The graph below shows how the prices of apples and oranges changed between 2010 and 2014 in Australia. Prices of Apples and Oranges from 2010 to 2014
Sample Response
The bar graph compares price variations of apples and oranges in Australia over a 5-year period, commencing from 2010. Overall, the price of these two fruits went up every year and orange became more expensive than apples in later years despite a reverse price scenario in early years. According to the diagram, per pound apple cost approximately 4.5 dollars in 2010 in Australia. At that time, the price of per pound orange was 4 dollar. Next year, the price of both fruits increased and it took roughly 5 dollars to purchase one pound apple while per pound orange was sold at just over 4 dollars. Interestingly, the price of apple and orange in 2012 became almost identical – 5 dollar. After a year, orange was slightly expensive than apple as their prices were nearly 5 dollars 10 cents and 5 dollars 20 cents respectively. In the final year, 2014, the orange became even more expensive than apples. At that time, apple was sold for roughly 5 dollars 20 cents per pound while it was approximately 70 cents more for the same amount of orange.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use concise period phrase Original: over a 5-year period, commencing from 2010 Suggested revision: over the five-year period from 2010 Why it matters: This wording states the time span more naturally and concisely.
- 2. Use plural prices Original: the price of these two fruits Suggested revision: the prices of both fruits Why it matters: Two separate price series require the plural noun 'prices'.
- 3. Use plural fruit noun Original: orange became more expensive than apples in later years Suggested revision: oranges became more expensive than apples in the later years Why it matters: The report compares apples and oranges as product categories, so both nouns should be plural.
- 4. Clarify opposite pattern Original: a reverse price scenario in early years Suggested revision: the opposite pattern in the earlier years Why it matters: This phrase expresses the contrast more directly and naturally.
- 5. Use graph label Original: diagram Suggested revision: graph Why it matters: The visual is a bar graph rather than a diagram.
- 6. Fix quantity phrase Original: per pound apple cost Suggested revision: a pound of apples cost Why it matters: The standard quantity expression is 'a pound of apples'.
- 7. Correct 2010 value Original: 5 Suggested revision: 7 Why it matters: The 2010 apple bar is about $4.70 per pound.
- 8. Fix price phrase Original: price of per pound orange Suggested revision: price per pound of oranges Why it matters: This is the standard grammatical order for a unit price.
- 9. Pluralise dollars Original: dollar Suggested revision: dollars Why it matters: A value greater than one requires the plural unit 'dollars'.
- 10. Name the year Original: Next year Suggested revision: In 2011 Why it matters: Using the exact year makes the chronological sequence clearer.
- 11. Add quantity preposition Original: one pound apple Suggested revision: one pound of apples Why it matters: The quantity phrase requires 'of' and a plural product noun.
- 12. Fix sales phrase Original: per pound orange was sold at Suggested revision: oranges sold for Why it matters: This replacement creates a natural price expression without an unnecessary passive form.
Suggested Rewrites
- over a 5-year period, commencing from 2010 over the five-year period from 2010
- the price of these two fruits the prices of both fruits
- orange became more expensive than apples in later years oranges became more expensive than apples in the later years
- a reverse price scenario in early years the opposite pattern in the earlier years
- diagram graph
- per pound apple cost a pound of apples cost
Why this response received Band 6.5
The report gives a clear overview and tracks both fruit prices across every year, with most values and the change in relative price accurately described. Its main limitation is precision in 2013, where the order of the two figures conflicts with the stated comparison, alongside recurring awkward price expressions. Prioritise matching each value to the correct fruit and using consistent ‘dollars per pound’ phrasing.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
A clear overview and complete chronological coverage capture the main trends accurately, apart from a reversed value pairing for 2013.
Verify the order of figures in every comparison so ‘respectively’ assigns each price to the correct fruit.
Coherence and Cohesion
The information progresses clearly from 2010 to 2014 with effective sequencing, but presenting the entire report as one paragraph weakens structural clarity.
Separate the overview from the yearly details and divide the chronology into two focused detail paragraphs.
Lexical Resource
The response uses a useful range of trend and comparison vocabulary, though several price collocations and comparative forms are unnatural.
Use consistent expressions such as ‘cost $5 per pound’ and ‘was slightly more expensive than’.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Sentence structures show some variety and meaning remains clear, but errors with articles, plurals, noun phrases, and comparatives occur repeatedly.
Proofread countable nouns and comparative constructions, especially forms involving ‘apple’, ‘orange’, ‘dollar’, and ‘expensive’.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The graph below shows how the prices of apples and oranges changed between 2010 and 2014 in Australia. Prices of Apples and Oranges from 2010 to 2014
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.