IELTS Writing Task 1 - Sample Answer
Practice writing IELTS report in this step by step sample answer.
Scroll down for easy techniques for writing each necessary paragraph: introduction, overview, body paragraph 1 and body paragraph 2.
How to tackle writing a report for IELTS Writing Task 1
The task focuses on two pie charts. Most candidates find it easier to describe one pie chart at a time, which is exactly why they won’t get a high band score. IELTS wants you to compare and contrast and show that you can easily translate the charts or graphs into coherent and logical description.
ielts pie charts - example task
The given graph shows the main sources of energy in the USA in 1980 and 1990.
Write a report for a university lecturer making comparisons where relevant and reporting the main features.
Writing a report step by step
Step 1 - Write your introduction
A successful introduction paraphrases the topic information, but it mustn’t copy it. How can we do this? By using synonyms obviously, or by turning the sentence around, changing the word forms, etc.
And so in our introduction, graph becomes pie chart, shows is turned into illustrates, or presents, or displays, or reveals.
Furthermore, the main sources of energy becomes energy production from different major sources.
Click on the orange toggle below to see the model answer.
The pie charts illustrate the changes in energy production from five different sources (oil, natural gas, coal, hydroelectric power and nuclear power) for the USA in two years (1980 and 1990).
Step 2 - Write your overview
Identify the key points of the graph – usually the highest and lowest values on the graph – and compare and contrast them.
Start your overview with a linker such as overall, in general, on the whole etc.
- What was the main source of energy in 1980/90?
- Which produces the least energy in 1980/90?
- Did the amount of energy produced by each source change a little or significantly between the years?
- Did all types of energy increase?
Click on the orange toggle below to see the model answer.
Overall, oil constituted the main source of energy production in both years, while hydroelectric power produced the least energy. There was a slight decrease in production from oil and natural gas, whereas an increase can be seen in the figures for the coal and nuclear power.
Step 3 - Write your body paragraph 1
Write two sentences about the key points (most and least important sources of energy) using the provided percentages and dates. This shows that you understand the bigger picture. Use formal, academic language and sentence structure.
- You will need to write one sentence about oil comparing the percentage each year, and one sentence about hydroelectric power comparing the years.
- You must add data (percentages and dates) to support each sentence
Here are two example sentences. Fill in the gaps with the right words.
The amount of energy produced by oil in the USA (1)……………………………… 42% in 1980 and this, then, (2)……………………………… to a third (33%) in 1990. The proportion of energy from hydroelectric power, (3)………………………………, remained constant in both years (4)……………………………… a mere 5%
Click on the orange toggle below to see the possible answers.
(1) accounted for / comprised of / made up / was
(2) fell / declined / dropped / went down / decreased
(3) on the other hand / by contrast / in contrast
(4) at
Step 4 - Write your body paragraph 2
Give details of other sources of energy.
TIPS:
- Which sources increased/decreased?
- What were the percentages for each source?
This paragraph will give details about the other sources of energy in the pie charts.
Again, fill in the gaps in the model sentences.
The energy generated by natural gas, which was the second (1)……………………………… source of energy in the USA in 1980, fell (2)……………………………… 1% to a quarter of all energy produced in 1990. In contrast, production by coal (3)………………………………from 22% to 27% in 1990. (4)………………………………there was a 5% rise in energy from nuclear power to reach 10% in the second year.
Click on the orange toggle below to see the possible answers.
(1) largest / major
(2) by
(3) increased / rose / went up / climbed / grew
(4) while / whereas