The model answer below is for an IELTS bar chart in writing task 1 of the academic paper. This model answer comes from the video tutorial I made, see the following link: Free Video Tutorial: How to Describe an IELTS bar chart
IELTS Bar Chart
Source: Bar chart above from unknown source.
IELTS Bar Chart Sample Answer
The chart illustrates the amount of money spent on five consumer goods (cars, computers, books, perfume and cameras) in France and the UK in 2010. Units are measured in pounds sterling.
Overall, the UK spent more money on consumer goods than France in the period given. Both the British and the French spent most of their money on cars whereas the least amount of money was spent on perfume in the UK compared to cameras in France. Furthermore, the most significant difference in expenditure between the two countries was on cameras.
In terms of cars, people in the UK spent about £450,000 on this as opposed to the French at £400,000. Similarly, the British expenditure was higher on books than the French (around £400,000 and £300,000 respectively). In the UK, expenditure on cameras (just over £350,000) was over double that of France, which was only £150,000.
On the other hand, the amount of money paid out on the remaining goods was higher in France. Above £350,000 was spent by the French on computers which was slightly more than the British who spent exactly £350,000. Neither of the countries spent much on perfume which accounted for £200,000 of expenditure in France but under £150,000 in the UK.
Comments: The report has been organised into logical paragraphs with flexible use of linking. The overview is very clear with key features well highlighted. Accurate data is used to support sentences in the body paragraphs. There is a range of complex structures and vocabulary which is used flexibly. This is an estimated band score 9 writing task 1 report for the academic paper.
Recommended
- How to Describe a Bar Chart: Free Video Tutorial
- All Bar Chart Lessons
- Model Pie Chart
- Model Line Graph
- Sample Bar Charts for Practice
- ALL Writing Task 1 Lessons, Tips and Models
Main IELTS Pages
Develop your IELTS skills with tips, lessons, free videos and more.
Thank very much, Liz
This is very useful chart for IELTS writing task 1, Liz explains a way that everyone understands. Thank for shown us the way, Liz.
Khadar
Hargeisa
British Somaliland
You’re welcome 🙂
Hi Liz,
Wishing you all the best.
can I use the sequence ( Introduction , Body paragraph A, Body paragraph B, Overall), instead of ( Introduction, Overall , Body paragraph A, Body Paragraph B) ?
Thanks
Stay blessed , stay safe.
Sure. See this page to learn about writing task 1 including paragraphing: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/
The bar graph compares the money expenses of the UK and France on five different goods in the year 2010. Overall, it is readily apparent that the UK spent more on consumer goods than in France. Other features that stand out most are the highest amount of money spent on cars for both countries while the least significant is perfume in the UK and cameras in France.
In regard to cars, the UK expenditure was over 450,000 pounds, being higher than France by 50,000 pounds. Also, the figures for books were almost identical, with 400,000 pounds of expenses in the UK while 300,000 pounds in France. Interestingly, the number of expenditures on cameras in the UK was over 350,000 pounds, which outraced the amount in France with only 150,000 pounds.
However, when it comes to computers, the figure for France, which was around 375,000 pounds, exceed the UK with about 25,000 pounds. Similarly, while perfume was the least important in the UK with only 140,000 pounds of expenses, France was much higher by 60,000 pounds.
hi liz
in ielts do they only ask ques on chart or is there more types can u plz tell me the types of ques they can ask
Go to the HOME page and open the link to Writing Task 1 – you will find everything you need to know.
Hi Liz!
İs it okay not to use symbols ,if we do not know exactly how to write it? for ex “pound sterling” instead of symbol
thanks<3
There are certain symbols which we nearly always use instead of a word, such as £, $ and %. It is fine to use them. The only time we use “&” is when we are texting so it isn’t suitable for formal writing.
Thank you Liz
Hi Liz,
Is it informal when we use the brackets in this task?
It is completely normal for some stats to be presented in brackets in an IELTS task 1 report.
Hello, Liz!
Is there a pounds sterling symbol provided on the keyboard during CBT?
This refers to all other special symbols as well. I found the pounds sterling symbol eventually by guess, but this takes time which is precious during the exam.
