Academic Writing Task 1 · bar chart

Electricity production and consumption in the top ten countries in 2014: 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.
  • 192 words
  • Bar charts
  • Academic
  • 20 minutes

The question

The bar chart below shows the top ten countries for the production and consumption of electricity in 2014.

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

Top ten countries for electricity production and consumption in 2014 (billion kWh)
02,0004,0006,0008,00010,000ChinaUnited StatesRussiaJapanIndiaCanadaFranceBrazilGermanyKorea, Rep.
  • Production (billion kWh)
  • Consumption (billion kWh)
View the data
ChinaUnited StatesRussiaJapanIndiaCanadaFranceBrazilGermanyKorea, Rep.
Production (billion kWh)5,3984,0991,057936.2871618.9561.2530.7526.6485.1
Consumption (billion kWh)5,3223,8661,038856.7698.8499.9462.9455.8582.5449.5

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 8192 words. Every figure in the answer comes from the chart above.

The bar chart illustrates the electricity production and consumption figures for the ten leading countries in 2014, measured in billion kWh. Overall, it is evident that China and the United States significantly outperformed the other eight nations in both categories. While most countries produced more electricity than they consumed, Germany stood out as an exception.

China led the rankings with 5,398 billion kWh produced and 5,322 billion kWh consumed, followed closely by the United States, which produced 4,099 billion kWh and consumed 3,866 billion kWh. The gap between these two leaders and the rest of the list was substantial; Russia, in third place, produced only 1,057 billion kWh and consumed 1,038 billion kWh.

Regarding the remaining countries, Japan, India, Canada, France, Brazil, and the Republic of Korea all maintained a surplus in electricity production. Japan and India followed Russia with production figures of 936.2 and 871 billion kWh, respectively. Conversely, Germany was unique in this group, as its consumption of 582.5 billion kWh exceeded its production of 526.6 billion kWh. The Republic of Korea recorded the lowest figures among the top ten, with 485.1 billion kWh produced and 449.5 billion kWh consumed.

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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.
  • outperformed

    achieved better results than another entity or group

  • substantial

    of considerable importance, size, or worth

  • surplus

    an amount of something left over when requirements are met

  • conversely

    introducing a statement that reverses a previous one

  • exception

    a person or thing that is excluded from a rule

  • recorded

    set down in writing or some other permanent form

Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?+

China and the United States were the dominant nations in both electricity production and consumption, while Germany was the only country among the top ten to consume more electricity than it produced.

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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