Week 7 | Theme: Media and

Entertainment

IELTS WRITING TASK 1 PIE CHART 1. Types of Pie Chart: Type 1:

Comparison of similar features among different time frames Example: The two pie
charts below show the online shopping sales for retail sectors in Canada in 2005 and 2010.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons
where relevant.

▪ - Introduction: paraphrase task heading

▪ - Summary paragraph – 2 major features
▪ - Changes in the percentages for the
different sectors during the period
▪ - While the figures for food and
beverages and also video games
increased, the figures for the other two
sectors fell
▪ - Paragraph 3 – detail for the sectors
with increased percentages
▪ - Paragraph 4 – detail for the sectors
with reduced percentages

Model sample: Rearrange the sentences to form a full

response
Order List of sentences
In 2005, the proportion of online sales of food and beverages was 22%, but this rose to
32% in 2010. Overall, the proportion of online sales for each of the four sectors changed
significantly from 2005 to 2010. While this figure was 25% of the total online sales of
these four sectors in 2005, it fell to just 15% in 2010. The percentage for internet sales of
video games also went up, by 5% from the 2005 figure of 18%. There was also a
decrease in the electronics and appliances sector, which saw a fall from 35% in 2005 to
30% in 2010. In contrast, the percentages of the online sales of the other sectors
decreased. The charts compare four retail sectors in Canada in terms of the proportion
of their internet sales in two years, 2005 and 2010. The most dramatic fall was in the
 home furnishings retail sector. While the figures for food and beverages and also video
games increased, the figures for the other two sectors fell.

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Type 2: Comparison between different subjects without similar features The
charts below show the reasons why people travel to work by bicycle or by car. Summarise the
information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

Modal answer: Fill in the blanks with the given words

in box
Transportation Superior enthusiasts dominantly advocates Steer conscious Personal
preferences comfort minimizing

The pie chart analyzes the reasons behind (1)____personal preference_____________ for their
means of (2)_____transportation__________ to the workplace between cars and bicycles. Overall,
while most bicycle (3)__advocates/ enthusiasts__________ are environmentally and health
(4)______conscious_________ , the majority of people opt for cars is due to the
(5)_______comfort____ they bring. As can be seen from the first chart, 30% of people cycle to work
to improve their health and fitness as well as (6)____minimizing__________ environmental pollution.
Compared to that, half of the figure opt for bicycles to (7)___steer______ clear of parking problems
that car drivers might face. 13% of people cycle to work since the vehicle is accompanied by no costs
and the rest of them suppose that cycling is faster than driving. The other chart crystalizes why
people’s preferences lie with cars with (8)__dominantly________ 40% of them choose cars over
bicycles for comfort. Compared to that, approximately half of car (9)___advocates /
enthusiast_______ drive to work as they live far from their offices. An equal figure of 14% prefer cars
than bicycles because of their (10)__suprior____ speed or their personal need to carry things along.
Only 11% drive to work for safety reasons, which bicycles might not offer to them.
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Week 7 | Theme: Media and Entertainment
2. Structure: 2.1: Comparison of similar features among different time frames
Introduction => Overview: Group 1: which increased? => Body 1=group 1=> Body
2=group 2
: Group 2: Which decreased? 2.2: Comparison between different subjects without
similar features => Introduction => Overview: What is the most striking feature of
subject A? subject B? => Body 1: details for subject A => Body 1: details for subject B 3.
Functional language in Pie chart: 3.1: A chiếm ..... %
A
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account for
........%
3.2: Useful expressions
What you think What the examiners suppose you to write A chiếm phần lớn nhất A
takes a lion’s share in sth
B chiếm phần lớn B takes a large/major proportion of sth
....% đến từ C .....% come from C
belong to D chiếm ......%, để lại ..... % cho E D hold......%, leaving merely .......% for E.
Vary your language As with any task 1, this is important. You should not keep
repeating the same structures. The key language when you write about pie charts is
proportions and percentages. Common phrases to see are "the proportion of..." or
"the percentage of..." However, you can also use other words and fractions. These
are some examples from the model answer:
A large number of people over a quarter of people a small minority A significant number
of people less than a fifth This table presents some examples of how you can change
percentages to fractions or ratios:
Percentage Fraction 80% four-fifths 75% three-quarters 70% seven in ten 65% two-
thirds 60% three-fifths 55% more than half
50% half 45% more than two fifths 40% two-fifths 35% more than a third 30% less than
a third 25% a quarter 20% a fifth 15% less than a fifth 10% one in ten 5% one in twenty
If the percentages are not exact as above, then you can use qualifiers to make sure
your description remains accurate. Here are some examples:
Percentage Qualifier 77% just over three quarters 77% approximately three quarters
49% just under a half 49% nearly a half 32% almost a third This table presents some
examples of how you can change percentages to other phrases:
proportion / number / amount / majority /
Percentage
minority 75% - 85% a very large majority 65% - 75% a significant proportion 10% -
15% a minority 5% a very small number
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Homework:
1. Pie Chart:
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2. Line Graph:

3. Bar Chart:
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SELF-STUDY: Topic: The pie graphs show the nutritional
consistency of two dinners.

Exercise 2: Fill in the blanks with the suitable words contained quarter particular
contrast half comprised interestingly greatest mainly
Model answer: The graphs compare the proportion of various nutritional compounds
(1)_______________ in two different

foods; macaroni and medium baked potato.

In general, there are a larger percentage of carbohydrates and saturated fats in macaroni than in
medium

baked potato. In (2)_______________, medium baked potato has a much higher amount of protein
and
glucose.

In (3)____________________, macaroni (4)_______________ consists of large amounts of

carbohydrate

and saturated fats. Carbohydrates take up slightly more than a (5)_________, 52%, while a little less
than a

(6)_________________ is made up of saturated fats. The other nutrients show relatively lower
proportions.

On the other hand, medium baked potato is mostly (7)________________ of carbohydrates and
protein.

The amount of carbohydrates in the food is less than in macaroni, but they still take up the
(8)____________

percentage of 35% in medium baked potato. (9)___________, this dinner cereal has a large amount
of
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protein with 25%, which is very different from macaroni. The other types of nutrients do not show
significant

figures in the pie chart.

(166 words)

Exercise 3: Find the equivalent English phrases/words in the two above model
answers:

Vietnamese expressions Equivalent English phrases

Chiếm ........ % (v)

Nhiều hơn gấp ba lần (to be)

khác với cái gì (adj)

có cùng một lượng phần trăm bằng nhau

(v)

lần lượt (adv)

bao gồm (v)

Thành phần dinh dưỡng (n)

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