Academic Writing Task 1 · bar chart

Daily water consumption for Americans in their homes with and without conservation: 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.
  • 195 words
  • Bar charts
  • Academic
  • 20 minutes

The question

The graph below shows the daily water consumption for Americans in their homes.

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

Water uses in the home (Gallons of water)
048121620Taking a showerWashing Clothes (in a w…Washing Dishes (in a di…Flushing toiletUsing faucetsLeaksOther uses
  • Gallons of Water an American Uses at Home Daily (without water conservation methods)
  • Gallons of Water an American Uses at Home Daily (with water conservation methods)
View the data
Taking a showerWashing Clothes (in a washing machine)Washing Dishes (in a dishwasher)Flushing toiletUsing faucetsLeaksOther uses
Gallons of Water an American Uses at Home Daily (without water conservation methods)131511911102
Gallons of Water an American Uses at Home Daily (with water conservation methods)10111101152

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 8195 words. Every figure in the answer comes from the chart above.

The bar chart illustrates the daily water usage of Americans in seven domestic categories, comparing consumption levels both with and without the implementation of water conservation methods.

Overall, it is evident that adopting water-saving practices leads to a reduction in total water consumption across most categories. Notably, flushing the toilet and addressing leaks show the most substantial decreases, whereas the usage for washing dishes, using faucets, and other miscellaneous activities remains constant regardless of conservation efforts.

Without conservation methods, flushing the toilet is the highest water-consuming activity at 19 gallons, followed by washing clothes at 15 gallons and taking a shower at 13 gallons. In contrast, when conservation methods are employed, the water required for flushing the toilet drops significantly to 10 gallons, matching the amount used for showering. Washing clothes also sees a reduction from 15 to 11 gallons.

Regarding other categories, leaks account for 10 gallons of daily water waste without conservation, which is halved to 5 gallons with proper management. Conversely, the consumption for using faucets remains stable at 11 gallons, while washing dishes and other uses remain unchanged at 1 gallon and 2 gallons, respectively, regardless of the conservation measures taken.

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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.
  • substantial

    of considerable importance, size, or worth

  • conversely

    introducing a statement that reverses a previous one

  • notably

    in a way that is striking or remarkable

  • remains constant

    stays the same without any significant change

  • halved

    reduced to exactly one half of the amount

  • miscellaneous

    consisting of many different kinds of things

Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?+

Overall, water consumption generally decreases when conservation methods are applied, with the most significant reductions observed in toilet flushing and leak management, while some categories remain unchanged.

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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