bar graph ielts essay

• Ebooks & Courses
• Practice Tests

How To Write an IELTS Bar Chart Essay

There are 5 steps to writing   a good IELTS bar chart essay:

1)  Analyse the question

2)  Identify the main features

3)  Write an introduction

4)  Write an overview

5)  Write the details paragraphs

Use this simple planning process as you practice writing IELTS bar chart essays and you’ll have no problem remembering it in the exam.

Steps 1 and 2 of the planning process should take around 5 minutes. It is essential that you don’t miss these out as they are the key to writing a high-scoring essay.

On this page, I’m going to take you through the whole planning process step-by-step as we work on a practice question.

Before we begin, here’s a model essay structure that you can use as a guideline for all IELTS Academic Task 1 questions.

Ideally, your essay should have 4 paragraphs:

Paragraph 1  – Introduction

Paragraph 2  – Overview

Paragraph 3  – 1 st  main feature

Paragraph 4  – 2 nd  main feature

Now that we have all these tools we need, we’re ready to begin planning and writing our IELTS bar chart essay.

Here’s our practice question:

The bar chart below shows the sector contributions to India’s gross domestic product from 1960 to 2000.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Contribution as % of India's GDP

Source: EPW Research Foundation

Step 1 –  Analyse the question

The format of every Academic Task 1 question is the same. Here is our practice question again with the words that will be included in all questions highlighted .

The  bar chart  below shows  the sector contributions to India’s gross domestic product from 1960 to 2000.

Every question consists of:

• Sentence 1 – A brief description of the graphic
• Sentence 2 – The instructions
• The graphic – chart, graph, table, etc.

Sentence 2 tells you what you have to do.

You must do 3 things:

1.     Select the main features.

2.     Write about the main features.

3.     Compare the main features.

All three tasks refer to the ‘ main features ’ of the graphic. You  do not  have to write about everything. Just pick out 2 or 3 key features and you’ll have plenty to write about.

Our practice graphic is a dynamic bar chart. That is, it includes a timeline giving data from several different points in time.

So, for this question, we need to identify the main trends (that is, the general developments or changes in situation) in the three key sectors of the Indian economy – agriculture, industry and service – between 1960 and 2000.

Alternatively, a bar chart may be static with the data coming from one point in time, as in the example below. For this graphic, we would need to compare the different variables, that is, the different leisure activities favoured by Canadian boys and girls.

Step 2 – Identify the Main Features

The graphic in IELTS bar chart questions should not be difficult to interpret. Each question has been created to  test your language skills, not your mathematics ability.

All you are looking for are the main features. These will usually be the easiest things to spot. As we’ve just seen, the type of key features will depend on whether the bar chart is dynamic or static.

There will be lots of information in the graphic to help you identify them. Here are some useful questions to ask?

• What information do the 2 axes give?
• Is it dynamic or static?
• What are the units of measurements?
• What are the time periods?
• What can you learn from the title and any labels?
• What is the most obvious trend?
• Are there any notable similarities?

(I give more detail on how to use these questions, plus downloadable checklists for identifying the main features of all 7 different types of IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 questions, in the lesson on  How To Understand & Analyse Task 1 Questions .)

So, what main features stand out in our practice graphic?

Here's our practice IELTS bar chart again.

There are 3 main features/trends in this IELTS bar chart:

Main feature 1:  The contribution of the agricultural sector dropped steadily.

Main feature 2:  The contribution of the service sector increased each decade.

Main feature 3:  Industry remained static from 1980 to 2000.

The general trends you select will be the starting point for your essay. You will then go on to add more detail.

With just 20 minutes allowed for Task 1, and a requirement of only 150 words, you won't be able to include many details.

We’re now ready to begin writing our essay. Here’s a reminder of the 4 part structure we’re going to use.

Step 3 – Write an Introduction 

In the introduction, you should simply paraphrase the question, that is, say the same thing in a different way. You can do this by using synonyms and changing the sentence structure. For example:

Introduction (Paragraph 1): 

The bar graph illustrates the relative percentage contributions made by the agricultural, industrial and service sectors to the Indian economy between 1960 and 2000.

This is all you need to do for the introduction.

Ideally, key words such as ‘sector’ and ‘contributions’ should be replaced by synonyms but there aren’t any obvious words that could be used instead so it’s fine to repeat them. It’s important that your language sounds natural so never try to force in synonyms that don’t quite fit.

Step 4 – Write an Overview (Paragraph 2)

In the second paragraph, you should report the main features you can see in the graph, giving only general information. The detail comes later in the essay. You should also make any clear comparisons you spot.

This is where we write about the general trends. Here are the ones we picked out above.

Now form these ideas into two or three sentences with a total of around 40 words. State the information simply using synonyms where possible. No elaborate vocabulary or grammar structures are required, just the appropriate words and correct verb tenses.

For example:

Overview  (Paragraph 2) : 

Over the whole time period, the significance of agriculture declined steadily while services grew in importance decade by decade. A different patterned emerged for industry, which initially showed a slowly increasing percentage but then plateaued from 1980 onwards.

Step 5  – Write the 1st Detail Paragraph

Paragraphs 3 and 4 of your IELTS bar chart essay are where you include more detailed information about the data in the graphic. In paragraph 3, you should give evidence to support your first 1 or 2 key features. Don’t forget to make comparisons when relevant.

Here are our first 2 main features again:

And this is an example of what you could write:

Paragraph 3 :

In 1960, agriculture contributed by far the highest percentage of GDP, peaking at 62%, but it then dropped in steady increments to a low of 12% in 2000. The service sector, on the other hand, had a relatively minor impact on the economy in 1960. This situation changed gradually at first, then its percentage contribution jumped from 28% to 43% between 1980 and 1990. By 2000 it matched the high point reached by agriculture in 1960, showing a reversal in the overall trend.

Step 6  – Write the 2nd Detail Paragraph

For the fourth and final paragraph, you do the same thing for your remaining feature/s. We have one main feature left to write about.

Here’s an example of what you could write:

Paragraph 4 :

Industry remained a steady contributor to India’s wealth throughout the period. As a sector, it grew marginally from 16% in 1960 to exactly a quarter in 1980 then remained static for the next two decades, maintaining a constant share of the overall GDP.

Here are the four paragraphs brought together to create our finished essay.

Finished IELTS Bar Chart Essay

(188 words)

This sample IELTS bar chart essay is well over the minimum word limit so you can see that you don’t have space to include very much detail at all. That’s why it is essential to select just a couple of main features to write about.

Now use what you’ve learnt in this lesson to practice answering other IELTS bar chart questions. Start slowly at first and keep practicing until you can plan and write a complete essay in around 20 minutes.

Want  to watch and listen to this lesson?

Click on this video.

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

• Click on the HTML link code below.
• Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

Like this page?

Ielts academic writing task 1 – all lessons.

IELTS Academic Writing  –  A summary of the test including important facts, test format & assessment.

Academic Writing Task 1  – The format, the 7 question types & sample questions, assessment & marking criteria.  All the key information you need to know.

Understanding Task 1 Questions  – How to quickly and easily analyse and understand IELTS Writing Task 2 questions.

How To Plan a Task 1 Essay  –  Discover  3 reasons why you must plan, the 4 simple steps of essay planning and learn a simple 4 part essay structure.

Vocabulary for Task 1 Essays  –  Learn key vocabulary for a high-scoring essay. Word lists & a downloadable PDF.

Grammar for Task 1 Essays   – Essential grammar for Task 1 Academic essays including, verb tenses, key sentence structures, articles & prepositions.

The 7 Question Types:

Click the links below for a step-by-step lesson on each type of Task 1 question.

• Table Chart
• Process Diagram
• Multiple Graphs
• IELTS Writing
• IELTS Bar Chart
• Back To Top

 * New * Grammar For IELTS Ebooks

$9.99 each       Full Set   Just   $ 23.97

Find Out More >>

IELTS Courses

Full details...

IELTS Writing Ebook

Discount Offer

$7 each       Full Set Just   $ 21

Find out more >>

Testimonials

“I am very excited to have found such fabulous and detailed content. I commend your good work.”  Jose M.

“Thanks for the amazing videos. These are ‘to the point’, short videos, beautifully explained with practical examples."  Adari J.

"Hi Jacky, I bought a listening book from you this morning. You know what? I’m 100% satisfied. It’s super helpful. If I’d had the chance to read this book 7 years ago, my job would be very different now."  Loi H.

"Hi Jacky, I recently got my IELTS results and I was pleased to discover that I got an 8.5 score. I'm firmly convinced your website and your videos played a strategic role in my preparation. I was able to improve my writing skills thanks to the effective method you provide. I also only relied on your tips regarding the reading section and I was able to get a 9! Thank you very much." Giano

“After listening to your videos, I knew I had to ditch every other IELTS tutor I'd been listening to. Your explanations are clear and easy to understand. Anyways, I took the test a few weeks ago and my result came back: Speaking 7, listening 9, Reading 8.5 and Writing 7 with an average band score of 8. Thanks, IELTS Jacky." Laide Z.

      Contact

      About Me

      Site Map

      Privacy Policy

      Disclaimer

IELTS changes lives.

Let's work together so it changes yours too.

Copyright  © 2024     IELT Jacky     

All Right Reserved

IELTS is a registered trademark of the University of Cambridge, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia. This site and its owners are not affiliated, approved or endorsed by the University of Cambridge ESOL, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia.

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

IELTS Advantage

IELTS Preparation Courses

IELTS Bar Chart Sample Essay

Static or Dynamic?

Before writing an IELTS task 1 bar chart or line graph answer it is important that we analyse the question correctly. Taking a few minutes to do this will help us write a clear answer that fully responds to the question. Just what the examiner wants us to do.

The first thing we need to do is decide if the bar chart is static or dynamic. Static means that the data comes from one point in time. Dynamic means the data comes from more than one point in time.

Whether a chart is static or dynamic will affect the information we choose to include in our answer and the kind of language (tense, grammar etc.) we use.

If it is dynamic we will have to compare the different times and comment on the general trends over the time period.

If it is static we will have to compare the different variables, in this case countries, car price, GDP and time it takes for one person to buy a car.

Main Features

Every IELTS academic task 1 question asks us to ‘select and report the main features’.

This means that we have to not only pick the most significant information from the graph and include it in our essay, but also decide which information is not important and should therefore not be included in our essay. One of the biggest mistakes you can make in task 1 is including all the information you see.

So which information should you choose?

You should look for:

• highest/lowest values
• biggest differences
• similarities
• significant exceptions
• anything else that really stands out

There are 3 main features in this graph

1) It takes over 26 years for a Vietnamese person to buy a car.

2) Vietnam has the second highest average costs but the second lowest wages.

3) Cost of a car in Singapore is nearly 3 times the next most expensive.

I advise my students to follow a basic four paragraph structure for these kinds of questions.

Paragraph 1 

Paraphrase the question using synonyms.

Paragraph 2 

Provide an overview of the main features. No need to include any data in this paragraph, just tell the examiner what is happening in general terms. If you had to describe the main features in two sentences, what would you say?

Paragraph 3

This is where we get more specific and use data. Take 2 of the main features (from your overview) and describe them in detail using data from the chart.

Paragraph 4 

Simply do the same thing as you did in paragraph 3, but with two other main features (from your overview).

Sample Answer 

The graph compares the GDP per capita, cost of a Toyota Camry and approximate length of time it takes for 1 citizen to purchase that mode of transport in eight Asian countries.

