Academic Writing Task 1 · mixed chart

Trends in male and female Olympic participation from 1924 to 2012

The chart and graph below give information about participants who have entered the Olympics since it began.

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

Number of male and female participants in the Olympics (number of participants)

Men
Women

View the data

	1924	1952	1984	2012
Men	3,000	4,500	5,200	5,900
Women	100	500	1,500	4,800

Number of participants (number of participants)

View the data

	1924	1952	1984	2012
Total participants	3,100	5,000	6,700	10,700

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 bar chart and line graph illustrate the number of male and female athletes competing in the Olympics between 1924 and 2012, alongside the total number of participants over the same period.

Overall, the total number of Olympic participants rose steadily throughout the period, with female participation experiencing a particularly dramatic increase, especially after 1984. While men consistently outnumbered women, the gender gap narrowed significantly by 2012.

In 1924, there were 3,000 male participants compared to only 100 women, resulting in a total of 3,100 athletes. By 1952, the number of men had increased to 4,500, while female participation grew to 500, bringing the total to 5,000. This upward trend continued into 1984, with 5,200 men and 1,500 women competing, reaching a total of 6,700 participants.

By 2012, the disparity between genders had shrunk considerably. The number of male participants reached 5,900, while the number of women surged to 4,800. Consequently, the total number of athletes reached a peak of 10,700. In summary, while male participation grew gradually, the rapid rise in female athletes was the primary driver behind the overall increase in total Olympic participation over these eight decades.

191 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.

disparity: a great difference between two or more things
surged: increased suddenly and powerfully in a short time
narrowed: became smaller or less wide in range
consistently: in every case or on every occasion
upward trend: a general direction in which something is developing
outnumbered: to be more numerous than the other group

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

Overall, the total number of Olympic participants rose steadily throughout the period, with female participation experiencing a particularly dramatic increase, especially after 1984.

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.