Academic Writing Task 1 · mixed chart

Vehicle numbers and CO2 emissions in England and Wales 2000-2020

The line graph and the bar chart give information and forecast about the vehicle numbers and CO2 emissions in England and Wales between 2000 and 2020.

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

Vehicle number in England and Wales (millions)

View the data

	2000	2005	2010	2015	2020
Vehicles	20	27.5	35	47.5	60

The amount of CO2 emission (tonnes)

cars
buses
vans
trucks

View the data

	2000	2010	2020
cars	2.3	2.7	3
buses	0.3	0.45	0.45
vans	0.5	0.7	0.65
trucks	0.7	0.9	1.3

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 line graph illustrates the growth in the total number of vehicles in England and Wales between 2000 and 2020, while the bar chart details CO2 emissions by vehicle type over the same period. Overall, both the total vehicle count and the emissions produced by each category rose significantly, with cars consistently generating the highest levels of pollution.

In 2000, there were 20 million vehicles in England and Wales. This figure climbed steadily to 35 million by 2010 and reached 60 million by 2020, representing a threefold increase over the two decades.

Regarding CO2 emissions, cars were the largest polluters, starting at 2.3 tonnes in 2000 and rising to 3.0 tonnes by 2020. Emissions from trucks also saw a notable increase, growing from 0.7 tonnes to 1.3 tonnes over the same period. Conversely, emissions from buses and vans showed more moderate growth. Buses rose from 0.3 tonnes to 0.45 tonnes, remaining stable between 2010 and 2020. Meanwhile, vans peaked at 0.7 tonnes in 2010 before experiencing a slight decline to 0.65 tonnes by 2020.

174 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.

upward trend: a general direction in which something is developing
steady: regular, even, and continuous in development or intensity
contributor: a person or thing that helps cause something
threefold: three times as great or as many
notable: worthy of attention or notice; quite remarkable
moderate: average in amount, intensity, quality, or degree

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

While the total number of vehicles in England and Wales experienced a steady upward trend, CO2 emissions from all vehicle types also increased, with cars remaining the primary contributor throughout the period.

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.