Despite having the second lowest average yearly income, it costs more to buy this car in Vietnam than in all but one other Asian nation. It also takes significantly longer for a standard person to buy an automobile in Vietnam than in any other state in Asia. On the other end of the scale, Singaporeans have to pay nearly three times more for their cars than the Vietnamese and it takes them the least amount of time to afford a motor vehicle.

It costs $49,944 to buy a Toyota Camry in Vietnam, but this dwarfs the average yearly income per person at just $1,910. It would therefore take a normal man or woman 26.1 years to save up for that particular car.

This is in contrast to Singapore where it costs $126,245 for that model of motorcar, however the average salary is much greater at $55,182. This means that it generally takes just over 2 years for a typical individual from Singapore to acquire this vehicle.

(200 words) Band 9.

It should be noted that this is not a real IELTS task 1 question. This is just a chart that I saw on the internet, but it allowed me to make a very important point- you don’t have to mention everything on the graph. I only talked about 2 out of the 8 countries and I still wrote 200 words and answer the question fully. The key is finding the most significant data and not talking about anything else. Don’t worry, you won’t lose marks for not talking about everything, quite the opposite.

This graph is also good for demonstrating how important it is to vary your vocabulary. There were four words that could have been overused in this essay- car, average, country and people. Instead of repeating them over and over again I used synonyms to show the examiner I have a wide vocabulary and gain extra marks. Here are the synonyms:

Car- Toyota Camry- automobile- vehicle- motor vehicle- motorcar

Average- approximate- normal- typical- standard

Country- countries- nation- state

People- citizen- man or woman- individual

Next time you see a chart or graph in a newspaper, in a textbook or on the internet, think about what the main features are and what common words would you have to vary with synonyms.

I hope you have found these tips useful. If you have any questions, let me know below.

For more band 9 sample essays check out our task 1 sample essay page.

About Christopher Pell

My name is Christopher Pell and I'm the Managing Director of IELTS Advantage.

I started IELTS Advantage as a simple blog to help 16 students in my class. Several years later, I am very humbled that my VIP Course has been able to help thousands of people around the world to score a Band 7+ in their IELTS tests.

If you need my help with your IELTS preparation, you can send me an email using the contact us page.

• A Beginner’s Guide to IELTS
• Common Grammar Mistakes [for IELTS Writing Candidates]

Writing Correction Service

• Free IELTS Resources
• Practice Speaking Test

Select Page

How to Describe a Bar Chart [IELTS Writing Task 1]

Posted by David S. Wills | Apr 13, 2020 | IELTS Tips , Writing | 5

There are various kinds of diagrams and charts that you may be asked to describe in the IELTS writing test, and one of those is the bar chart . In today’s lesson, I want to share some important advice that can help you improve your writing performance in your next IELTS test.

Describing data for task 1 of the IELTS writing exam is quite difficult and it will vary according to what you actually see. In other words, it is hard to simply teach some language for describing bar charts… Instead, your language will vary according to what the bar chart shows.

However, in this article I am going to break the process down and show you some examples so that you can understand it fully. At the end, I will give you a sample band 9 answer for a really difficult bar chart about people’s weight.

What are Bar Charts?

First of all, let’s start with the most basic question. You can feel free to skip this if you are already totally familiar with it. 😁 What is a bar chart? Basically, it is a visual representation of data using bars, like these:

Bar charts are used to show the difference between volumes or quantities of things because it is easy for the human eye to interpret. Let’s take a look at this example bar chart. I just found it on Google and will use it because it is simple. This is not a real IELTS chart. 🤪

You can easily see what this means. The most common excuse is “I forgot to set my alarm” and the least common is “It was still too dark; I thought it was still night-time.”

That is the purpose of a bar chart. It shows data in a way that is really easy for people to understand. As such, you may encounter it in your IELTS test. In that case, you will have to pick out the most important data and describe it.

Bar Charts for IELTS Writing

As we have seen, a bar chart is just another way of expressing data. For task 1 of the IELTS writing test, you may be asked to write about a bar chart. You will have to write more than 150 words and it is recommended that you do this in 20 minutes or less. (You will have a total of 1 hour for 2 tasks.)

It is important to note that you do not have to describe everything in the chart . Part of the task is picking out and describing only the relevant details. That usually means:

• The highest
• Major differences
• Anything interesting

What does that mean? This is very subjective, and so it is certainly open to debate. Let’s look at an example in order to understand it better:

In this bar chart, our eyes are naturally drawn towards the highest and lowest figures. The highest was in Sweden in 2012 and the lowest was in Finland in 2012. Therefore, both the highest and lowest figures occurred in the same year. That’s interesting!😅

Another interesting factor is that, in every year except one, Sweden had a higher divorce rate than Finland. It was only in 2015 that Finland’s divorce rate was higher than Sweden’s.

The Process

When you need to describe a bar chart for IELTS, you should take the same basic process as for describing anything else:

• Take time to read the question carefully.
• Look at the data and make sure you understand it.
• Find important data to describe.
• Plan your essay structure.
• Write your essay carefully.
• Check your answer for mistakes.

If you follow this basic routine, you will have a good chance of providing a strong answer to the question.

Language for Describing Bar Charts

In the past, I have talked about the language required to describe the following IELTS writing task 1 assignments:

• Process diagram

Bar charts are a little different because the language you would use depends on what is being described and there is no common set language that you would use just to talk about bar charts in general.

In the previous example, we can see that the bar chart features changing data over time. In such cases, we can use relatively similar language to that which we used for line graphs. You could say, for example:

Divorce rates in Sweden peaked in 2012 at a little under 50%, but fell in each of the subsequent years.

However, you can see that in the first bar chart there was no progression of time, so you cannot use language that shows changes in data. This brings us to the next stage…

Common Problems in Describing Bar Charts for IELTS

I used to teach writing skills at a university in China, and one of the most common problems I would have was teaching my students to write about bar charts. They could describe line graphs really easily, but the problem was that they would use the same expressions and structures for bar charts, when in fact something different was needed. Let’s look at two example charts. These contain similar data but there is an essential difference:

You can see that the line graph talks about changing phone prices over time, whereas the bar chart shows the different prices of phones. These prices are all taken from the same point in time .

Therefore, in order to adequately describe these, you must show that you understand the data.

For the line graph, you can say:

The price of Phone A rose from £380 to £410 between December and January.

However, you cannot use this language for the bar chart:

INCORRECT: The price rose from £380 for Phone B to £410 for Phone C. CORRECT: Phone C cost £30 more than Phone B, which cost £380.

This may seem easy to some people, but it is an important distinction and a common mistake. You should practice often to make sure that you know the difference.

Task 1 Essay Structure

There is no single perfect essay structure for IELTS, but there are some that are better than others. For task 1, I generally recommend writing an essay like this:

Let me explain what I mean by that.

It is really important to group your data appropriately. This can be quite difficult, so you should read this article first.

Essentially, you need to choose how to put groups of data together. Let’s take another example:

The chart below shows the total number of minutes (in billions) of telephone call in the UK, divided into three categories, from 1995-2002. Summarise the information by selecting a reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

For this sort of bar chart, you might choose to write two or three body paragraphs. Perhaps you would describe local fixed line phones first, then start a new paragraph for national and international ones, with another paragraph for mobiles.

Another way would be to break the data in half – one paragraph for 1995 to 1998 and another paragraph for 1999 to 2002.

There are lots of different ways. The only really important thing is that you make it clear to your reader why you have chosen to group the data this way. In other words, it must be logical .

Sample Answer

My answer to this question would look something like this:

The bar chart shows the time spent on three different kinds of phone calls in the United Kingdom over a period of eight years, starting in 1995 and ending in 2002. Local calls were the most common type of phone call made during the entire period, although both national/international and mobile calls grew in popularity to narrow the gap between these three types of call by 2002. In 1995, local calls were by far the most common type of phone call in the UK, with more than 70 billion minutes recorded on this chart. This is about double the amount of time spent on national and international calls, and more than ten times as much as was spent on mobile phone calls. All three types of phone calls grew in popularity until 1999, after which local calls decreased year-on-year until they ended the period at around the same figure as they began it – 70 billion minutes. National and international calls grew steadily over the recorded eight years, from about half the popularity of local calls to only slightly less in 2002. Mobile phone calls, however, grew ten-fold from about four billion minutes to more than forty billion.

A Really Difficult Bar Chart

Finally, let’s look at a difficult bar chart in order to show how we can tackle challenging problems.

As you can see, the first problem is that there are two charts! Already, that will prove more difficult than describing just one chart.

Another issue is that these bars look strange. They are all the same size… Why? Well, these represent the population. Each one is 100%, with the colours making up the different weight categories. The total can never be more than 100% because that it is the full population.

Now, you should try to interpret the data. What are the main changes?

• In 1955, there are lots of people at an ideal weight and very few people are obese.
• In 2015, many older people are obese. Fewer people are at an ideal weight.
• The weight distribution was similar regardless of age in 1955, but in 2015 it is very different.

Once you have picked out the important data, you should figure out how to structure your answer. I will use this structure:

However, I will make sure that there are clear comparisons between the 1955 and 2015 data. It is not enough to describe them in isolation.

Language for Talking about Age and Weight

To be honest, the hardest part of this bar chart is not that data but the terminology around age and weight. You can see from the chart that were are looking at age groups and weight groups. Many native speakers find this really difficult to talk about.

When we talk about age and weight, we usually say some form of “to be” rather than “to have.” For example:

• INCORRECT: In 2015, a higher percentage of people had overweight or obesity than in any other group.
• CORRECT: In 2015, a higher percentage of people were overweight or obese than in any other group.
• INCORRECT: In both years, the people who were most likely to be an ideal weight had 20 to 29 years.
• CORRECT: In both years, the people who were most likely to be an ideal weight were aged 20 to 29 years.

You can see how I explained this to one of the students on my writing correction service :

There are also problems with grouping people according to age. We can just say “people in the ___ age group/category” but this becomes repetitive after a while, so we need to use different language.

Talking about age is difficult, especially when describing groups of people who fall into different age categories. One thing to know is that, when you say use numbers, it is a sort of adjective and thus you need a noun to follow it or else it is meaningless:

• The criminals arrested were all 16 to 25 years old.
• I saw a 15-year-old boy running away.

You can turn the “old” into a noun by adding an “-s”:

• There was an increase of 25% in the unemployment rate for 20-29-year olds.

You can also put “aged” before the numbers:

• Most of the recipients were aged 18-22.

Sample Band 9 Answer

Here is my description of the bar chart above:

There are two bar charts showing the distribution of weight categories for people living in Charlestown. The first one is from 1955 and the second is from 2015. It is clear that vast changes have occurred in people’s health during this sixty year period. In 1955, very few people were overweight or obese, and most were healthy or even underweight. In each of the age groups, at least half of people were classified as in the ideal weight range, but towards the ends of the spectrum – the youngest and the oldest people – there were more people who fell into the underweight bracket. Being overweight or obese was a problem primarily affecting middle aged people, but not the most elderly ones. However, this distribution had completely changed by 2015. Although some young adults and elderly people remained underweight, a very slim number in the middle of the age groups did. Being overweight had become increasingly common, and obesity had become a huge issue, affecting people more and more as they got older. For people aged fifty and older, more than half suffered from obesity, and very few fell into a healthy weight range.

Useful Language

I will excerpt some of the useful phrases that appeared in this answer so that you can see how I have managed to describe ages and weights:

• very few people were overweight or obese
• most were healthy or even underweight
• at least half of people were classified as in the ideal weight range
• people who fell into the underweight bracket
• Being overweight or obese was a problem
• elderly people remained underweight
• Being overweight had become increasingly common
• obesity had become a huge issue
• more than half suffered from obesity
• very few fell into a healthy weight range

This was a really difficult bar chart to describe, but using this language I have managed to do it accurately and comprehensively.

