Academic Writing Task 1 · mixed chart

Demographic distribution and residential patterns of people living in Australia

The Pie chart gives information about the country of birth of people living in Australia and the table shows where people born in these countries live.

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

Country of birth of people living in Australia (%)
  • Australia: 73%
  • UK: 7%
  • New Zealand: 3%
  • China: 2%
  • Netherlands: 1%
  • Other: 14%
View the data
CategoryValue (%)
Australia73
UK7
New Zealand3
China2
Netherlands1
Other14
Where people live in Australia
CountryCitiesRural areas
UK89%11%
Australia83%17%
China99%1%
New Zealand80%20%
Netherlands90%10%

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 pie chart illustrates the birth countries of individuals residing in Australia, while the table provides a breakdown of their residential preferences between cities and rural areas. Overall, it is evident that the Australian-born population constitutes the overwhelming majority of residents. Furthermore, regardless of their country of origin, the clear preference for all groups is to live in cities.

Regarding the country of birth, Australia accounts for 73% of the population. The next largest group is categorized as 'Other' at 14%, followed by those born in the UK at 7%. New Zealand, China, and the Netherlands represent smaller proportions, at 3%, 2%, and 1% respectively.

In terms of residential location, the table highlights a strong urban concentration. People born in China show the highest preference for city living at 99%, with only 1% residing in rural areas. Similarly, those from the Netherlands and the UK show high urban occupancy rates of 90% and 89%. In contrast, individuals born in New Zealand and Australia are slightly more likely to live in rural areas, with 20% and 17% respectively, although the majority in both groups still reside in cities.

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

How to write about mixed charts

constitutes
to be the parts that form something
overwhelming majority
a very large proportion of a total
residential preferences
the choices people make about where to live
urban concentration
the tendency for people to live in cities
in contrast
used to show a difference between two things
proportions
the relationship of one part to the whole

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

The vast majority of the population in Australia was born domestically, and across all specified nationalities, there is a clear preference for residing in urban areas rather than rural regions.

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.

More mixed charts