Comparison of Water Consumption Patterns in San Diego, California and Worldwide
The pie charts below compare water usage in San Diego, California and the rest of the world.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
- Residential: 60
- Industry: 23
- Agriculture: 17
View the data
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Residential | 60 |
| Industry | 23 |
| Agriculture | 17 |
- Residential: 39
- Industry: 33
- Agriculture: 28
View the data
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Residential | 39 |
| Industry | 33 |
| Agriculture | 28 |
- Residential: 8
- Industry: 23
- Agriculture: 69
View the data
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Residential | 8 |
| Industry | 23 |
| Agriculture | 69 |
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 water usage across three distinct sectors—residential, industry, and agriculture—comparing San Diego County, California, and the world.
Overall, it is evident that water consumption priorities vary significantly by region. Residential use is the primary consumer in San Diego and California, whereas agriculture is the most significant user globally.
In San Diego County, residential water usage accounts for a substantial 60% of the total, which is more than double the 23% attributed to industry and significantly higher than the 17% used for agriculture. A similar, though less pronounced, trend is observed in California, where residential consumption stands at 39%, followed by industry at 33% and agriculture at 28%.
In stark contrast, the global pattern is reversed. Agriculture is the dominant sector worldwide, consuming 69% of all water. Industry accounts for 23% of global usage, matching the industrial proportion seen in San Diego. Meanwhile, residential water usage is the smallest category globally, representing only 8% of the total, which is a fraction of the proportions recorded in both San Diego and California.
177 words. Every figure in the answer comes from the chart above.
How to write about 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.
- distribution
- the way in which something is shared or spread
- primary
- the most important or main part of something
- pronounced
- very noticeable, obvious, or strongly marked
- stark contrast
- a very clear and obvious difference between things
- dominant
- more important, powerful, or noticeable than others
- fraction
- a small or tiny part of a whole amount
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Frequently asked questions
What should the overview say?
While residential water usage is the dominant sector in San Diego and California, agriculture accounts for the vast majority of water consumption on a global scale.
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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