Academic Writing Task 1 · bar chart

Reasons for study and employer support across different age groups

The charts below show the main reasons for study among students of different age groups and the amount of support they received from employers.

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

Reasons for study according to age of student (percentage)

For career
For interest

View the data

	under 26	26-29	30-39	40-49	over 49
For career	80	70	58	41	19
For interest	10	15	25	41	70

Employer support, by age group (Time off and help with fees) (percentage)

View the data

	under 26	26-29	30-39	40-49	over 49
Employer support	64	51	34	38	45

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 provided charts illustrate the motivations for pursuing further education across five age demographics and the corresponding levels of employer support received. Overall, there is a clear inverse relationship between age and career-focused study, whereas interest-based learning gains popularity as students get older. Employer support is highest for the youngest cohort and generally trends downwards thereafter.

Regarding reasons for study, the youngest group (under 26) is overwhelmingly motivated by career prospects at 80%, compared to only 10% for interest. This career-driven trend persists but weakens with age, dropping to 70% for those aged 26-29 and 58% for those aged 30-39. By the 40-49 age bracket, the motivations are evenly split at 41% each. Conversely, for those over 49, interest becomes the primary reason for study at 70%, while career goals account for only 19%.

Employer support, encompassing time off and financial assistance, is most prevalent for the youngest students at 64%. This figure steadily declines to 51% for the 26-29 group and reaches a low of 34% for those aged 30-39. Interestingly, support levels recover slightly for older groups, rising to 38% for those aged 40-49 and 45% for those over 49.

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.

inverse relationship: two variables moving in opposite directions to each other
cohort: a group of people sharing a common characteristic
predominant: the most common or main feature or factor
encompassing: including a wide range of different specific elements
steadily: changing in a gradual and continuous regular manner
conversely: introducing a statement that reverses the previous point

Write your own report and get a band

Take a timed Academic writing test and get a band for task achievement, coherence, vocabulary and grammar, with the sentences to fix.

Practise IELTS Academic writing

On your phone? Get the BandLadder app.

Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

While career advancement is the primary motivation for younger students, interest becomes the dominant driver for older learners, and employer support generally declines as age increases, with a notable exception for the oldest group.

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.