Academic Writing Task 1 · bar chart

Comparison of housework participation and time spent by gender: IELTS Writing Task 1 sample answer

An IELTS Writing Task 1 bar chart question with a Band 8 sample answer, the chart redrawn with its data, the vocabulary that lifts the report and how to write about bar charts.
  • 186 words
  • Bar charts
  • Academic
  • 20 minutes

The question

The first chart below shows the percentages of women and men in a country involved in some kinds of home tasks (cooking, cleaning, pet caring, and repairing the house. The second chart shows the amount of time each gender spent on each task per day.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

Percentage of males and females who do housework (%)
020406080100CookingCleaningPet careHouse repairs
  • Males
  • Females
View the data
CookingCleaningPet careHouse repairs
Males60402018
Females8262208
Average time males and females do housework (minutes) (minutes)
020406080100CookingCookingCleaningPet careHouse repairs
  • Males
  • Females
View the data
CookingCookingCleaningPet careHouse repairs
Males6060452018
Females858568205

Chart redrawn by BandLadder from the data in the original IELTS practice task. Many IELTS practice tasks come from the Cambridge IELTS series (Cambridge University Press & Assessment); all rights in the original tasks remain with their owners.

Model answer

Band 8 sample answer

Band 8186 words. Every figure in the answer comes from the chart above.

The provided charts illustrate the percentage of men and women involved in four domestic tasks and the average daily time spent on these activities. Overall, it is evident that women participate more frequently in cooking and cleaning, whereas men are more engaged in house repairs. Cooking stands out as the most time-intensive chore for both genders.

Regarding participation, 82% of females cook, compared to 60% of males. Similarly, cleaning is performed by 62% of women versus 40% of men. Conversely, house repairs show the opposite trend, with 18% of males participating compared to only 8% of females. Pet care participation is identical, with 20% of both genders involved.

In terms of time, cooking requires the most effort, with women spending 85 minutes daily compared to 60 minutes for men. Cleaning also occupies more of women's time at 68 minutes, while men spend 45 minutes. Interestingly, while pet care participation is equal, the time spent is also identical at 20 minutes. Finally, men dedicate 18 minutes to house repairs, significantly higher than the 5 minutes spent by women, reflecting their higher participation rate in this specific category.

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Bar charts

How to write about bar charts: tips and vocabulary

  • →Compare the biggest and smallest bars before anything else.
  • →If the bars show years, describe change; if they show places, describe rank.
  • →Round sensibly and say 'just over' or 'nearly' rather than guessing decimals.
  • Conversely

    Used to introduce a contrasting or opposite point

  • Intensive

    Requiring a great amount of effort or time

  • Dedicate

    To set aside a specific amount of time

  • Identical

    Exactly the same in every single detail

  • Engaged

    Participating or involved in a particular activity

  • Illustrate

    To provide information through a visual representation

Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?+

Overall, females are more involved in domestic tasks like cooking and cleaning, while males spend more time on house repairs, with cooking being the most time-consuming activity for both genders.

How many words and how long for IELTS Writing Task 1?+

At least 150 words; 170 to 200 is the safe range. Spend about 20 minutes on it and leave 40 for Task 2, which carries twice the marks.

How is IELTS Writing Task 1 scored?+

On four criteria: task achievement, coherence and cohesion, vocabulary, and grammatical range and accuracy. A clear overview of the main features is what most separates Band 6 from Band 7 and above.

How do I describe bar charts?+

Compare the biggest and smallest bars before anything else. If the bars show years, describe change; if they show places, describe rank. Round sensibly and say 'just over' or 'nearly' rather than guessing decimals.

Keep practising

More bar charts

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