Improve your Writing

If you want to get better at IELTS writing, the only way to ensure constant progress is by having an expert give you feedback. Most of the writing correction services that you find online are rubbish. They are run by people do not speak much English or do not understand IELTS. My writing correction service is one of the few that is truly worthwhile. I can tell you all your problems and help you to fix them.

Here is my feedback to someone who wrote an essay about the Charlestown weight distribution bar charts:

Let me know in the comment section if you have any questions. 🙂

About The Author

David S. Wills

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

Related Posts

IELTS Preparation: A Two-Pronged Attack

June 2, 2018

A Global Language: Band 9 Sample Essay

April 30, 2017

Anger [IELTS Speaking Topics]

February 1, 2021

Speaking About Media [IELTS Vocabulary]

December 20, 2021

Hi, David. I noticed that you didn’t include any figures at all in your sample answer for the weight assessment. Is that acceptable? This is because I have seen some IETLS teacher who taught us to include most of important figures. Thank you.

The important thing about IELTS is that it is an English test, so you should use your language to describe the data. Most candidates attempt to cram lots of numbers in so that they can use fewer words. The fewer numbers you use, the better. Sure, you can have one or two, but if you are able to use words to describe trends, reflect important data, or make comparisons, then it is much better. If you read my essay carefully, you will notice that I said things like “at least half of people” rather than just repeating numbers. This is a good strategy, although you can certainly put in a few numbers if you want.

Hi David. Thank you for your explanation. I have a question! for describing a chart what verb tens we should use? It depends on something or it has a rule! Thank you.

It depends on the situation. Pay attention to any time frame that is given or the origin of the data. If none is given, then present simple is fine.

Asalam O Alakum David

Can we explain only things in overview except figures, percentage and time trend? I mean only what they have mentioned in the picture.

Secondly, in last 2 paragraphs only should we write those things which they have showed in the graph, chart or map in a simple way.\

Please, confirm me.

With regards

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Download my IELTS Books

Recent Posts

• Commas and Time Phrases
• Ambition and Success: Sample IELTS Essay
• Do the Advantages Outweigh the Disadvantages? – Advice About This Question Type
• Exams vs Continual Assessement [Model Essay]
• British vs American Spelling

Recent Comments

• David S. Wills on Writing Correction Service
• raquel on Writing Correction Service
• Lesson Plans
• Model Essays
• TED Video Lessons
• Weekly Roundup

IELTS Bar Chart/Graph – Samples, Tips to Describe Bar Graphs

Updated On Mar 07, 2022

Share on Whatsapp

Share on Email

Share on Linkedin

Table of Contents

Types of ielts bar graphs, a comprehensive guide to write ielts bar chart essay, describing a bar chart, choosing the information from the bar graph, tips to write ielts bar chart essay.

Limited-Time Offer : Access a FREE 10-Day IELTS Study Plan!

Amidst all the other types of questions, you will also come across a question that will showcase a bar graph. Also known as a bar chart, the bar graph is evaluated similar to a line graph . Such a bar chart also comes with two axes, showing changes and diversifications over a given period of time. Furthermore, the bar graph has rectangular bars that could be either displayed vertically or horizontally, representing two or more values of data.

When preparing for the IELTS exam , you would have to prepare for two different types of bar graphs: vertical and horizontal.

Vertical Bar Graph

Here is how a vertical bar graph looks like:

Horizontal Bar Graph

Here is how a horizontal bar graph looks like:

If you wish to learn more about writing a high-scoring IELTS bar essay, here is a comprehensive process that will help you out.

Evaluating the Question

The first and foremost step is to evaluate and analyze the question. In the question, you will get a brief description of the bar chart along with instructions. Your job here will be to discover the central idea.

Assessing the Given Data

The next step is to assess the data that you have in the question. Find out whether it is dynamic or static. If it is dynamic data, it will show two or more time periods. If it is static data, it will show only one time period. For both these data types, you will have to use different languages to write the description.

Discovering Primary Features

Majorly, bar graph questions are meant to test your mathematical as well as language skills. Hence, you must know how to derive the primary features from the given data and write about it.

Here is the complete format that should be used when describing a bar chart or a bar graph.

The Introduction

In the introduction paragraph, you would have to paraphrase the asked question. This can be done by using synonyms and paraphrased words and sentences. Also, ensure that this section is sounding natural.

The Overview

Usually, an overview forms the second paragraph of the essay. In this one, you would have to write down the main features. Also, you must discover available comparisons and talk about general trends occurring in the given data.

The First Body Paragraph

In the first body paragraph, you will have to give detailed information and explain the given data. Here, you must focus more on language instead of facts. Making relevant comparisons is always useful.

The Second Body Paragraph

This second body paragraph will have your explanation of the remaining features. It will be the same as the first body paragraph, but with different information.

As you would already know, a bar graph question requires a report of 150 words to be written. To help you out with an easier way, you can follow (but not stick to) the below-mentioned guidelines.

Jotted down below are some tips that will help you write a relevant, on-point IELTS bar chart essay

1. Is it difficult for you to match the word count?

Most of the time, people find it difficult to match the word count. Hence, they start using complicated words to unnecessarily extend the sentences. While using high-end vocabulary is a pro, writing sentences that are difficult to be understood is a con.

2. Be straightforward in your writing

When describing the bar graph, try not to complicate the description. Be straightforward and on-point.

3. Do you only practise with one type?

While practising, do you only try working on one type of chart or graph, or do you expand your horizons as well?

4. Practise as much as possible

While practising, work on varying bar charts or graphs so as to enhance your ability to explain whatever comes in the examination.

5. Are you always in a hurry for submission?

One of the common mistakes that people commit is not reviewing their answers before submission. This could lead to you missing out on errors and issues that can impact your marking.

6. Review your writings before submitting

Once written, double-check for grammatical errors . Review important details and superlatives to make sure you didn’t miss anything.

Here are 10 bar graph IELTS practice test examples:

Also check :

• IELTS Writing tips
• IELTS Writing recent actual test
• IELTS Writing Answer sheet
• IELTS map vocabulary
• IELTS Writing Task 1 Connectors

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a bar chart?

What is the structure of a bar graph?

What is the difference between introduction and overview? Can I skip the overview because I feel introduction is enough?

Can I have just one body paragraph where I give almost all the information?

What is the expected word count for describing a bar chart?

Practice IELTS Writing Task 1 based on report types

Start Preparing for IELTS: Get Your 10-Day Study Plan Today!

Janet had been an IELTS Trainer before she dived into the field of Content Writing. During her days of being a Trainer, Janet had written essays and sample answers which got her students an 8+ band in the IELTS Test. Her contributions to our articles have been engaging and simple to help the students understand and grasp the information with ease. Janet, born and brought up in California, had no idea about the IELTS until she moved to study in Canada. Her peers leaned to her for help as her first language was English.

Explore other sample Bar Charts

Nehasri Ravishenbagam

Janice Thompson

Post your Comments

Recent articles.

Kasturika Samanta

IELTSMaterial Master Program

1:1 Live Training with Band 9 Teachers

4.9 ( 3452 Reviews )

Our Offices

Gurgaon city scape, gurgaon bptp.

Step 1 of 3

Great going .

Get a free session from trainer

Have you taken test before?

Please select any option

Email test -->

Please enter Email ID

Mobile Band 9 trainer -->

Please enter phone number

Application

Please select any one

Already Registered?

Select a date

Please select a date

Select a time (IST Time Zone)

Please select a time

Mark Your Calendar: Free Session with Expert on

Which exam are you preparing?

Great Going!

Free IELTS lessons signup

• Academic practice
• General practice
• Task 1 Academic
• Task 1 General
• Task 2 (essay)

Answering IELTS writing task 1: bar chart

In this lesson we’re going to learn how to tackle bar charts in IELTS Writing task 1 questions to get the highest score. To get a band 9 in IELTS Writing task 1, you should follow this answer structure :

• Introduction
• General overview
• Specific features

Let’s look in detail how to apply this structure to an IELTS bar chart question .

IELTS bar chart Question :

The bar chart shows the divorce rates in two European countries from 2011 to 2015. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

You can watch a video tutorial on how to describe bar charts in IELTS Academic Writing task 1:

And now let's learn how to answer IELTS bar chart questions .

IELTS bar chart answering strategy :

1. Introduction

You should start your answer by writing an introduction . The introduction is 1 or 2 sentences, where you paraphrase the information from your question. You should mention two things in your introduction:

• what your graph shows
• for what period of time

In our example, the introduction can look like this:

The bar chart provides information about the percentages of divorces in Finland and Sweden between 2011 and 2015.

See how I used synonyms to paraphrase the question :

shows → provides information about divorce rates → percentages of divorces two European countries → Finland and Sweden (it’s good to be more specific) from 2011 to 2015 → between 2011 and 2015.

2. General Overview

The second paragraph of your answer is a general overview , where you briefly describe major trends on your graph. Ideally, you should describe 2-4 key features.

To make major trends easier to notice, you can outline Sweden’s bars and Finland’s bars like this:

Now it’s obvious that:

• Sweden experienced a downward trend
• Finland experienced an upward trend
• both countries showed fluctuations
• Initially Finland had a lower rate, but in 2015 Finland outraced Sweden

Use word overall to start your general overview. In our case, the overview may look as follows:

Overall, Sweden experienced a downward trend, while Finland showed an upward trend throughout the period. Both countries’ divorce rates had some fluctuations. Although Finland initially had a lower rate, it outraced Sweden at the end of the period.

3. Specific details

After we’ve written the introduction and general overview, it’s time to give the specific details . You should describe the specific features in 2 or 3 (sometimes more) paragraphs.

You can group data in such way :

• Details about Sweden
• Details about Finland

When you have two countries (or two cities or any other two things depicted on the graph), the simplest way of grouping data - is to describe each country’s trend in a separate paragraph.

When giving specific features, you have to write exact numbers/percentages and include as much details as you can .

In our case, the specific details may look as follows:

Sweden’s divorce rate was about 45% in 2011, being higher than Finland’s rate by approximately 8%. Then, it rose to almost fifty percent in 2012. However, the figure showed a gradual decrease to about 47% in 2013, and continued to decline steadily to the end of the period, reaching around 45% in 2014 and hitting a low-point of about 37% in 2015.    Percentage of divorces in Finland was less than 40% in 2011, and it decreased in 2012, when about one third of marriages in Finland ended with a divorce (as opposed to almost a half in Sweden). However, the figure experienced a steady growth during the next two years. It rose to approximately 39% in 2013, then increased by around 3% in 2014, and remained steady for the next year, outracing the rate of Sweden.

• When analyzing a bar-chart, we cannot always give exact details (due to inaccuracies of the chart), so use words around , about and approximately when giving inexact data.
• Give data for each year shown on the chart

The full answer + Practice

It’s the end, we have finally written the answer for IELTS bar chart question. And now, let’s practice: fill in the gaps in this answer with appropriate words .

The provides about the percentages of divorces in Finland and Sweden between 2011 and 2015.

, Sweden experienced a downward trend, while Finland showed an trend throughout the period. Both countries’ divorce rates had some fluctuations. Although Finland initially had a lower rate, it Sweden at the end of the period.

Sweden’s divorce rate was about 45% in 2011, being higher than Finland’s rate by approximately 8%. Then, it rose to fifty percent in 2012. However, the figure showed a gradual decrease to about 47% in 2013, and continued to decline steadily to the end of the period, reaching around 45% in 2014 and hitting a of about 37% in 2015.

