Academic Writing Task 1 · pie chart

Comparison of global spending, population distribution, and resource consumption patterns

The pie charts below give data on the spending and consumption of resources by countries of the world and how the population is distributed.

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

World Spending (%)
  • Food: 24%
  • Clothing: 6%
  • Housing: 12%
  • Transport: 18%
  • Others: 40%
View the data
CategoryValue (%)
Food24
Clothing6
Housing12
Transport18
Others40
World population (%)
  • Europe: 14%
  • America: 14%
  • Africa: 10%
  • Asia: 57%
  • Other: 5%
View the data
CategoryValue (%)
Europe14
America14
Africa10
Asia57
Other5
Consumption of Resources (%)
  • Other: 40%
  • USA & Europe: 60%
View the data
CategoryValue (%)
Other40
USA & Europe60

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 pie charts illustrate the distribution of the global population, the breakdown of world spending, and the consumption of resources across different regions. Overall, it is evident that there is a significant disparity between population density and resource usage, with Western nations consuming a disproportionate amount of resources relative to their population size.

Regarding the world population, Asia is the most populous region, accounting for 57% of the total. Europe and America each represent 14%, while Africa constitutes 10%, and other regions make up the remaining 5%. In stark contrast, the consumption of resources is heavily skewed towards the USA and Europe, which together account for 60% of global usage, leaving only 40% for the rest of the world.

In terms of world spending, the largest portion is allocated to 'Others' at 40%. Food expenditure follows at 24%, while transport accounts for 18%. Housing and clothing represent smaller segments of global spending, at 12% and 6% respectively. These figures highlight that while basic necessities like food and housing are significant, a substantial portion of global expenditure is directed towards miscellaneous items.

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

How to write about pie charts

disparity
a great difference between two or more things
skewed
suddenly changed direction or position to one side
constitutes
to be a part of a whole
allocated
distributed for a particular purpose
stark contrast
a very obvious and clear difference
disproportionate
too large or too small in comparison

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

While Asia accounts for the majority of the global population, the USA and Europe are responsible for the largest share of resource consumption, and global spending is dominated by miscellaneous categories.

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 pie charts?

Name the largest and smallest shares in the overview. Use proportion language: a quarter, just under half, the majority. With two pies, compare the same slice across both.

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