Percentage of a drug company's total sales by region 2002-2006
The chart below shows the percentage of a drug company's total sales, by region, from 2002 to 2006.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
- America
- Eruope
- Asia
View the data
| 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| America | 41 | 35 | 27 | 29 | 30 |
| Eruope | 34 | 35 | 38 | 34 | 30 |
| Asia | 25 | 30 | 35 | 37 | 40 |
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 distribution of a drug company’s total sales across three regions—America, Europe, and Asia—between 2002 and 2006. Overall, the data reveals a clear shift in market dominance from America to Asia, while Europe’s contribution remained relatively volatile throughout the period.
In 2002, America was the company’s primary market, accounting for 41% of total sales, followed by Europe at 34% and Asia at 25%. However, America’s market share declined steadily to 27% by 2004, before recovering slightly to reach 30% in 2006. Conversely, Asia demonstrated a robust and consistent growth trajectory, increasing its share annually from 25% in 2002 to 40% in 2006, ultimately becoming the company's largest market.
Europe’s sales performance was more erratic. After starting at 34% in 2002, its share rose to 35% in 2003 and peaked at 38% in 2004. Following this peak, the region’s contribution to total sales fell to 34% in 2005 and further declined to 30% by the end of the period. By 2006, both America and Europe contributed an identical 30% to the company's total sales, significantly trailing behind Asia’s 40%.
182 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 in an irregular or uncertain way
- upward trend
- a general direction in which something is developing
- robust
- strong and healthy or unlikely to fail
- erratic
- not even or regular in pattern or movement
- trajectory
- the path followed by something moving through time
- trailing
- being behind someone or something in a competition
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Frequently asked questions
What should the overview say?
Over the five-year period, Asia experienced a consistent upward trend in sales, while America saw a significant decline, and Europe's share fluctuated before ending lower than it began.
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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