Academic Writing Task 1 · table

Sales of Fairtrade-labeled tea and pineapples in five European countries

The tables below give information about sales of Fairtrade-labeled tea and pineapples in 2010 and 2015 in five European countries.

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

Sales of Fairtrade-labeled tea

Tea	2010 (millions of euros)	2015 (millions of euros)
France	2.5	21
Austria	4	8
Germany	2.8	3
Netherlands	2	2.7
Norway	1.8	2

Sales of Fairtrade-labeled pineapples

Pieapples	2010 (millions of euros)	2015 (millions of euros)
Austria	16	48
France	2	6.5
Netherlands	1.6	5
Norway	2.8	2
Germany	3	1.9

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 tables illustrate the revenue generated from Fairtrade-labeled tea and pineapples across five European nations between 2010 and 2015. Overall, sales of both products rose in the majority of countries, with France and Austria recording the most substantial growth for tea and pineapples, respectively.

Regarding tea sales, France witnessed a dramatic surge, with figures climbing from 2.5 million euros in 2010 to 21 million euros in 2015. Austria also saw its tea revenue double, rising from 4 million to 8 million euros. In contrast, growth in the Netherlands and Norway was more modest, increasing from 2 to 2.7 million euros and 1.8 to 2 million euros, respectively. Germany remained relatively stable, with a slight rise from 2.8 to 3 million euros.

In terms of pineapples, Austria dominated the market, with sales tripling from 16 million to 48 million euros. France and the Netherlands also experienced notable growth, with figures rising from 2 to 6.5 million euros and 1.6 to 5 million euros, respectively. Conversely, Norway and Germany saw a decline in pineapple sales, falling from 2.8 to 2 million euros and 3 to 1.9 million euros, respectively, over the same period.

191 words. Every figure in the answer comes from the chart above.

How to write about tables

Tables hide the trend: find the highest, lowest and biggest change yourself.
Select; do not list every cell.
Organise paragraphs by row or by column, whichever gives the clearer comparison.

surge: a sudden and powerful upward movement or increase
modest: relatively moderate or limited in amount or scale
stable: not likely to change or fail; relatively constant
tripling: increasing by a factor of three times
notable: worthy of attention or notice; quite significant
decline: a gradual and continuous loss in value or amount

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

Overall, sales of both products increased in most countries over the five-year period, with France and Austria experiencing the most significant growth in tea and pineapples respectively.

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 tables?

Tables hide the trend: find the highest, lowest and biggest change yourself. Select; do not list every cell. Organise paragraphs by row or by column, whichever gives the clearer comparison.