Percentage of divorces in Finland was than 40% in 2011, and it decreased in 2012, when about one third of marriages in Finland ended with a divorce (as to almost a half in Sweden). However, the figure experienced a steady growth during the next two years. It rose to approximately 39% in 2013, then increased by around 3% in 2014, and remained steady for the next year, outracing the rate of Sweden.

(190 words)

• Skip to main content

IELTS Podcast

Pass IELTS with expert help.

How to score high on a bar graph question in writing task 1

The bar graph task 1 essay accounts for a third of your marks in the writing test so we recommend spending around 20 minutes on it, as this is a third of your time. There are a couple of different structures you can follow when describing an IELTS bar chart .

A strategy for bar graph questions

Essay structure, or how you organise your answer, is very important in academic writing. Today we will teach you a new method – a structure where you assign each sentence of your text to a topic – kind of the opposite of what you usually do when writing task 2 . It may look a little confusing, but this method really works! Just follow our lead for IELTS task 1.

Remember that bar chart and bar graph are synonyms and you can use the phrases interchangeably. Although each bar graph will be different, you are not required to be an expert on the information it shows, just to summarise the information, identify trends and make comparisons. Each bar graph IELTS question is different, so look at as many bar graph examples as you can and practice this strategy until you feel really confident.

How to choose information from the bar graph?

Assuming one sentence contains around 10 to 15 words, we can estimate that your description of the bar chart will consist of about 10 to 12 sentences. Now we can assign each sentence a specific task:

• One sentence for the introduction.
• Two sentences using superlatives.
• A sentence with a comparison. Make comparisons where relevant.
• A sentence grouping two data points to show similarity (for example, you might include a brief description showing a gradual decrease in two different areas).
• A sentence noting an exception to an overall trend.
• A sentence describing some data in an advanced manner, using complex sentence structure.
• A sentence describing relevant data using a simple structure.
• Two sentences for summary and conclusion.

Note that this method is quite flexible and these sentences don’t necessarily need to go in this particular order. You must write them in a way that makes your bar chart description flow naturally. Think about which sentences go together in each body paragraph as well as the introduction paragraph and conclusion. You may also have to repeat a few sentences using different data if you find your graphic contains more information or find a way to mention different groups in one sentence. The structure above is a rough guide to get you started. Once you have looked at the example and are comfortable with this structure, you can use this example as a model to describe different bar charts and answer as many bar graph questions as you can. Just remember to get feedback while you are testing your ideas otherwise, it’s quite difficult to improve.

A bar graph sample question and answer

Now that we have figured out what we want to write about in the description of the bar graph, it’s time to put our data selection skills to use and make comparisons where relevant. It is easy to get lost in all of the information provided by a bar chart as there can be so much data. That’s why it’s important to keep in mind what you are looking for when you are analyzing the chart.

The task achievement score for task 1 makes it clear that you need to answer all parts of the question – in other words, describe the main features AND compare them, in order to get a good score. Task achievement is 25% of your total marks so don’t forget to make comparisons! The first thing you should do is identify key features. Once you have decided on the main points, make note of any secondary features that will support the main features.

Ready for a high-level bar chart task 1 answer? Let’s begin with the analysis of this bar chart, and pick out the information that is relevant to our structure. See the model answer of a bar chart below.

Sample Answer Bar Graph Essay

The bar chart shows the caloric intake of UK males in three distinct age groups of 0-24, 25-49, and over 50 years old. The data is shown as percentages. Dairy for the 0-24 age group was the highest source of calories, whilst the other categories each represented about 20% each. In the next age group dairy fell to around a quarter, and meat became the main source of calories, reaching half of the total intake. Pulses and vegetables reached 10% and 15% respectively. Pulses in the final age group increased sixfold to over 60%, whereas calories obtained from vegetables was 10%, half that of meat (20%), and even slightly less than dairy (15%). The 50+ group shows the most marked preference out of all the groups. It also confirms the gradual decline in vegetable consumption as males become older. Overall it is clear that each age group has a clear favourite which varies depending on age. However, vegetables are consistently amongst the least popular, regardless of age.

Sample Answer Analysis

In this essay, the introduction paragraph restates the writing prompt. It is not the overview paragraph, which can be either the first or the last paragraph. In this case, the overview appears at the end in which the writer states the overall trends of the bar graph. While the horizontal axis contains information relating to the question keywords, it’s important not to overlook the vertical axis and state clearly how the data is given (for example, is it as percentages, in kilos, or tonnes, or hours?) Make sure you have included this information in the first part of the essay.

You will also notice that the body paragraphs consist of a breakdown of the main features in order of age group to show and compare the difference in amounts of each food category consumed as people grew older, placing the final age group into its own body paragraph. This is because the data showed that there was a fairly significant upward trend in one food type (pulses) that the writer wanted to highlight. And finally, as previously mentioned, the conclusion part of this essay includes the overview, which should consist of a sentence or two about general trends.

Some notes on structure

Notice how the sentence is structured. How many complex sentences can you identify? When preparing for your IELTS academic writing task, you will want to show some sophisticated writing. When you sit for your IELTS writing test, you might feel pressured for time and it may be a bit difficult to think of complex sentence structures while considering the main features. Take note on the following important tips on structure:

• Make sure you have mentioned all the categories in your answer – in this example, there are four categories.
• Make sure you have also included the correct values when you summarise the data, in this case, percentages.
• It is often tempting to write too much for a task 1 essay but by following the method shown you will stay focused. Concentrate on the most important information.
• Compare the highest and lowest values, for example, rather than all the differences.
• Write what comes naturally at first, even if you write in correct simple sentences.
• Allow yourself some time at the end to go back and adjust some of your structures to complex sentences.
• If you are aiming for a high score on the IELTS test, you should aim for structures that are complex and accurate.
• It is important to be sure of the tense you are using. This example requires the present tense but many bar charts illustrate data from the past. In that case, you need to write the introduction in the present tense (the bar chart illustrates…) and then switch to writing mostly in the past tense (the number of people choosing this option dropped after the first year).

Click here for more free IELTS bar chart sample essays . You can also find sample IELTS task 1 questions here .

Tips on describing a bar graph in IELTS

• Avoid listing every single data point; instead, use your own words to describe the key information from the chart/graph.
• Avoid mixing formats: for example, don’t mix decimals with estimations in the same sentence.
• Check whether there is a date on the bar chart – you may need to use the past tense.
• Make note of general trends, particularly upward or downward trends that can be highlighted in your own words.
• After you have successfully written out your description with all of the information you want to include, go over it and replace some simpler words with more academic vocabulary – this will help you achieve a high score . For example, try replacing “big” with “most significant”.
• Check that your text is error-free. Review carefully to see if all your sentences are grammatically correct.
• Make sure that the data you have described is correct – that you have not made a mistake with a category or labels.
• Review for the correct use of connectors and linking words .
• Practise with different bar graphs/pie charts to improve especially with a range of values (percentages, kilos, miles, dollars).
• Review the superlatives – highest, lowest, most expensive, biggest difference – these are essential if you want to effectively describe bar charts.
• The fastest way to improve is to get feedback on your work. You can also check another model bar graph answer for comparison.
• Don’t forget to check your word count. Make sure your piece is another too brief nor too wordy and detailed. Most model answers come in at around 200 words. You’ll use a similar writing model for pie charts and tables so you don’t need to memorise completely different models for each.

Bonus tips to score high on IELTS Bar Graph Questions

• To improve your task 1 bar graph skills try copying out a sample bar graph with pen and paper. You will start to understand how to locate key points and choose the most relevant information. It doesn’t matter what the topic is, remember it could be anything from the gross domestic product of different countries to comparing the highest expenditure on housing. You don’t need to be an expert on gross domestic product or the Japanese rental market, you just describe the data and make comparisons.
• Practice describing a bar chart out loud. It will help you remember vocabulary to describe data under pressure, decide point by point what to include in your answer and make sure you have mentioned every category at least once. Your confidence will improve when it comes to your next IELTS writing task.
• Make sure you practice ‘two type’ questions – you might see an IELTS question with one bar chart or two so it is a good idea to look at a model answer for each type. You might see one bar chart and a table, or other types of graphs such as line graphs. Some questions might have a mix, for example, one or more pie charts and a bar chart. However the data is displayed, it’s important to stay calm and focus on finding the major differences and similarities, compare categories and identify trends. Describing a table or line graph is very similar to describing bar charts and the more you practice the more confident you will feel.

Check out one of our free lessons here by clicking on the following link !

Video:  How to describe a bar graph

Click here to subscribe to the Youtube channel.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How to describe bar graph in ielts task 1.

Divide the information into two or three groups, focus on trends and exceptions to help you. You don’t need to describe everything. Think of synonyms for key words and most important numbers – for example, 52% is just over half.

How to write task 1 bar graph?

Follow a model, the 4 paragraph diagram model is easiest. That’s rephrasing the question, one main trend, another main trend and an overview. Overall have 10 sentences with specific tasks as we explain in this article.

How do you write a description of a bar graph?

Remember that the important thing is to describe the main features AND make comparisons. Use superlatives and the phrase ‘which means that…’ to help you. For example, Portugal’s spending was between 20 and 27% which means that it had the highest spending of all 4 countries studied.

Audio tutorial: How to describe a bar chart for the IELTS exam

|  Download  |  Stitcher  |  iTunes |  Android  |  RSS

Podcast:  Play in new window

Sample Bar Chart Questions and Model Answers

Take a look at these bar chart model answers to help you prepare

• Bar chart of international student enrolment in British universities 2009-2014
• Bar chart of average monthly revenue from retail telecommunication subscribers
• Bar chart of increase in total consumption
• Bar chart of life expectancy (2006)
• Bar chart of percentage of eligible voters registered for each race by state and year
• Bar chart of average weekly attacks
• Bar chart of pet Owners
• IELTS Task 1 Sample Answer 2 Double Graph Pie Chart and Bar Chart

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

• TOEFL Writing Correction Topics
• OET Mock Tests
• Writing Correction
• Speaking Mock Test
• Reading Course
• Listening Practice Tests
• FREE Practice Tests
• IELTS Writing Correction
• IELTS Speaking Practice
• OET Writing Correction
• OET Reading Course
• OET Speaking Mock Test
• TOEFL Writing Correction
• PTE Writing Correction
• OET Listening Practice Tests
• OET (Occupational English Test)
• PTE (Pearson Test of English)
• Academic Task 1

Bar Charts IELTS Writing Task 1 Guide & Practice

• Task 1 Guide
• Table & Bar
• Bar & Pie
• Table & Pie
• Compare Contrast
• Identifying Trends

Bar charts are a very common type of question on the IELTS writing task 1 academic paper. Read below for helpful tips and tricks, as well as example questions and a model answer.

Table of Contents

1.1 objective, 1.2 skills used, 2.1 sample question 1- horizontal bar chart, 2.2 sample question 2- vertical bar chart, 2.3 sample question 3- two bar charts presented, 3.1 introduction, 3.2 overview, 3.3 main body paragraphs.

• 4.1 Task Achievement
• 4.2 Coherence and Cohesion
• 4.3 Lexical Resource
• 4.4 Grammatical Range and Accuracy

5.1 Vocabulary for Accuracy

5.2 linking devices, 5.3 language for reference, 6.1 comparatives.

• 6.2 Advanced Comparative Forms

7.1 Model Answer Commentary

8.1 problem 1, 8.2 problem 2.

• Quiz- Check Your Understanding of IELTS Bar Charts

1. Question Overview

An IELTS writing  bar chart, also known as a bar graph, is something you may encounter in writing task 1 of the IELTS academic exam . The writing section of the test lasts for 60 minutes in total, and you should dedicate 20 minutes of your time to task 1 . Writing task 1 is worth 40% of your overall score for the writing component.

