Academic Writing Task 1 · bar chart

Proportions of English men and women living alone by age in 2011

The bar chart below shows the proportions of English men and women of different ages who were living alone in 2011. The pie chart compares the numbers of bedrooms in these one-person households.

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

Proportions of English men and women living alone by age in 2011 (%)

Male
Female

View the data

	16-24	25-34	35-49	50-64	65-74	75-84	85 and over	All ages
Male	53	62	65	50	37	28	25	47
Female	47	38	35	50	63	72	75	53

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 gender distribution of English individuals living alone across various age groups in 2011. Overall, it is evident that men constitute a larger proportion of one-person households among younger age groups, whereas women represent the majority in older demographics.

In the youngest category of 16-24, men account for 53% of those living alone, a figure that rises to 62% for the 25-34 age group and peaks at 65% for those aged 35-49. Conversely, the proportion of women living alone in these groups is lower, at 47%, 38%, and 35% respectively. For the 50-64 age bracket, the distribution is perfectly balanced, with men and women each representing 50%.

From the age of 65 onwards, the trend shifts significantly. Women become the majority in one-person households, with their proportion rising to 63% for the 65-74 age group, 72% for those aged 75-84, and reaching a peak of 75% for individuals aged 85 and over. Consequently, the male proportion drops to 37%, 28%, and 25% for these respective groups. Across all ages combined, 47% of those living alone are men, while 53% are women.

185 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.

constitute: to be the parts that form something
demographics: statistical data relating to a specific population
conversely: introducing a statement that reverses a previous one
bracket: a group or category defined by specific limits
distribution: the way in which something is shared out
proportion: a part or share of a total amount

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

While men are more likely to live alone in younger age groups, women dominate the proportion of one-person households in older age categories.

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.