Academic Writing Task 1 · bar chart

Public transport passenger numbers in Somewhere Town from 2012 to 2015

The chart below shows the number of passengers who used public transport in Somewhere Town from 2012 to 2015.

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

Number of passengers using public transport in Somewhere Town (2012-2015)

Train
Bus
Tram

View the data

	2012	2013	2014	2015
Train	80	10	35	63
Bus	55	40	70	60
Tram	20	25	55	95

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 number of passengers who utilised three different forms of public transport—trains, buses, and trams—in Somewhere Town between 2012 and 2015.

Overall, the data reveals significant fluctuations in passenger numbers for all three modes. While trains were the most popular choice at the start of the period, trams experienced the most dramatic growth, eventually becoming the most frequently used transport by 2015.

In 2012, trains were the most popular, with 80 passengers, followed by buses at 55 and trams at 20. However, 2013 saw a sharp decline in train usage to just 10 passengers, while bus and tram numbers rose to 40 and 25 respectively. By 2014, the trend shifted again; bus usage peaked at 70 passengers, while train numbers recovered slightly to 35 and tram usage increased to 55.

By the final year, 2015, tram usage surged to a high of 95 passengers. In contrast, train numbers continued their upward trend to reach 63, while bus usage saw a slight decline to 60. Consequently, by the end of the period, trams had overtaken both trains and buses as the primary mode of public transport in the town.

192 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 and irregularly in number or amount
utilised: made practical and effective use of something
surged: increased suddenly and powerfully in a short time
overtaken: caught up with and passed in quantity
peaked: reached the highest point of a numerical value
dramatic: sudden and striking in terms of change

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

Overall, the number of passengers using different modes of public transport fluctuated significantly over the period, with trams becoming the most popular mode by 2015.

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.