Academic Writing Task 1 · mixed chart

Cinema market share and admission trends in the UK and Australia

The charts A and B show the share of the UK and Australian cinema market in 2001 and cinema admission in the UK and Australia from 1976 to 2006.

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

Films screened in the UK and Australia, 2001 (%)

Australia
UK

View the data

	US Films	UK Films	Australian Films	Others
Australia	67	6	2	17
UK	77	21	11	5

UK and Australian cinema admissions, 1976 to 2006 (millions)

UK
Australia

View the data

	1976	1978	1980	1982	1984	1986	1988	1990	1992	1994	1996	1998	2000	2002	2004	2006
UK	103	102	126	100	65	55	72	78	85	100	115	125	140	175	165	155
Australia	30	25	35	38	40	30	35	38	45	48	68	72	78	92	90	82

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 distribution of film types screened in the UK and Australia in 2001, alongside cinema admission figures for both nations from 1976 to 2006.

Overall, US productions were the most popular in both countries in 2001. Furthermore, while cinema attendance in both the UK and Australia experienced volatility, both nations saw a general increase in admissions over the three-decade period.

In 2001, US films accounted for 77% of screenings in the UK and 67% in Australia. UK films made up 21% of the market in the UK, compared to only 6% in Australia. Conversely, Australian films represented 11% of the market in the UK, but only 2% domestically. Other films comprised 17% of the Australian market, significantly higher than the 5% seen in the UK.

Regarding admissions, the UK started at 103 million in 1976, peaked at 175 million in 2002, and ended at 155 million in 2006. Australia’s admissions began at 30 million, dipped to a low of 25 million in 1978, and climbed to a peak of 92 million in 2002, before settling at 82 million by 2006.

184 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.

dominated: held a much larger share than others
volatility: frequent and unpredictable changes in the data
accounted for: represented a specific portion of the total
conversely: used to introduce a contrasting or opposite fact
peaked: reached the highest point in a series
settling: reaching a stable level after some movement

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

US films dominated the market in both nations in 2001, while cinema admissions in both countries generally trended upwards between 1976 and 2006 despite significant fluctuations.

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.