Academic Writing Task 1 · pie chart

Main energy sources in the USA during 1980 and 1990

The two graphs show the main sources of energy in the USA in the 1980s and the 1990s.

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

Energy sources in 1980 (%)

Oil: 42%
Natural gas: 26%
Coal: 22%
Hydroelectric Power: 5%
Nuclear Power: 5%

View the data

Category	Value (%)
Oil	42
Natural gas	26
Coal	22
Hydroelectric Power	5
Nuclear Power	5

Energy sources in 1990 (%)

Oil: 33%
Natural gas: 25%
Coal: 27%
Hydroelectric Power: 5%
Nuclear Power: 10%

View the data

Category	Value (%)
Oil	33
Natural gas	25
Coal	27
Hydroelectric Power	5
Nuclear Power	10

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 two pie charts illustrate the distribution of energy sources in the United States across two distinct years, 1980 and 1990. Overall, it is clear that oil was the most significant contributor to energy production in both years, although its reliance decreased over the decade. Conversely, coal and nuclear power experienced growth in their proportional usage.

In 1980, oil accounted for 42% of the total energy supply, followed by natural gas at 26% and coal at 22%. Hydroelectric and nuclear power provided the smallest contributions, each representing 5% of the total. By 1990, the share of oil dropped by 9 percentage points to 33%, while natural gas also saw a slight decline to 25%.

In contrast, coal became a more prominent energy source, rising from 22% in 1980 to 27% in 1990. Similarly, the contribution of nuclear power doubled over the ten-year period, reaching 10% by 1990. Hydroelectric power remained the most stable source, maintaining a constant share of 5% throughout the decade. In summary, the energy landscape in the USA shifted towards a greater reliance on coal and nuclear power, while the dominance of fossil fuels like oil and gas diminished.

192 words. Every figure in the answer comes from the chart above.

How to write about pie charts

Name the largest and smallest shares in the overview.
Use proportion language: a quarter, just under half, the majority.
With two pies, compare the same slice across both.

accounted for: made up a specific portion of the total
proportional: corresponding in size or amount to something else
dominance: the state of being the most important source
diminished: became smaller in size, amount, or degree
stable: not likely to change or fluctuate significantly
distinct: clearly different or separate from each other

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

While oil remained the primary energy source throughout the decade, its dominance declined significantly, whereas coal and nuclear power saw notable increases in their respective shares.

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 pie charts?

Name the largest and smallest shares in the overview. Use proportion language: a quarter, just under half, the majority. With two pies, compare the same slice across both.