Academic Writing Task 1 · pie chart

Percentage of time spent by working adults on various daily activities: IELTS Writing Task 1 sample answer

An IELTS Writing Task 1 pie 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 pie charts.
  • 178 words
  • Pie charts
  • Academic
  • 20 minutes

The question

The charts below show the percentage of time working adults spent on different activities in a particular country in 1958 and 2008.

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

1958
  • Working: 33
  • Relaxing at home: 8
  • Sleeping: 32
  • Travel to work: 2
  • Going out (with friends/family): 19
  • Other interests or playing sports: 6
View the data
CategoryValue
Working33
Relaxing at home8
Sleeping32
Travel to work2
Going out (with friends/family)19
Other interests or playing sports6
2008
  • Working: 42
  • Relaxing at home: 13
  • Sleeping: 25
  • Travel to work: 8
  • Going out (with friends/family): 6
  • Other interests or playing sports: 8
View the data
CategoryValue
Working42
Relaxing at home13
Sleeping25
Travel to work8
Going out (with friends/family)6
Other interests or playing sports8

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 8178 words. Every figure in the answer comes from the chart above.

The two pie charts illustrate the distribution of time spent by working adults on six different activities in a specific country during 1958 and 2008. Overall, it is evident that work-related commitments became more time-consuming, whereas leisure and rest activities saw a notable decline.

In 1958, working and sleeping were the primary activities, accounting for 33% and 32% of time respectively. By 2008, the proportion of time dedicated to working rose to 42%, while sleeping time dropped to 25%. Similarly, the time spent travelling to work quadrupled from a mere 2% in 1958 to 8% in 2008.

Conversely, socialising experienced a sharp decline. In 1958, going out with friends or family occupied 19% of the time, but this figure plummeted to just 6% by 2008. In contrast, time spent relaxing at home increased from 8% to 13% over the same period. Finally, engagement in other interests or playing sports saw a slight rise, growing from 6% in 1958 to 8% in 2008. These shifts highlight a significant change in the daily lifestyle of working adults over the half-century.

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Pie charts

How to write about pie charts: tips and vocabulary

  • →Name the largest and smallest shares in the overview.
  • →Use proportion language: a quarter, just under half, the majority.
  • →With two pies, compare the same slice across both.
  • distribution

    the way in which something is shared or spread

  • proportion

    a part, share, or number considered in comparative relation

  • plummeted

    fell or dropped straight down at high speed

  • conversely

    introduced to show a contrast with a previous statement

  • accounted for

    constituted or made up a specific total amount

  • quadrupled

    increased to become four times as much

Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?+

Over the 50-year period, working adults spent significantly more time working and commuting, while time allocated to sleeping and socialising decreased.

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 pie charts?+

Name the largest and smallest shares in the overview. Use proportion language: a quarter, just under half, the majority. With two pies, compare the same slice across both.

Keep practising

More pie charts

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