Academic Writing Task 1 · mixed chart

Weekly expenditure and consumption trends of fast foods in Britain

The chart below shows the amount of money per week spent on fast foods in Britain. The graph shows the trends in consumption of fast foods.

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

Expenditure on Fast Foods by Income Groups, UK 1990 (pence per week)
01020304050High IncomeAverage IncomeLow Income
  • Hamburger
  • Fish & Chips
  • Pizza
View the data
High IncomeAverage IncomeLow Income
Hamburger423214
Fish & Chips172517
Pizza19127
Trends in consumption of fast foods (grams per week)
010020030040050019701975198019851990
  • Hamburger
  • Fish & Chips
  • Pizza
View the data
19701975198019851990
Hamburger305080120280
Fish & Chips75100150300500
Pizza310280220200220

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 charts illustrate the weekly expenditure on fast foods across different income groups in 1990, alongside consumption trends for three fast food types between 1970 and 1990 in Britain.

Overall, fish and chips experienced a substantial rise in popularity, whereas pizza consumption followed a downward trend. In 1990, expenditure patterns varied significantly by income level, with high-income earners spending the most on hamburgers.

Regarding consumption trends, fish and chips started at 75 grams in 1970 and surged to 500 grams by 1990. Hamburgers also saw a consistent increase, rising from 30 grams to 280 grams over the same period. Conversely, pizza consumption fell from 310 grams in 1970 to 200 grams in 1985, before recovering slightly to 220 grams in 1990.

In terms of 1990 expenditure, high-income groups spent 42 pence per week on hamburgers, significantly more than the 14 pence spent by low-income groups. Fish and chips expenditure was highest among average-income earners at 25 pence, while pizza expenditure was most prevalent in high-income households at 19 pence per week, compared to only 7 pence for those in the low-income bracket.

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

How to write about mixed charts

Surged
Increased very quickly and by a large amount
Conversely
Used to introduce a statement that is opposite
Prevalent
Existing very commonly or happening often
Substantial
Of considerable importance, size, or worth
Consistent
Acting or done in the same way over time
Bracket
A group or category within a range

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

While fish and chips consumption grew significantly over the period, pizza consumption declined, and high-income earners spent the most on hamburgers in 1990.

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.

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