Academic Writing Task 1 · pie chart

Online retail sales proportions by sector in New Zealand 2003 and 2013

The pie charts below show the online sales for retail sectors in New Zealand in 2003 and 2013.

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

Online sales for retail sectors in New Zealand in 2003

Travel: 36
Film/ Music: 21
Books: 19
Clothes: 24

View the data

Category	Value
Travel	36
Film/ Music	21
Books	19
Clothes	24

Online sales for retail sectors in New Zealand in 2013

Travel: 29
Film/ Music: 33
Books: 22
Clothes: 16

View the data

Category	Value
Travel	29
Film/ Music	33
Books	22
Clothes	16

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 online retail sales across four distinct sectors in New Zealand during the years 2003 and 2013. Overall, it is evident that while Travel was the dominant sector in 2003, Film/Music became the leading category by 2013. Furthermore, the data indicates a shift in consumer preference away from travel and clothing towards entertainment and literature.

In 2003, Travel accounted for the largest portion of online sales at 36%, followed by Clothes at 24%. Film/Music and Books represented smaller shares, contributing 21% and 19% respectively. By 2013, the landscape had changed significantly. The proportion of sales attributed to Film/Music rose substantially to 33%, making it the most popular sector. Similarly, the share for Books increased to 22%.

Conversely, the Travel sector saw its market share contract to 29% by 2013. A more pronounced decline was observed in the Clothes sector, which dropped from 24% in 2003 to just 16% a decade later. In summary, the retail sectors experienced varying degrees of growth and contraction, with entertainment-related purchases becoming increasingly prominent in the online marketplace over the ten-year period.

184 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.

distribution: the way in which something is shared out
dominant: having the most influence or the largest share
proportion: a part or share of a total amount
substantially: by a large or significant amount
contract: to decrease in size, number, or importance
prominent: important, noticeable, or standing out clearly

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

Over the decade, Film/Music and Books saw growth in their share of online sales, whereas Travel and Clothes experienced a decline in their respective proportions.

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.