Academic Writing Task 1 · bar chart

A bar chart illustrating vehicle ownership trends in China from 1987 to 1999

The bar chart below gives information about vehicle ownership in China. Write a report for a university lecture describing the information.

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

Vehicle ownership in China (Number of vehicles per thousand people)

View the data

	1987	1989	1991	1993	1995	1997	1999
Number of Vehicle per thousand people	300	600	900	1,000	2,000	3,000	4,200

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.

Band 8 sample answer

The bar chart illustrates the growth in vehicle ownership in China over a twelve-year period, specifically from 1987 to 1999, measured in the number of vehicles per thousand people.

Overall, it is evident that vehicle ownership in China followed a consistent upward trajectory throughout the period. The most substantial growth occurred during the final four years, where the figures more than doubled.

In 1987, the number of vehicles per thousand people stood at 300. This figure experienced steady growth, reaching 600 in 1989 and 900 in 1991. By 1993, ownership had reached 1,000 vehicles per thousand people. During this initial six-year phase, the increase was relatively gradual, adding 700 vehicles per thousand people in total.

From 1995 onwards, the rate of growth accelerated significantly. In 1995, the figure rose to 2,000, followed by a sharp increase to 3,000 in 1997. By the end of the period in 1999, the number of vehicles per thousand people reached a peak of 4,200. Consequently, the total increase between 1995 and 1999 was 2,200, which is more than triple the growth observed in the first eight years of the period.

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

How to write about 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.

upward trajectory: a path or trend that is moving upwards
substantial: of considerable importance, size, or worth
accelerated: increased in rate, amount, or extent
peak: the highest point or level reached
gradual: taking place or progressing slowly or by degrees
consequently: as a result or effect of something

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

Vehicle ownership in China experienced a consistent upward trend throughout the period, with the most significant acceleration occurring in the latter half of the 1990s.

How long should an IELTS Task 1 answer be?

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 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.