Academic Writing Task 1 · bar chart

Expenditure on three categories among different age groups in the UK 2004

The chart below shows the expenditure on three categories among different age groups of residents in the UK in 2004.

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

Expenditure on three categories among different age groups of residents in the UK in 2004 (%)

Food and drink
Resturant and Hotel
Entertainment

View the data

	Under 30	31-45	46-60	61-75	76+
Food and drink	6	13	17	20	23
Resturant and Hotel	14	12	12	2	7
Entertainment	7	8	14	23	13

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 percentage of total spending allocated to food and drink, restaurants and hotels, and entertainment across five distinct age groups in the UK in 2004.

Overall, food and drink expenditure rises steadily with age, whereas spending on restaurants and hotels is highest among the youngest group and declines significantly for older residents. Entertainment spending shows a more varied pattern, peaking in the 61-75 age bracket.

Regarding food and drink, the proportion of spending increases consistently from 6% for those under 30 to a peak of 23% for residents aged 76 and over. Conversely, expenditure on restaurants and hotels is most significant for the under-30 group at 14%, before fluctuating and dropping to a low of 2% for the 61-75 age group, with a slight recovery to 7% for the oldest cohort.

In terms of entertainment, spending starts at 7% for the youngest group and rises to 8% for those aged 31-45. This figure continues to climb, reaching 14% for the 46-60 group and peaking at 23% for those aged 61-75, before falling back to 13% for residents aged 76 and above.

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.

allocated: distributed or assigned for a particular purpose
steady: regular, even, and continuous in development
fluctuating: rising and falling irregularly in number or amount
proportion: a part, share, or number considered in comparative relation
cohort: a group of people with a shared characteristic
conversely: introducing a statement that reverses a previous one

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

Overall, food and drink expenditure rises steadily with age, whereas spending on restaurants and hotels is highest among the youngest group and declines significantly for older residents.

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.