Step-by-step guide to answering this type of IELTS Writing Task 1 question. Covers structure, key language, and band-scoring criteria.
Originally published May 2018. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
In this post, we will look at a Writing Task 1 Academic bar chart essay example from the IELTS writing task 1 Academic Test. Students often ask if the questions are repeated year after year and the answer is no, but the type of chart or graph can be.
There are so many questions written each year, you may find you practice answering various questions on different topics. It is best practice to learn how to answer each one of the various types of writing task 1 questions, from bar charts, line graphs, maps, process etc.
If you would like to learn how to structure a charts and graphs essay please click the button below >
Take a look at the IELTS Writing Task 1 Academic essay example below >>
*This chart question and answer were provided by a student. IELTS Achieve did not design this bar chart question*
The bar chart illustrates comparative statistics on the number of males and females who underwent further education, studying in full time and in part-time education in Britain in the years; 1970-1971, 1980-1981 and 1990-1991. The number of students was measured in thousands.
Overall, part-time education had the highest number of enrollees in all three periods from both men and women while in full-time education, the highest number of students can be seen in the time period of 1990-1991 where both sexes had an equal amount of enrollees.
On the one hand, the graph shows that part-time education was consistently high, never below the 800 thousand mark in males and 600 thousand marks in females, even though the trend differs from both genders. According to the data, males had the highest part-time enrollees in 1970-1971 (1000 thousand) then the trend fluctuated and rose again over the next three year period 1980-81 (900 thousand) and 1990-91 (950 thousand), while in the female part-time enrollees they had an upward trend as the years went by with 750 thousand in 1970-71, 800 thousand students in 1980-81 and the highest peak of almost 1150 thousand students by the period of 1990-91.
On the other hand, the bar chart reveals that both genders in full-time education experienced an increasing number of students within the three time periods. Male students started at below 200 thousand in 1970-71 and rose steadily until they reached 200 thousand in 1990-91, the same can be said in the number of females enrolled, they started from 50 thousand in 1970-1971 and gradually rose as the years passed by until reaching 200 thousand female students in 1990-1991.
Word count – 274 / Band score – 8
Task Achievement – The answer provides a paraphrased question, to begin with, followed by an overview that gives the reader key information.
Coherence and Cohesion – The answer has been divided into clear logical paragraphs.
Lexical Resource – There is evidence of paraphrasing, synonyms and some less common words.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy – The answer has no grammatical errors. The sentences are mainly made up of multiple clauses and have a variety of structures.
We hope you found this post helpful in helping you to study for the IELTS Test. Let us know in the comments or on the Facebook page if you have any questions. The best way to keep up to date with posts like this is to like us on Facebook, and then follow us onInstagramand Pinterest. We offer essay correction services, mock exams, and online courses. If you need help preparing for the IELTS Test, join the IELTS Achieve Academy and see how we can help you achieve your desired band score faster.
Step-by-step guide to answering this type of IELTS Writing Task 1 question. Covers structure, key language, and band-scoring criteria.
Originally published May 2018. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
In this post, we will look at a Writing Task 1 Academic bar chart essay example from the IELTS writing task 1 Academic Test. Students often ask if the questions are repeated year after year and the answer is no, but the type of chart or graph can be.
There are so many questions written each year, you may find you practice answering various questions on different topics. It is best practice to learn how to answer each one of the various types of writing task 1 questions, from bar charts, line graphs, maps, process etc.
If you would like to learn how to structure a charts and graphs essay please click the button below >
Take a look at the IELTS Writing Task 1 Academic essay example below >>
*This chart question and answer were provided by a student. IELTS Achieve did not design this bar chart question*
The bar chart describes comparative statistics on the number of products exported by Someland in 2005 and 2015 and its projected exports for 2025. The units were measured in USD billion.
Overall, the most profitable export Someland had from 2005 and 2015 was from international tourism, while the lowest can be seen in meat produce. It can also be seen in the data that by 2025 they are still expecting that international travels will dominate the Someland export industry whereas meat produce will still bring in the least amount of revenue.
On the one hand, the graph shows that International tourism was consistently high, with nearly 6.5 billion USD earned in 2005 and almost 7 billion USD in 2015. Similarly, this can be said in dairy products where roughly 5 million USD and approximately 8 million USD was grossed in 2005 and 2015 respectively. Meat products started at 4 million USD dollars in 2005 but decreased after 10 years (3.5 million USD, 2015).
On the other hand, a projected study was also included in the data, where they are expecting an increase by 2025 in International tourism which could receive 8 million USD, while decreases in both dairy products (7.5 billion USD) and meat products (3 billion USD) are also expected.
Word count – 211 / Band Score 8
Task Achievement – The answer provides a paraphrased question, to begin with, followed by an overview that gives the reader key information.
