Academic Writing Task 1 · table

Consumer spending on various items across five different countries in 2002: IELTS Writing Task 1 sample answer

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

The question

The table below shows consumer spending on different items in 5 countries in 2002.

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

Percentage of national consumer expenditure by category - 2002
CountryFood/Drinks/TobaccoClothing/FootwearLeisure/Education
Ireland28.91%6.43%2.21%
Italy16.36%9.00%3.20%
Spain18.80%6.51%1.98%
Sweden15.77%5.40%3.22%
Turkey32.14%6.63%4.35%

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 8181 words. Every figure in the answer comes from the chart above.

The table illustrates the percentage of national consumer expenditure allocated to three distinct categories—food/drinks/tobacco, clothing/footwear, and leisure/education—across five countries in 2002.

Overall, it is evident that food, drinks, and tobacco constituted the primary expense for all nations, whereas leisure and education consistently received the lowest financial commitment. Turkey and Ireland stood out for their significantly higher spending on food-related items compared to the other three countries.

Regarding food, drinks, and tobacco, Turkey recorded the highest expenditure at 32.14%, followed closely by Ireland at 28.91%. In contrast, Sweden and Italy spent the least in this category, with figures of 15.77% and 16.36% respectively. Spain occupied a middle position at 18.80%.

In terms of clothing and footwear, Italy led the group with 9.00% of total expenditure, while Sweden reported the lowest figure at 5.40%. The remaining countries showed relatively similar spending patterns, ranging from 6.43% in Ireland to 6.63% in Turkey. Finally, for leisure and education, Turkey allocated the most at 4.35%, whereas Spain recorded the lowest proportion at just 1.98%. Ireland also showed a notably low figure of 2.21% for this category.

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Tables

How to write about tables: tips and vocabulary

  • →Tables hide the trend: find the highest, lowest and biggest change yourself.
  • →Select; do not list every cell.
  • →Organise paragraphs by row or by column, whichever gives the clearer comparison.
  • expenditure

    The total amount of money spent by someone

  • constituted

    To be the parts that form something

  • allocated

    To set aside money for a specific purpose

  • proportion

    A part or share of a whole amount

  • consistently

    Always behaving or happening in the same way

  • notably

    In a way that is worthy of attention

Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?+

Across all five nations, food, drinks, and tobacco consistently accounted for the largest share of consumer expenditure, while leisure and education consistently represented the smallest proportion of spending.

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 tables?+

Tables hide the trend: find the highest, lowest and biggest change yourself. Select; do not list every cell. Organise paragraphs by row or by column, whichever gives the clearer comparison.

Keep practising

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