Academic Writing Task 1 · table

Percentage of adults participating in four free-time activities in 1990 and 2010: 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.
  • 187 words
  • Tables
  • Academic
  • 20 minutes

The question

The table below shows the percentage of adults in urban and rural areas who took part in four free-time activities in 1990 and 2010.

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

Percentage of adults in urban and rural areas participating in free-time activities
Activity1990 Urban1990 Rural2010 Urban2010 Rural
Reading61717878
Animated play10181014
Playing21261426
Photography7141724

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 8187 words. Every figure in the answer comes from the chart above.

The table illustrates the participation rates of adults in four distinct leisure activities across urban and rural settings in 1990 and 2010. Overall, reading consistently remained the most favoured activity, whereas participation in animated play and playing showed more varied trends over the two decades.

In 1990, reading was already the most popular pursuit, with 61% of urban adults and 71% of rural adults participating. By 2010, these figures rose to 78% for both groups, marking a significant increase. Conversely, photography experienced a notable upward trend. In urban areas, participation grew from 7% in 1990 to 17% in 2010, while rural participation increased from 14% to 24% over the same period.

In contrast, other activities showed less consistent growth. Animated play remained stagnant for urban adults at 10% between 1990 and 2010, while rural participation declined from 18% to 14%. Similarly, the percentage of urban adults engaged in playing dropped from 21% to 14%. However, rural participation in playing remained stable at 26% throughout the twenty-year timeframe. Overall, while reading and photography saw widespread growth, the popularity of playing and animated play fluctuated depending on the location.

Write your own report and get a band

Take a timed Academic writing test and get a band for task achievement, coherence, vocabulary and grammar, with the sentences to fix.

Write a report, get a band free →

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.
  • favoured

    preferred or chosen more often than other options

  • stagnant

    showing no activity or change over a period

  • upward trend

    a general direction of increasing values or growth

  • fluctuated

    changed irregularly in number or level over time

  • notable

    worthy of attention or striking in its size

  • pursuit

    an activity that one engages in for pleasure

Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?+

Reading was the most popular activity throughout the period, while photography saw the most consistent growth across both urban and rural populations.

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

More tables

© 2026 BandLadder. Written and checked by the BandLadder team. You may quote or cite this page with credit to BandLadder and a link to it; republishing it in full needs our written permission. Content use policy

Write a report, get a band free