Academic Writing Task 1 · table

Patient satisfaction ratings for three different health centres

The table below shows how patients evaluated different services at three health centres.

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

Patient evaluation of services at three health centres

Aspect of service	Longston Centre	Peveril Centre	Marchbank Centre
Booking appointments	5.2	9.1	7.8
Doctors' service	8	8.7	8.4
Care of children	6.3	7.5	7.3
Pharmacy	5.1	6.3	5.8
Response to concerns	4.3	9.6	6.5
Overall average	5.8	8.3	7.2

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 how patients rated five distinct aspects of service at three different health centres: Longston, Peveril, and Marchbank. The ratings are measured on a scale from 1 (very poor) to 10 (excellent).

Overall, Peveril Centre achieved the highest scores in every category, resulting in the best overall average of 8.3. Conversely, Longston Centre recorded the lowest performance, with an overall average of 5.8, while Marchbank Centre occupied the middle position with an average of 7.2.

Regarding specific services, Peveril Centre excelled in 'Response to concerns' and 'Booking appointments', scoring 9.6 and 9.1 respectively. In contrast, Longston Centre performed poorly in these areas, with scores of 4.3 and 5.2. Marchbank Centre showed moderate results, scoring 6.5 for response to concerns and 7.8 for booking appointments. The 'Doctors' service' was the most highly rated aspect across all three centres, with scores of 8.0, 8.7, and 8.4 for Longston, Peveril, and Marchbank respectively.

Finally, the 'Pharmacy' service received the lowest ratings at all three locations, with scores ranging from 5.1 at Longston to 6.3 at Peveril. Similarly, 'Care of children' saw moderate satisfaction, with Peveril leading at 7.5, followed by Marchbank at 7.3 and Longston at 6.3.

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.

Conversely: Used to introduce a statement that contrasts with previous
Occupied: To fill or hold a specific position or place
Excelled: To be exceptionally good at a particular activity
Moderate: Average in amount, intensity, quality, or degree
Leading: Being in the first or most advanced position
Range: The area of variation between upper and lower limits

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

Peveril Centre consistently received the highest ratings across all categories, while Longston Centre was generally evaluated as the least satisfactory facility.

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.