The table and pie chart illustrate populations in Australia according to different nationalities and areas.
Sample Response
The pie chart and table detail population figures in Australia and if residents tended to live in rural or urban areas. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the vast majority of the population is Australian, followed by sizeable numbers for other and British nationals, and more marginal figures for New Zealanders, Chinese, and the Dutch. All demographics live overwhelmingly in cities, especially individuals from China.
The pie chart indicates that 73% of the Australian population is made up of Australians themselves. This figure is followed distantly by other at 14%, residents from Great Britain at 7%, New Zealanders at 3%, Chinese at 2%, and people from the Netherlands at just 1%.
In terms of livings areas, Australians are most likely to live outside cities, though 80% still live in urban environments. Similarly, 83% of the Dutch live in cities and 17% in the countryside. British and New Zealand residents display nearly identical proportions with around 90% in cities. Finally, the Chinese live predominately in the cities (99%).
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use whether clause Original: and if residents tended Suggested revision: and whether residents tend Why it matters: 'Whether' introduces the two alternatives correctly, and present tense suits the static data.
- 2. Remove redundancy Original: Looking from an overall perspective Suggested revision: Overall Why it matters: The shorter discourse marker introduces the summary more directly.
- 3. Use proportion term Original: numbers Suggested revision: proportions Why it matters: The pie chart reports percentages rather than absolute population numbers.
- 4. Clarify category label Original: other and British nationals Suggested revision: people of other nationalities and British nationals Why it matters: 'Other' labels a combined category and cannot directly modify 'nationals' here.
- 5. Name the groups Original: All demographics Suggested revision: All nationality groups Why it matters: This phrase identifies the table's classification more precisely.
- 6. Use neutral label Original: Australians themselves Suggested revision: Australian nationals Why it matters: The revised label is more formal and precise for a nationality category.
- 7. Clarify other category Original: other at 14% Suggested revision: people of other nationalities at 14% Why it matters: The category label needs a noun phrase to fit grammatically in the list.
- 8. Correct word form Original: livings Suggested revision: living Why it matters: 'Living' functions as the modifier here; 'livings' is not the correct form.
- 9. Correct spelling Original: predominately Suggested revision: predominantly Why it matters: The adverb is misspelled.
- 10. Sentence rewrite Original: Australians are most likely to live outside cities, though 80% still live in urban environments. Suggested revision: Australians have the largest rural share, at 20%, although 80% still live in cities. Why it matters: The original incorrectly implies that Australians generally prefer rural areas, whereas four fifths live in cities.
Suggested Rewrites
- and if residents tended and whether residents tend
- Looking from an overall perspective Overall
- numbers proportions
- other and British nationals people of other nationalities and British nationals
- All demographics All nationality groups
- Australians themselves Australian nationals
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response presents a strong overview and accurately integrates the nationality shares with the urban-rural distribution, using well-selected figures and comparisons. Its main limitation is minor imprecision in wording, especially the claim that Australians are most likely to live outside cities despite 80% being urban, alongside a few lexical slips. Refine comparative phrasing and proofread word forms to make an otherwise accomplished report fully precise.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The response clearly identifies the main patterns and accurately covers nearly all figures across both visuals, with only one potentially misleading comparison.
Clarify that Australians have the highest relative countryside share among the listed nationalities while still living predominantly in cities.
Coherence and Cohesion
Information is logically sequenced through a clear overview and two well-focused detail paragraphs, with smooth comparative progression.
Maintain this structure while making the transition into the urban-rural comparison slightly more direct.
Lexical Resource
The report uses flexible and precise data-description vocabulary, although “livings areas” and “predominately” are noticeable lexical slips.
Proofread word forms and spelling, using “living areas” and “predominantly” for full precision.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of complex structures is handled accurately, and the few awkward formulations do not impede communication.
Refine the opening clause by using “whether residents tended to live” instead of “if residents tended to live.”
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The table and pie chart illustrate populations in Australia according to different nationalities and areas.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.