The charts give information about two genres of TV programmes watched by men and women and four different age groups in Australia.
Sample Response
The charts give information about the genres of TV programmes that Australian men and women and different age groups watch. It is clear from the charts that women tend to watch more television than man overall, although they watch slightly fewer game shows. The people who watch the most television are in the 45+ age group. Nearly 70% of women watch reality shows, which is almost twice as many as the percentage of men who choose this genre of programme. Nevertheless, most age groups watch more reality shows than game shows revealing that game shows are generally less popular than reality shows. The percentage of people watching reality shows increases steadily from ages 16 to 45 with the lowest percentage of viewers, at just over 50% of the age group 16-24 and the highest percentage, at 68% of the over-45s. However, the pattern is different for game shows. The number of programmes watched by 25- to 44-year-olds is significantly lower than the number watched by 16- to 24-year-olds and those over 45. Just over 50% of 16- to 24-year-olds watch game shows, but this share is not as high as the share of people aged 45 and over watching game shows, at nearly 70%. Only 41% of 35- to 44-year-olds watch game shows, and the share of 24- to 34-year-olds is slightly lower at 38%.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Compare percentages correctly Original: twice as many as the percentage Suggested revision: twice the percentage Why it matters: A percentage should be compared directly with another percentage.
- 2. Report viewing rates Original: watch more reality shows than game shows Suggested revision: have higher reality-show viewing rates than game-show viewing rates Why it matters: The charts show percentages of viewers, not numbers of programmes watched.
- 3. Use chart age groups Original: from ages 16 to 45 Suggested revision: across the age groups from 16–24 to 45+ Why it matters: The final category covers everyone aged 45 and over rather than age 45 alone.
- 4. Order the age label Original: the age group 16-24 Suggested revision: the 16–24 age group Why it matters: The age range should modify “age group” directly.
- 5. Correct the age range Original: 24 Suggested revision: 25 Why it matters: The chart labels this group as 25–34, not 24–34.
- 6. Specify both genres Original: the genres of TV programmes Suggested revision: the two genres of TV programmes Why it matters: The task compares exactly two programme genres.
- 7. Use the chart verb Original: choose this genre of programme Suggested revision: watch this genre Why it matters: The charts report viewing rather than programme choice.
- 8. Signal the new grouping Original: Nevertheless Suggested revision: Across the age groups Why it matters: The sentence shifts from gender figures to age-group comparisons rather than presenting a contrast.
- 9. Match the age category Original: the over-45s Suggested revision: those aged 45 and over Why it matters: The chart's 45+ group includes people aged exactly 45.
- 10. Make the comparison direct Original: this share is not as high Suggested revision: this share is lower Why it matters: The shorter comparative form states the relationship directly.
- 11. Use a concise reference Original: the share of people aged 45 and over watching game shows Suggested revision: the figure for people aged 45 and over Why it matters: The shorter phrase preserves the age-group comparison without cumbersome wording.
- 12. Specify the group count Original: different Suggested revision: four Why it matters: The task identifies four age groups, so stating the number makes the introduction more precise.
Suggested Rewrites
- twice as many as the percentage twice the percentage
- watch more reality shows than game shows have higher reality-show viewing rates than game-show viewing rates
- from ages 16 to 45 across the age groups from 16–24 to 45+
- the age group 16-24 the 16–24 age group
- 24 25
- the genres of TV programmes the two genres of TV programmes
Why this response received Band 7.5
The response selects the dominant gender and age patterns well and supports them with accurate, relevant percentages. Its clearest weakness is presentation as one long paragraph, which obscures the separation between the overview and detailed comparisons; there are also a few imprecise references to people and programmes. Prioritise paragraphing the overview and the two comparison sets distinctly while preserving the strong data coverage.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The main gender and age-group patterns are clearly identified and supported by accurate figures, with only minor imprecision in describing what the percentages measure.
State consistently that the charts show percentages of viewers, and preserve the exact 25–34 age label throughout.
Coherence and Cohesion
The comparisons follow a sensible sequence and cohesive devices guide the reader, but the entire report is presented as one undivided paragraph.
Separate the overview from detailed gender and age comparisons so each stage of the report is immediately clear.
Lexical Resource
The response uses a flexible range of comparison and trend language, although a few choices confuse viewer percentages with numbers of programmes.
Use precise chart nouns such as proportion, percentage, and viewers instead of number of programmes when referring to the measured values.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex comparisons are generally controlled and meaning remains clear, despite a few agreement, punctuation, and comparative-structure slips.
Check plural agreement and punctuate added clauses carefully, especially around man, revealing, and twice-as-many comparisons.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The charts give information about two genres of TV programmes watched by men and women and four different age groups in Australia.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.