Academic Writing Task 1 · bar chart

Comparison of University Applications and Admissions from 1993 to 2003

The graph below shows the comparison between the number of applicants and the number of students who were granted admission in a university.

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

University Applications and Admissions (1993-2003)

Application
Admission

View the data

	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Application	250	750	1,200	1,800	2,300	2,500	2,700	3,200	3,300	4,100	4,450
Admission	200	300	400	600	620	620	650	650	660	660	700

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 bar chart illustrates the number of university applications and subsequent admissions over an eleven-year period, from 1993 to 2003. Overall, it is clear that while the volume of applications surged dramatically, the number of students granted admission saw only a modest increase, resulting in a widening gap between the two figures.

In 1993, the university received 250 applications, with 200 students admitted. By 1996, applications had risen to 1,800, while admissions reached 600. This upward trend in applications continued steadily, reaching 2,700 by 1999 and peaking at 4,450 in 2003. In contrast, the number of admissions grew at a much slower pace. After reaching 600 in 1996, the figure plateaued, fluctuating slightly between 620 and 660 for most of the following years.

By the end of the period in 2003, the number of admissions had only risen to 700. Consequently, the proportion of successful applicants declined significantly over the decade. While the university was able to accommodate almost all applicants in 1993, by 2003, the vast majority of those who applied were unsuccessful, highlighting a substantial increase in competition for places at the institution.

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

How to write about bar charts

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.

surged: increased very quickly and by a large amount
modest: relatively small in amount or degree
plateaued: reached a state of little or no change
fluctuating: rising and falling irregularly in number
proportion: a part or share in relation to whole
substantial: of considerable importance, size, or worth

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?

While the number of applications experienced a significant upward trend throughout the period, the number of admissions remained relatively stable with only marginal growth.

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 bar charts?

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.