Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #56

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below. You should write at least 150 words.

model answer: In this analysis we will examine three pie charts. The first one is headed World Spending. The second is World Population and the third is Consumption of Resources. In the first chart we can see that people spend most of their income (24%) on food. In some countries this percentage would obviously be much higher. Transport and then housing are the next major expenses at 18% and 12% respectively. Only 6% of income is spent on clothing. In the second chart entitled World Population, it is not surprising to find that 57% of people live in Asia. In fact China and India are two of the most populated countries in the world and they are both situated on this continent. Europe and the Americans account for nearly 30% of the total, whilst 10% of people live in Africa.

Finally, the third chart reveals that the USA and Europe consume a huge 60% of the worlds resource. To sum up, the major expenditure is on food, the population figures are the highest for Asia and the major consumers are the USA and Europe. (182 words)

Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #57

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The table below gives information about Favorite Pastimes in different countries. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
From 30 - 50 years old TV Canada France England Australia Korea China USA Japan 60 / / 65 22 15 60 / Sport 22 / / 30 21 25 23 / Reading 15 30 30 15 60 60 15 62 Hobbies 40 20 21 45 45 50 42 / Music 3 4 4 5 2 0 23 / Beach 0 / / 30 2 5 30 / Sleep 2 / 20 4 4 5 2 /

model answer:

This table clearly presents and compares favorable pastimes in eight different countries. The pastimes, across the top of the table, are analyzed in relation to each country. As can be seen, about 60% of Canadians, Australians and Americans like watching television. On the other hand, this figure is quite low for China where only 15% of people watch television. Predictably, Americans like music at 23%, whereas only 2 to 5% of people in the other countries feel the same way. 20% of people in England enjoy sleeping as a pastime whereas in Canada and the USA, for example, the figure is only 2%. Interestingly, the Chinese like hobbies the most at

50%, as opposed to only 20% in France. It isnt surprising that the highest percentage of beach lovers is in Australia and the USA at 30%. It seems that pastimes of people of different nationalities may be influenced by a number of factors such as the socio-economic situation or the climate. These factors influence cultural differences between different nationalities and make cross-cultural experiences more interesting. (175 words)

Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #58

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The flowchart illustrates the production of coloured plastic paper clips in a small factory. Write a report for a university tutor describing the production process. Write at least 150 words.

model answer: There are four main stages in the production of plastic paper clips from this small factory. 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 with, 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 a quality control machine checks them for strength. 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)

Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #59

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The graph below shows the differences in wheat exports over three different areas. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below. Write at least 150 words.

model answer: The three graphs of wheat exports each show a quite different pattern between 1985 and 1990. Exports from Australia declined over the five-year period, while the Canadian market fluctuated considerably, and the European Community showed an increase. In 1985, Australia exported about 15 millions of tonnes of wheat and the following year the number increased by one million tonnes to 16 million. After that, however, there was a gradual decline until 1989 and 1990 when it stabilised at about 11 million tonnes. Over the same period, the amount of Canadian exports varied greatly. It started at 19 million tonnes in 1985, reached a peak in 1988 of 24 million, dropped dramatically in 1989 to 14 million tonnes and then climbed back to 19 million in

1990. Seventeen million tonnes were exported from the European Community in 1985, but this decreased to 14 million tonnes in 1986 and then rose to 15 million in 1987 and 1988 before increasing once more to 20 million in 1990. (165 words)

Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #60

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. 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.

model answer: The two graphs show that oil was the major energy source in the USA in both 1980 and 1990 and that coal, natural gas and hydroelectric power remained in much the same proportions. On the other hand, there was a dramatic rise in nuclear power, which doubled its percentage over the ten years. Oil supplied the largest percentage of energy, although the percentage decreased from 42% in 1980 to 33% in 1990. Coal in 1990 was the second largest source of energy, increasing its

proportion to 27% from 22% in the previous decade. Natural gas, the second largest source in 1980 at 26%, decreased its share very slightly to provide 25% of Americas energy ten years later. There was no change in the percentage supplied by hydroelectric power which remained at 5% of the total energy used. Nuclear power the greatest change: in 1990 it was 10%, twice that of the 1980s. (152 words)

Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #61

The chart shows student expenditure over a three-year period in the United Kingdom. Write a report for a university lecture describing the information shown below. You should write at least 150 words. Student expenditure (aged under 26 in higher education) United Kingdom*

Percentage of total expenditure (1) includes non-essential consumer items and credit repayments * Source: Student Income and Expenditure Survey. Department for Education and Employment.

Study these three sentences and then write three similar sentences about other parts of the chart. 1 During the period 1996 to 1999, student spent 3% less on accommodation, which fell from 23% to 20% of total expenditure. 2 There was a 3% decrease in spending on accommodation, which fell from 23% to 20%. 3 Spending on accommodation went down by 3% from 23% to 20%.

Using prepositions Complete the following sample report by putting a preposition in each space. The chart shows the changes which took place in student spending in the United Kingdomduring/over the three-year period from 1996 to 1999. Students spent 3% less on accommodation, which fell from 23% to 20% of total expenditure, and there was a 2% decrease in spending on food, bills and household goods, which fell from 20% to 18%. At the same time course expenditure went down by 3% from 10% to 7%. Children, who constituted 1% of students' expenditure in 1996, are not represented in 1999. On the other hand, there was a 5% growth in spending on entertainment, which stood at 26% of total expenditure in 1996 but rose to 31% in 1999. Spending on other non-essential items and credit repayments grew by 4% to make up 16% of total expenditure. Spending on essential travel went upby 3% while non-essential travel underwent a 1% fall. Overall, with the exception of expenditure on travel, the most significant general change was a shiftfrom/in spending on essential items to spending on non-essential items.

Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #62

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.

Source: Office for National Statistics on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

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 longas 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. Show Answer - Hide Answer

Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #63

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The chart below shows the proportions of the worlds oil resources held in different areas, together with the proportions consumed annually in the same areas. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

model answer: The charts shows the oil resources held, together with the proportions consumed within the same area each year, in different areas of the world. It is obvious that the region holding the most oil resources is the Middle East, with 56.52%, over a half of total world oil resources while in the United States and Asia, the level of oil consumed each year is for more away from the oil resources they hold. The percentage of total world oil consumption of United States and Asia are 25.48% and 26.21% respectively. They are the highest oil consumption region in the world. Another place that is worth mentioned will be the Western Europe. With about twenty percent of total world oil consumption, the Western Europe merely holds less than 1.5% of the oil resources in the World. Regions that are not mentioned above have the close percentage between oil holding and consuming whereas Canada has the highest level of oil holding than consuming, the respective figures are 14.84% and 2.48%.

Overall, the charts suggest that Middle East is the only majority at oil resources held, while Asia, United States and western have the highest level at oil resources imported. (197 words) EXAMINERS EXPLANATION Band 5.5 This response describes the main points of the bar graphs and provides a summary of their most significant features. However, the figures are not well selected to support or highlight the key features, there are some minor inaccuracies, and details are missing, with only half of the countries on the graphs being mentioned. There is an overall progression to the response, though the middle section could have been structured more clearly and coherently by use of linkers. There are no errors in spelling, but this accuracy is achieved by staying within a limited range of vocabulary, and by relying on repetition of the phrases supplied on the question paper. Grammatical errors occur but are not frequent or serious enough to affect communication, and there is a range of sentence types which includes some complex structures.

Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #64

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The chart below shows the number of men and women in further education in Britain in three periods and whether they were studying fulltime or part-time. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

model answer 1: The bar chart illustrates how many males and females have studied in full-time and part-time education in the following years: 1970 to 1971, 1980 to 1981 and 1990 to 1991. It is clear that in all three time periods more people of both sexes were involved in part-time education than fulltime. Overall the number of men in fulltime education rose from approximately 100 thousand to 200 thousand, whereas the number of men in part-time education was lower in the early nineties than twenty years earlier. As far as women are concerned, the numbers increased in both sectors of education. The number of part-time female students increased dramatically from 700 thousand to 1.2 million in the twenty year period. The amount of women in fulltime education went up more gradually from 100 thousand in 1971 to just over 200 thousand in 1991. This was similar the increase for fulltime male students. To sum up, the number of women in both sectors increased significantly while it seems that the rate of men entering part-time education decreased a little and was fluctuating. (179 words)

model answer 2:

This is a bar chart of the number of men and women in further education in Britain in three periods. In 1970, Most of Men were studying part-time but from 1980, studying part-time as decreased and studying full-time was increased and in 1990, it was twice as many students as in 1970. On the other hand, Women studying Full-time were increased and not only Full-time, part-time also were increased. In 1990, studying full-time was three times as many students as in 1970. If compare Men and Women, as you see, in 1970, Men were studying more than women full-time or part-time but it changed from 1980 and then, in 1990, Women were studying part-time more than Men and studying full-time was same number. It shows you women has a high education now. (132 words) EXAMINERS EXPLANATION Band 5 The length of the answer is just acceptable. There is a good attempt to describe the overall trends but the content would have been greatly improved if the candidate had included some reference to the figures given on the graph. Without these, the reader is lacking some important information. The answer is quite difficult to follow and there are some punctuation errors that cause confusion. The structures are fairly simple and efforts to produce more complex sentences are not successful.

model answer 3: According to this graph, the number of men and women in farther education in Britain shows that following pattern. In the case of male, the number of male has declined slightly from about 100 thousands in 1970/71 to about 850 thousands in 1990/91. However, this figure rose back to about 850 thousands in 1990/91 from about 820 thousands in 1980/81. The proportion of full-time education has declined during this period. However, the proportion of part-time education has increased dramatically. On the other hand, in the case of female, the number of both full-time education and part-time education has increased during the period. From about 700 thousands in 1970/71, these figures rose to about 820 thousands in 1980/81, to about 1100 thousands in 1990/91. In terms of full-time education, this figure rose by about 260 to about 900 in 1990/91. On the other hand, with respect to part-time education, this figure rose dramatically between 1980/81 and 1970/71. However this figure rose slightly between 1980/81 and 1990/91. (165 words) EXAMINERS EXPLANATION Band 6 The candidate has made a good attempt to describe the graphs looking at global trends and more detailed figures. There is, however, some information missing and the information is inaccurate in minor areas. The answer flows quite smoothly although connectives are overused or inappropriate, and some of the points do not link up well. The grammatical accuracy is quite good

and the language used to describe the trends is well-handled. However, there are problems with expression and the appropriate choice of words and whilst there is good structural control, the complexity and variation in the sentences are limited.

Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #65

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The graph below shows radio and television audiences throughout the day in 1992. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below. Write at least 150 words.

model answer 1: The graph shows the percentage of audiences over 4 yes old of UK follows the radio and

television throughout the day during the period October-December 1992. It has been observed from the graph that less than 10% audiences follows the radio at 6:00 am and the percentage raised to a pick around 30% at 8AM and decline gradually to around 10% during the period 200 to 400 Pm and again raised a bi t to around 12% between 400 to 600 PM. It then again dropped to below 10% at around 10PM. The rate again raised to a bit between 1000 PM to 1200 PM and then dropped slowly by 400 AM. On the other hand, the rate of television audiences raises 0-10% during the period 600 to 800 am and remain steady up to 1 0AM and then gradually goes down by 1200 noon. The percentage raised dramatically to around 15% by 200 noon. The percentage raised dramatically goes down by 1200 noon. The percentage raised dramatically to around 15% by 200 PM which again raised to a pick above 40% between 600-800 PM and then gradually dropped between the period 1200 PM to 400 AM. (197 words) EXAMINERS EXPLANATION Band 6 The answer has an appropriate introduction which the candidate has attempted to express in his/her own words. There is good coverage of the data and a brief reference to contrasting trends. The answer can be followed although it is rather repetitive and cohesive devices are overused. In order to gain a higher mark for content, the candidate would be expected to select the salient features of the graph and comment primarily on these. Sentences are long but lack complexity. There are some errors in tense, verb form and spelling which interfere slightly with the flow of the answer.

model answer 2:

The blue graph shows the television audiences throughout the day. It shows that the percentage of audiences is three percent in early morning but it gradually rises unto ten percent at 8:00 am and maintains the same for the next two hours. There is a slight fall in percentage in next two hours however after that it raises sharp unto twenty percent within the next two hours. After this the graph rises very fast and attains its peak at 10 pm which is about forty five percent. The graph gradually falls down and at 2:00 am it is at five percent. The red graph shows the percentage for radio audiences. Unlike the television one the peak percentage of the radio audiences is at 8:00 am which is about 30 percent. Then it gradually falls and it corresponds with the television one at two pm. After that it gradually falls but with a small increase in percentage at 4:30 to 6:00 pm. The percentage of audience then gradually goes down and at four AM it is the lowest which is near 2 percent. These graphs prove the progressive popularity of television. (191 words) EXAMINERS EXPLANATION Band 7 The answer deals well with both the individual media trends and the overall comparison of these trends. The opening could be more fully developed with the inclusion of information relating to the groups studied and the period of time during which the study took place. There is a good variety of cohesive devices and the message can be followed quite easily although the expression is sometimes a little clumsy. Structures are complex and vocabulary is varied but there are errors in

word forms, tense and voice though these do not impede communication.

Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #66

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The tables below give information about the amount of beer and fruit juice consumed per person per year in different countries. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

Beer Country 1 Ireland 2 Germany 3 Austria 4 Belgium 5 Denmark 6 United Kingdom 7 Australia 8 United States 9 Netherlands 10 Finland Amount* 155 litres 119 litres 106 litres 98 litres 98 litres 97 litres 89 litres 85 litres 80 litres 79 litres Country 1 Canada 2 United States 3 Germany 4 Austria 5 Sweden 6 Australia 7 Finland

Fruit juice Amount* 52.6 litres 42.8 litres 38.6 litres 37.3 litres 35.5 litres 34.4 litres 33 litres 29.3 litres 28.1 litres 24.8 litres

8 United Kingdom 9 Netherlands 10 New Zealand

*Litres per person per year

model answer: The tables show the amount of beer and fruit juice consumed per person per year in countries around the world. Beer is most popular in Ireland, with the average Irish drinking 155 litres per year. Germany ranks second with 119 litres per person. In fact, the top six countries in terms of consumption of beer are all European. Australia and The United States come next in seventh and eighth positions, with Netherland and Finland consuming the least beer of the countries mentioned. Finnish people only drink an average of 79 litres of beer a year. The country which consumes by the greatest quantity of fruit juice per capita is Canada. Canadians drink an average of 52.6 litres each a year, thats almost double the consumption of New Zealand, which is placed at the bottom of the table. Another North American country, The United States, come second in the table, while German drinkers are ranked at number three, consuming an average of 38.6 litres annually. Swedes drink approximately the same quantity of fruit juice as Australians, which is 35.5 litres per year. The Finnish and the British drink 33 and 29.3 litres per year respectively. (194 words)

Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #67

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The graph below shows the unemployment rates in the US and Japan between March 1993and March 1999. Write a short report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below. You should write at least 150 words.

model answer: According to the results of the labor-force research published recently, the following conclusions can be drawn from it: In March, 1993, United States had seven percent of their workforce which might not seem disastrous until compared with Japan, where 2.5% were unemployed. However, the unemployment rate in United States began declining slowly since March 1993, and reached 5% mark in the middle of 1996. Japan turned out to be less lucky, as their unemployment rate doubled in three years. From then on, the percentage of unemployed workforce in United States remained roughly the same about 5% until March 99, although there were minor falls and rises in the unemployment rate. As for Japan, the percentage of unemployed fell rapidly by 0.5 0.6% after March 1996, but from summer 1996 and onwards it grew steadily and without any falls to reach 5.0% boundary in March 1999. The major conclusion that Ive drawn using the graph, is that number of unemployed in USA decreased by about 2.0% in the course of six years, while in Japan it actually increased by 2.5% percent. As a result, in March 99, both Japan and US had about 5% of their work force unemployed. (198 words) EXAMINERS EXPLANATION Band 7 This is a good account of the information presented in the graph, although occasionally the organisation of the data is slightly unusual. The writer grasps all the key points, however, and supports these with figures, before providing a summary of the main points. Sentence structures

are more than adequate, although the writer has some problems with the use of tenses and prepositions. There are minor examples of unsuitable register (e.g. turned out, disastrous, and one contracted verb form), but as there are only a few instances of this, the candidate has not been penalised.

Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #68

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The chart below shows the number of girls per 100 boys enrolled in different levels of school education. Write a short report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below. You should write at least 150 words.

model answer: The chart shows the number of female students per 100 male students in primary, secondary and tertiary education.

On Average, more boys than girls were enrolled in school both in 1990 and 1998 in all the countries, except in tertiary education in developed countries. The number of girls per 100 boys was bigger in 1998 than in 1990 in the two country groups and in all the educational stages. Turning to the detail, there were more boys than girls in primary and secondary education. As can be seen, developing countries saw a bigger discrepancy between the numbers of male and female students than developed countries, with the number of girls per 100 boys at 83 in 1990 and 87 in 1998 in primary education. However, in developed countries, the balance of the two was much closer to the ideal, particularly in secondary education, with 98 girls per 100 boys in 1990 and 99 in 1998. Regarding tertiary education, the balance was even worse than in any other levels of education in developing countries with 66 girls enrolled for every 100 boys in 1990 and 75 in 1998. On the other hand, in developing countries, the number of girls overtook that of boys at 105 per 100 boys in 1990 and 112 in 1998. (213 words) This answer would probably exceed Band 7

Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #69

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The graph below shows the demand for electricity in England during typical days in winter and summer. The pie chart shows how electricity is used in an average English home. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant. You should write at least 150 words.

model answer: The Demand for electricity in England during typical days in winter and summer is illustrated in the graph. The use of electricity in an average English home is shown in the pie chart. From the graph it is generally obvious that the demand is in its maximum around 2100 in winter times and in its minimum around 400 being almost constant between 1200 and 2100 in winter times. During summer times on the other hand the demand reaches its top point around 1300 and the bottom point around 900 being almost constant between 1550 and 2000. In wither times the curve gradually increases to reach 40000 units of electricity by 3 oclock in the morning. This is followed by gradual decline to its lowest limit of 30000 units at 9 oclock. A gradual rise is obvious again to reach a stationary level between 3 oclock and 9 oclock of about 40000 units again. Then there is a sharp rise in the next hour to reach its maximum before collapsing again to a lower level by the end of

the day. In summer time the curve gradually decrease to reach its lower limit around 9 oclock of a bit more that 10000 units. A gradual increase is noticed to reach its top of 20000 after which a stationary phase is obvious between 3 oclock and 10 oclock at night of about 15000 units. The pie chart on the other hand shows that 52.5% of the electricity is used for heating rooms and water. 17.5% is consumed for ovens kettles and washing machines 15% is used in lighting TV and radio and finally 15% is consumed in the sue of vacuum cleaners food mixtures and electric tools. (285 words) This answer would probably exceed Band 6

Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #70

The charts A and B show the share of the UK and Australian cinema market in 2001 and cinema admission in the UK and Australia from 1976 to 2006. Write a report for a university lecture describing the information shown below. You should write at least 150 words.

Sources: Admission data: BFI, Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia (MPDAA).

Vocabulary in the report Read this sample report and fill each space by choosing one of the words in the box.

accounted compared dropped stood fell

increased opposed predominated recovered

Chart (A) shows the cinema industrys share of the Australian and UK cinema market by origin in 2001. In both countries, films made in the United States predominated with 77% of the market in

the UK compared to 67% in Australia. UK films accounted for 21% of the UK cinema market and 6% of the Australian market. On the other hand, while 11% of the films shown in Australia were Australian, no Australian films were shown in the UK. Films from other countries had 16% of the market share in Australia as opposed/compared to just 2% in the UK. Chart (B) shows cinema admissions in the UK and Australia since 1976. In both countries cinema admissions dropped/fell in the early 1980s. In Australia admissions fell/dropped from just under 40 million in 1980 to about 30 million in 19846 while in the UK the decrease was far more dramatic (from 100 million in 1980 to less than 60 million in 1984). Since then, however, the industry hasrecovered in both countries. In 2001, cinema admissions in the UK stood at over 150 million, whereas in Australia they reached 90 million. Overall, the charts show that the cinema has increased in popularity in both countries over the last 15 years, but that the origins of the films projected in Australia are more diverse than in the UK. Show Answer - Hide Answer

Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #71

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The chart below shows information about the challenges people face when they go to live in other countries. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

model answer: The chart shows the challenges people face when they settle in a new country and how the challenges vary according to peoples ages. The most challenging aspect for young people aged 18 to 34 is making new friends, a problem experienced by 46% of the people in this age group. However, only 36% of 35 - 54 year olds find it hard to make friends, while even fewer people over 55 (23%) have this problem. 54% of the older age group finds learning the local language the biggest obstacle when settling. In comparison, the youngest age group finds this easier, and the percentage of people who have problems learning the language is much lower, at only 29%. In contrast to their language-learning difficulties, only 22% of people in the oldest age group have trouble finding accommodation. However, this is the second most significant problem for the other two age groups with 39% to 40% of the people in each group finding it hard. In general, all age groups experience the same problems to some extent, but people over the age of 55 reported that they face markedly fewer challenges settling in a new country than their younger respondents. (198 words)

Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #72

Complete the answer by filling the gaps with a word or phrase from the box below.

steadily

hovering

trend

meanwhile

rocketed

fluctuated

peak

plummeted

period

The chart shows the average daily viewing figures for Channel One News over a 12-month period. The figure for the 1pm News remained fairly stable, hovering at around 1.3 million throughout the year. The figure for the 6pm News began the year at 4.8 million. It fluctuated, but the general trendwas downwards, and it ended the year at 3.4 million. The figure for the 9:30 News gradually increased from 3.2 million viewers per day in January to apeak of 3.8 million in May. However, this month saw the introduction of the 11pm News, and the figure for the 9:30 News plummeted, hitting a low-point of 1.1 million in August. In the same period, the figure for the 11pm news rocketed from 0.2 million to 4.1 million. At this point, the

trend reversed. From August onwards, the figure for the 9:30 news grew steadily, reaching 3 million by the end of the year. Meanwhile, the figure for the 11pm News declined sharply, and in December fell below the 1 million mark. Show Answer - Hide Answer

Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #73

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The chart below shows male and female fitness membership between 1970 and 2000. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

model answer: The chart shows male and female fitness membership over a thirty-year period. The vertical axis represents the number of members. The horizontal axis represents the period from 1970 to 2000. Overall, the chart indicates that there were greater fluctuations in fitness 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 1975 and five thousand around 1995. The lowest rates were in 1985 and more recently in 2000 when the rate dipped as low as one thousand. Female fitness membership began lower at one thousand, doubled by 1975, 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 in 1985 when over three thousand women held fitness membership. In brief, there were marked differences in rates of male and female fitness memberships in the period covered. (161 words)

Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #74

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The chart below shows the percentage of total US population aged 65 and over between 1900 and 2000. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

model answer: The chart shows the percentage of total population aged 65 and over in the U.S. between 1900 and 2000. In the year 1900 just over 4% of the population was aged over 65. However, by 1960 this figure had doubled. The number of people aged between 75 and 84 remained fairly steady between 1900 and 1930, making up only 1-1.3% of the population. The figure began to rise more significantly in 1940 and by 1970 it had tripled to reach 3% of the population. Although there was no change in the number of people aged 65 -74 between 1960 and 1970, the number of people aged 75 and over increased during this time. By the year 2000, 12.4% of the US population had reached the age of 65 or more, although this was slightly lower than in 1990 when it peaked at 12.6%. The chart shows that today people in the U.S. can expect to live longer than in 1900. By the year 2000 more than 12% of the population had managed to live to the age of 65 and over compared to only 4.1% in 1900. (187 words)

Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #75

Adjective or Adverb? Complete the answer by filling the gaps with an adverb or adjective from the box below.

dramatic

dramatically

impressive

impressively

slight

slightly

steady

steadily

sharp

sharply

steep

steeply

The world population grew dramatically between 1960 and 2000. The world population experienced a dramatic growth between 1960 and 2000.

European City Tourism showed an impressive growth of 50% for three consecutive years from 2006 to 2008. European City Tourism grew impressively by 50% for three consecutive years from 2006 to 2008.

Diesel consumption showed a slight increase between 2010 and 2011. Diesel consumption increased slightly between 2010 and 2011.

Consumption of chocolate fell steadily between 1970 and 2010. There was a steady fall in consumption of chocolate between 1970 and 2010.

Worldwide sales of CD-ROM drives climbed steeply during the first half of the year before fallingsharply in August. There was a steep climb in worldwide sales of CD-ROM drives during the first half of the year before a sharp fall in August.

Show Answer - Hide Answer

Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #76

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The chart below shows the GDP growth per year for three countries between 2007 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 chart shows the annual GDP growth for three countries from 2007 to 2010. By the year 2007 the figure for Tunisia was by far the highest at close to 6.3% per annum. This figure is double that of Ecuador and three times that of Japan on a global level. However by 2008 this trend has changed considerably; the Japanese doubled their annual GDP over this period and there was also an increase in the GDP of Ecuador, while Tunisia fell to 4.5% per year. In 2009 and 2010, the downward trend for Tunisia continued falling to a low of 3% at the end of this period. For Ecuador, the GDP fell sharply to just under 1.5% in the year 2009 and rose only slightly in 2010 to 2.3%. ON the other hand, for Japan, the GDP figure rose significantly throughout this time and by the year 2010 had more than matched the GDP figures for Tunisia of the year 2007. (162 words)

Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #77

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The graph below shows the changes in maximum number of Asian elephants between 1994 and 2007. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

model answer: The graph shows the estimated maximum population of elephants in a range of Asian countries in both 1997 and 2004. In most of the countries included in the graph, the population fell. This was most noticeable in Malaysia and Thailand, where the number of elephants was thought to be less than half the figure in 1997. In the former, the number of elephants dropped as low as 1000. India remained the country with by far the largest elephant population, but experienced a dramatic fall in numbers so that in 2004 there may have been as few as 7500. Despite its size, China had a very small population of at most 500 elephants by 2004.

