FASTRACK IELTS | FASTRACK IELTS ACADEMIC WRITING TASK 1
CHARTS & TABLES WITH DATES
The chart below shows the levels of employment in different sectors of the
UK economy from 1910 to 2010.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
Changes in employment by sector
in the UK
25
20
Millions
15
10
0
1910 1930 1950 1970 1990 2010
Agriculture Energy and Construction Manufacturing Services
SAMPLE ANSWER
The line graph illustrates how many people were employed in four major industry
sectors in the UK from 1910 till 2010. Overall, the service industry experienced the
fastest growth — by the end of the period, it employed more people than the other
three sectors combined. In contrast, fewer people worked in agriculture, energy and
construction, and manufacturing in 2010 than in 1910.
Manufacturing was the dominant industry at the beginning of the period, employing
over five million people. It continued to grow until 1950 when it peaked at
approximately eight million people before falling into decline.
Its place as a leading industry was taken by services, which was the only sector that
demonstrated a strong upward trend throughout the period. As a result of its rapid
growth, it overtook manufacturing to become the largest employer by 1930 with just
over 10 million workers and exceeded 20 million by 2010.
With regard to the remaining two sectors, agriculture and energy and construction
gradually shrank from providing jobs for approximately 2.5 and 3.5 million people
respectively in 1910 to under two million each in 2010.
(183 words)
2
FASTRACK IELTS | FASTRACK IELTS ACADEMIC WRITING TASK 1
CHARTS & TABLES WITHOUT DATES
The charts below show how global water resources are distributed.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
Renewable freshwater supply by continent
20000
15000
10000 Renewable freshwater,
5000 km³
0
North South Asia Europe Africa Oceania
America America
SAMPLE ANSWER
The charts provide information on the natural sources of water available on Earth
and examine their distribution across various types of water and different regions of
the world. Overall, almost all the water on Earth resides in the oceans; freshwater is
scarce, hard to obtain and is distributed unevenly across the continents.
About 97% of the water on Earth is saltwater. Freshwater comprises only 3% of the
total water resources and is mainly frozen or located underground. Indeed, over two-
thirds of freshwater is trapped as ice in glaciers and polar ice caps. The remaining
unfrozen freshwater is found mainly as ground water (over 30%), with only a small
fraction (1.2%) present above ground.
Freshwater found on the surface is also called renewable freshwater; it is represented
by lakes, rivers and other sources. The supply of this water varies greatly depending
on the continent, with the largest resources concentrated in South America and Asia
(around 17,000 and 15,000 cubic kilometres respectively). In contrast, the resources
of the other four continents are at most half the size of those in South America.
(180 words)
3
FASTRACK IELTS | FASTRACK IELTS ACADEMIC WRITING TASK 1
MAPS
The maps below show Newbury High School in 1980, as it is now, and the
plans for its development.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
SAMPLE ANSWER
The maps illustrate the main changes that have taken place in Newbury High School
from 1980 until the present moment and the proposed development up until 2030.
Overall, since 1980, the school has undergone several changes, most significantly,
the construction of the second building. By 2030, the school will have extended its
grounds to further improve its learning, sports and recreational facilities.
In 1980, the school included a single building and a small car park located to the
east of the road. The largest part of the school grounds was occupied by a sports
field, with a small playground placed in the centre of the grounds between the
school building and the large park to the north.
Since 1980, the sports field has been halved in size to accommodate a second
smaller school building and the playground, which was relocated to provide more
space for the expanded car park.
The development proposal suggests that over the next eight years the school will
acquire new territory to the north to enable a further extension of the second school
building and the car park, as well as the construction of a new larger playground.
(192 words)
4
FASTRACK IELTS | FASTRACK IELTS ACADEMIC WRITING TASK 1
DIAGRAM
The diagram below shows how geothermal energy is used to produce
electricity.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
SAMPLE ANSWER
The diagram illustrates the process of electricity generation in a geothermal station.
Overall, the key ingredients for a geothermal station are a water supply and an
underground geothermal zone, which heats the water to produce steam. The
energy of the steam is then converted into electricity via a turbine and a generator.
During the first stage, cold water is pumped underground through an injection well to
a depth of 4.5 km, which is the level where the geothermal zone has been found.
Once the water reaches this level, it flows horizontally and accumulates heat from
the hot rocks located in this area.
In the next stage, the hot water is pumped through a production well back up to the
surface and into a condenser room. This is where the hot water produces steam,
which is then directed into a turbine. The steam rotates the turbine activating a
generator to produce electricity. Finally, the electricity is transferred to the national
grid.
(160 words)