Academic Writing Task 1 · bar chart

Airline crew requirements, passenger complaints, and luggage weight by destination: IELTS Writing Task 1 sample answer

An IELTS Writing Task 1 bar chart question with a Band 8 sample answer, the chart redrawn with its data, the vocabulary that lifts the report and how to write about bar charts.
  • 180 words
  • Bar charts
  • Academic
  • 20 minutes

The question

The first chart below shows the number of airline crew (pilots, stewards, etc) needed to fly a passenger plane between Australia and a number of other countries. The second chart shows the number of passenger complaints per plane journey made on these routes, and the average kilogram (kg) weight of luggage (or baggage) carried per passenger.

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

Number of crew on each plane by destination (number of crew)
048121620MalaysiaNew ZealandGermanyIndonesia
View the data
MalaysiaNew ZealandGermanyIndonesia
Number of crew861511
Passenger complaints and luggage weight per passenger (number of complaints / kg)
01020304050MalaysiaNew ZealandGermanyIndonesia
  • Number of passenger complaints per flight
  • Weight of luggage (in kg) per passenger
View the data
MalaysiaNew ZealandGermanyIndonesia
Number of passenger complaints per flight3613
Weight of luggage (in kg) per passenger30153832

Chart redrawn by BandLadder from the data in the original IELTS practice task. Many IELTS practice tasks come from the Cambridge IELTS series (Cambridge University Press & Assessment); all rights in the original tasks remain with their owners.

Model answer

Band 8 sample answer

Band 8180 words. Every figure in the answer comes from the chart above.

The provided charts illustrate the crew requirements, passenger complaints, and average luggage weight for flights between Australia and four specific destinations: Malaysia, New Zealand, Germany, and Indonesia.

Overall, there is significant variation across the routes. Germany stands out for having the highest number of crew members and the heaviest luggage per passenger, whereas New Zealand flights record the most complaints despite having the lowest crew count.

Regarding crew numbers, Germany requires the most staff at 15, followed by Indonesia with 11. Malaysia and New Zealand require 8 and 6 crew members respectively. In terms of luggage, passengers travelling to Germany carry the heaviest bags, averaging 38 kg, followed closely by Indonesia at 32 kg and Malaysia at 30 kg. New Zealand has the lightest average luggage weight at 15 kg.

Conversely, passenger complaints show a different pattern. New Zealand flights generate the highest number of complaints at 6 per flight. Malaysia and Indonesia both record 3 complaints per flight. Notably, Germany, despite having the largest crew and heaviest luggage, records the lowest number of complaints, with only 1 per flight.

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Bar charts

How to write about bar charts: tips and vocabulary

  • →Compare the biggest and smallest bars before anything else.
  • →If the bars show years, describe change; if they show places, describe rank.
  • →Round sensibly and say 'just over' or 'nearly' rather than guessing decimals.
  • significant variation

    a notable difference between the values being compared

  • stands out

    is clearly different or more noticeable than others

  • followed closely by

    coming next in sequence with a small difference

  • conversely

    introducing a statement that contrasts with the previous

  • record

    to set down or register a specific value

  • averaging

    calculating the mean value of a set quantity

Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?+

Germany requires the largest crew and has the heaviest luggage weight, while New Zealand flights experience the highest number of passenger complaints despite having the smallest crew.

How many words and how long for IELTS Writing Task 1?+

At least 150 words; 170 to 200 is the safe range. Spend about 20 minutes on it and leave 40 for Task 2, which carries twice the marks.

How is IELTS Writing Task 1 scored?+

On four criteria: task achievement, coherence and cohesion, vocabulary, and grammatical range and accuracy. A clear overview of the main features is what most separates Band 6 from Band 7 and above.

How do I describe bar charts?+

Compare the biggest and smallest bars before anything else. If the bars show years, describe change; if they show places, describe rank. Round sensibly and say 'just over' or 'nearly' rather than guessing decimals.

Keep practising

More bar charts

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