Academic Writing Task 1 · table

Past and projected population figures for four selected countries

The table below gives information about past and projected population figures in various countries for different years.

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

Past and projected population figures in various countries

Country	1990	1993	2000	2020	2050
Australia	17.1	17.7	19.2	22.7	26.0
Canada	26.6	28.5	31.0	36.9	39.0
New Zealand	3.4	3.5	3.8	4.3	4.7
United States	249.9	258.2	275.1	320.6	349.0

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 table illustrates historical and projected population data for Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States across five specific years between 1990 and 2050. Overall, all four nations experienced consistent population growth throughout the period, with the United States maintaining a significantly larger population than the other three countries combined.

The United States began with a population of 249.9 million in 1990, which steadily climbed to 320.6 million by 2020, with a further projection of 349.0 million by 2050. Canada followed a similar upward trajectory, starting at 26.6 million in 1990 and reaching 36.9 million by 2020, with an expected figure of 39.0 million by 2050.

Australia and New Zealand showed much smaller population scales. Australia’s population rose from 17.1 million in 1990 to 22.7 million in 2020, and it is projected to reach 26.0 million by 2050. New Zealand remained the least populous nation throughout the entire timeframe, growing from 3.4 million in 1990 to 4.3 million in 2020, with a modest projected increase to 4.7 million by 2050. In summary, while all countries show a positive trend, the disparity in total population size between the United States and the other nations remains substantial.

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

How to write about tables

Tables hide the trend: find the highest, lowest and biggest change yourself.
Select; do not list every cell.
Organise paragraphs by row or by column, whichever gives the clearer comparison.

trajectory: the path followed by a development or trend
disparity: a great difference between two or more things
upward: moving or directed towards a higher position
projected: estimated based on current trends or data
substantial: of considerable importance, size, or worth
modest: relatively moderate or limited in amount

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

Overall, all four nations experienced consistent population growth throughout the period, with the United States maintaining a significantly larger population than the other three countries combined.

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 tables?

Tables hide the trend: find the highest, lowest and biggest change yourself. Select; do not list every cell. Organise paragraphs by row or by column, whichever gives the clearer comparison.