Academic Writing Task 1 · bar chart

Comparison of railway route length and passenger numbers in six European cities: 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.
  • 185 words
  • Bar charts
  • Academic
  • 20 minutes

The question

The bar charts below give information about the railway system in six cities in Europe.

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

Kilometers of Route (kilometers)
0100200300400500Paris 1863Stockroom 1900Lisbon 1927Rome 1976Madrid 1981Berlin 2001
View the data
Paris 1863Stockroom 1900Lisbon 1927Rome 1976Madrid 1981Berlin 2001
Kilometers3952001551251030
Passengers per year (millions) (millions)
04008001,2001,6002,000Paris 1863Stockroom 1900Lisbon 1927Rome 1976Madrid 1981Berlin 2001
View the data
Paris 1863Stockroom 1900Lisbon 1927Rome 1976Madrid 1981Berlin 2001
Passengers7751,2001,9251505050

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 8185 words. Every figure in the answer comes from the chart above.

The provided bar charts illustrate the railway route length and annual passenger numbers across six European cities, ranging from Paris in 1863 to Berlin in 2001. Overall, there is a clear disparity between the older and newer systems, with the former generally possessing longer routes and higher passenger counts.

Regarding the length of the routes, Paris 1863 leads significantly with approximately 395 kilometres, followed by Stockholm 1900 at 200 kilometres and Lisbon 1927 at 155 kilometres. In contrast, the systems in Rome, Madrid, and Berlin are considerably smaller, with Madrid 1981 having the shortest route at only 10 kilometres, while Berlin 2001 measures 30 kilometres.

In terms of passenger numbers, Lisbon 1927 stands out as the busiest system, handling 1,925 million passengers annually. Stockholm 1900 and Paris 1863 also record substantial figures of 1,200 million and 775 million passengers respectively. Conversely, the more modern systems in Rome, Madrid, and Berlin show much lower usage, with Rome 1976 serving 150 million passengers, and both Madrid and Berlin recording only 50 million passengers per year, highlighting a stark contrast in scale compared to the earlier established networks.

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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.
  • disparity

    a great difference between two or more things

  • substantial

    of considerable importance, size, or worth

  • stark

    severe or bare in appearance or outline

  • illustrate

    to explain or make something clear using data

  • conversely

    introducing a statement that reverses a previous one

  • record

    to set down in writing or other permanent form

Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?+

While Paris has the most extensive railway route, Lisbon records the highest annual passenger volume, with both metrics showing a general decline in the more recently established systems.

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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