Here is the list of all IELTS Writing Academic Task 1 types

IELTS Writing

Ielts writing correction & grading.

Improve Your IELTS Score

• 24-Hour Turnaround
• Open 365 Days
• 1 Year Validity
• Handwritten Essays Accepted

The main aim of this task is to produce a minimum of 150-word report that interprets the data presented in a given chart. You need to summarise the main features of the chart, add relevant data/figures and make valid comparisons where relevant.

This part of this exam will test your ability to:

• Select and summarise the key features of a chart
• Identify trends in information
• Describe and compare data
• Produce a report using a formal register

2. IELTS Bar Chart Sample Questions

A bar chart presents data visually using rectangular bars. These bars can either occur horizontally or vertically. You may also be given two charts to summarise and contrast in one task. In writing task 1 of the IELTS academic exam, you will always be given a description of the chart as well as key information you need to understand the chart such as:

• A title and/or statement explaining the chart
• A key/legend that explains the colour coding of the chart
• A labelled vertical Y axis
• A labelled horizontal X axis

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The graph below shows the number of international graduates from UK universities in 2000 and 2015.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

The graph below shows the changes in the maximum number of gorillas in the wild between 1990 and 2015.

You should spend 20 minutes on this task.

The graphs below give information about computer ownership as a percentage of the population between 2000 and 2010, and by level of education for the years 2000 and 2010.

3. Structure for Bar Chart Reports

A good writing task 1 report will follow a very clear and logical structure with an introduction, an overview, and two main body paragraphs. Even though writing a conclusion is a good idea, it’s acceptable if you do not include a conclusion as the overview paragraph should suffice.

You can follow the same structure each time you practise writing reports. Follow the advice below for each paragraph below to start writing successful reports!

Your introduction should always paraphrase the given statement, meaning you should write it again in your own words. Memorising some good phrases to start a bar graph should help as well, but make sure the phrase you use is relevant to the given IELTS bar graph in the real exam. Let’s have a look at some examples below:

• The bar chart shows / presents
• The bar graph compares

Paraphrasing demonstrates to the examiner that you have fully understood the meaning of the writing task 1 statement and that you have the knowledge and understanding to be flexible with the language. The aim is to change the words and structure of the original statement whilst maintaining the meaning of the text. Successful paraphrasing may involve some of the following:

• Using synonyms/parallel expressions
• Changing the word order of the sentence
• Changing the phrase from active to passive
• Changing the form of words (e.g., noun to verb)

Example of paraphrasing

Original statement: The chart shows consumer spending on luxury goods in the UK in 2010 and 2020.

Paraphrased statement: The chart illustrates the amount of money spent on luxury goods (foreign holidays, high-end vehicles, designer clothes and spa services) by consumers in the United Kingdom in the years 2010 and 2020. Other things to consider when writing your introduction of a bar chart:

• You do not need to change every word to paraphrase a text successfully
• You may list given categories ( if the list is not too long). Use the word For instance, The bar graph presents wine production data in liters in three countries, namely Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
• Include any dates as this is important for tense
• Use brackets to put data and information inside
• Write 1-2 sentences maximum
• Look at the chart itself to see if there is any additional information to introduce not given in the statement
• This should be your most straightforward paragraph to write. Don’t spend too much time here and move onto your overview and main body paragraphs

IELTS Speaking

Ielts speaking practice.

• One-on-one Zoom Session
• Instant Feedback & Band Score
• Includes Part 1, Cue-card, Part 3
• Exam-based Speaking Topics

Your aim in academic writing task 1  is to produce a ‘clear overview’ where you select and describe the main features/ trends from the bar chart. It is very important to include an overview paragraph for your writing task 1 response. The examiner will be looking for this and candidates who do not include an overview paragraph will be extremely difficult to score above a band score 5.0 in task achievement. More on IELTS Writing Band descriptors here.

You do not need to write a conclusion for task 1. A conclusion summarises the main ideas of a text. Your report is too short to do this, and you will end up repeating yourself which is something you want to avoid.

Typically, your overview should come directly after your introduction (recommended). However, you may find some sample reports where the overview comes at the end of the report.

Here are some key things to consider when writing your overview:

• Start your overview with ‘Overall’ to make it easy for the examiner to locate your overview paragraph. Other possible words / phrases are:
• It is clear from the graph that….
• Broadly, it can be seen that..
• There could be 2, 3, 4 or even 5 key features in your chart (we recommend you focus on 2-3)
• Your key features should stand out as the highest or overall figures in some way
• Make sure to use
• You should not give precise figures for your overview, save this for your main body paragraphs

You should have two main body paragraphs in your report to meet coherence and cohesion. Besides, this approach is logical and easy to follow for the reader.

There are different ways you could choose to organise your paragraphs depending on the data. For example:

Main Body Paragraph 1 – Compare the highest and lowest categories in the dataset

Main body paragraph 2 – Summarise and compare the other categories

The content of your body paragraphs will depend on the chart, but here are some general points to consider:

• Make sure to use the correct tense (look carefully at the given dates, are they in the past, present, future, or perhaps they range from the past to the predicted future)
• Determine if the chart is comparative or
• Always provide data and support your sentences with numbers
• Do not just provide a long list of numbers; the examiner will check every number and they need to be accurate and clear for the reader
• Use symbols given to you on the axis for currency, percentage etc. (e.g., £, $, %)
• Avoid repetition

4. IELTS Writing Task 1 Band Descriptors Explained

4.1 task achievement (25%).

To achieve a high band score in task achievement, you must:

• Produce a factual report (use a formal register; do not give your opinion; avoid the first person ‘I’)
• Write at least 150 words (you need to be able to sufficiently develop your ideas)
• Report and compare the key features of the chart (do not try to describe every detail of the chart)
• Provide an overview that clearly highlights the key features of the chart (this is essential to scoring above a band score 5 in task achievement)
• Accurately describe the data

4.2 Coherence and Cohesion (25%)

To achieve a high band score in Coherence and Cohesion of your bar chart task 1, you must:

• Organise your report logically
• Use paragraphs (include an introduction, an overview, and two main body paragraphs)
• Use a range of linking devices accurately and appropriately
• Use referencing effectively to avoid repetition (e.g., using ‘this’ to refer to refer back in your text to a noun/noun phrase)

4.3 Lexical Resource (25%)

To achieve a high band score in Lexical Resource of task 1 bar graph, you must:

• Use a range of vocabulary appropriate to describe data from bar charts
• Show understanding of collocations
• Avoid making spelling mistakes
• Use an appropriate register throughout the report (e.g., avoid slang/ phrasal verbs/ idioms)

4.4 Grammatical Range and Accuracy (25%)

To achieve a high band score in Grammatical Range and Accuracy, you must:

• Use the correct tense according to your data set (confirm if your data is taken from the past, present, future, or a combination, and use the corresponding tense in your report)
• Use a range of simple and complex sentences (e.g., compound, relative, or subordinate sentences)
• Avoid grammatical errors
• Use punctuation accurately

5. Vocabulary for IELTS Bar Charts

When describing bar graph IELTS task 1, you will often find that a figure cannot be precisely determined and you have to estimate the number. To show flexibility with your language, you can use words and phrases to estimate the figures. Here is some useful language to help you write about numbers that are above, below or approximate figures:

In order to create cohesion throughout your report, you should use a range of linking devices appropriately. Here are some useful linkers to create contrast when writing about bar charts:

• as opposed to
• compared to

Examples 80% of people owned a computer in 1990, whereas/while only 30% owned one in 1980.

Only 30% of people owned a computer in 1980 as opposed to/compared to 80% in 1990.

Using the words ‘ respectively ’ or ‘ in turn ’ is an efficient and accurate way to refer back to specific figures in your writing task 1 report. It will also help to avoid unnecessary repetition and improve your lexical resource score.

When using these terms, the order of the numbers follows the order in the sentence. You can also use brackets to contain the figures.

Examples The price of oil and gas in 1990 was almost the same (about $100 and $110, respectively ).

Espressos were considerably less popular than espressos , at 4 and 8 sales per week in turn .

6. Grammar for Bar Charts IELTS Task 1

You can use comparative structures to improve your range of grammar and compare the data in the bar chart/s. For example:

You can also use words together with comparative forms to indicate a small or a big difference:

• considerably

Examples: Americanos were considerably more popular than espressos.

Cappuccinos were slightly more popular than caramel lattes.

6.2 Superlatives

Superlatives are a useful way to rank or order information.

• Travelling by plane is the most expensive way to travel, at an average of £100 per ticket.
• The second most expensive is by train, where it costs around £30.
• The least expensive form of transport is by bus, coming in at £20 per ticket.

6.3 Advanced Comparisons

• X is not as + adjective + as y e.g., Coffee in Brazil is not as expensive as in America.
• Not + verb + as + noun phrase + as e.g., Coffee in Brazil does not cost as much as in America, at $2 and $2.90, respectively.
• Three times/ half/ twice as much/less as e.g., Coffee in America costs twice as much as in Brazil.
• The number of X is ___ times higher than Y e.g., The number of people buying coffee in Brazil is three times higher than in America.

7. IELTS Bar Graph Sample Answer

The chart shows data about the average weekly sales of two coffee shops in New York in 2015.

The bar chart compares the most popular types of coffee sold by two coffee shops in New York in a typical week in 2015. The chart shows average sales of eight items, including iced coffees, Americanos and espressos, in Club Coffee and Espresso Express.

Overall , it can be seen that Club Coffee is generally the busiest coffee shop, outselling Espresso Express in six out of eight coffee items. On the whole , stronger coffees such as espressos and flat whites were not as popular as weaker coffees like café lattes or cappuccinos.

In terms of sales at Club Coffee, café lattes came top of the list, with an average of around 135 sold each week. Cappuccinos and Americanos were the next best sellers, with around 115 and 100 of these drinks sold respectively. Club coffee sold slightly more decaf coffees than iced coffees, with roughly 75 of each in total being sold per week on average. Espressos and caramel lattes were not nearly as popular, with just 25 and 18 sold in turn.

Café lattes were also the number-one purchase in Espresso Express, with just over 120 average items sold in a week. Cappuccinos were third, at around 65 sales. Caramel lattes came next, with just over 60, three times as many as are sold in Club Coffee. Decaf coffees and flat whites were joint fifth, with 50 sales apiece, followed by iced coffees at approximately 45 sales a week. The least popular item in Espresso Express was espressos with around 25 sales.

The report above would receive an estimated 9.0 overall in the IELTS writing task 1 Academic paper.

It has been organised into four logical paragraphs that are clearly divided into an introduction, overview, and two separate body paragraphs.

The overview paragraph has been clearly signposted using ‘overall’ and a further linker ‘on the whole’. These key features have been compared concisely using phrases such as ‘stronger coffees… were not as popular as weaker coffees…’.

Further details have been given in the main body paragraphs. The data has been presented accurately using vocabulary to express when the figure cannot be exactly determined, such as ‘around’, ‘just over’ and ‘roughly’.

Comparative language has been used throughout the report through the use of comparatives and superlatives, for example, ‘the least popular item…’

Reference has been employed to reduce repetition , for instance ‘with just 25 and 18 sold in turn’ and ‘with around 115 and 100 of these drinks sold respectively’.

8. Common Errors and How to Avoid Them

Not understanding what information to include in your bar chart report.

