The table below shows the monthly expenditure of an average Australian family in 1991 and 2001.
Sample Response
The table shows changes in the spending patterns of an average Australian household between 1991 and 2001. In general, Australian household spending was high in 2001 than in 1991 but the difference was not significant (AUD $715 per month and AUD $675 per month respectively).
The amount of monthly spending on electricity and water saw a dramatic increase over the 10-year period from $75 to $120. Yet in terms of the expenditure on non-essential goods and services, the rising trend was less obvious with a minor increase of $20. At the same time, the amount of money spent on food and housing rose only slightly from $155 to $160 and $95 to $100 respectively.
However, there was a decrease in expenditure on the other two items. Australians spent one third less on clothing, which fell from $30 to $20. Similarly, expenditure on transport dropped from $70 in 1991 to $45 in 2001.
It seems that food and “other goods and services” were the two biggest items of expenditure. Altogether, they accounted for more than half of the total household spending. By comparison, Australians spent little on dressing up.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use the comparative form Original: high Suggested revision: higher Why it matters: Higher is required when directly comparing spending in two years.
- 2. Report the exact change Original: but the difference was not significant Suggested revision: and the total rose by $40 per month Why it matters: The table supports the numerical increase but provides no basis for a significance judgement.
- 3. Use a direct verb Original: saw a dramatic increase Suggested revision: increased substantially Why it matters: A direct verb describes the change more concisely and naturally.
- 4. Use the table category Original: non-essential goods and services Suggested revision: other goods and services Why it matters: The table does not classify this category as non-essential.
- 5. Make the comparison precise Original: the rising trend was less obvious Suggested revision: the increase was smaller Why it matters: The replacement compares the size of the increase directly and clearly.
- 6. Remove unnecessary hedging Original: It seems that Suggested revision: Delete Why it matters: The figures directly establish which categories were largest, so hedging is unnecessary.
- 7. Use formal category language Original: two biggest items of expenditure Suggested revision: two largest expenditure categories Why it matters: Largest expenditure categories is more precise and formal for a table description.
- 8. Use the category name Original: dressing up Suggested revision: clothing Why it matters: Clothing is the exact category shown in the table and is more appropriate in an academic report.
- 9. Sentence rewrite Original: Australians spent one third less on clothing, which fell from $30 to $20. Suggested revision: Spending on clothing fell by one third, from $30 to $20 per month. Why it matters: The rewrite gives which a clear grammatical referent and states the proportional change accurately.
- 10. Strengthen the overview Suggested revision: Add the main category-level patterns: electricity and water recorded the largest rise, while clothing and transport were the only categories to fall. Why it matters: The current overview reports only the modest change in total spending and omits the most notable category movements.
Suggested Rewrites
- high higher
- but the difference was not significant and the total rose by $40 per month
- saw a dramatic increase increased substantially
- non-essential goods and services other goods and services
- the rising trend was less obvious the increase was smaller
- It seems that Delete
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response presents a clear overview, accurately covers every expenditure category, and makes effective comparisons between the two years. Its main limitations are a few awkward or informal word choices and one incorrect comparative form, while the organisation and data selection remain strong. The priority is to polish lexical precision and grammatical accuracy, especially higher than and the formal description of clothing expenditure.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The overview and supporting details accurately identify the total increase, category changes, largest items, and relevant comparisons across the table.
Strengthen the overview slightly by also noting that electricity and water recorded the largest rise while transport had the largest fall.
Coherence and Cohesion
Information is sequenced logically from the overall change to increases, decreases, and the largest categories, with clear paragraphing and referencing.
Keep the final comparison tightly integrated with the overview so the response ends without repeating already established information.
Lexical Resource
The response uses a wide range of appropriate expenditure vocabulary, though dramatic, dressing up, and less obvious are somewhat imprecise or informal here.
Prefer precise formal phrases such as the largest increase, clothing expenditure, and a smaller rise.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex sentence forms are varied and mostly well controlled, with only minor errors such as was high in 2001 than in 1991.
Use the correct comparative form was higher in 2001 than in 1991 and check article and preposition choices in complex sentences.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The table below shows the monthly expenditure of an average Australian family in 1991 and 2001.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.