Academic Writing Task 1 · bar chart

Number of students studying Computer Science at a UK university 2010-2012

The bar chart below gives information about the number of students studying Computer Science at a UK university between 2010 and 2012.

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

Home and International students, 2010-2012
01020304050Men 2010Men 2011Men 2012Women 2010Women 2011Women 2012
  • British home students
  • International students
View the data
Men 2010Men 2011Men 2012Women 2010Women 2011Women 2012
British home students392443324445
International students202339141820

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 number of British home and international students enrolled in Computer Science at a UK university from 2010 to 2012, categorized by gender.

Overall, British home students consistently outnumbered international students across all categories, with both groups generally showing an upward trend in enrollment numbers over the three-year period. Notably, the figures for both genders fluctuated, with a significant dip observed in 2011.

Regarding male students, the number of British home students began at 39 in 2010, dropped to 24 in 2011, and recovered to 43 in 2012. International male students followed a similar pattern, starting at 20, dipping slightly to 23 in 2011, before rising to 39 in 2012. Interestingly, the gap between the two groups for men was narrowest in 2011.

For women, the number of British home students rose steadily from 32 in 2010 to 44 in 2011 and 45 in 2012. International female students also saw growth, increasing from 14 in 2010 to 18 in 2011 and reaching 20 in 2012. Throughout the period, the number of British home women remained significantly higher than their international counterparts, maintaining a consistent lead in enrollment figures.

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

How to write about bar charts

outnumbered
to be greater in number than someone else
fluctuated
to rise and fall irregularly in number
upward trend
a general direction in which something is developing
narrowest
the smallest distance between two points or values
steady
regular, even, and continuous in development or growth
counterparts
people or things that correspond to another group

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

Overall, British home students consistently outnumbered international students across all categories, with both groups generally showing an upward trend in enrollment numbers over the three-year period.

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.

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