Solution 1 Take a short amount of time, before you even start writing, to identify the key features of the chart. It will be worth investing this time in finding the highest, lowest or most interesting key features instead of wasting time trying to write about every detail

It is not common that you will be asked to describe a bar chart with a trend, this is more common with a line graph . Candidates often use language to describe trends when it is not appropriate. For example, the sentence ‘the price of X rose from £ ______ to £______ between 2000 and 2010’ is more suitable for a line graph with a trend, not a bar chart.

Solution 2 Ensure you understand the data clearly so you can use the appropriate grammar and vocabulary.

It is likely that a comparative form would be more appropriate instead of describing a change (rise/fall).

Incorrect for bar chart: The price of X rose from £ ______ to £______ between 2000 and 2010.

Correct for bar chart: X cost £____ more than Y, which cost £_____.

9. Quiz- Check Your Understanding

Take this short quiz to test your understanding of writing task 1 and bar charts:

Bar Charts- IELTS Writing Task 1

• The key/legend
• The IELTS statement
• The horizontal and vertical axis
• All of the above Answer: D.

Explanation: You must include an overview paragraph if you want to score higher than a band 5.0 in task achievement.

Explanation: You may see a vertical horizontal bar chart, or even two types of bar chart may be presented. You are likely to see a comparative bar chart, but occasionally IELTS do set bar charts that ask you to describe a trend (as you would with a line graph).

Explanation: To create a well organised report you should use four paragraphs: an introduction, an overview, and two main body paragraphs

Explanation: True, each section of the marking criteria is work 25% of your overall score

Explanation: Using the words ‘respectively’ or ‘in turn’ is an efficient and accurate way to refer back to specific figures in your report in the order they are mentioned. It will also help to avoid unnecessary repetition and improve your lexical resource score.

• The price of oil and gas in 1990 was almost the same ($100 and $110)

Explanation: Superlatives can help to create order, for example, travelling by plane is the most expensive way to travel, at an average of £100 per ticket. The second most expensive is by train, where it costs around £30.

• Comparatives
• Referring expressions
• Coffee in Brazil as expensive as in America.
• Coffee in Brazil is not expensive as in America.

Explanation: ‘not as _____ as ____’ is a useful comparative sentence that can broaden your grammatical range.

One thought on “Bar Charts IELTS Writing Task 1 Guide & Practice”

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• ielts writing
• ielts listening
• ielts speaking
• ielts reading
• IELTS Sample Reports
• IELTS Sample Essays
• IELTS Vocabulary
• IELTS Grammar

Exam Updates & Tips!

Signup for preparation and special offers!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

IELTS Exam Preparation: Free IELTS Tips, 2024

• IELTS writing

It is common in the IELTS Writing paper to be asked to describe a bar graph. Bar graphs, also known as bar charts, are similar to line graphs in that they have two axes and are useful for showing how something has changed over a given period of time, especially when there are significant changes. Bar graphs consist of rectangular bars, which can be orientated horizontally or vertically, with the lengths proportional to the data values that they represent. They are typically used for comparing two or more values.

Sample Questions

The age of the population of iceland between 1990 and 2020.

The graph gives information about the age of the population of Iceland between 1990 and 2020.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The percentage of women going into higher education in five countries

The chart gives information on the percentage of women going into higher education in five countries for the years 1980 and 2015.

Participants who have entered the Olympics since it began

The chart and graph below give information about participants who have entered the Olympics since it began.

Road transport in a number of European countries

The bar charts below give information on road transport in a number of European countries.

The percentage of part-time workers in each country of the United Kingdom

The graph below shows the percentage of part-time workers in each country of the United Kingdom in 1980 and 2010.

Industries’ percentage share of Brazil’s economy

The bar chart below illustrates five different industries’ percentage share of Brazil’s economy in 2009 and 2019 with a forecast for 2029.

The percentages of men and women in employment

The bar charts below show the percentages of men and women in employment in three countries in 2005 and 2015.

The number of medals won by the top five countries in the summer and winter Olympics

The graphs below show the number of medals won by the top five countries in the summer and winter Olympics.

Global population percentages and distribution of wealth by region

The chart below gives information about global population percentages and distribution of wealth by region.

Percentage of Canadians gave money to charitable organisations

The chart below gives information on the percentage of Canadians gave money to charitable organisations by age range for the years 2000 and 2015.

Employment figures in different tourism-related industries

The bar chart below shows employment figures in different tourism-related industries between 2009 and 2019.

The main reasons workers chose to work from home

The diagrams below show the main reasons workers chose to work from home and the hours males and females worked at home for the year 2019.

Percentage of the population living in urban areas

The bar chart below gives information about the percentage of the population living in urban areas in different parts of the world.

Car journeys into the city centre

The bar chart gives information about the number of car journeys into the city centre made by residents and non-residents.

The places visited by different people living in Canada

The chart below shows the places visited by different people living in Canada.

Percentage of people using multiple social networking sites

The chart below gives information about the number of social networking sites people used in Canada in 2014 and 2015.

Weight assessment of inhabitants of Charlestown 2015

The charts summarise the weight measurements of people living in Charlestown in 1955 and 2015.

Someland's main exports

The chart below gives information about Someland's main exports in 2005, 2015, and future projections for 2025.

Sports played in New Zealand in 2002

The chart below gives information about the most common sports played in New Zealand in 2002.

Science qualifications in two countries

The chart below gives information about science qualifications held by people in two countries.

Students passing high school competency exams, by subject and gender

The bar chart shows the percentage of students who passed their high school competency exams, by subject and gender, during the period 2010-2011.

Female unemployment rates in the United Kingdom in 2013 and 2014

The graph shows female unemployment rates in each country of the United Kingdom in 2013 and 2014.

Percentage who watch reality shows and game shows

The charts show the number and genres of TV programmes watched by men and women and four different age groups in Australia.

Shares of expenditures for selected categories

The bar chart shows shares of expenditures for five major categories in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Japan in the year 2009.

International graduates, Canadian universities, 2001 and 2006

The chart shows the percentage change in the share of international students among university graduates in different Canadian provinces between 2001 and 2006.

Percentage of population aged 65 and over

The chart gives information about the UK's ageing population in 1985 and makes predictions for 2035.

Percentage of pupulation in urban areas

The bar chart gives information about the percentage of the population living in urban areas in the world and in different continents.

Urban populations in different world regions

The graphs provide information on global population figures and figures for urban populations in different world regions.

The percentage of male and female teachers

The chart shows the percentage of male and female teachers in six different types of educational setting in the UK in 2010.

Home and International Students

The bar chart gives information about the number of students studying Computer Science at a UK university between 2010 and 2012.

Finland's telephone calls, by category, 1995-2004

The chart shows the total number of minutes (in millions) of telephone calls in Finland, divided into three categories, from 1995 - 2004.

Related topics

• Writing task one: bar graphs
• Writing Introduction
• IELTS Writing strategies
• Next Page »

SHARE THIS PAGE

The reading, writing and listening practice tests on this website have been designed to resemble the format of the IELTS test as closely as possible. They are not, however, real IELTS tests; they are designed to practise exam technique to help students to face the IELTS test with confidence and to perform to the best of their ability.

While using this site, you agree to have read and accepted our terms of use, cookie and privacy policy.

Dear readers,

This is to inform you that we have moved to a new domain, https://www.ielts-writing.info/EXAM/ .

Our old domain, https://www.ielts-exam.net/ will remain active till the time we migrate all our content to the new domain.

We look forward to your continuing support.

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Bar Chart With Model Answer

Wondering what to expect when it comes to bar charts on IELTS Academic Writing Task 1? Let’s examine a practice bar chart question with a model band 9 essay .

To see why this essay is band 9, and check out the official IELTS rubric for Task 1 (PDF) . Then take a look at the scorer commentary that appears right underneath the model essay itself.

This particular prompt is a bar chart . Your approach to this chart should be the same as your approach to any other Task 1 infographic. Take a look at the information and think carefully. What is the best way to summarize the way the information is structured and the main points? From there, how can you best compare the most relevant pieces of information? Finally, how should you structure that summary and comparison?

For more advice on how to approach this, see our article on IELTS Academic Task 1 paragraph structure , as well as our main page for IELTS sample questions and practice resources .

Try to do this prompt yourself. Then check out our band 9 model essay below the prompt and compare it to your own work to see how you did.

Model IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Prompt: Bar Chart

The chart below gives information about the ratio of income to spending (in dollars) by Americans by age range in 2013.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

Model Essay

This graph compares how much Americans spent to how much income they made in 2013, by age group.

The data shows an overall rise and fall in both income and spending between young, middle-aged, and older Americans. Income rises and falls more sharply than spending.

Those under 25 and over 75 actually spent slightly more than they earned. In contrast, between the ages of 25 and 64, Americans earned 10,000 to 20,000 dollars more than they spent. This difference shrinks in the 65-74 age group, where spending was just a few thousand dollars less.

In terms of actual numbers, those under 25 or over 75 earned and spent around 30,000 and 35,000 dollars, respectively. 25-34 year-olds and 65-74 year-olds both earned in the 50,000s and spent in the 40,000s. In the middle, between ages 35 and 64, income was 70,000-80,000 dollars, and spending ranged from roughly 55 to 60 thousand.

Scorer Commentary (Bar Chart, Band 9)

The score report below is based on the official IELTS Writing Task 1 rubric . This report also looks very similar to the Magoosh IELTS essay scoring service .

Overall Band Score: 9

What was done well in the essay:

• This essay is borderline risky when it comes to word count. But it still manages to sit at 158 words, just above the exact 150 word minimum. So the writer has managed to avoid the IELTS Writing word count penalty .
• The response includes all important details listed in the instructions. The basic topic of the grpah (debt to income for different age groups) is stated, followed by an overview of the tends, and some detailed comparisons of specific age groups and income levels.
• Each aspect of the essay gets its own paragraph, with a paragraph for the basic purpose of the graph, a paragraph for overall trends, and so on. This helps to clearly divide each different type of important information.
• Transitions and referential phrases are used effectively to show how ideas are interlinked. Examples include “in contrast,” “this difference” and “in terms of actual numbers.”
• Vocabulary and grammar are both excellent. No errors here, and some nice variety of sentence structure and word choice too. This makes the essay both easy and interesting to read.

More Practice IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Sample Questions and Model Essays

• IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Process Diagram with Model Answer
• IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Map With Model Answer
• IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Line Graph with Model Answer
• IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Pie Chart with Model Answer
• IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Comparing two Graphics with Model Answer

From there, you can study the “big picture” with Magoosh’s comprehensive guide to the entire IELTS Writing section .

David is a Test Prep Expert for Magoosh TOEFL and IELTS. Additionally, he’s helped students with TOEIC, PET, FCE, BULATS, Eiken, SAT, ACT, GRE, and GMAT. David has a BS from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and an MA from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. His work at Magoosh has been cited in many scholarly articles , his Master’s Thesis is featured on the Reading with Pictures website, and he’s presented at the WITESOL (link to PDF) and NAFSA conferences. David has taught K-12 ESL in South Korea as well as undergraduate English and MBA-level business English at American universities. He has also trained English teachers in America, Italy, and Peru. Come join David and the Magoosh team on Youtube , Facebook , and Instagram , or connect with him via LinkedIn !

