The charts below show the percentage of food budget the average family spent on restaurant meals in different years. The graph shows the number of meals eaten in fast food restaurants and sit-down restaurants.
Sample Response
The pie chart illustrates the percentage of food budget spent by an average family on restaurants meals and at home in 1970, 1980, 1990, and 2000, while the graph compares the meals eaten in fast food shops and sit-down restaurants in those years.
It can be clearly seen that the proportion of food budget spent on restaurant meals had increased over the period. In 1970, just 10% of total food budget was spent on restaurant meals. This amount had risen by 5% in 1980. The percentage continued to increase to 35% in 1990 and in the year 2000, the proportion of food budget spent on restaurants and home cooking had been equal (50:50).
From the graph, it is evident that the number of meals eaten both in fast food and sit-down restaurants had increased during the period. In 1970, the number of eaten meals in those two kinds of restaurants were the same (20 meals/year). In 1980, the number of meals eaten in sit-down restaurants was higher than the meal eaten in fast food restaurants. However, in the following period, the number of fast food meals boomed to approximately 55 meals/year and 90 meals/year in 1990 and 2000 respectively while the number of food eaten in sit-down restaurants just increased moderately, from 35 meals/year in 1980 to 45 meals/year in 1990 and 50 meals/year in 2000. It is evident from the graph that fast food gained more popularity over the period and the number of meals eaten outside increased significantly.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use singular modifier Original: restaurants Suggested revision: restaurant Why it matters: A noun used attributively before another noun is normally singular here.
- 2. Use precise measure Original: the meals eaten in fast food shops Suggested revision: the number of meals eaten at fast-food restaurants Why it matters: The graph measures a number of meals, so naming the measure makes the description more precise.
- 3. Use past simple Original: had increased over the period Suggested revision: increased over the period Why it matters: The completed change across the stated years requires the past simple rather than the past perfect.
- 4. Refer to proportion Original: amount Suggested revision: proportion Why it matters: The preceding value is a percentage, so proportion is the accurate reference word.
- 5. Use percentage points Original: had risen by 5% Suggested revision: rose by 5 percentage points Why it matters: The change from 10% to 15% is five percentage points, not a five-percent increase.
- 6. Use past simple Original: had been equal Suggested revision: was equal Why it matters: A state at the specified time in 2000 takes the past simple here.
- 7. Fix word order Original: the number of eaten meals Suggested revision: the number of meals eaten Why it matters: The reduced relative clause should follow the noun it modifies.
- 8. Match singular subject Original: were Suggested revision: was Why it matters: The head of the subject phrase is the singular noun number.
- 9. Use measured noun Original: food Suggested revision: meals Why it matters: The chart counts meals rather than an amount of food.
- 10. Keep structure parallel Original: at home Suggested revision: on home cooking Why it matters: The replacement makes the two objects of spent grammatically parallel.
- 11. Signal overview directly Original: It can be clearly seen that Suggested revision: Overall, Why it matters: A direct overview marker is more concise and makes the paragraph's function clear.
- 12. Use concise date Original: in the year 2000 Suggested revision: in 2000 Why it matters: The shorter time expression conveys the same information more naturally.
Suggested Rewrites
- restaurants restaurant
- the meals eaten in fast food shops the number of meals eaten at fast-food restaurants
- had increased over the period increased over the period
- amount proportion
- had risen by 5% rose by 5 percentage points
- had been equal was equal
Why this response received Band 7.5
The response gives a clear, well-selected account of both visuals, with an effective overview and almost all figures and comparisons accurately reported. Its main limitation is language control: awkward collocations and repeated tense, agreement, and noun-form errors reduce precision even though meaning remains clear. The highest priority is to use simple past consistently for completed historical data and describe meal numbers with natural phrases such as ‘the number of meals eaten.’
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
A clear overview and accurate coverage of both charts capture the main increases, crossover, and nearly all key figures.
Report the 2000 fast-food figure more precisely as about 85 meals and sharpen the direct comparisons between restaurant types.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response progresses logically from the budget charts to the meal-frequency graph, with clear paragraphing and well-managed linking.
Reduce repetitive framing such as ‘it is evident’ and integrate the final trend statement more economically.
Lexical Resource
The vocabulary is varied enough to describe trends and comparisons, but several collocations are awkward or imprecise.
Use natural combinations such as ‘restaurant meals,’ ‘the number of meals eaten,’ and ‘rose sharply’ instead of ‘boomed.’
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A useful range of complex structures is evident, although recurring tense, agreement, and noun-phrase errors weaken control.
Use the simple past consistently for the historical data and check subject–verb agreement in phrases headed by ‘the number.’
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The charts below show the percentage of food budget the average family spent on restaurant meals in different years. The graph shows the number of meals eaten in fast food restaurants and sit-down restaurants.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.