Academic Writing Task 1 · mixed chart

Analysis of Bank of America complaint sources and resolution timeframes

The graphs indicate the source of complaints about the Bank of America and the amount of time it takes to have the complaints resolved.

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

Source of Complaints

Public: 63
Insurance companies: 8
Media: 3
Government agencies: 11
Out of state: 10
Bank Employees: 3
Others: 2

View the data

Category	Value
Public	63
Insurance companies	8
Media	3
Government agencies	11
Out of state	10
Bank Employees	3
Others	2

Average Time from Investigation Data to final Action (months)

View the data

	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004
Average months	6	6.5	5	5	4

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 provided charts illustrate the origin of complaints directed at the Bank of America and the average duration required to reach a final resolution between 2000 and 2004.

Overall, it is evident that the vast majority of complaints originate from the public. Furthermore, the time taken to resolve these issues experienced a downward trend over the five-year period, despite some fluctuations in the early years.

Regarding the source of complaints, the public accounts for a dominant 63% of all grievances. Government agencies and out-of-state sources follow, representing 11% and 10% respectively. Insurance companies contribute 8% to the total, while media and bank employees each account for 3%. The remaining 2% of complaints are attributed to other sources.

In terms of resolution time, the average duration was 6 months in 2000, rising slightly to a peak of 6.5 months in 2001. Subsequently, the time required for final action decreased to 5 months in both 2002 and 2003. By 2004, the average resolution time reached its lowest point at 4 months, indicating a significant improvement in efficiency compared to the start of the period.

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

How to write about mixed charts

Write one overview sentence that links the two visuals.
Give each visual its own detail paragraph.
Point out where one chart explains the other.

dominant: having the most influence or being the largest
grievances: official statements of complaint about a wrong
downward trend: a general movement towards a lower level
fluctuations: irregular rising and falling in number or amount
attributed to: regarded as being caused by a specific source
peak: the highest point reached in a value

Write your own report and get a band

Take a timed Academic writing test and get a band for task achievement, coherence, vocabulary and grammar, with the sentences to fix.

Practise IELTS Academic writing

On your phone? Get the BandLadder app.

Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

The public is the primary source of complaints, while the average time taken to resolve these issues generally declined between 2000 and 2004.

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 mixed charts?

Write one overview sentence that links the two visuals. Give each visual its own detail paragraph. Point out where one chart explains the other.