Academic Writing Task 1 · mixed chart

Survey results regarding reasons for and funding of adult education

The charts below show the results of a survey of adult education. The first chart shows the reasons why adults decide to study. The pie chart shows how people think the costs of adult education should be shared.

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

Reasons for adult education (%)

View the data

	Interest in subject	To gain qualifications	Helpful for current job	To improve prospects of promotion	Enjoy learning/studying	To able to change jobs	To meet people
Percentage	40	38	22	20	20	12	9

How the costs of each course should be shared

Individual: 40
Employer: 35
Taxpayer: 25

View the data

Category	Value
Individual	40
Employer	35
Taxpayer	25

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 primary motivations for adults engaging in further education, while the pie chart depicts public opinion on how the financial burden of these courses should be distributed.

Overall, personal interest and the acquisition of qualifications are the most significant drivers for adult learners. Regarding funding, there is a clear preference for individuals to contribute the largest portion of costs, followed closely by employers and taxpayers.

As shown in the bar chart, 'Interest in subject' is the most cited reason for studying at 40%, closely followed by 'To gain qualifications' at 38%. These two factors significantly outweigh other motivations. Career-related reasons, such as being 'Helpful for current job' and 'To improve prospects of promotion', account for 22% and 20% respectively, matching the 20% who study simply because they 'Enjoy learning/studying'. The least common reasons for pursuing education are 'To able to change jobs' at 12% and 'To meet people' at only 9%.

Regarding the financial aspect, the pie chart indicates that 40% of respondents believe the individual should pay for their own education. Employers are expected to cover 35% of the costs, while the remaining 25% is attributed to the taxpayer.

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

How to write about mixed charts

Write one overview sentence that links the two visuals.
Give each visual its own detail paragraph.
Point out where one chart explains the other.

depicts: shows or represents information in a visual way
outweigh: to be greater or more significant than something
cited: mentioned as a reason or proof for something
distributed: shared out among a group of different people
attributed: regarded as being caused by or belonging to
financial burden: the responsibility of paying for something expensive

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

Adults primarily pursue education for personal interest and qualifications, while the majority believe that individuals should bear the largest share of the associated costs.

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 mixed charts?

Write one overview sentence that links the two visuals. Give each visual its own detail paragraph. Point out where one chart explains the other.