Academic Writing Task 1 · bar chart

Comparison of mobile phone and landline ownership across seven selected countries: 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.
  • 193 words
  • Bar charts
  • Academic
  • 20 minutes

The question

The chart shows the number of mobile phones and landlines per 100 people in selected countries.

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

Mobile Phones and Land Lines per 100 people (Number of phones / 100 people)
020406080100CanadaUSGermanyDenmarkUKSwedenItaly
  • Mobile
  • Land Lines
View the data
CanadaUSGermanyDenmarkUKSwedenItaly
Mobile38487182858890
Land Lines63686088586843

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 8193 words. Every figure in the answer comes from the chart above.

The bar chart illustrates the number of mobile phones and landlines per 100 people across seven different countries. Overall, it is evident that mobile phone penetration is significantly higher in European countries compared to North American nations, while landline usage shows a more fluctuating pattern across the surveyed regions.

Denmark stands out as having the highest number of landlines at 88 per 100 people, followed by the US and Sweden, both at 68. Canada also maintains a relatively high landline presence at 63, while Italy records the lowest figure for fixed lines at 43 per 100 people. In contrast, mobile phone usage is most prevalent in Italy, with 90 per 100 people, closely followed by Sweden at 88 and the UK at 85.

Conversely, Canada and the US exhibit the lowest mobile phone adoption rates, at 38 and 48 per 100 people respectively. Interestingly, while Denmark shows high figures for both technologies, countries like Italy and the UK demonstrate a clear preference for mobile devices over traditional landlines. Germany occupies a middle ground, with 71 mobile phones and 60 landlines per 100 people, showing a relatively balanced distribution between the two communication methods.

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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.
  • penetration

    the extent to which a product is used

  • fluctuating

    rising and falling irregularly in number or amount

  • prevalent

    widespread in a particular area at a time

  • adoption rates

    the speed or frequency at which something is accepted

  • exhibit

    to manifest or display a particular quality or trend

  • balanced distribution

    an even spread of values across different categories

Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?+

Overall, mobile phone usage is generally higher in European nations, whereas landline ownership is more varied, with Denmark leading in both categories.

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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