Academic Writing Task 1 · table

Survey results on student satisfaction with various university aspects from 2000 to 2010

The table below shows the results of surveys in 2000, 2005, and 2010 about one university.

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

Percentage of students giving good ratings for different aspects of a university
Aspect200020052010
Teaching quality656369
Print resources848988
Electronic resources457288
Range of modules offered323027
Buildings/teaching facilities777777

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 table illustrates changes in student satisfaction regarding five specific university aspects over a ten-year period, starting from 2000. Overall, it is evident that electronic resources became significantly more highly regarded, whereas the range of modules offered saw a downward trend. Notably, satisfaction with buildings and teaching facilities remained perfectly stable.

Electronic resources showed the most striking improvement, rising from 45% in 2000 to 72% in 2005, and finally reaching 88% by 2010. Similarly, print resources maintained high approval ratings, peaking at 89% in 2005 before dipping slightly to 88% in 2010. Teaching quality experienced minor fluctuations, starting at 65%, dropping to 63% in 2005, and recovering to 69% by the end of the period.

In contrast, the range of modules offered was the least popular aspect, with satisfaction levels falling steadily from 32% in 2000 to 27% in 2010. Meanwhile, buildings and teaching facilities demonstrated complete consistency, with 77% of students consistently providing good ratings across all three survey years. By 2010, electronic resources and print resources shared the highest approval rating at 88%, while the range of modules offered remained the lowest-rated category.

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

How to write about tables

surge
a sudden and powerful upward movement or increase
downward trend
a general direction in which something is decreasing
fluctuations
irregular rising and falling in number or amount
consistently
in every case or on every occasion without change
striking
attracting attention by reason of being unusual or extreme
proportion
a part, share, or number considered in comparative relation

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

While electronic resources saw a dramatic surge in popularity, the range of modules offered experienced a steady decline, and building facilities remained remarkably consistent throughout the decade.

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.

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