Coherence and Cohesion – The answer has been divided into clear logical paragraphs.
Lexical Resource – There is evidence of paraphrasing, synonyms and some less common words.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy – The answer has no grammatical errors. The sentences are mainly made up of multiple clauses and have a variety of structures.
We hope you found this post helpful in helping you to study for the IELTS Test. Let us know in the comments or on the Facebook page if you have any questions. The best way to keep up to date with posts like this is to like us on Facebook, and then follow us onInstagramand Pinterest. We offer essay correction services, mock exams, and online courses. If you need help preparing for the IELTS Test, join the IELTS Achieve Academy and see how we can help you achieve your desired band score faster.
Step-by-step guide to answering this type of IELTS Writing Task 1 question. Covers structure, key language, and band-scoring criteria.
Originally published February 2018. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
In this post, we will look at a formal letter example Credit card.
A formal letter is written when you need to write to a company or organisation where you do not know the person to whom you are addressing. Sometimes these letters are addressed to a person of importance, who you do not know, in which case the person’s name and the title are used – ‘Dear Prime Minister May….’
A formal greeting: Dear Sir or Madam, Dear Sirs, Dear HR Manager. When signing off the letter, ‘Yours truly’, ‘Sincerely yours’ and ‘Yours faithfully’ would be used for semi-formal or formal letters.
If you would like more information on how to write a formal letter please click this button below:
You ordered a new credit card from the bank about 14 days ago and still have not received it. You are not happy about this. Write a letter to the bank. In your letter say:
Why you are writing to them.
Ask why you have waited so long for the new card
Ask the bank manager what he will do about this matter.
Take a look at the model answer: Formal Letter- Credit Card
Dear Sir,
I am writing to complain about the service that I have received from your bank. About 14 days ago I ordered a new credit card online and it has still not arrived. I have called the helpline and have not received any answer to where the credit card is at present. Please email or phone to inform me of when I can be expecting this new card and to explain why I have waited so long. The card would have been sent via recorded mail, therefore as a priority, it should have arrived within 2 days of your bank sending it. I would also like to know what actions you will be taking to ensure that this situation is rectified, counting on the fact that my new credit card may have been stolen for fraudulent purposes or lost in the mail system. I also want to know that you intend to have this card cancelled and a new one sent out to me as soon as possible. I have been a user of this bank since 1995 and this is the first time I have complained about any services. I await your response.
Yours sincerely, Ben Jones
This letter covers the three main points in the task. It has been clearly organised with each key point being written about in a separate paragraph.
Paragraph 1 – Explains why he is writing to the bank
Paragraph 2 – Details of why he has waited so long for the credit card
Paragraph 3 – States what he wants them to do
The tone of the letter is formal and therefore appropriate as it is being sent to a person you do not know from a business. The language used makes sure the letter is polite (Dear Sir or Madam……I am aware that……I await your response……Yours faithfully).
There is also evidence of a range of sentence structures, no grammatical or spelling errors.
Step-by-step guide to answering this type of IELTS Writing Task 1 question. Covers structure, key language, and band-scoring criteria.
Originally published February 2018. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
In this post, we will look at a Semi-formal letter example: You want to drop a course at University
A semi-formal letter is written to someone that you know by name and with whom you have a professional or business relationship with, for instance; your teacher, accountant, landlord, etc. The surname should be used when addressing them – Dear Mrs.Thomas, Dear Mr Jones.
A semi-formal greeting: Dear Mr Hopkins, Dear Mrs Thomas
When signing off the letter, ‘Yours truly’, ‘Sincerely yours’ and ‘Yours faithfully’ would be used for semi-formal or formal letters. In semi-formal letters, you can also use – ‘With best wishes’ and ‘With regards’.
If you want to see more information about how to write a semi-formal letter please view this post >>
Semi-Formal Letter: You want to drop a course at University
You are finding your course load very heavy at University. Write a letter to your faculty manager. In your letter:
Explain why you are struggling with the course load
Ask to drop a module
Ask for extra help with time management.
Take a look at the model answer: Semi-Formal Letter
Dear Professor Morris,
I am writing to inform you that I am finding the course load difficult this year and therefore my grades have been suffering. I find that I do not have enough time to work on all of the required modules and have become very stressed as a result. I formally request to withdraw from one module: Literary works from 1910-1930 (LIT 220). The main reason I would like to leave that module is that there is so much to cover and with the other courses I am unable to commit fully to this. I feel as though I am too stretched over many subjects to be able to do well in everything. I study for at least 40 hours per week and this is not enough to boost my grades in all areas. I would also like to request help from you in organising my time, as I find that I have a study schedule but my grades have slipped recently. Any advice that you could give me would be really appreciated, in order for me to get back up to 90% or over for each assignment. I apologise for wanting to leave the course halfway into the term, but for my grades and health, I feel strongly that this is the right choice. Thank you for your time and consideration, if you need to have a meeting with me you can email me – Jenny12@gmail.com or call me – 298-4567. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely yours, Jenny Smith
Instructor Feedback on Semi-Formal Letter: You want to drop a course at University
This letter covers the three main points in the task. It has been clearly organised with each key point being written about in a separate paragraph.
