Academic Writing Task 1 · bar chart

Quarterly percentage sales of four trainer brands over one year

The graph below shows the percentage sales of trainers made by a sportswear company in one year.

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

Percentage sales of trainers by a sportswear company in one year (%)

High rollers
Zed runners
Golden feet
Flying boots

View the data

	1st Qtr	2nd Qtr	3rd Qtr	4th Qtr
High rollers	20	10	5	10
Zed runners	30	20	20	8
Golden feet	35	35	35	47
Flying boots	15	35	40	35

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 quarterly percentage sales of four different trainer brands—High rollers, Zed runners, Golden feet, and Flying boots—throughout a single year.

Overall, it is evident that Flying boots and Golden feet became increasingly popular as the year progressed, whereas the market shares for High rollers and Zed runners declined significantly. By the final quarter, Golden feet had emerged as the dominant brand in terms of sales.

In the first quarter, High rollers accounted for 20% of sales, but this figure dropped to 10% by the second quarter, dipped to 5% in the third, and recovered slightly to 10% in the final quarter. Similarly, Zed runners started at 30% in the first quarter, fell to 20% in the second and third quarters, and reached a low of 8% by the fourth quarter.

Conversely, Golden feet began the year with 35% of sales, maintaining this level through the third quarter before rising to 47% in the fourth. Flying boots showed the most dramatic growth, starting at 15% in the first quarter, doubling to 35% in the second, peaking at 40% in the third, and finishing at 35% in the final quarter.

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.

accounted for: represented a particular amount or proportion of something
declined: decreased in quantity, quality, or importance over time
dominant: having the most power, influence, or market share
conversely: introducing a statement that reverses a previous one
peaking: reaching the highest point or level of value
proportion: a part, share, or number considered in comparative relation

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

While Flying boots and Golden feet generally saw their market share increase over the year, High rollers and Zed runners experienced a downward trend in their proportions of total sales.

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.