Academic Writing Task 1 · table

A table illustrating the percentage of online activities across seven age groups

The table below gives information about online activities of people in different age groups.

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

Online activities by age group

Activity (%)	Teen	20s	30s	40s	50s	60s	70+
Get news	76	73	76	75	71	74	70
Online games	81	54	37	29	25	25	32
Downloads	52	46	27	15	13	8	6
Product research	2	79	80	83	79	74	70
Buying a product	43	68	69	68	67	65	41
Searching for people	5	31	23	23	24	29	27
Social Networking	77	71	60	45	26	25	21
Watch video	41	65	36	47	54	21	42

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 table provides a breakdown of eight different online activities engaged in by seven distinct age groups, ranging from teenagers to those aged 70 and over. Overall, it is evident that while certain activities like news consumption are popular across the board, others show a clear generational divide.

Getting news is the most stable activity, with participation rates consistently high, ranging from 70% in the 70+ category to 76% among teenagers and those in their 30s. In contrast, online gaming and downloading files are heavily skewed towards younger users. Teenagers are the most active in these areas, with 81% playing online games and 52% downloading content, figures that drop significantly to 32% and 6% respectively for the oldest age group.

Conversely, product-related activities show a different pattern. Product research is remarkably low among teenagers at only 2%, but it peaks at 83% for those in their 40s. Similarly, buying products online is most popular among those in their 20s to 60s, with figures hovering between 65% and 69%, before falling to 41% for the 70+ demographic. Social networking also shows a sharp decline with age, dropping from 77% for teenagers to just 21% for the oldest group.

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

How to write about tables

Tables hide the trend: find the highest, lowest and biggest change yourself.
Select; do not list every cell.
Organise paragraphs by row or by column, whichever gives the clearer comparison.

skewed: heavily biased or leaning towards a specific group
consistently: occurring in the same way over a period
demographic: a particular sector of a population
peaks: reaches the highest point or level
hovering: remaining at or near a particular level
conversely: introducing a statement that contrasts with previous information

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

While getting news remains consistently popular across all ages, younger users dominate entertainment-related activities like gaming and social networking, whereas older groups are more inclined towards product research and purchasing.

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 tables?

Tables hide the trend: find the highest, lowest and biggest change yourself. Select; do not list every cell. Organise paragraphs by row or by column, whichever gives the clearer comparison.