Academic Writing Task 1 · bar chart

TV viewing preferences for reality and game shows in Australia

The charts give information about two genres of TV programs watched by men and women and four different age groups in Australia.

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

Percentage who watch reality shows (%)

View the data

	Male	Female	16-24	25-34	35-44	45+
Percentage	36	69	52	60	66	68

Percentage who watch game shows (%)

View the data

	Male	Female	16-24	25-34	35-44	45+
Percentage	62	60	51	38	41	69

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 charts illustrate the proportions of Australian viewers, categorised by gender and age, who watch reality and game shows. Overall, it is evident that reality television is more popular among women and older age groups, while game shows exhibit a more varied pattern of viewership across different demographics.

Regarding reality shows, there is a significant gender disparity, with 69% of females watching these programmes compared to only 36% of males. Among age groups, interest in reality shows generally increases with age, rising from 52% in the 16-24 bracket to a peak of 68% for those aged 45 and over. The 25-34 and 35-44 age cohorts show intermediate figures of 60% and 66% respectively.

In contrast, game shows are slightly more popular among males at 62%, compared to 60% for females. The age-related trends for game shows are less linear; viewership is highest among the 45+ group at 69%, followed by 51% for the 16-24 age group. The lowest engagement is observed among those aged 25-34 and 35-44, with figures of 38% and 41% respectively, indicating a dip in popularity for these middle-aged segments.

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

How to write about 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.

disparity: a great difference between two or more things
cohort: a group of people with a shared characteristic
linear: progressing from one stage to another directly
intermediate: coming between two things in time or place
engagement: the state of being involved or interested
proportion: a part or share of a total amount

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

Overall, females are more inclined to watch reality shows than males, whereas males show a higher preference for game shows, with the 45+ age group consistently demonstrating high engagement across both genres.

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.