Academic Writing Task 1 · mixed chart

Monthly fruit production, fertiliser usage and rainfall data for 2013

The first graph below shows the weight (in tonnes) of fruit produced by a farm during each month in 2013, and also the amount (in tonnes) of fertiliser used. The second graph shows the volume of rainfall in each month (in millimetres.)

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

Fruit production and fertiliser usage in 2013 (tonnes)

Weight of fruit produced
Amount of fertiliser used

View the data

	January	February	March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	December
Weight of fruit produced	2.1	2.3	2.3	2.8	3	3.5	3.8	3.9	4.2	3	2.3	2.1
Amount of fertiliser used	0.5	0.6	0.7	0.9	0.1	0	0	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.7	0.4

Rainfall in 2013 (millimetres)

View the data

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rainfall	12	16	11	10	7	6	4	4	4	11	12	14

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 provided charts illustrate the monthly weight of fruit produced, the quantity of fertiliser applied, and the volume of rainfall recorded throughout 2013. Overall, fruit production followed a clear upward trend until September, whereas fertiliser usage and rainfall levels fluctuated significantly throughout the year.

Fruit production began at 2.1 tonnes in January, rising steadily to reach a peak of 4.2 tonnes in September. Following this, production dropped sharply, returning to 2.1 tonnes by December. Conversely, fertiliser usage showed a different pattern, peaking at 0.9 tonnes in April before plummeting to near-zero levels between May and June. A secondary, smaller peak in fertiliser application occurred in November at 0.7 tonnes.

Regarding rainfall, the highest levels were recorded in February at 16 mm, followed by a gradual decline to a low of 4 mm between July and September. Rainfall then increased again towards the end of the year, reaching 14 mm in December. There appears to be an inverse relationship between rainfall and fertiliser usage during the mid-year period, as the driest months coincided with the lowest fertiliser application, while the highest fruit yields occurred during the period of lowest rainfall.

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

How to write about mixed charts

Write one overview sentence that links the two visuals.
Give each visual its own detail paragraph.
Point out where one chart explains the other.

fluctuated: changed frequently and irregularly in value or amount
upward trend: a general direction in which something is developing
plummeting: falling or dropping straight down at high speed
inverse relationship: a situation where one variable increases as another decreases
coincided: occurred at the same time as something else
steady: regular, even, and continuous in development or intensity

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

Fruit production peaked in September, while fertiliser usage was highest in April and rainfall was most significant during the early and late months of the 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 mixed charts?

Write one overview sentence that links the two visuals. Give each visual its own detail paragraph. Point out where one chart explains the other.