new trans line has been built, to connect the university with the
town centre. In 2000, there wasn't any accommodation for students, but a hall of residence has
been built near the university. Another striking change is that the old market in the west of the
city has been knocked down to make way for new shops. A completely new covered market has
also been built on the other side of town.

If we look at the port area, it has been pedestrianized since 2000, and a range of entertainment
facilities have been built, such as restaurants, bars and clubs. The north-east of the city used to
be a green area, with lots of trees, but the trees have been cut down, and a new shopping
complex has been constructed. A final interesting development has been the introduction of a
bike-rental scheme in the city centre.

Example 3:

The maps below show the town of Langley in 1910 and 1950.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Read the model answer for the question. Choose the discourse marker that best fits
each space.

Model answer
The two maps show the town of Langley in the years 1910 and 1950 and the urban developments
that took place. Overall, there were a number of notable changes to the buildings and amenities
of this area.
In 1910, the area had a combination of residential and industrial features, but by 1950 the
industrial features had largely disappeared. Whereas in 1910 a railway line ran through the
neighbourhood, by 1950 this had been removed. Furthermore, the townhouses which used to
dominate the 1910 map had been replaced by blocks of flats by 1950, and the areas of wasteland
had gone.
Another major change to the area in 1950 was the development of more commercial and
recreational features. The demolition of a second row of houses on Sherman Street and the
removal of the railway line made room for a spacious park and children's play area. On the
commercial side, to the right of the park some new stores were built on the aptly named New
Lane, replacing the small store of 1910, and the cafe and laundry were relocated.
To sum up, the area was renovated extensively, seeing fundamental changes to its residential
accommodation, and its commercial and recreational facilities were developed.

Example 4:

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.

Write at least 150 words.

Model answer
The map shows two proposed sites for a new school for the town of Canterbury and the
surrounding area.

The first 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. It would therefore probably be in an ideal location for students
coming 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.

The second site (S2) is located in the town centre itself. There are advantages of this: it
makes it practically equidistant for students coming from either Sturry or Chartham.
Moreover, it would presumably be relatively easy for students who live in the housing area
around the town centre 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.
IELTS TEST SAMPLES:

1.The maps below show an industrial area in the town of Norbiton, and planned future development of the site.

This is an answer written by a candidate who achieved a Band 6.0 score. The two maps illustrates
the norbiton area in the present days, as well as, the planned development. Overall, the norbiton
industrial area is located at the east side of the town, with a river on the north, separating the
farmland from the industrial area, which is located in the center of the map, represented by a
few factory biuldings and roads, followed by the main road at the extreme south of the map. the
planned development shows a substantially growth and modifications of the overall
infrastructure of the area between the farmland and the main road. Firstly, the planned
development of the norbiton area replaces what once were factories for housings. Moreover,
the roads have been developed to acomodate all the new biuldings that have been planned for
the area, which are, a school and a playground to the east side of the roundabout located in the
center of the map, as well as shops and a medical center around the round about. Secondly, a
bridge is planned for the north of the map to cross the river and provide acess to the housing
that will be located in farmland.

Here is the examiner’s comment: This response covers the key changes to be made to the
industrial area, although more detail could be provided, for example, housing to the west of the
roundabout. There is an overview in the second paragraph and the response could be improved
by adding a summary of the main changes. Ideas are arranged coherently, with some effective
use of cohesive devices [what once were], sequencing adverbs [Firstly | Secondly] and
referencing [which | that]. There is some less common vocabulary but spelling is often inaccurate
[acomodate / accommodate | biuldings / buildings] and word formation is incorrect
[substantially growth / substantial growth]. To achieve a higher score, the candidate would need
to reduce the number of errors in vocabulary and sentence structure.

2. The table and charts below give information on the police budget for 2017 and 2018 in one
area of Britain. The table shows where the money came from and the charts show how it was
distributed.

This is an answer written by a candidate who achieved a Band 7.5 score. The table illustrates
the data on the police budget in which the money came from and the two pie charts describe the
distribution of the amount of money in the two of year 2017 and 2018 in an area of Britain.
Overall, there was an upward trend in all three different sources while the money spent on
salaries was always the majority of contribution. Looking into more details, the highest amount
of money on the police budget belonged to ‘National Government’, 175.5 million pounds in 2017
and it kept rising to 177.8 million pounds. Thus was followed by ‘Local Taxes’, at 91.2 million
pounds in 2017, after one year, it increase significantly to 102.3 million pounds. In term of the
how the money was spent, the majority of police budget goes to salaries which was for officers
and staff, dropping slightly from 75% in 2017 to 69% in 2018. Meanwhile, the proportion of
‘Buildings and transport’ remained constantly, at 17% each year. An opposite pattern can be seen
in the category of technology, its figure rose sharply from 8% in 2017 to 14% in 2018, which was
always the lowest rate during the given period.
Here is the examiner’s comment: This is a strong response. The candidate provides a clear
overview at the end of the first paragraph which highlights the consistently increasing trend from
the table and identifies the largest category from the pie charts. Full details are given for the first
two sources of the budget but, to achieve a higher rating, key features in the table could be more
fully extended. Information is presented in the order of the table first and then the charts, in a
logical manner. The test taker demonstrates a good range of cohesive devices [while | which
was] and uses three paragraphs appropriately to organise and sequence the required data. There
is a wide range of vocabulary [figure rose sharply | during the given period] with accurate
spelling, although there are occasional errors in word choice. The range of grammatical structures
is wide, including modal [can] and continuous forms [kept rising] – although there are occasional
errors e.g. using present tenses [goes on] to describe data from 2017 and 2018. To improve this
response, the key features presented from the table could be more fully extended. The candidate
could also reduce the few errors in sentence structure.
3. The chart below gives information about how families in one country spent their weekly
income in 1968 and in 2018.

