Academic Writing Task 1 · bar chart

The scores achieved by three different teams over four seasons

The bar chart shows the scores of teams A, B, and C over four different seasons.

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

Scores by Team per Season (Points)
0204060801002002200320042005
  • Team A
  • Team B
  • Team C
View the data
2002200320042005
Team A511358
Team B82604355
Team C1015125

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 performance of three teams—A, B, and C—in terms of points scored across four consecutive seasons from 2002 to 2005.

Overall, it is evident that Team B was the dominant force throughout the period, despite experiencing a decline in its scores. In contrast, Teams A and C maintained much lower point totals, with Team A showing a notable peak in 2004.

In 2002, Team B achieved its highest score of 82 points, dwarfing the 5 points of Team A and 10 points of Team C. By 2003, Team B’s performance dropped to 60 points, while Team A and Team C saw modest increases to 11 and 15 points respectively. The year 2004 marked a significant shift; Team B continued its downward trend to 43 points, whereas Team A experienced a substantial surge, reaching a peak of 35 points. Meanwhile, Team C’s score dipped slightly to 12 points.

In the final year, 2005, Team B recovered to 55 points. Conversely, Team A’s score plummeted to 8 points, and Team C reached its lowest point of the period with only 5 points.

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

How to write about bar charts

dwarfing
causing something to seem small by comparison
volatile
liable to change rapidly and unpredictably
plummeted
fell or dropped straight down at high speed
surge
a sudden powerful forward or upward movement
dominant
having power and influence over others
consecutive
following continuously without interruption

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

Team B consistently outperformed the other two teams throughout the period, while Team A and Team C recorded significantly lower and more volatile scores.

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.

More bar charts