Although the trend was downwards overall, elephant populations were thought to have remained stable in Laos and Vietnam at approximately 1200. The only country where elephants showed signs of recovering was Cambodia, where numbers may have risen by up to 200. (155 words)

Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #78

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The pie charts below show electricity generation by source in New Zealand and Germany in 1980 and 2010. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

Electricity Generation by Source in New Zealand

Electricity Generation by Source in Germany

model answer: The charts compare the sources of electricity in New Zealand and Germany in the years 1980 and 2010. Between these years, electricity generation almost doubled, rising from 127 units to 200 in New Zealand, and from 107 to 214 units in Germany. In 1980 New Zealand used coal as the main electricity source (56 units) and the remainder was produced from natural gas, hydro power (each producing 30 units) and petroleum (which produced only 11 units). By 2010, coal had become the fuel for more than 75% of electricity produced and only hydro continued to be another significant source supplying approximately 20%. In contrast, Germany used coal as a source for only 28 units of electricity in 1980, which was matched by natural gas. The remaining 49 units were produced largely from petroleum and nuclear power, with hydro contributing only 7 units. But by 2010 nuclear power, which was not used at all in New Zealand, had developed into the main source, producing almost 75% of electricity, at 155 units, while coal and petroleum together produced only 55 units. Other sources were no longer significant. Overall, it is clear by 2010 these two countries relied on different principal fuel sources: New Zealand relied on coal and Germany on nuclear power. (210 words)

Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #79

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The table below shows the monthly expenditure of an average Australian family in 1991 and 2001. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

1991

2001

Australian Dollar Per Month Food Electricity and Water Clothing Housing Transport Other goods and services* Total 155 75 30 95 70 250 675 160 120 20 100 45 270 715

*Other goods and services: non-essential goods and services

model answer: The table shows changes in the spending patterns of an average Australian household between 1999 and 2001. In general, Australian household spending was high in 2001 than in 1991 but the difference was not significant (AUD $715 per month and AUD $675 per month respectively). The amount of monthly spending on electricity and water saw a dramatic increase over the 10year period from $75 to $120. Yet in terms of the expenditure on non-essential goods and services, the rising trend was less obvious with a minor increase of $20. At the same time, the amount of money spent on food and housing rose only slightly from $155 to $160 and $95 to $100 respectively. However, there was a decrease in expenditure on the other two items. Australians spent one third less on clothing, which fell from $30 to $20. Similarly, expenditure on transport dropped from $70 in 1991 to $45 in 2001. It seems that food and other goods and services were the two biggest items of expenditure. Altogether, they accounted for more than half of the total household spending. By comparison,

Australians spent little on dressing up. (188 words)

Academic Writing Sample Task 1 #80

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The bar chart below shows the estimated sales of jeans for two companies next year in Turkey. The pie chart shows the projected market share of the two companies in jeans at the end of next year. Write a short report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below. Write at least 150 words.

model answer 1: The bar chart shows the estimated sales of jeans in thousands of pairs for two companies in Turkey next year. It is anticipated that purchases of jeans at Mango Co. will rise from 150,000 pairs in January to approximately 500,000 pairs in August, and will remain there until November. For December, sales are expected to be in the region of 600,000 pairs. Meanwhile, it is estimated that the sales of jeans for Jack & Jones Co. will begin the year at around 450,000 pairs in January, falling to about 250,000, before increasing to around 400,000 in June. For the next two months until August, sales are forecast to remain steady at this level, after which they are expected to rise steadily to hit a peak of approximately 900,000 pairs in December. The pie chart shows that, at the end of next year, the anticipated market share for Mango Co. and Jack & Jones Co. is 20% and 30% respectively. As can be seen from the chart, the overall sales trends for both companies are forecast to be upwards. (178 words)

model answer 2: The bar chart shows the predicted sales of jeans in thousands of pairs for two companies in Turkey; Mango Co. and Jack & Jones Co. for next year. The most striking feature is that sales will increase for both companies, It is anticipated that sales of Jack & Jones Co. will start at 450,000 pairs in January decreasing by 200,000 pairs following month with a gradual recover over the subsequent four months reaching 400,000 pairs in June. Those of Jack & Jones Co. are predicted to be stable until August peaking up to 600,000 pairs in September and October.

Sales of Jack & Jones will reach a peak of 900,000 in December, For those of Mango Co. is forecasted a gradual increase with the largest sale of 600,000 pairs in December. In the beginning of the next year those of Mango Co. will stand at 150,000 pairs falling back to 100,000 pairs in February, rising steadily to 250,000 in June, In subsequent months sales will reach 450,000 pairs increasing to 500,000 pairs in August, staying stable until November, Regarding the pie chart the sales of Jack & Jones Co. will share 30% of market whereas those of Mango Co. 20%. 50% of market is set to be shared by other companies. (211 words) This answer would probably exceed Band 8

IELTS Writing Task 1 #81

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The following diagram shows how greenhouse gases trap energy from the Sun. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below. Write at least 150 words.

