Academic Writing Task 1 · table

Sales of Fairtrade-labeled tea and pineapples in five European countries: 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.
  • 191 words
  • Tables
  • Academic
  • 20 minutes
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The question

The tables below give information about sales of Fairtrade-labeled tea and pineapples in 2010 and 2015 in five European countries.

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

Sales of Fairtrade-labeled tea
Tea2010 (millions of euros)2015 (millions of euros)
France2.521
Austria48
Germany2.83
Netherlands22.7
Norway1.82
Sales of Fairtrade-labeled pineapples
Pieapples2010 (millions of euros)2015 (millions of euros)
Austria1648
France26.5
Netherlands1.65
Norway2.82
Germany31.9

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 8191 words. Every figure in the answer comes from the chart above.

The tables illustrate the revenue generated from Fairtrade-labeled tea and pineapples across five European nations between 2010 and 2015. Overall, sales of both products rose in the majority of countries, with France and Austria recording the most substantial growth for tea and pineapples, respectively.

Regarding tea sales, France witnessed a dramatic surge, with figures climbing from 2.5 million euros in 2010 to 21 million euros in 2015. Austria also saw its tea revenue double, rising from 4 million to 8 million euros. In contrast, growth in the Netherlands and Norway was more modest, increasing from 2 to 2.7 million euros and 1.8 to 2 million euros, respectively. Germany remained relatively stable, with a slight rise from 2.8 to 3 million euros.

In terms of pineapples, Austria dominated the market, with sales tripling from 16 million to 48 million euros. France and the Netherlands also experienced notable growth, with figures rising from 2 to 6.5 million euros and 1.6 to 5 million euros, respectively. Conversely, Norway and Germany saw a decline in pineapple sales, falling from 2.8 to 2 million euros and 3 to 1.9 million euros, respectively, over the same period.

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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.

  • surge

    a sudden and powerful upward movement or increase

  • modest

    relatively moderate or limited in amount or scale

  • stable

    not likely to change or fail; relatively constant

  • tripling

    increasing by a factor of three times

  • notable

    worthy of attention or notice; quite significant

  • decline

    a gradual and continuous loss in value or amount

Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?+

Overall, sales of both products increased in most countries over the five-year period, with France and Austria experiencing the most significant growth in tea and pineapples respectively.

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

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