Academic Writing Task 1 · bar chart

Global television sales figures for Supervision Incorporation between 1999 and 2012

The bar chart below shows the global sales of televisions by Supervision Incorporation from 1999 to 2012.

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

Global sales of televisions by Supervision Incorporation (1999-2012) (million units)

View the data

	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012
TV sold	10	11	14	14	13	18	21	24	28	31	27	42	37	48

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 global sales figures for televisions produced by Supervision Incorporation over a fourteen-year period, starting from 1999 and concluding in 2012. Overall, it is evident that the company saw a substantial growth in sales, with the total number of units sold rising from 10 million to 48 million by the end of the period.

In 1999, the company sold 10 million units. This figure grew steadily to reach 14 million by 2001, before experiencing a slight dip to 13 million in 2003. Following this, a consistent upward trajectory was observed, with sales climbing to 21 million in 2005 and 31 million by 2008. This period of growth was interrupted in 2009, when sales fell to 27 million units.

However, the company recovered strongly in the following years. Sales surged to 42 million in 2010, representing a significant increase. Although there was a temporary decline to 37 million in 2011, the company achieved its peak performance in 2012, with sales reaching 48 million units. This final figure was nearly five times the amount recorded at the beginning of the period, highlighting a period of remarkable commercial expansion.

190 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.

upward trend: a general direction in which something is developing
fluctuations: irregular rising and falling in number or amount
steady: regular, even, and continuous in development or intensity
trajectory: the path followed by a development or trend
surged: increased suddenly and powerfully in a short time
peak: the highest point or level of something

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

Overall, the sales of televisions experienced a significant upward trend throughout the period, despite minor fluctuations, with the highest volume recorded in the final year.

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.