This is a very good question which you can ask you test centre about. It important that you ask as many questions to them about their equipment before the test day so that you feel confident and prepared to go in and do your best. If you get an answer from them, let me know what it is. It’s always useful to see how test centres respond.
How to use word infographic in writing task 1
It is not a word that is needed in IELTS Writing task 1. Not at all needed.
Hello Liz
I have a doubt regarding the logic behind separation of body paragraphs that do I have to follow a set of rules for the division ,or I can come up with my own logic. If I have to follow a certain logic then can you please tell me where can I find those set of rules.
Thank you
Yatharth Mishra
You are being marked on logical organisation which also helps group key information together. The bar chart above is a chart of comparison, so you look for categories to compare which have similar key features. This is the logical way to organise this report. The organisation is also highlighted in the overview by stressing the key features which will inevitably be used to structure the paragraphs. There are no set rules – you need to interpret the data, spot similarities and differences and organise accordingly. This is what you are being tested on as part of the marking criterion of Coherence and Cohesion which counts for 25% of your marks.
Hi Lizz! Can we leave space between every paragraph mean when we done with introduction so can we leave one line between each parargraph?
Like introduction then one line space after that “overview” then one line space after that ” body paragraphs”.. Is it right way to write an essay??
This is the recommended way for both task 1 and task 2 writing. It helps make the paragraphs easy to see.
Hi Liz,
I have a doubt in this paragraph, as you had said that we can’t use the same vocabulary more times but you have used “expenditure” 3 times is it correct?
can you please let me know how many times a vocab can be used in writing so that we don’t lose the marks.
Thanks
Love from India
Of course you can use words more than once. Some words will be repeated because they don’t have many options for paraphrasing. IELTS is not a trick test. Choose which words to paraphrasing and choosing how many paraphrases those words have. Not all words need to be changed.
Hi Liz,
In the paragraph, you have written (was over double that of France) is correct or it’s ( than of France)?
It’s correct. “that” refers to the amount.
Thank you so much for your effort, your blog is really amazing. I have a question, you said in the listening section that either all the answers are written in capital letters or all of them are written in small letters, does that apply to the writing section as well ? I mean if I write my answers in capital letters in listening so even in writing section my answers have to be in capital ? Thanks in advance
For the writing test, you should write normally with grammatically correct use of capital letters. Your use of appropriate capital letters will be marked as part of the criterion for grammar.
Okay thank you so much
Thank you so much Liz for sharing all this for free. What are the differences, if any, between the writing of general and academic tests?
Thank you.
Please go to the RED MENU BAR and open the drop down options for Test Info. You will find a page for GT and Academic differences.
Thank you Liz.
Thank you Liz
Thanks liz mam you are ossomm. Your ideas are extremely helpful for ielts students..
Can i use moreover ,however,buy ,yet ,in addition to .in tast 1
Yes, you can. You can see some of them used in my model answers on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/
Hi Liz, first of all I wanted to thank you for your amazing help!
I also wanted to ask if it is okay not to write a conclusion, which I’m used to doing both in English and in my mother tongue, if I write the overview first. Do you think I’d lose points if I write both an overview and at the end a conclusion? (not with the same words/ exact content)
Thank you in advance😙
See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/ There’s a video about an overview/conclusion.
Hi Liz,
Is it okay if I put some details in bullet points under one of the paragraph in writing task 1?
For example…
I request he hotel manager to provide the below mentioned details.
1. what kind of services your company offer?
2 . what kind of rooms available your hotel?
3….
4….
5….
Is it okay to use such structure?
You are being marked on grammar. Sentence structures are 25% of your marks – no notes, no bullet points. Just paragraphs and full sentences exactly the same as I have in my model answers.
Hi Liz,
Thanks again for your amazing website. My question is that is it okay to have an overview without any data given? For example here, it just shows the key features and the data are only included in the next body paragraphs.
Most overviews present key features rather than data. The only time I might include data in an overview is if the total is given with a table – but that isn’t a rule, it’s just my way of tackling things.