Complete the answer by filling the gaps with a word or phrase from the box below.

lead to

release

result in

subsequently

fell

reach

less

decades

amounts

as a result of

Energy from the Sun reaches the Earth as heat. Some of this heat energy is subsequently/thenradiated 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/have been 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 result in/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 of forest are (being) felled/have been felled in the Amazon and elsewhere, less carbon dioxide is removed in this way. Show Answer - Hide Answer

IELTS Writing Task 1 #82

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The graph below shows the population figures of different types of turtles in India between 1980 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 total number of all species of turtles in India has been relatively stable over the last two decades, although there were significant drops in numbers between 1987 and 1989 and again in 1992 and 1996. Since 2004 there has been an improvement in numbers of all species, although the graph shows a slight decrease in 2010. In contrast, the population of Leatherback turtles has suffered a severe decline, particularly in 1988 when numbers fell dramatically. The rate of decline in the population appears to have slowed and it has remained relatively stable since 2009. There was also a fall in the number of Green turtles of around 30% between 1984 and 2002. The population increased slightly in 2010 but it had dropped again by 2012. It is only Olive Ridley turtles that have seen a steady increase in population over this period. Their numbers dropped slightly in 2007 and again in 2012 but the overall trend has been a positive one. (162 words)

IELTS Writing Task 1 #83

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The table below shows the average band scores for students from different language groups taking the IELTS General Test in 2010. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

Listening German French Indonesian Malay 6.8 6.3 6.3 6.2

Reading 6.3 6.1 6.1 6.4

Writing 6.6 6.5 6.1 6.0

Speaking 6.9 6.6 6.7 6.6

Overall 6.7 6.5 6.3 6.4

model answer: The table illustrates the breakdown of scores for the IELTS General Test in 2010. It shows separate scores for all four sections (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking), together with the overall score for students from four different language groups around the world. From an overall perspective, German speakers achieved the highest grades with an average score of 6.7 across all four sections. Moreover, they scored the highest of all four language groups in three sections of the four sections (Listening, Writing, Speaking). French speakers scored the second highest scores overall, closely followed by Malay and Indonesian speakers. Although French speakers did not do so well in the Reading, Speaking and Listening sections compared to Indonesian and Malay speakers, there was a significant difference in their grades for the Writing section. These grades were high relative to Indonesian and Malay candidates. Surprisingly, Malay speakers, who achieved the second lowest results overall, achieved the highest results of all four language groups for the Reading section. As a final point, it is interesting to note that the scores for each section show that all students on average scored the highest marks for the Speaking section and the lowest marks for the Reading section. (200 words)

IELTS Writing Task 1 #84

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The pie charts below show the average household expenditures in a country in 1950 and 2010. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

Average Household Expenditures by Major Category

Look at the phrases in italic. Choose the phrase which sounds more formal. The two pie charts give information about household expenditure on goods and services in 1950 and 2010. It is immediately obvious that there are some quite significant differences between the two charts. In 2010 the largest proportion of expenditure was on food whereas in 1950 it was on housing, with food for just 11.2%. There is a great difference in terms of housing expenditure between the two years. In 1950 72.1% of the total household budget went towards housing, compared to only 22% in 2010. There has been a notable increase in the amount of money spent on transportation between the

two dates. In addition, the charts show a significant rise in the proportion of money spent on health care in 2010 compared to 1950. There are some similarities, however. For example, in both 1950 and 2010 the proportion of education expenditure was roughly the same.

Show Answer - Hide Answer

IELTS Writing Task 1 #85

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The table below shows the number of medals won by the top ten countries in the London 2012 Olympic Games. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

London 2012 Olympic Games Medal Table Rank by Gold Country 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 United States China Great Britain Russia South Korea Germany France Italy Hungary Australia Gold 46 38 29 24 13 11 11 8 8 7 Silver 29 27 17 26 8 19 11 9 4 16 Bronze 29 23 19 32 7 14 12 11 5 12 Total 104 88 65 82 28 44 34 28 17 35

Source: http://www.london2012.com/medals/medal-count/

model answer: The table shows the number of medals won by the top ten countries in the London 2012 Olympic Games. The USA won greatest number of medals overall with the total of 104. They won more gold medals than silver and more medals than any other country in both categories. China had the second number of medals at 88, and like the USA, China won fewer silver medals than gold medals. While Russias silver medal total was better than Great Britains, they did not do as well as Great Britain in the gold medals, winning just 24. In fact Great Britain had a lower overall medal total than Russia but, as the table is based on the number of gold medals won, they were placed third. Similarly, Germany was significantly more successful at winning medals than South Korea, with a total of 44 compared to South Koreas 28, but because South Korea won two more gold medals than Germany they were ranked higher. Australia gave the worst performance in this group, winning only seven gold and sixteen silver medals. (178 words)

IELTS Writing Task 1 #86

Complete the description of the table using an appropriate word, words or number.

reasons for shopping at ASDA supermarket close to home good reputation 24-hour shopping parking facilities friendly staff competitive prices

no. of men 25 17 4 21 6 14

no. of women 20 22 0 20 6 17

The table shows the main reasons why ASDA is a popular supermarket for shoppers. The top three reasons are its location / closeness to home, its reputation and its parking facilities. Of these, the most important reason why men shop at ASDA is that the shop is close to their home 25 men rated this as an important factor. Women, however, prefer ASDA to other supermarkets mainly because it has a good reputation / of its reputation. They rated the location of the supermarket second. A significant number of both men and women also choose to shop at ASDA because it has / of the / of its good parking facilities.

