Scorify.uzThe question
The pie charts show how an average household spent its income in 2000 and in 2020.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
What to notice before you write
The biggest change is food, which falls by ten points. Housing, transport and leisure all increase, with leisure showing the largest relative growth. 'Other' shrinks. Start with the overview, then describe increases and decreases separately.
Band 7 sample report
The pie charts compare the way a typical household divided its income among five categories in 2000 and 2020.
Overall, housing was the largest item of expenditure in both years, while spending on food fell considerably. Leisure and transport became more significant parts of the household budget.
In 2000, housing accounted for 30% of spending and food for 25%. By 2020, the proportion spent on housing had risen to 35%, whereas food had dropped to just 15%, the biggest decrease of any category.
Transport rose slightly from 15% to 18%, and leisure increased from 10% to 17%, showing the largest relative growth. Spending in the “other” category declined from 20% to 15%.
Taken together, housing, food and transport accounted for 70% of the household budget in 2000 and 68% in 2020, so the main structure of spending remained similar even though the balance among the categories changed. In other words, a typical household in 2020 had less money left over for the remaining items grouped under “other”.
167 words.
Useful language for this chart type
- account for — make up a share
- expenditure — money spent
- fall considerably — decrease by a lot
- the biggest decrease — the largest fall
- relative growth — growth compared with the starting size
- a typical household — an average household
- divide … among — share between categories
Common mistakes
- Confusing percentage points and percent: a rise from 10% to 17% is seven points.
- Not stating that housing is the largest in both years.
- Explaining why spending changed.
Study guides
Computer-Delivered IELTS: What Changes and What Stays the Same
Thinking about taking IELTS on a computer? Here is what stays the same, what feels different in Writing, Reading and Listening, and how to prepare for the screen.
IELTS Writing Task 1 Vocabulary for Graphs, Charts and Processes
Useful verbs, nouns, adverbs and sentence patterns for describing line graphs, bar charts, tables and processes in IELTS Task 1, with more than twelve example sentences.
Linking Words for IELTS and How to Use Them Correctly
A practical list of IELTS linking words grouped by function, with correct and incorrect examples, punctuation rules and a warning about overusing connectors.
Frequently asked questions
How many words should an IELTS Task 1 report be?
Write at least 150 words. Strong reports are usually 160–190 words and take about 20 minutes, leaving a minute or two to check.
What is an overview in Task 1?
The overview is a short paragraph, written without detailed numbers, that states the main trends or the most important features of the data. Reports without a clear overview are limited to a lower band.
Should I give my opinion in Task 1?
No. Describe and compare only what the data shows. Do not explain reasons or add information that is not in the chart.