Structure
How to describe a bar chart
- →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.
56–110 of 164
Bar charts: all sample answers
- Employment rates for males and females across six countries 1995-2005
- Employment rates for males and females across six countries in 1995 and 2005
- Employment rates for men and women in three countries across 2005 and 2015
- Estimated percentage of car trips by purpose and gender of drivers in 2005
- Estimated world illiteracy rates by region and gender for last year
- Estimated world illiteracy rates by region and gender in 2000
- Expenditure of France and the UK on five consumer goods in 2010
- Expenditure on three categories among different age groups in the UK 2004
- Expenditure shares across five categories in four nations during 2009
- Frequency of eating at fast food restaurants in the USA 2003-2013
- Fresh citrus fruit exports by various countries in 2010
- Global Food and Oil Prices: Selected Milestones, 2000–2011
- Global population and wealth distribution percentages across eight distinct world regions
- Global population percentages and the distribution of wealth by region
- Global sales of four types of digital games from 2000 to 2006
- Global sales trends for games software, DVDs and CDs from 2000 to 2003
- Global television sales figures for Supervision Incorporation between 1999 and 2012
- Government spending on roads and transport in four countries 1990-2005
- Gross Domestic Product Contributions from IT and Service Industries in the UK
- Health Expenditure as a Percentage of GDP in European Countries
- Holiday destinations for travellers from an Asian country in 2012
- Imprisonment rates across five different nations from 1930 to 1980
- Incidents and injuries per 100 million passenger miles in 2002
- Incidents and Injuries per 100 Million Passenger Miles Traveled in 2002
- Income generated from four different gaming categories between 2000 and 2006
- Internet usage patterns by gender in Canada among 15-24 year olds
- Investment in Bonds and Stocks in a Country from 2001 to 2006
- Leisure time in a typical week by employment status and gender
- Leisure time per week for men and women by employment status
- Male and female fitness membership numbers between 1970 and 2000
- Male and female teachers in six UK settings in 2010: men lead private training and universities
- Monthly development of telephone subscribers in Vietnam during 2010
- Monthly spending of a family in the USA in 2010
- Number of internet users in various Middle Eastern countries in 2017
- Number of male and female research students in six science subjects
- Number of members in various leisure center clubs by age group
- Number of men and women in further education in Britain
- Number of Own Operated and Franchised Restaurants in Someland 2007-2012
- Number of students studying Computer Science at a UK university 2010-2012
- Participation rates in various sports by gender in New Zealand 2002
- Passenger numbers at three major New York City airports 1995-2000
- Percentage change in average house prices in five cities 1990-2002
- Percentage of a drug company's total sales by region 2002-2006
- Percentage of Australian adults not participating in physical activity by age and gender
- Percentage of Australian men and women doing regular physical activity in 2010
- Percentage of Australian residents by birthplace and living area 1995-2010
- Percentage of Canadians who donated to charity by age in 2000 and 2015
- Percentage of children participating in various home activities across four countries
- Percentage of households in owned and rented accommodation in England and Wales
- Percentage of households with car ownership in a European country 1971-2001
- Percentage of Households with Internet Access by Region from 1999 to 2004
- Percentage of International Graduates in Canadian Universities by Province 2001 and 2006
- Percentage of male and female academic staff across university faculties in 2016
- Percentage of male and female teachers in six UK educational settings in 2010
- Percentage of people getting married by age group in 1996
Frequently asked questions
How do I describe an IELTS bar chart in Task 1?+
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.
What band are these bar chart sample answers?+
Each of the 164 bar chart samples has a Band 8 model answer. The chart is redrawn with its data, and every figure in the answer comes from that chart.
How many words and how long for Task 1?+
At least 150 words in about 20 minutes. 170 to 200 words is the safe range; leave 40 minutes for Task 2, which carries twice the marks.
How is IELTS Writing Task 1 scored?+
On four criteria: task achievement, coherence and cohesion, vocabulary, and grammatical range and accuracy. A missing or unclear overview is the most common reason a report stays below Band 7.
Next
Other Task 1 chart types
© 2026 BandLadder. Written and checked by the BandLadder team. You may quote or cite this page with credit to BandLadder and a link to it; republishing it in full needs our written permission. Content use policy