Monthly spending of a family in the USA in 2010
The bar chart shows the monthly spending in dollars of a family in the USA on three items in 2010.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
- food
- gas
- clothing
- average
View the data
| JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| food | 490 | 560 | 460 | 320 |
| gas | 340 | 250 | 340 | 560 |
| clothing | 230 | 570 | 320 | 680 |
| average | 340 | 340 | 430 | 270 |
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 monthly expenditure of a family in the USA across three categories—food, gas, and clothing—during the first four months of 2010. Overall, spending patterns for these items were highly volatile, with the average monthly expenditure reaching a high of 430 dollars in March and a low of 270 dollars in April.
Regarding food, the family spent 490 dollars in January, which rose to a peak of 560 dollars in February. This figure subsequently declined to 460 dollars in March and dropped further to 320 dollars in April. Conversely, gas expenditure began at 340 dollars in January, dipped to 250 dollars in February, returned to 340 dollars in March, and surged to 560 dollars in April.
Clothing expenditure showed the most dramatic variation. Starting at 230 dollars in January, it more than doubled to 570 dollars in February, before falling to 320 dollars in March. By April, spending on clothing reached its highest point at 680 dollars. The average expenditure remained stable at 340 dollars for the first two months, climbed to 430 dollars in March, and finally fell to 270 dollars in April, marking the lowest average monthly spend recorded.
194 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.
- fluctuated
- changed frequently and irregularly in amount or level
- volatile
- liable to change rapidly and unpredictably for worse
- surged
- increased suddenly and powerfully in a short time
- dipped
- sank, dropped, or became lower for a moment
- conversely
- in a way that is the opposite of
- stable
- not likely to change or fail; relatively firm
Write your own report and get a band
Take a timed Academic writing test and get a band for task achievement, coherence, vocabulary and grammar, with the sentences to fix.
Practise IELTS Academic writingOn your phone? Get the BandLadder app.
Frequently asked questions
What should the overview say?
Overall, expenditure on food, gas, and clothing fluctuated significantly throughout the four-month period, while the average spending peaked in March before declining to its lowest point in April.
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.
More bar charts
- A bar chart illustrating vehicle ownership trends in China from 1987 to 1999
- A breakdown of drinking habits among different age groups in America
- A comparison of housing preferences in three UK cities in 2005
- A comparison of physical and cyber bullying across different age groups
- A Comparison of the Age Structures of France and India in 1984
- Adolescent perceptions of age-related rights and responsibilities across five countries
- All 677 Task 1 samples · Task 2 sample essays