Academic Writing Task 1 · bar chart

A comparison of housing preferences in three UK cities in 2005

The chart below illustrates the result of a British survey on the types of houses people liked, taken in 2005.

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

Housing preferences in the UK (2005) (%)

London
Oxford
Cambridge

View the data

	Flats	Terraced houses	Detached houses	Semi-detached houses
London	58	16	9	18
Oxford	29	19	25	27
Cambridge	20	18	36	27

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 housing preferences of residents in London, Oxford, and Cambridge during 2005. Overall, it is clear that there were significant variations in housing choices between the three cities, with flats being the most popular in London and detached houses being the most favoured in Cambridge.

In London, flats were overwhelmingly the most preferred housing type, accounting for 58% of the total, which was significantly higher than in Oxford (29%) and Cambridge (20%). Conversely, Londoners showed the least interest in detached houses, with only 9% preferring them, compared to 25% in Oxford and 36% in Cambridge. Semi-detached houses were equally popular in Oxford and Cambridge at 27%, while only 18% of London residents opted for this style.

Regarding terraced houses, the figures were relatively consistent across all three locations, ranging from 16% in London to 19% in Oxford. Cambridge sat in the middle with 18%. While Cambridge residents showed a strong preference for detached houses at 36%, this figure was notably lower in Oxford at 25%. Overall, the data highlights a clear divide between the capital and the other two cities regarding flat and detached house preferences.

190 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.

overwhelmingly: to a very great degree or extent
favoured: preferred or chosen more than other options
accounted for: constituted a particular amount or proportion of
conversely: introducing a statement that reverses the previous one
consistent: acting or done in the same way
notably: in a way that is worthy of attention

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

The chart reveals that flats were the most popular choice in London, whereas detached houses were preferred by residents in Cambridge, while terraced housing remained the least favoured option across all three cities.

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.