Academic Writing Task 1 · bar chart

Destinations of UK graduates and postgraduates not in full-time work 2008

The charts below show what UK graduate and postgraduate students who did not go into full-time work did after leaving college in 2008.

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

Destination of UK graduates (excluding full-time work) 2008 (Number of Graduate Students)

View the data

	Part-time work	Voluntary work	Further study	Unemployment
Number of Graduate Students	17,735	3,500	29,665	16,235

Destination of UK postgraduates (excluding full-time work) 2008 (Number of Postgraduate Students)

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	Part-time work	Voluntary work	Further study	Unemployment
Number of Postgraduate Students	2,535	345	2,725	1,625

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 charts illustrate the post-graduation activities of UK graduates and postgraduates who did not enter full-time employment in 2008. Overall, it is evident that further study was the most common destination for both cohorts, whereas voluntary work remained the least popular option.

Regarding UK graduates, the largest proportion opted for further study, with 29,665 students choosing this path. Part-time work was the second most frequent activity, involving 17,735 individuals, followed closely by unemployment at 16,235. Voluntary work was significantly less common, accounting for only 3,500 graduates.

In contrast, the figures for postgraduates were considerably lower, reflecting the smaller total population. Similar to graduates, further study was the primary choice, with 2,725 postgraduates pursuing this route. Part-time work followed with 2,535 individuals. Unemployment affected 1,625 postgraduates, which was a notable portion of the total. Voluntary work remained the least chosen category, with only 345 postgraduates involved. While the absolute numbers differ significantly between the two groups, the relative preference for further study and the low engagement in voluntary work show a consistent trend across both levels of higher education in the UK in 2008.

184 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.

cohorts: groups of people sharing a common characteristic
accounted for: represented a particular amount or proportion of
pursuing: following a course of activity or study
notable: worthy of attention or striking in size
consistent: acting or done in the same way
proportion: a part, share, or number considered comparatively

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

Further study was the most popular choice for both groups, while voluntary work consistently attracted the fewest individuals.

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.