Academic Writing Task 1 · bar chart

Expenditure of France and the UK on five consumer goods in 2010

The bar chart below shows the expenditure of two countries on consumer goods in 2010.

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

Expenditure of two countries on consumer goods in 2010 (pounds sterling)

France
UK

View the data

	Cars	Computers	Books	Perfume	Cameras
France	400,000	380,000	300,000	200,000	150,000
UK	450,000	350,000	400,000	140,000	360,000

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 amount of money spent by France and the UK on five different consumer goods in 2010, measured in pounds sterling.

Overall, it is clear that the UK had a higher expenditure on cars, books, and cameras, whereas France spent more on computers and perfume. Cars were the most popular item for both nations, while perfume and cameras represented the lowest spending categories for France and the UK respectively.

Regarding the items where the UK led, the expenditure on cars was the highest for both countries, with the UK spending 450,000 pounds compared to 400,000 pounds by France. Similarly, the UK spent 400,000 pounds on books, significantly more than the 300,000 pounds spent by France. The most striking difference was in cameras, where the UK spent 360,000 pounds, more than double the 150,000 pounds spent by France.

Conversely, France outspent the UK on computers and perfume. France spent 380,000 pounds on computers, while the UK spent 350,000 pounds. In the case of perfume, France recorded an expenditure of 200,000 pounds, which was notably higher than the 140,000 pounds spent by the UK.

186 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.

expenditure: The total amount of money spent on something
outspent: Spent more money than another person or country
notably: In a way that is worthy of attention
conversely: Used to introduce a statement that is opposite
illustrated: Provided with pictures or data to explain something
striking: Attracting attention by being unusual or extreme

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

Overall, the UK spent more on cars, books, and cameras, while France recorded higher expenditure on computers and perfume.

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.