Academic Writing Task 1 · pie chart

Proportions of Canadian adults based on their personal car ownership levels

The chart below shows the proportions of adults in Canada who own one car, two cars, or more than two cars, or who do not own a car.

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

Car ownership in Canada

One car: 55
Two cars: 25
No car: 15
More than two cars: 5

View the data

Category	Value
One car	55
Two cars	25
No car	15
More than two cars	5

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 pie chart illustrates the distribution of car ownership among adults in Canada, categorised into four groups: those who own no car, one car, two cars, or more than two cars.

Overall, it is evident that car ownership is highly prevalent in Canada, as the combined proportion of individuals owning one or more vehicles accounts for the vast majority of the population. Owning a single car is the most common scenario, while households with more than two vehicles represent a very small minority.

Specifically, more than half of the Canadian adult population, at 55%, own exactly one car. This is followed by a quarter of the population (25%) who possess two cars. In contrast, those who do not own any vehicle make up 15% of the total. The smallest segment consists of individuals who own more than two cars, accounting for only 5% of the population.

In summary, the data highlights a clear preference for single-vehicle ownership among Canadians, with a significant disparity between those owning one or two cars and the small minority who either own no vehicle or possess a larger fleet of more than two cars.

189 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.

prevalent: widespread in a particular area at a particular time
distribution: the way in which something is shared among people
segment: each of the parts into which something is divided
disparity: a great difference between two or more things
account for: to make up a particular amount or proportion
minority: the smaller number or part of a whole group

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

The vast majority of Canadian adults own at least one vehicle, with over half of the population owning exactly one car.

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.