Paragraph 1 – Explains why she is struggling with the course load
Paragraph 2 – Details of the module she wants to drop
Paragraph 3 – Asks for help with time management
The tone of the letter is polite and therefore appropriate as it is being sent to a teacher (I am writing to you to request…..I can assure you….please contact me at the earliest opportunity). There is also evidence of a range of sentence structures, no grammatical or spelling errors.
Step-by-step guide to answering this type of IELTS Writing Task 1 question. Covers structure, key language, and band-scoring criteria.
Originally published December 2017. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
In this post, we will look at the word count needed in the writing tasks. You should know that 250 words are the minimum for a writing task 2 essay and 150 words are minimal for writing task 1. If you write less than the word counts specified in the question, you will lose marks in task achievement, because you will not have completed one of the requirements for the task.
The examiner will count your words to check that you have the minimum word count. If you have not reached 250 and have, for example, 240 words they will mark your essay lower because of this. It is possible to write more than 250 words during the time allocated for the task 2 essay, however, you should be careful you do not run out of time and find that you cannot write a conclusion, or check over your work.
Test Instructions
On the writing test paper, the instructions will look something like this below (Taken from the British Council IELTS) >
The highlighted sections show you that the instructions state clearly that at least 150 words are required for Task 1 and at least 250 words are required for Task 2.
The question examples below are taken from a free resource available on The British Council’s IELTS page. Take a look and download the free practice papers.
As you can see below, the highlighted section shows you that you have to write at least 150 words in Task 1.
TIP: Plan your work before you start to write, to make sure that all of the information you write in your essay is relevant. Do not write and write about anything and everything and go off-topic. It is more than possible to write a 250-word essay that is concise and to the point.
TIP: Check your word count during your IELTS essay preparation. Count the words (or if you are typing using the word count option) and see how many you are producing in 40 minutes for task 2 and 20 minutes for task 1.
TIP: Words that are hyphenated like in-depth or part-time will be counted as one word. prepositions like in, of, on and articles like the, a, at will all be counted. Punctuation, like commas, semi-colons and full stops (periods) will not be counted.
TIP: Practice writing your essay answers on the official writing answer sheet. This will allow you to practice counting your words to see how many you get in the time period allowed. You should aim to exceed the word count slightly so that you are sure you have met the minimum requirements.
Comprehensive guide covering essential IELTS preparation strategies and techniques to help you achieve your target band score.
Originally published December 2017. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
In this post, we will look at how to write a great IELTS writing task 2 introduction. Being able to write a good introduction to your task 2 essay is important because it shows the examiner that you can paraphrase, use synonyms and logically start to organise your writing.
In the introduction to your essay, you want to show the examiner that you can write specifically about the topic, give your opinion or views and outline clearly for them what you are going to discuss in the rest of the essay. You should also make sure your writing is following a formal style as this is an academic essay.
If you would like to purchase a 14 page PDF download that is easy to read and print out please take a look at the bookshop >
Introduction Paragraph Structure
By learning a structure for your introduction and practising it over and over with many questions, you will be able to write one quickly about any topic.
Your introduction should have 3 main sentences >
Paraphrased question
Opinion/view (if asked for)
Introduce the specific topics that will be discussed in the main body paragraphs.
Paraphrasing the question
To paraphrase text is to read the question then rewrite it in your own words. You should not copy words straight from the question, instead change the order of the words and choose words with a similar meaning (a synonym). This means you are using different words to write about the same idea.
Opinion/view
In some questions, like agree/disagree or discussion questions you may be asked to give your opinion. You should give your opinion in the introduction or state your position clearly, as this is the main idea for the whole essay. This tells the examiner that you have read and understood the question. You may say… ‘In my opinion, I believe that…’ or ‘In my view…’ or if you strongly agree with the topic, ‘I strongly agree that…’ This clearly tells the examiner your position on the topic and/or your opinion.
Introduce the specific topics that will be discussed in the main body paragraphs.
The third part of your introduction should be a sentence or two telling the examiner clearly what you are going to discuss in the main body paragraphs in the essay. Each main body paragraph should only have one main idea. This keeps the writing in the main body paragraphs clear for the examiner to read and doesn’t become confusing, you should ideally stick to a structure that you have practised and revised, in order to gain a high band score.
