Academic Writing Task 1 · bar chart

Health Expenditure as a Percentage of GDP in European Countries

The bar chart below shows current health expenditure totals as percentages of GDP* for various European countries for the years 2002, 2007 and 2012. * GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is the total value of goods that are made and services that are provided in a country.

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

European Health Expenditure as Percentage of Gross Domestic Product, 2002, 2007 and 2012 (Percentage)

2012
2007
2002

View the data

	Belgium	Denmark	Estonia	France	Lithuania	Luxembourg	Netherlands	Norway	Poland	Slovenia	Spain	Switzerland
2012	10	10	3	9	6	7	8	10	7	9	8	11
2007	10	9	3	11	5	8	9	9	6	8	8	11
2002	10	9	3	10	5	8	10	9	6	8	8	11

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 health expenditure as a percentage of GDP across twelve European nations in 2002, 2007, and 2012. Overall, it is evident that Switzerland consistently allocated the largest share of its GDP to healthcare, whereas Estonia remained at the bottom of the spectrum throughout the decade.

Switzerland maintained a stable expenditure of 11% across all three years. Similarly, Belgium remained constant at 10%. In contrast, France experienced a notable peak in 2007 at 11%, before declining to 9% by 2012. Norway showed a gradual increase, rising from 9% in 2002 to 10% in 2012. Meanwhile, the Netherlands saw a decline from 10% in 2002 to 8% in 2012.

Regarding the remaining countries, Estonia displayed the lowest and most stable figures, consistently at 3%. Lithuania and Poland both saw modest growth, with Lithuania rising from 5% to 6% and Poland from 6% to 7% over the ten-year period. Luxembourg’s expenditure fluctuated, dropping from 8% in 2002 to 7% in 2012. Slovenia saw a slight increase to 9% by 2012, while Spain remained steady at 8% throughout the entire timeframe.

181 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 a portion of resources
fluctuated: rose and fell irregularly in number or amount
consistently: acting in the same way over a period
notable: worthy of attention or striking in appearance
spectrum: a wide range of different values or positions
steady: regular, even, and continuous in development

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

Overall, Switzerland consistently maintained the highest health expenditure throughout the period, while Estonia recorded the lowest figures, with most countries showing moderate fluctuations in their spending.

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.