This is an answer written by a candidate who achieved a Band 5.5 score. The chart describes
the data about families weekly expenditure prospects in 1968 and in 2018. The most significant
spent rate is on food with a 35% ratio in the year 1968. Housing and clothing come next with the
same prospect of 10% of the weekly income. Expenditure on leisure, transport, personal goods
and household goods are almost same percentage, the former one is slightly more. Lastly, spent
rates on fuel and the others are recorded the least with a 6% in the year of 1968. Turning to 2018,
food expenditure of families had dropped dramatically to a percentage between 15 to 20. On the
other hand, housing spent had rised significantly with an almost 20% slightly more than food
expenditures. The most crucial rise was recorded on leisure spent rates. It had soared abut 10%
in 50 years. Transportation expeditures comes after and followed by Household goods and the
othe categories respetively. Last three had remained the least just as in 1968 which is fuel and
power, clothing and footware and personal goods. Overall, weekly expenditure averages of
families had dramatically changed over 50 years. Some spent rates had remained the same
whereas some of the alterations are quite noticable.

Here is the examiner’s comment: This response clearly presents the data from the bar graph.
The candidate presents all the data for 1968 first and then the data for 2018. There is an overview
in the final sentence, but it should summarise the main changes from the bar chart rather than
just saying that expenditure ‘had … changed’. Information is arranged coherently into four
paragraphs, and there is clear overall progression. A range of cohesive devices is used [Turning
to 2018 | followed by | whereas] with an awareness of referencing [former one | the othe
categories | Last three]. There are some less common examples of vocabulary [dropped
dramatically to | rised significantly | soared]. Errors remain [spent rates / expenditure | housing
spent / housing costs] but do not impede communication. Similarly, grammatical structures
include some complex forms [had dropped … to] and sentences with multiple clauses; however,
there are errors, including inconsistent use of articles and with past tenses. To improve the
response, a summary of the main trends from the bar chart is needed in the overview; for
example, the candidate could say that there has been a significant decrease in spending on food
over the 50-year period, but the cost of leisure, housing and transport has significantly increased.
4. The graph below shows the number of shops that closed and the number of new shops that
opened in one country between 2011 and 2018.
This is an answer written by a candidate who achieved a Band 7.5 score.

The line graph shows trends in shop closures and openings of new shops in a particular country
between the years 2011 and 2018. In 2011 approximately 6,400 shops closed. The number of
closures fluctuated over the next four years until 2015, when there was a dramatic fall in closures
to roughly 700 shops. The following year the number of shops closing their doors rose sharply,
reaching over 5,000. The figures remained steady for the next two years, with just over 5,000
closures in 2018. The number of new shops opening decreased dramatically between 2011
(approximately 8,500) and 2012 ( just under 4,000) but rebounded by roughly 50% by 2014. In
2015, the number of openings then fell to the 2012 level, but remained stable for the next two
years. The last recorded year, 2018, saw a further fall to 3,000 new openings, the lowest point in
this seven year period. Overall, the number of shop closures has remained within the 5,000 to
7,000 range (with the exception of 2015). In contrast, new shop openings have shown a wider
range of figures, but generally indicate a downward trend over the same period.

Here is the examiner’s comment: This is a strong response which provides a clear overview in
the final paragraph. Data is presented and key features are highlighted appropriately. Closures
are dealt with first, and the details are clearly presented, including the [dramatic fall] key feature.
Shop openings are dealt with separately, in similar detail. Key peaks and low points are
appropriately flagged. For the highest task score, there could be more detail provided during the
periods of [fluctuation] between 2011 to 2014 and 2016 to 2018. Ideas are logically organised,
taking each line on the graph in turn, and paragraphing is used appropriately, apart from the
single sentence first paragraph. Cohesion is well managed. The range of vocabulary is wide, with
some skilful use [rebounded by roughly | further fall | exception of]. The grammar includes a
variety of complex structures, with numerous long sentences containing a number of clauses.
This is a good example of a higher-level response to this Task 1 question.