Examples
Here are some example introductions written for common question types. Please take note of how they have been written and structured.
Cause/Effect Essay Introduction
Question
In current society, many people are struggling with obesity. What is the main cause of this? What are the effects?
Introduction
In many countries all over the world today, there are many people who are extremely overweight. This essay will firstly discuss the main reasons that this is happening and secondly look at the effects this is having on individuals and society.
Feedback
The introduction paraphrases the question and clearly tells the examiner what the essay will discuss in the main body paragraphs.
Many people in society believe that having fixed punishments for all crimes is a more efficient way of dealing with criminals in the justice system.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a fixed punishment?
Introduction
There is an ongoing debate on the merits of having a rigid discipline system in place for all crimes committed. This essay will firstly discuss, how having fixed punishments could lead to a more competent judiciary system as the biggest advantage. Secondly, this essay will discuss how this may lead to people being punished in the same way for both minor and major crimes as the primary disadvantage.
Feedback
The introduction paraphrases the question and clearly tells the examiner what the essay will discuss in the main body paragraphs. You can see a specific advantage and disadvantage that are both relevant.
Due to poorer countries experiencing a ‘brain drain’ they are seeing many professionals, such as doctors and teachers, leaving to work in more developed countries.
What problems does this cause? What solutions can be suggested to deal with this problem?
Introduction
In many developing countries, there are a number of skilled academics leaving in search of better pay, increased socioeconomic benefits, and the chance to earn citizenship in a developed country. In this essay, I will examine the impact this has had on the more poverty-stricken countries and suggest how this situation could be improved.
Feedback
The introduction paraphrases the question and clearly tells the examiner what the essay will discuss in the main body paragraphs.
Some people think that developments involving the internet have brought people closer together while others think that people and communities have become more isolated.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Introduction
It is undeniable that modern technology has a huge influence on people’s lives. The use of the internet, for example, has become more common and some claim that it has been able to connect people who are far apart, while others argue that its use can lead to social isolation or confinement. This essay will discuss both views and state my own position.
Feedback
The introduction paraphrases the question, states both views and states that an opinion will be given in the essay. It also clearly tells the examiner what the essay will discuss in the main body paragraphs.
Due to the growing number of overweight people in today’s society putting a strain on the healthcare system, some people think that the best way to deal with the problem is to offer more physical education lessons in the school curriculum.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Introduction
Obesity has become a huge concern as an increasing percentage of the population have become overweight and this has put a tremendous strain on the healthcare authorities, leading to increased costs. One solution that is being implemented is the introduction of physical education lessons in the school curriculum. In my opinion, I strongly agree that the integration of physical education lessons will greatly assist in kerbing obesity. Firstly, this essay will discuss how physical education lessons will increase awareness of the benefits of having a healthy lifestyle. Secondly, this essay will discuss, the importance of combining exercise with a healthy diet.
Feedback
The introduction paraphrases the question, states a position (strongly agree) and gives an opinion. It also clearly tells the examiner what the essay will discuss in the main body paragraphs.
Many employers are now offering their employees the option to work from home.As a result, employees will have much more flexible working hours in the future.
Is this a positive or negative development?
Introduction
In the modern workplace, many workers are being given the option to undertake their job from home, thus leading to the managing of one’s own time. Firstly this essay will discuss, how being able to work away from the confinement of an office can bring positive elements into a worker’s life. Secondly, it will discuss the negative impact this may have on a person when no longer involved in the day to day activities happening in the office environment.
Feedback
The introduction paraphrases the question and clearly tells the examiner what the essay will discuss in the main body paragraphs.
The arts, including art, music and theatre are considered to be important in society.
Do you think the arts still have a place amongst our modern lifestyles?
Should the arts be included in school programs?
Introduction
Creative pleasures such as viewing fine arts, listening to music and watching a play are treated by many as enjoyable and essential as part of their everyday living. Firstly this essay will discuss how the arts are a crucial element in most people’s lives and secondly will discuss how it is vital that creative subjects are included in the school’s curriculum.
Feedback
The introduction paraphrases the question and clearly tells the examiner what the essay will discuss in the main body paragraphs. It shows the student has read the question and understood the topic.
If you would like to purchase a 14 page PDF download that is easy to read and print out please take a look at the bookshop >
We hope you found this post helpful in helping you to study for the IELTS Test. Let us know in the comments or on the Facebook page if you have any questions. The best way to keep up to date with posts like this is to like us on Facebook, and then follow us onInstagramand Pinterest. We offer essay correction services, mock exams, and online courses. If you need help preparing for the IELTS Test, join the IELTS Achieve Academy and see how we can help you achieve your desired band score faster.
