Academic Writing Task 1 · mixed chart

Comparison of spending habits and life milestones in Canada and Poland: IELTS Writing Task 1 sample answer

An IELTS Writing Task 1 mixed 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 mixed charts.
  • 177 words
  • Mixed charts
  • Academic
  • 20 minutes

The question

Charts 1 and 2 below show the proportion of income spent on different areas by young people in Canada and Poland. Chart 3 shows the average age of certain life events for these countries and an estimated global average age.

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

Chart 1: % Income spent in Canada
  • Housing: 16
  • Food: 16
  • Clothing: 19
  • Leisure: 20
  • Transport: 14
  • Studies: 15
View the data
CategoryValue
Housing16
Food16
Clothing19
Leisure20
Transport14
Studies15
Chart 2: % Income spent in Poland
  • Housing: 5
  • Food: 5
  • Clothing: 11
  • Leisure: 10
  • Transport: 26
  • Studies: 43
View the data
CategoryValue
Housing5
Food5
Clothing11
Leisure10
Transport26
Studies43
Chart 3: Average age of events in life before age 35
01020304050CanadaPolandEstimated Global Average
  • Leaving home
  • Buying first car
  • Getting Married
View the data
CanadaPolandEstimated Global Average
Leaving home202627
Buying first car192726
Getting Married313021

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 8177 words. Every figure in the answer comes from the chart above.

The charts illustrate the expenditure patterns of young people in Canada and Poland, alongside the average age of key life milestones in these countries compared to global averages.

Regarding spending, young Canadians distribute their income fairly evenly, with leisure (20%) and clothing (19%) being the highest, while housing, food, and studies range between 15% and 16%. In contrast, Polish youth show a starkly different pattern, with studies accounting for a substantial 43% of their income, followed by transport at 26%. Housing and food represent the smallest proportions in Poland, at only 5% each.

Turning to life events, Canadians tend to leave home and buy their first car earlier than their Polish counterparts, at ages 20 and 19 respectively, compared to 26 and 27 in Poland. Conversely, Canadians marry later, at age 31, whereas the average age for marriage in Poland is 30. Notably, the estimated global average for getting married is significantly lower at 21, while the global average for leaving home and buying a car is higher than the Canadian figures, at 27 and 26 respectively.

Write your own report and get a band

Take a timed Academic writing test and get a band for task achievement, coherence, vocabulary and grammar, with the sentences to fix.

Write a report, get a band free →

Mixed charts

How to write about mixed charts: tips and vocabulary

  • →Write one overview sentence that links the two visuals.
  • →Give each visual its own detail paragraph.
  • →Point out where one chart explains the other.
  • allocate

    to distribute resources or money for a purpose

  • starkly

    in a way that is very clear and obvious

  • proportion

    a part or share of a whole amount

  • conversely

    introducing a statement that reverses a previous one

  • milestones

    significant events or stages in a person's life

  • expenditure

    the total amount of money spent by someone

Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?+

While young Canadians allocate their income relatively evenly across categories, young Poles spend significantly more on studies and transport, and the age at which major life events occur varies considerably between these two nations.

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 mixed charts?+

Write one overview sentence that links the two visuals. Give each visual its own detail paragraph. Point out where one chart explains the other.

Keep practising

More mixed charts

© 2026 BandLadder. Written and checked by the BandLadder team. You may quote or cite this page with credit to BandLadder and a link to it; republishing it in full needs our written permission. Content use policy

Write a report, get a band free