Academic Writing Task 1 · table

Proportion of income spent by UK adults and children in 2005

The table data shows the proportion of income adults and children spent on 4 common items in the United Kingdom in 2005.

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

Proportion of income spent on 4 items in the UK in 2005

	Food	Electronic equipment	Music	Videos
Adults	28%	15%	4%	2%
Men	30%	21%	5%	2%
Women	39%	7%	2%	0.5%
Children	11%	35%	41%	15%
Boys	9%	28%	36%	20%
Girls	11%	11%	38%	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 table illustrates the percentage of income that adults and children in the United Kingdom spent on four distinct categories—food, electronic equipment, music, and videos—during 2005.

Overall, it is evident that food was the primary expenditure for adults, while children directed the majority of their income towards music and electronic equipment. Notably, spending patterns differed significantly between the two age groups and their respective genders.

Regarding adults, food accounted for the highest proportion of spending, with women allocating 39% of their income to this category, compared to 30% for men. Conversely, electronic equipment was more popular among men (21%) than women (7%). Spending on music and videos remained relatively low for all adults, peaking at 5% for men's music consumption and 2% for both genders regarding videos.

In contrast, children spent 41% of their income on music, with boys and girls contributing 36% and 38% respectively. Electronic equipment was also a major expense for children, particularly for boys at 28%. While children spent less on food than adults, they allocated a higher proportion of their income to videos, with boys spending 20% and girls 16%, significantly higher than the 2% recorded for adults.

193 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.

allocated: distributed or assigned a portion of resources
expenditure: the total amount of money spent
proportion: a part or share of a whole
peaking: reaching the highest point or level
conversely: introducing a statement that contrasts with previous
significantly: in a sufficiently great or important way

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

Adults allocated the largest share of their income to food, whereas children primarily spent their money on music and electronic equipment.

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.