/* Please let me know my weakness so i can upgrade myself*/
The bar diagram manifests the information regarding spending of two countries (France and UK ) on top five accessories(cars, computers, books, perfumes and cameras) in 2010. Units are measured in pound sterling.
Overall, the trend of spending money in UK was higher than that of France. Also, cars were most popular items in both of these countries as both of them spent lots of money on it. Incontrast, prefume was the less preferred product in UK where as it was camera in case of france.Furthermore, the significant differences on expenditure between these two countries was on camera.
It can be seen that spending on cars , books and cameras were much more higher in UK comparing to France as they spend around $450000, $400000 and $350000 respectivelly on it . However it was almost $400000, $ 300000 and $ 150000 accordingly in case of France.
In contrast, computers and perfumes were less preferred products in UK by contributing about $340000 and $150000 respectivelly while people from france spent about $ 370000 and $200000 accordingly on it.
Hi Liz,
I would like to know whether we can use merely instead of mere as shown in the above writing sample.
Is it correct to say
: The energy produced by coal comprised of 29.80 % in the year 1995 and it showed a slight increase i.e. merely 1 percent in the year 2005.
Thank you
Harpreet
“ie” is when you are giving examples. There are no examples in writing task 1. There is actual data – not examples of data. For this reason, your sentence is incorrect.
“ie” refers to ‘id est’ in Latin, meaning ‘this is’ or ‘in other words’.
“eg” refers to ‘exempli gratia’, meaning ‘for example’.
These are highly used in scientific writing, but I would avoid using them in IELTS as the examiner may get confused between the two.
The examiner would not get confused between the two at all. The reason you don’t use them is because you want to demonstrate your range of linking words – such as, for example, to illustrate, namely etc – this is about knowing the band scores, knowing marking criteria for IELTS and understanding how to maximise your score in the right way.
Honorable teacher,in paragraph 2 you used French and British,the name of the two nations instead of their country’s name.In the question we can see “the expenditure of two countries”.The assertion does not mean that all those expenditure were made by the citizen of those countries.For example,in France some expenditure can be made by Spanish people.So why will we say them French expenditure?
Because it is standard language accepted in report writing. When we see figures for British exports – it does not mean that all exports were by British citizens rather than the statistics come from the country.
Hii ma’am
Your way of teaching is quite fascinating, in other word so sweet.beside its seems that your all videos on youtube is so old so is there any mkst recent videos on writing or reading ??
The test has not changed. Those videos are 100% essential today.
Hello Liz. Can we use ” (450.000 and 300.000 respectively) ” to give details about money or numbers in real exam?
Any language used in my model answers is suitable for IELTS.
Hi Liz,
Your video are great and very useful. If possible can you give me an explanation on the usage of “as opposed” and any other similar words which can boost my writing.
I was fascinating, will it be good to add a conclusion part in the writing task?
I have 4 days for my exam. Can you please advise on how to plan my preparation?
Go to the writing task 1 section and writing task 2 section of this site for linking words and more. Use the RED MENU BAR.
Hi Liz
Thanks for your tips, practice questions and model answers. It is beneficial.
Also, while reading the model answer, I was confused about whether to use “was or were” in the last paragraph sentence ” spent by the French on computers was slightly more.” Does it hold the subject-verb agreement?
The word “computers” is not the subject to the verb in that clause.
Thanks Liz
hello ma’am, I would love to know if the charts are also for the general test or just academics.
See this page and read the information carefully: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/
Is it okay to say ” Overall , the UK” to ” Overall , UK has spent….”
“the UK” is grammatically correct. “UK” without “the” is not correct. You need to learn which country names use “the” and which do not.
Then “the France” will be corrected or only France will be true?
“France” does not have “the” in front of it. “England” does not have “the” in front of it. “The UK” does. Please google this or check a grammar books.
I want to know if it is ok to write everything in Capital Letters in Computerized version of IELTS in Writing, Reading and Listening exam ?
It’s fine for listening and reading, but not recommended for writing. You need to show correct use of capital letters for the marking criterion of grammar in IELTS writing.
