One complete Academic Task 1 practice with its visual, two worked examples and a model report.
Allow about 20 minutes for this task.
The two pie charts below show how household spending in Bellford was divided among five categories in 2000 and 2020.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
| Category | 2000 (%) | 2020 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | 30 | 40 |
| Food | 25 | 20 |
| Transport | 20 | 15 |
| Leisure | 15 | 15 |
| Other | 10 | 10 |
Study the two worked examples. Use the writing plan and useful language to prepare your response, then submit it to review the model and explanation. Scores exclude the examples; Writing and Speaking use self-review rather than automatic band marking.
Original SUFAS teaching material. This is a focused sample exercise, not a full IELTS examination.
Optional learning timer. It can be paused and does not submit automatically.
Ready.
Model answer: Overall, housing was the largest expense in both years and took a greater share in 2020. Food and transport became less prominent, while the proportions allocated to leisure and other items did not change.
Why: This selects the main overall features, rather than listing every detail.
Model answer: Housing accounted for 30% of household spending in 2000, rising to 40% twenty years later. Food was the second-largest category at both dates, although its share declined from a quarter to a fifth. Transport also fell by five percentage points, from 20% to 15%. Together, food and transport represented 45% of expenditure initially, but only 35% by the end of the period.
Why: This groups related information and supports it with accurate visual details.
Review the question and visual
Housing remained the largest category and gained share. Food and transport lost share, while leisure and other spending were unchanged.
Group housing, food and transport as changing categories. Put the two unchanged categories together. Use an overview that mentions dominance and the main direction of redistribution.
made up two fifths of total spending · fell by five percentage points · held steady at 15%
The pie charts compare the distribution of household expenditure across five categories in Bellford in 2000 and 2020. All figures represent shares of total spending rather than amounts of money.
Overall, housing was the largest expense in both years and took a greater share in 2020. Food and transport became less prominent, while the proportions allocated to leisure and other items did not change.
Housing accounted for 30% of household spending in 2000, rising to 40% twenty years later. Food was the second-largest category at both dates, although its share declined from a quarter to a fifth. Transport also fell by five percentage points, from 20% to 15%. Together, food and transport represented 45% of expenditure initially, but only 35% by the end of the period.
Leisure remained at 15%, meaning that it matched transport in 2020 despite having been smaller in 2000. The remaining category, other spending, consistently made up a tenth of the total. Thus, the increase in housing’s share was balanced by reductions in the shares devoted to food and transport.
Why this works: The model compares proportions rather than inventing cash amounts. The overview separates changing and stable categories. The supporting comparisons are accurate: food plus transport falls from 45% to 35%, and each pie totals 100%.
Compare your work with the model and tick only points you achieved. This is a self-review checklist, not automatic marking or an IELTS band score.
Self-review score: 0 / 6