View all posts

More from Magoosh

6 responses to “IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Bar Chart With Model Answer”

The bar chart compares the amount of money American citizens from different age categories earned and spent in 2013. We can see that the pattern of distribution of both values has a bell shape, with the lowest figures for the youngest and the oldest groups, and the highest in the centre. It is also notable that except the youngest and the oldest age categories American people earned more than they spent. The income and spending for people younger than 25 were around $30000 and $28000 respectively, these figures were the lowest in the chart. However, next category (25-34) earned almost twice as much as the youngest group and spent just under $50000. Americans from the following two age groups, 35-44 and 45-54, were the highest earners and spenders. Their income scaled up to just under $80000 and expenditure amounted to £60000. In the next older age groups, the amounts of money Americans earned and spent decreases. While those from 65-74 age group earned approximately $53000, they spent about $47000. Finally, the oldest group ( 75+) spent all their income which was around $34000.

woooow i like it so much, can you help me for the writing task 1

The bar chart illustrates the proportion of earning and expenditure of the US nationals by seven different age groups in the year 2013. Overall, there were almost no gap between the income and expenditure noticed for people aged below 25 and 75 or above, whereas, people age ranges 35-44, 45-54, and 55-64 spent less than their earnings, however, they earned more and, thus, spent more than the rest of the four groups. People of 34-44, 45-54, and 55-64 years old spent around $20000 less than their earning (approximately $80000, $78000, and $75000, respectively), who had recorded the most earnings and expenses among the seven age groups. The ratio of expense and earning was not so high among the nationals aged 25-34 and 65-74 which were about $10000 and $5000, respectively. People aged 75 or above earned almost $35000 and spend the same amount of money while the young people aged below 25 earned around $28000 and spent $30000, a slightly more than their earnings. Both the young adults and old people had less income and expenditure than the rest of the people.

I think there is no penalty for less word count. The trend has changed recently as per my knowledge. Thank you.

The difference is that previously there was a FIXED penalty for writing under the word count. You would automatically get a band 5 or lower score in the Task Response category for writing under the word count. This automatic penalty has been removed, but the IELTS still clearly states that students “will be penalized if their answer is too short.” They do not specify by the exact amount any more, but in order to get the highest marks possible, I’d suggest writing a little more than the word minimum for each essay.

I hope this helps! 🙂

The chart illustrates that the proportionate of income to utilization of that by various age groups in America such as more than 25 year,25-34, 35-44,45-54,55-64,65-74 and more than 75 years in 2013. Overall, only less than 25 years old people disburse more money than the earnings, they spend 2000 dollars higher than the actual income. From 25-74 years age range peoples expenditure were less than the income but in the case of more than 75 years old citizen the ratio of their earnings and the spending is neutral. Moreover, by the comparison of less than 25 years old as well as 25-34 years old people their percentage of spending were decreased drastically by the means of yield, which means their income were 28000 and dissipated amount was 30000 but when comes to the case of 25-34 aged people that became 59000 and 49000 that is they started to made profit on the other hand in terms of profit 35-44 years age range were got more conscious about their spending which was 79000 as earnings and utilized amount were 59000 so their profit were 20000 more. In addition that, 45-54 years of American peoples also were made higher income just like 35-44 years people perhaps there were only slight difference in utilization of that income. The yield was 79000 and the expenditure was 60000. The age range 55-64 their expense were 10000 less than their income. In 65-74 aged peoples earning capacity became 53000 and the spending was 48000. The more than 75 years old American peoples both earnings and utilization were 33000 dollars.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

How to Describe a Bar Graph in IELTS Writing Task 1?

In the IELTS writing task 1, bar graph is one of the common questions you may find in your exam. There can be a single bar graph question or a combination of two or more bar graphs. Otherwise, it can also be very likely that you find combination of a bar graph and a line graph, a bar graph and a pie chart or a bar graph and a table. Whatever the type of bar graph question it is, you should know how to describe it properly. Let us know the steps to follow in order to describe a bar chart:

Step 1: Read Question and Select Information

Reading the IELTS writing task 1 question is the foremost step to follow for understanding it thoroughly. Without reading it carefully, it is impossible to write effectively. Hence, the basic idea of what the essay question is about should be very clear to you. While reading question and scanning the bar graph diagram, keep your eyes on selecting the given information.

For example, by reading the question statement, you can paraphrase it to write introduction. Then, you can look at the heading of bar graph question to get precise idea about it. After this, look at the x-axis and y-axis for finding out the figures, differences in those figures, labels of bar graph and the units (which you must write alongwith mentioning a figure).

Step 2: Start Writing Introduction

Now that you have completely understood what information is given in the IELTS writing task 2 bar graph question, you can now be able to start writing introduction because introduction is nothing but the main idea of the question itself.

Step 3: Analyse the Question – Compare and Contrast

In order to write the key features of a bar graph, it is important that you properly analyse the bar graph diagram. First of all, in case of multiple bar graphs of different colors, you can check every bar graph from start level to end level by noticing the values in x-axis and y-axis. At this stage, find out how the bar graph is progressing in increasing, decreasing, constant or fluctuating way and notice the overall trend of the bar graph as well.

Next, you can start making out comparisons among the bar charts and see if there are some similarities or differences which are very noticeable. Listing out such features in IELTS writing task 1 is very important in order to score high. For example, you may notice that two bar graphs are at the same level, a bar graph for a particular label is constantly increasing etc.

Step 4: Start Writing Body Paragraph(s)

Once you are done analysing your bar graph question in IELTS writing task 1 in around 5 minutes, you can now start writing body paragraph. You may write a long body paragraph or divide it into two small body paragraphs but make sure that your ideas are in flow and that you are writing logically. Writing everything randomly would confuse not only you as you may miss out any important detail, it would also be confusing for the examiner to understand. Also, make sure you are using words such as whereas, on the other hand etc. to connect your sentences together.

Step 5: Write your Conclusion/Summary

Main summary of the bar graph question is a must which you may write after introduction or at the end. It is nothing but the very noticeable overall trend in the diagram. Other in-depth features that you may notice can be written in the body paragraph and also ensure that you are not writing the same features in conclusion that you have already written in the body paragraph, to avoid repetition.

Share with friends

Scan below qr code to share with your friends, related ielts tips.

IELTS Writing Task 2 (Essay) Model Answer Band 8

Some international companies are very powerful now and many people believe...

IELTS Writing Task 2 Analysis (Celebrities) – Band 5

Let us do complete analysis of IELTS writing task 2 of a candidate...

How to Describe a Table in IELTS Writing Task 1?

  In IELTS writing task 1 of academic module, you find different types...

Recent Writing task 2 Question & IELTS April 2017

  This article contains a recent IELTS Writing task 2 question appeared...

5 Ways to Plan IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay to Score Band 8

  Planning is like the skeleton of an essay. It is important to plan...

Thank you for contacting us!

We have received your message.

We will get back within 48 hours.

You have subscribed successfully.

Thank you for your feedback, we will investigate and resolve the issue within 48 hours.

Your answers has been saved successfully.

Add Credits

IELTS Task 1: Bar Charts and Graphs

by Dave | Sample Answers | 0 Comment

These are bar charts and graphs that I’ve collected over the years from real past IELTS exams and other practice materials.

Check out my EBoooks here on Patreon.

Here are the IELTS bar charts and graphs!

Read my essay here.

Recommended For You

Latest IELTS Writing Task 1 2024 (Graphs, Charts, Maps, Processes)

by Dave | Sample Answers | 147 Comments

These are the most recent/latest IELTS Writing Task 1 Task topics and questions starting in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and continuing into 2024. ...

Recent IELTS Writing Topics and Questions 2024

by Dave | Sample Answers | 342 Comments

Read here all the newest IELTS questions and topics from 2024 and previous years with sample answers/essays. Be sure to check out my ...

Find my Newest IELTS Post Here – Updated Daily!

by Dave | IELTS FAQ | 18 Comments

IELTS Task 2 Question Types: Advantages and Disadvantages

by Dave | Understanding Task 2 Writing | 2 Comments

I have collected a variety of advantages and disadvantages essays from the real IELTS test. Enjoy and consider signing up for my Patreon ...

IELTS Task 2 Question Types: Opinion Essays (Agree or Disagree)

by Dave | Understanding Task 2 Writing | 13 Comments

Here I have collected actual IELTS opinion essays (agree or disagree question) from the last several years - enjoy learning about this task type! ...

IELTS Task 1: Maps

These are maps that I've collected over the years from real past IELTS exams and other practice materials. If you want to stay ...

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Exclusive Ebooks, PDFs and more from me!

Sign up for patreon.

Don't miss out!

"The highest quality materials anywhere on the internet! Dave improved my writing and vocabulary so much. Really affordable options you don't want to miss out on!"

Minh, Vietnam

Hi, I’m Dave! Welcome to my IELTS exclusive resources! Before you commit I want to explain very clearly why there’s no one better to help you learn about IELTS and improve your English at the same time... Read more

Patreon Exclusive Ebooks Available Now!

IELTS Preparation with Liz: Free IELTS Tips and Lessons, 2024

• Test Information FAQ
• Band Scores
• IELTS Candidate Success Tips
• Computer IELTS: Pros & Cons
• How to Prepare
• Useful Links & Resources
• Recommended Books
• Speaking Part 1 Topics
• Speaking Part 2 Topics
• Speaking Part 3 Topics
• 100 Essay Questions
• On The Day Tips
• Top Results
• 50% DISCOUNT

IELTS Sample Charts for Writing Task 1 Practice

Below are sample IELTS charts to practise writing task 1 at home. In the IELTS writing task 1 (academic paper), you will be given one of the following and will have 20 mins to write a full report:

• diagram or process
• combination of the above (multiple tasks)

This collection of IELTS charts represents the main types of charts that you can be given in writing task 1, including tasks with two or three charts combined. Please remember that writing task 1 is not an essay, it is a report.

Use the sample practice charts, tables and diagrams below to practise and develop your IELTS writing task 1. Some charts below have links to model answers. Charts not created by myself have the known source stated when possible.

Practice Charts for IELTS Writing Task 1

Instructions from IELTS: You must write a report of at least 150 words You have 20 mins for this task

Please note that the instructions show that you must write over 150 words. The word limit of 150 words is the least you should write. Most reports are between 170 and 190 words. The time of 20 mins is a recommendation, but you manage the one hour for the writing test yourself.

IELTS Bar Chart Practice Samples

The bar chart below shows the expenditure of two countries in consumer goods in 2010.

• Click here: MODEL ANSWER

The bar chart below shows the percentage of people who ate five portions of fruit and vegetables per day in the UK from 2001 to 2008.

• Source: IELTS Liz, Reported by IELTS Candidate
• Download:  IELTS Writing task 1 October 2018
• Click here: : MODEL ANSWER

The bar chart below shows the hours per week that teenagers spend doing certain activities in Chester from 2002 to 2007.

• Source: English-in-Chester

The chart below shows the global sales of different kinds of digital games from 2000 to 2006.

• Source: Chart not by IELTS Liz. Source unknown.

IELTS Line Graph Practice Samples

The graph below shows the consumption of three kinds of spreads between 1981 and 2007.

The graph below shows the population figures for different type of turtles in India from 1980 to 2012.

• Source: Graph not designed by IELTS Liz. Source unknown.

The graph below shows the amount of goods transported in the UK from 1974 to 2002.

• Source: IELTS Cambridge English Test Books
• Click here: USEFUL TIPS

The line graph below shows the consumption of 4 kinds of meat in a European country from 1979 to 2004.

IELTS Table Practice Samples

• Source: IELTS Liz

The table below shows the proportion of income spent on 4 common items in the UK in 1998.

• Source: Table not designed by IELTS Liz. Source unknown

• Source: IELTS Liz, Reported by IELTS candidate

The table below gives information about the underground railway systems in 6 countries.

The table below shows consumer spending on different items in 5 countries in 2002.

The table below gives information about the employment sectors in which people from 3 age groups worked.

IELTS Pie Chart Practice Samples

The pie charts below show the average household expenditures in a county in 1950 and 2010.

• Source: Charts not designed by IELTS Liz. Source unknown.

The charts below show the percentage of students joining North West University.