You are so cute mam. I think I m falling love with your assent . Thanks you for giving us such a knowledge about IELTS … I love you mam
I’m glad you like my lessons 🙂
I got the Cambridge guide to Ielts for my self study. In the writing section they have strictly mentioned that task 1 should have a maximum of 150 words and task 2 of 250 words. But here in your model answer the words are more than 200. I guess they have updated it. Just wanted you to know that.
And I even have a question. You said they count the currency symbol as a word so what about ),( and % ?.
You need to check the instructions again. The instructions are “no less than 150 words”. 150 words for task 1 is a minimum – not the maximum.
Hello mam,
I think so word limit is exceeding
Thankyou
Good organization of work. Have learnt something.
But wanted to know the difference between pie and bar chart. Do the contents in the introduction and overview the same?
See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/
Hello Miss less hope you are good
I have a doubt
Can we use side topics or side headings such as introduction explanation for overview and finally for conclusion like this?
All task 1 reports and task 2 essays should be written exactly as shown in my model answers. If I don’t use headings, you don’t use headings.
Hi Liz,
i’m not sure, if we can use the British and the French, since there are also foreigners live or travel and buy something as souvenirs there, like book and perfume. The chart only ilustrates the amount of money spent on consumer goods in two countries, without dividing the consumer. What do you think?
It’s fine to do this in IELTS.
But UK and Britain are not the same, Britain along with Northern Ireland is a part of UK so you can not call the people of whole UK British.
Does that effect the score though?
You are confusing “English” and “British”. The nationality of all people in the UK is British. They are all British citizens. However, people from England call themselves English and people from Scotland call themselves Scottish – regardless – they are still legally British citizens – that is their formal nationality. If you are unsure of nationalities, please review them carefully for task 1.
i,m sorry maam but i think that money is countable while milk.water,oil,etc are uncountable. correct me if i,m wrong.thanks
That is not correct. We never have “a money”. The word “money” is uncountable.
Hi dear Lis
isnt it wrong using on the other hand without mentioning on one hand?
IT is completely fine to do that. It’s fine to use “on the other hand” without “on the one hand”. But you can’t use “on the one hand” without “on the other hand”.
Greeting, liz!
thank you for remarkable example for wrting task 1 but i have one question. If i followed this method exactly like what you did for the concept. Will i acquire a 9 score for sure?
Thanks.
Your score is based on Task Achievement (the key features you choose and how you group information), Coherence & Cohesion, Vocabulary and Grammar. So, just following a structure is only one part of one criterion. You must show skills in all four areas and have excellent language skills to get band 9.
Dear Liz, quick question. The last paragraph looks a bit long without any comma or full stop. It’s that OK?
I’m not sure which paragraph you are referring to. The last paragraph is:
On the other hand, the amount of money paid out on the remaining goods was higher in France. Above £350,000 was spent by the French on computers which was slightly more than the British who spent exactly £350,000. Neither of the countries spent much on perfume which accounted for £200,000 of expenditure in France but under £150,000 in the UK.
It has three sentences in it. Is this the paragraph you mean?
Greetings, Liz!
Is it necessary to begin the overview with the word ‘overall’? Is there no other alternative?
regards
Joy
IT is the best word to use that indicates an overview. Remember this is a factual report, not creative writing. You don’t get a higher score because you used a different word. You get a higher score because you avoid errors and use language appropriately.
hi liz, is it allowed to leave one empty line to start a new paragraph in writing tasks? thanks
IT is recommended to do that.
Hello Liza , I have a doubt that the prepositions will be count as a word or not . Please reply me struggling with this doubt!
All words are counted – it doesn’t matter how big or how small or if they are in brackets – all words. (20 words).
So we should leave one empty line between paragraphs?
It is the best way to make the paragraphs easy for the examiner to read.
Thank you Mam. ,,,,,You are really a very good teacher. ,,,,,,, God bless you more and more,,,,,
Hello Liz
I’m Hamid and I’m an English teacher.
I really find your tips and videos very useful and perfect.
love,
Hamid
Hi Liz, I just wanted to thank you for your effort.
I used your website for a week to study and I must say the content is very useful. I did the test today and I feel really good about it. I will get the results in 2 weeks.
Do share your result here when you got it. Thanks!