The women felt / said / thought / considered this was as important as the location of the supermarket. On the other hand, the attitude of the staff does not seem to be an important factor asonly six women and six men rated this highly. Surprisingly, almost no one said they prefer to shop / shopping at ASDA because it is open 24 hours a day. Show Answer - Hide Answer

IELTS Writing Task 1 #87

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The graph below gives information about international tourist arrivals in five countries. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

model answer: The graph shows the overall numbers of tourist arrivals in five countries between 1995 and 2010. 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 decrease of approximately 1,500,000 in the numbers going to the United States whereas there was an increase of nearly 20 million tourists visiting France. The result was that in 2010 the number of tourists arriving in the United States and France was almost equal at around 90 million each. The number of tourists visiting Malaysia rose steadily over the whole period but by 2010 the total was still under 50 million. The countries with the fewest tourist arrivals were Brazil and Egypt. The number of tourists going there was similar between 1995 and 2000 but after that there was a greater increase in tourists going to Egypt than to Brazil. (157 words)

IELTS Writing Task 1 #88

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The chart below shows the total number of minutes (in millions) of telephone calls in Finland, divided into three categories, from 1995 2004. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

model answer: The chart shows the time spent by Finlands residents on different types of telephone calls between 1995 and 2004. Local landline calls were the highest throughout the period, rising from 12000 million minutes in 1995 to just under 17000 million in 2000. After peaking at 17000 million the following year, these calls had fallen back to the 1995 figure by 2004. National and international landline calls grew steadily from 6000 million to 10500 million at the end of the period in question, though the growth slowed over the last two years. There was a dramatic increase in mobile calls from 250 to 9800 million minutes. This rise was particularly noticeable between 2000 and 2004, during which time the use of mobile phones tripled. To sum up, although local landline calls were still the most popular in 2004, the gap between the three categories had narrowed considerately over the second half of the period in question. (155 words)

IELTS Writing Task 1 #89

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The graph below gives information from Annual Energy Outlook 2008 about consumption of energy in the USA since 1980 with projection until 2030. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

Source: http://www.eia.gov/oiaf/aeo/pdf/0383(2008).pdf

model answer: The graph shows consumption of energy in the U.S. since 1980 with projections through 2030. The historical trends show Petrol and Oil as the major sources of fuel, rising from 35 quadrillion (35q) units used in 1980 to 42q in 2012. Despite some fluctuation between 1980 and 1995, there was a steady increase, which is expected to continue, reaching 47q in 2030. Consumption of energy from natural gas and coal followed a similar pattern over the period. From 20q and 15q respectively in 1980, gas showed an initial fall and coal a gradual increase, with the two fuels equal between 1985 and 1990. Consumption has fluctuated since 1990 but both now provide 24q. Coal consumption is projected to rise to 31q in 2030, whereas after 2014, natural gas is forecast to remain stable at 25q.

In 1980, energy from solar/wind, nuclear, and hydropower was the least-used, with only 4q. Nuclear has risen by 3q, and solar/wind by 2. Since 2005, hydropower has fallen back to the 1980 figure. It is expected to remain approximately constant through 2030, while the others are projected to rise gradually after 2025. Overall, fossil fuels will remain the chief energy source for the US, with a little bit of hydroelectric, nuclear and a smidgen of renewables like wind and solar. (215 words)

IELTS Writing Task 1 #90

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The bar chart below gives information about the number of students studying Computer Science at a UK university between 2010 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 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)

IELTS Writing Task 1 #91

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The pie charts below give information about world population in 1900 and 2000. 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 illustrate changes in the population of different areas of the world between 1900 and 2000. The major regions are represented as percentages of the total world population. From 1900 to 2000, the percentage of people living in Africa more than doubled from 4.5% to 10%, while Latin Americas proportion almost tripled in the same period. On the other hand, the percentage of population in Europe and Asia decreased over the last century. Europes percentage dropped from 25% to 14%, while Asia declined from 60% to 54%. North Americas percentage however, remained constant at 5% in 1900 and 2000. The Middle East and North Africa, a new category in 2000, represented 6% of world population. Overall, this represents a huge increase in the number of humans on the planet, from 1.6 billion to 6 billion in just one century. Most of this population growth has occurred in developing countries. (151 words)

IELTS Writing Task 1 #92

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The diagram below shows the production of steam using a gas cooled nuclear reactor. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

model answer: A gas-cooled nuclear reactor consists of the reactor itself and a heat exchanger. The reactor contains uranium fuel elements which are surrounded by graphite moderators and topped by charge tubes for loading fuel elements, and boron control rods. The whole reactor is contained in a pressure vessel surrounded by a concrete shield. From the reactor the hot gas flows through a duct into the heat exchanger which is outside the concrete radiation shielding. In the heat exchanger, steam is generated in a secondary loop. There a pipe brings in water which is heated to steam, and this then flows out to the turbo-alternator. Meanwhile the hot gas sinks to the bottom of the heat exchanger and passes through a gas blower which pushes it into a cool gas duct and back to the reactor. As can be seen, this is a continuous cycle that keeps the reactor from overheating, while carrying

away the heat and steam, which will power the turbines. (161 words)