The charts below give information about the electricity generation in two countries in 2009.

The pie charts below show the spending of a school in the UK from 1981 to 2001.

IELTS Diagram Practice Samples

The diagram below shows how rainwater is collected for the use of drinking water in an Australian town.

The diagram below shows the water supply in Australia at present and in the future.

The diagram below shows how the water cycle works.

• Source: New Insight into IELTS
• Although this book was published years ago, I still recommend it for practise at home.

The diagram shows the process of making coffee.

• Source: Diagram not designed by IELTS Liz. Source unknown.

The diagram below shows how coal is used to generate electricity.

• Source: mstworkbooks.co.za , natural sciences.

IELTS Map Practice Sample

IELTS Multiple Charts Practice Samples

Two Bar Charts

• Download PDF: TWO BAR CHARTS

Bar Chart & Two Pie Charts The charts below give information about levels of education in Glasgow, a city in Scotland, in 2010.

Table & 3 Pie Charts

• click here: MODEL ANSWER

Two Pie Charts & Bar Chart

Useful Links for FREE IELTS Preparation

IELTS Writing Task 1: ALL TIPS, MODEL ANSWERS, VIDEOS  etc  (FREE)

IELTS Writing Task 2: Model Essays, Linking Words & Videos   (FREE)

All the best

FREE SUBSCRIBE Subscribe to get new lessons & tips by email. Email Address Subscribe

ADVANCED IELTS: Big Discounts Now

Recent New Lessons

50% discount: advanced ielts lessons & e-books, ideas in ielts essays & in ielts speaking, test yourself with linking words, ielts speaking part 2 cue card topics – 2024, new reading exercise for you (july 2024).

Click Below to Learn:

• IELTS Test Information
• Writing Task 1
• Writing Task 2

Copyright Notice

Copyright © Elizabeth Ferguson, 2014 – 2024

All rights reserved.

Privacy Policy & Disclaimer

• Click here:  Privacy Policy 
• Click here: Disclaimer

Return to top of page

Copyright © 2024 · Prose on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

• IELTS Scores
• Life Skills Test
• Find a Test Centre
• Alternatives to IELTS
• General Training
• Academic Word List
• Topic Vocabulary
• Collocation
• Phrasal Verbs
• Writing eBooks
• Reading eBook
• All eBooks & Courses

IELTS Bar Chart - Proportion of City Populations

Percentage of City Populations

Hi, I have been studying for the IELTS for over a year now, and my reading and listening is acceptable (estimated to be 8.0+), but my writing has been stagnating at 5.5. :( Can anyone give me some suggestions? Here is a task 1 essay by me: *** The bar chart gives information about the percentage of the population living in urban areas in different parts of the world. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. The bar chart illustrates the proportion of urban residents in six different areas of the world in 1950, 2007 as well as projections to 2050. It can be seen that the proportion of the world's population living cities will have increased between 1950 and 2030. However, the change is more pronounced in regions than others. For example, rapid urbanisation is expected in Africa and Asia, whose urban population is estimated to rise from just around 15% in 1950 to over 60% in 2050. The proportion of city dwellers in Ocenia, on the other hand, only saw a modest rise from 62% in 1930 to 71% in 2007, and is estimated to be just around 76% in 2050. In Latin America and the Caribbean, only 42% of people were living in cities in 1970, a little less that the figure for Europe , which is at 51%. By 2007, however, the the latter had been surpassed by the former by around 4%, and this trend is expected to continue to 2050. Finally, North America is consistently the most urbanised region in the world from 1950 (64%) to 2050 (90%) *** It took me a very very long time to finish this one, because I did not know how to structure the essay, you know what should i describe in the 2nd part, so on and so on. And I can't seem to think of any idea!! :(

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to IELTS Graph Feedback Forum .

IELTS Bar Chart - Percentage of Population in Urban Areas

The bar chart gives information about the percentage of the population living in urban areas in different parts of the world.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. The bar chart shows the percentage of the population living in six different regions of the world in three different years. In 1950, North America had 64 per cent of people living in the cities, reaching 90 per cent by 2050, makes it the highest percentage of population compared to other areas. By contrast, Africa had 15 per cent of citizens living in urban areas in 1950, which is the lowest percentage compared to the other regions of the world; however, it had the greatest change from 1950 to 2050, quadrupled from 15 per cent to 62 per cent. Moreover, Asia also had similar pattern of changes as Africa, increasing from 17 per cent in 1950 to 66 per cent in 2050. On contrary, Oceania has the least changes of percentage from 1950 to 2050; the difference is only 14 per cent. Moreover, the percentage of people who lived in Latin America and Caribbean has doubled from around 40 per cent to 80 per cent over a century. In conclusion, it is clear that the percentage of population in urban areas in six parts of the world has increased over a hundred year. However, these percentages change at the different rates for each city.

Band 7+ eBooks

"I think these eBooks are FANTASTIC!!! I know that's not academic language, but it's the truth!"

Linda, from Italy, Scored Band 7.5

Bargain eBook Deal! 30% Discount

All 4 Writing eBooks for just  $25.86 Find out more >>

IELTS Modules:

Other resources:.

• All Lessons
• Band Score Calculator
• Writing Feedback
• Speaking Feedback
• Teacher Resources
• Free Downloads
• Recent Essay Exam Questions
• Books for IELTS Prep
• Useful Links

Recent Articles

IELTS Essay: Living with Climate Change

Aug 23, 24 02:37 AM

Grammar in IELTS Listening

Aug 22, 24 02:54 PM

IELTS Line Graph: Governments Expenditure on Research

Jul 23, 24 01:27 PM

Important pages

IELTS Writing IELTS Speaking IELTS Listening   IELTS Reading All Lessons Vocabulary Academic Task 1 Academic Task 2 Practice Tests

Connect with us

Before you go...

30% discount - just $25.86 for all 4 writing ebooks.

Copyright © 2022- IELTSbuddy All Rights Reserved

IELTS is a registered trademark of University of Cambridge, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia. This site and its owners are not affiliated, approved or endorsed by the University of Cambridge ESOL, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia.

• Practice Test
• Useful Tips – Tricks
• Full Writing Review
• General Writing Task
• Writing Task 1
• Writing Task 2
• Writing Exercises
• Writing Sample – Topics
• Writing Vocabulary
• Speaking Vocabulary
• Intro Question
• Speaking Part 1
• Speaking Part 2
• Speaking Part 2 – Audio
• Speaking Part 3
• IELTS Books
• Recent Exams
• IELTS Vocabulary
• Essay from Examiners
• IELTS Ideas

Sample Answer 1:

The bar graph compares the population in five metropolitan areas during 1970 and 2010 while the table outlines the top five cities with the highest population. Finally, the line graph compares urban and rural population distribution from 1980 to 2010. 

Generally speaking, the population growth in Bombay and Jakarta was faster than that of other cities and Tokyo had the highest residents in 2010.

Moreover, a higher number of people started living in urban areas than in rural areas after 2005. According to the bar graph, more than 15 million people lived in Tokyo in 1970 and that was higher than that of New York and Shanghai. Population in Bombay was one-third than that of Tokyo and Jakarta had only 2.5 million residents, the least among the five cities. The population in Tokyo increased to 27.6 million in 2010 and this was the city with the highest population. However, population growth in Bombay and Jakarta, almost 5.5 times, was higher than any other city listed.           

The table data shows that New York was the most populous city in the world in 1950 with exactly 12.5 million people. London and Tokyo stood at the second and third position in this list while Moscow with its 5.3 million people was in 5th position. In 2010, Tokyo topped the rank followed by Bombay and Lagos. 

Finally, globally 3 billion people lived in rural areas in 1980 while less than 2 billion in cities. In 2010, the number of city-living-residents upsurged to over 4 billion while it was slightly over 3 in villages.

Model Answer 2: 

The bar graph compares the population growth in five large cities between 1970 and 2010 while the table lists down the five most populous cities in the world both in 1950 and 2010. In addition, the line graph analyses the global population in rural and urban areas.  

Overall, Tokyo had the largest population in 2010 but the population growth in Bombay and Jakarta outranked other cities. Finally, more people started to live in cities after 2005 despite a different scenario in earlier years. 

As the data suggests, Tokyo had over 15 million residents in 1970 which was three and five times higher than that of Bombay and Jakarta respectively. New York and Shanghai had approximately 14 and 12 million inhabitants in this year. After two decades, New York witnessed a meagre population growth while it was dramatic both in Jakarta and Bombay. It is evident that population growth in Jakarta and Bombay exceeded all other cities.  

In 1950, New York, London, Tokyo, Paris and Moskow were the top five populous cities in the world. In 2010 Bombay, Lagos, Shanghai and Jakarta ranked in the list by eliminating all other cites except Tokyo which stood first on the chart with over 27 million citizens. 

Finally, the global urban population in 1980 was below 2 billion while 3 billion lived in villages. The population in cities grew steadily and went over  4 billion in 2010 at which point 3 billion global population resided in rural areas.

• mixed chart

LATEST POSTS

Writing task 1: the number of international applicants to the universities, writing task 1: the location and types of dance classes young people(c.19), writing task 1: biofuel production: how ethanol is made (c.19).

IELTS App - For Mobile

Ready for the IELTS exam with our IELTS app. Over 2 million downloads

Popular Last 24h

Writing task 1 : the online shopping sales for retail sectors in canada in 2005 and 2010, essay:a bad workman always blames his tools, describe a film that made you laugh, describe something difficult you would like to succeed in doing, in many countries，today there are many highly qualified graduates without employment., top 30 vocabulary : topic technology, writing task 1: simple water filter is constructed to produce clean drinking water.

• IELTS Test/Skills FAQs
• IELTS Scoring in Detail
• Forecast Speaking – 2023
• List IELTS Speaking Part 3
• List IELTS Speaking Part 1
• IELTS Writing 2023 – Actual Test

Our Telegram

Join our community for IELTS preparation and share and download materials.

The information on this site is for informational purposes only. IELTS is a registered trademark of the University of Cambridge ESOL, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia. This site and its owners are not affiliated, approved or endorsed by University of Cambridge ESOL, the British Council, or IDP Education Australia.

Latest Articles

Ielts reading practice 120: nutmeg – a valuable spice, ielts reading practice 119: could urban engineers learn from dance, writing task 2: globalization of culture, ielts speaking part 1: neighbours, writing task 2: knowledge in books/internet, most popular, describe a person whom you met for the first time and made you happy, topic: experience is the best teacher.

ieltspracticeonline All Rights Reserved

IELTS Mentor "IELTS Preparation & Sample Answer"

• Skip to content
• Jump to main navigation and login

Nav view search

• IELTS Sample

IELTS graph 267 - Growth in the population in largest cities

Ielts academic writing task 1/ graph writing - bar chart + table + line graph:, the charts below show the growth in the population in some of the world’s largest cities as well as the population distribution in urban and rural areas..

• Graph Writing
• Academic Writing Task 1

IELTS Materials

• IELTS Bar Graph
• IELTS Line Graph
• IELTS Table Chart
• IELTS Flow Chart
• IELTS Pie Chart
• IELTS Letter Writing
• IELTS Essay
• Academic Reading

Useful Links

• IELTS Secrets
• Band Score Calculator
• Exam Specific Tips
• Useful Websites
• IELTS Preparation Tips
• Academic Reading Tips
• Academic Writing Tips
• GT Writing Tips
• Listening Tips
• Speaking Tips
• IELTS Grammar Review
• IELTS Vocabulary
• IELTS Cue Cards
• IELTS Life Skills
• Letter Types

• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Policy
• Copyright Notice
• HTML Sitemap