Academic Writing Task 1 · bar chart

The scores achieved by three different teams over four seasons: 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.
  • 184 words
  • Bar charts
  • Academic
  • 20 minutes

The question

The bar chart shows the scores of teams A, B, and C over four different seasons.

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

Scores by Team per Season (Points)
0204060801002002200320042005
  • Team A
  • Team B
  • Team C
View the data
2002200320042005
Team A511358
Team B82604355
Team C1015125

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 8184 words. Every figure in the answer comes from the chart above.

The bar chart illustrates the performance of three teams—A, B, and C—in terms of points scored across four consecutive seasons from 2002 to 2005.

Overall, it is evident that Team B was the dominant force throughout the period, despite experiencing a decline in its scores. In contrast, Teams A and C maintained much lower point totals, with Team A showing a notable peak in 2004.

In 2002, Team B achieved its highest score of 82 points, dwarfing the 5 points of Team A and 10 points of Team C. By 2003, Team B’s performance dropped to 60 points, while Team A and Team C saw modest increases to 11 and 15 points respectively. The year 2004 marked a significant shift; Team B continued its downward trend to 43 points, whereas Team A experienced a substantial surge, reaching a peak of 35 points. Meanwhile, Team C’s score dipped slightly to 12 points.

In the final year, 2005, Team B recovered to 55 points. Conversely, Team A’s score plummeted to 8 points, and Team C reached its lowest point of the period with only 5 points.

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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.
  • dwarfing

    causing something to seem small by comparison

  • volatile

    liable to change rapidly and unpredictably

  • plummeted

    fell or dropped straight down at high speed

  • surge

    a sudden powerful forward or upward movement

  • dominant

    having power and influence over others

  • consecutive

    following continuously without interruption

Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?+

Team B consistently outperformed the other two teams throughout the period, while Team A and Team C recorded significantly lower and more volatile scores.

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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