Academic Writing Task 1 · pie chart

Average household expenditure patterns in a country between 1950 and 2010: IELTS Writing Task 1 sample answer

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

The question

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

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

Average household expenditures in 1950
  • Housing: 72.1
  • Food: 11.2
  • Health care: 2.4
  • Education: 6.6
  • Transportation: 3.3
  • Other: 4.4
View the data
CategoryValue
Housing72.1
Food11.2
Health care2.4
Education6.6
Transportation3.3
Other4.4
Average household expenditures in 2010
  • Housing: 22
  • Food: 34
  • Health care: 4.5
  • Education: 6.3
  • Transportation: 14
  • Other: 19.2
View the data
CategoryValue
Housing22
Food34
Health care4.5
Education6.3
Transportation14
Other19.2

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 8174 words. Every figure in the answer comes from the chart above.

The two pie charts illustrate changes in the average household expenditure across six categories in a specific country between 1950 and 2010. Overall, it is clear that the proportion of income spent on housing decreased substantially, whereas spending on food, transportation, and other miscellaneous items saw considerable growth.

In 1950, housing was by far the most significant expense, accounting for 72.1% of total household expenditure. In contrast, food represented only 11.2%, while education, other expenses, transportation, and health care made up smaller portions at 6.6%, 4.4%, 3.3%, and 2.4% respectively. By 2010, the landscape of expenditure had changed significantly. Housing costs dropped sharply to 22.0%, making it the second-largest category after food, which surged to 34.0%.

Regarding the remaining categories, spending on transportation increased more than fourfold, rising from 3.3% in 1950 to 14.0% in 2010. Similarly, the 'other' category saw a notable rise, reaching 19.2%. Health care expenditure nearly doubled to 4.5%, while the proportion allocated to education remained relatively stable, experiencing a slight decline from 6.6% to 6.3% over the sixty-year period.

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Pie charts

How to write about pie charts: tips and vocabulary

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

    falling or dropping sharply in amount or value

  • proportion

    a part or share in relation to whole

  • surged

    increased suddenly and powerfully in a quantity

  • allocated

    distributed for a particular purpose or use

  • stable

    not likely to change or fail suddenly

  • miscellaneous

    consisting of many different kinds of things

Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?+

The data indicates a dramatic shift in spending habits, with housing costs plummeting while food and other expenses rose significantly over the sixty-year period.

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

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

How is IELTS Writing Task 1 scored?+

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

How do I describe pie charts?+

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

Keep practising

More pie charts

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