The graph below shows the consumption of fish and some different kinds of meat in a European country between 1979 and 2004. Fish and Meat consumption
Sample Response
The line graph illustrates the weekly intake of four different types of meat in Europe for a period of 25 years starting from the year 1979. Overall, it can be seen that although there was an increasing trend for the consumption of chicken throughout the period given, the reverse was true for that of beef, lamb and fish.
Initially, in the year1979, the Europeans were keener on eating beef than any other types of meat. It was about 220 grammes of beef being consumed every week. The consumption of lamb, chicken and fish were much lower than beef that is approximately 150 grammes for lamb and chicken and only just above 50 grammes of fish in 1979. A similar pattern can be seen from the graph for the intakes of beef, lamb and fish which showed an overall decreasing trend with some fluctuations in between the years. However, the consumption of beef showed a bigger fluctuation from 1979 to 1994 before starting to decline steadily. On the other hand, the consumption of fish had the smallest fluctuations throughout the period.
Turning to the consumption of chicken, it had an overall increasing trend which contrasts with others. Even though it was consumed only 150 grammes per week by Europeans in 1979, it reached to just below 250 grammes by 2004 which became the most favourable meat in Europe in 2004. Interestingly, fish remained the least favourite meat throughout the time frame, only about 50 grammes of fish consumed per week.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Describe categories and location Original: four different types of meat in Europe Suggested revision: four food categories in a European country Why it matters: Fish is not a type of meat, and the graph concerns one European country rather than Europe as a whole.
- 2. State the period concisely Original: for a period of 25 years starting from the year 1979 Suggested revision: over the 25 years from 1979 to 2004 Why it matters: The revision gives both endpoints and removes unnecessary wording.
- 3. State the downward trends Original: the reverse was true for that of beef, lamb and fish Suggested revision: beef, lamb and fish consumption declined overall Why it matters: The revision expresses the three contrasting trends directly and clearly.
- 4. Avoid unsupported preference Original: the Europeans were keener on eating beef Suggested revision: beef consumption was higher Why it matters: The graph shows quantities consumed but does not measure people's enthusiasm or preference.
- 5. Fix the comparison Original: any other types of meat Suggested revision: that of any other category Why it matters: Consumption must be compared with consumption, and any other takes a singular category here.
- 6. Fix subject-verb agreement Original: were Suggested revision: was Why it matters: The singular head noun consumption requires the singular verb was.
- 7. Complete the comparison Original: much lower than beef that is Suggested revision: much lower than that of beef, at Why it matters: That of correctly compares consumption figures and the comma introduces their values.
- 8. Distinguish the initial figures Original: approximately 150 grammes for lamb and chicken Suggested revision: approximately 150 grams for lamb and 140 grams for chicken Why it matters: In 1979 lamb is about 150 grams while chicken is closer to 140 grams.
- 9. Use the initial fish value Original: only just above 50 grammes of fish Suggested revision: just under 60 grams for fish Why it matters: The fish series begins at approximately 60 grams per person per week.
- 10. Use concise reporting Original: can be seen from the graph Suggested revision: is evident Why it matters: The shorter expression reports the visual pattern without redundant framing.
- 11. Use consistent measure Original: intakes Suggested revision: consumption Why it matters: Consumption is the consistent term for the quantities plotted in the graph.
- 12. Use the period expression Original: in between the years Suggested revision: over the period Why it matters: Over the period is the natural expression for fluctuations across the years shown.
Suggested Rewrites
- four different types of meat in Europe four food categories in a European country
- for a period of 25 years starting from the year 1979 over the 25 years from 1979 to 2004
- the reverse was true for that of beef, lamb and fish beef, lamb and fish consumption declined overall
- the Europeans were keener on eating beef beef consumption was higher
- any other types of meat that of any other category
- were was
Why this response received Band 7.0
The response provides a clear overview, selects accurate starting and ending figures, and effectively contrasts chicken's rise with the declines in beef, lamb, and fish. Its main limitation is language accuracy: awkward passive forms, agreement errors, and imprecise collocations recur even though meaning remains clear. Prioritise concise grammatical descriptions of quantities and changes, and distinguish fish from the three types of meat in the introduction.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The main trends, rankings, fluctuations, and approximate figures are accurately presented across the full period.
Refer to 'fish and three kinds of meat' and give the final fish figure more precisely at about 40 grams per person per week.
Coherence and Cohesion
A clear overview is followed by logically grouped details on declining categories and the contrasting rise in chicken.
Reduce repetition of the overview within the body and use the chicken-beef crossover as a focused comparison.
Lexical Resource
There is a reasonable range of trend vocabulary, but several choices such as 'keener', 'bigger fluctuation', and 'most favourable meat' are imprecise.
Prefer 'most widely consumed', 'larger fluctuations', 'weekly consumption', and 'fell steadily'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The response attempts varied sentence structures, but agreement, passive construction, articles, and relative clauses are frequently inaccurate.
Use direct forms such as 'Beef consumption was about 220 grams' and 'Chicken rose to just under 250 grams, making it the most consumed meat'.
Write this task while it is fresh
Try the same task now. It helps you remember the feedback and write better next time.
IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The graph below shows the consumption of fish and some different kinds of meat in a European country between 1979 and 2004. Fish and Meat consumption
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.