IELTS ACADEMIC
PRACTICE TESTS
WRITING TASK 1
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Information
The writing test has two parts: Task 1 & Task 2
What is writing task 1
The Writing Task 1 of the IELTS Academic test requires you to write a
summary of at least 150 words in response to a graph (bar, line or pie
graph), table, chart, or process (how something works, how something is
done). This task tests your ability to select and report the main features,
to describe and compare data, identify significance and trends in
information, or describe a process.
This booklet will contain practice exams that can be submitted in your
IELTS student area for teacher feedback. Below each test is a sample
answer however you should aim to write yourself for each of the tasks at
least once throughout the course.
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Test 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The graph below shows the amount of money spent on books in Germany,
France, Italy and Austria between 1995 and 2005.
Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information below.
Write at least 150 words.
Read the following sample answer. Complete the answer by filling the gaps
with the words in the box.
biggest sharp least dramatically
much less more three times
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Model answer
The line graph compares the amount of money spent on buying books in
Germany, France, Italy and Austria over a period of ten years between 1995
and 2005.
In 1995 Austria spent the ........... amount of money on books, while Italy and
France spent about as........... as each other. However, by 2001, the gap in
spending between these two countries had widened and
considerably ........... money was spent in France than In Italy.
As can be seen from the graph, the amount of money spent increased in all
four countries but rose the most ........... in Austria. The period between 2000
and 2005 saw a ........... growth and in 2005 the Austrians spent ........... as
much money as they did in 1995.
However, during this ten-year period, Germany remained the ........... spenders
on book, with all three other countries spending much ........... on them.
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Test 2
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The graph below shows the population change between 1940 and 2000 in
three different counties in the U.S. state of Oregon.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and
make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
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Model answer
The graph shows the increase in population of three counties, Columbia,
Yamhill and Washington in the U.S. state of Oregon, between 1940 and 2000.
In 1940, Columbia had the lowest population of the three counties, at around
25,000. This compared with about 30,000 in Yamhill and approximately 75,000
in Washington.
By 1970, Columbia’s population had risen to just under 36,000. Although this
appears on the graph to be a gentle increase, it is in fact an increase of
approximately 50%. Yamhill’s population also rose by nearly 50% between
1940 and 1970: from 30,000 to just under 45,000. However, the greatest real
increase was in Washington, where the population in 1970 had increased by
approximately 75,000, to 125,000.
The years 1970 to 2000 saw the populations of Columbia and Yamhill increase
by approximately the same amounts that they had increased by the thirty
years before. In 2000, Columbia’s population – at approximately 76,000 – was
triple what it had been in 1940. Likewise, Yamhill’s population, at around
90,000, was almost triple what it was in 1940.
Although Washington’s increase in population between 1940 and 1970 was
large, its increase in the following thirty years was even sharper, rising from
about 125,000 in 1970 to more than 240,000 in 2000.
(206 words)
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Test 3
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The graph below shows population figures for India and China since the year
2000 and predicted population growth up until 2050. Summarise the
information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
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Model answer
The graph shows how the populations of India and China have changed since
2000 and how they will change in the future.
Overall, in 2000, there were more people living in China than in India. The
number of Chinese was 1.25 bill ion, while India's population was about 1
billion. Between 2000 and the present, there has been a 0.2 billion rise in the
number of Indian citizens. Over the same period, China's population has
increased by 0.1 billion to reach over 1.35 billion.
According to the graph, the population in India will increase more quickly than
in China, and experts say that by 2030, both countries will have the same
population of 1.45 billion. After this, China's population is likely to fall slightly
to 1.4 billion in 2050, while India's population will probably increase and reach
1.6 billion.
Thus, over the 50-year period, India is going to experience steady growth in its
population and it will overtake China. On the other hand, China's population
will peak in 2030 and then begin to fall.
(173 words)
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Test 4
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The table below gives information about a restaurant’s average sales in three
different branches in 2016. Summarise the information by selecting and
reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
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Model answer
The table illustrates the performance of three different branches of a chain of
restaurants in three different locations in Vancouver for the year 2016.
Overall, eat-in and take-away transactions are almost equal in each restaurant,
with take-away transactions ending slightly ahead in two of them. Drake Street
is the only exception, with eat-in transactions surpassing take-away by 10.
It is evident that the best performer is the branch in Georgia Street, which with
854 transactions a day on average has at least 100 more transactions than
Dunsmuir Street and more than double from Drake Street. Georgia Street is
also ahead in terms of average transaction value (ATV), with $10.69 per
transaction compared to Dunsmuir Street’s $5.61 and Drake Street’s $9.02.
The table also gives us information about the most popular item in each
branch, revealing that the eating habit of customers in each area are widely
varied: Georgia Street’s best seller is Chicken Burger, while Dunsmuir Street’s
customers favour Chicken Wings, and Drake Street’s customers prefer Chicken
Pasta.
Overall, it is clear that the Georgia Street’s branch is the company’s most
profitable branch, with the highest number of transactions and ATV. Drake
Street, on the other hand, lags far behind, despite the fact that its ATV is higher
than Dunsmuir Street.
(212 words)
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Test 5
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The charts summarise the weight measurements of people living in
Charlestown in 1955 and 2015. Summarise the information by selecting and
reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
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Model answer
The charts provide an analysis of the weight issues among the residents of the
town of Charlestown in 1955 and in 2015.
In 1955, the youngest age group had the fewest number / amount of weight
issues, with more than 70% of 20-29-year-olds being assessed as having a
healthy weight. In the same year, excess weight was only a significant problem
among 40-49-year-olds, 20-30% of whom were classified as either overweight
or obese. In fact, being underweight was a more significant problem affecting
more than twenty percent / percentage of each age group, and the elderly in
particular, with 40% of the over 60s being classified as underweight.
In stark contrast to this, for / in 2015, being underweight was only a problem
among 20-29-year olds, with 20% obtaining this diagnosis, and the number of
underweight elderly people had fallen by / to 10%. The charts clearly show
that, in modern times, obesity poses a considerable problem from the age of
30 upwards. In fact, there was a steadily / steady increase in this problem in
almost every age group over 29 until the age of 60, when the vast majority are
considered to have an unhealthy weight. It is important to note that, by the
age of 60, less than 50% of each age group was considered to have a perfect
weight by the year 2015. This is a fall in / of 10% compared of / to the same
age group in 1955.
When compared / comparing the two years, it is clear that there has been a
significant increase in / of the number of obese people in Charlestown, and
there was a general drop of / in the number of underweight people between
1955 and 2015.
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