The chart below shows the GDP growth per year for three countries between 2007 and 2010.
Sample Response
The provided bar chart shows data on annual GDP of Tunisia, Japan and Ecuador between 2007 and 2010. As is observed from the given data, the annual GDP growth of Tunisia and Ecuador had decreased over the period while the percentage of GDP had increased remarkably in Japan. As is given in the bar graph, initially in 2007 the annual percentage of GDP growth in Tunisia was over 6 while this was only 2% in Japan and just over 3% in Ecuador. Within three years, this GDP growth in Tunisia decreased to 3%, which is less than half of their initial percentage. In Ecuador, the GDP growth percentage also declined and fell to about 2%. On the contrary, Japan had been able to increase their annual GDP growth and the percentage increased to well over 6 in 2010 compared to only 2% in 2007. In summary, the annual GDP growth in Tunisia and Ecuador decreased while it increased remarkably in Japan over the given period.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Name the measured rate Original: annual GDP of Tunisia Suggested revision: annual GDP growth in Tunisia Why it matters: The chart reports growth rates rather than the countries' total annual GDP.
- 2. Use simple past Original: had decreased Suggested revision: decreased Why it matters: The simple past is appropriate for a completed trend over the stated period.
- 3. Use precise measure Original: the percentage of GDP Suggested revision: the GDP growth rate Why it matters: This wording accurately identifies the percentage shown on the chart.
- 4. Include percent unit Original: over 6 while Suggested revision: over 6% while Why it matters: The vertical scale represents percentages, so this figure needs the percent sign.
- 5. State the endpoint Original: Within three years Suggested revision: By 2010 Why it matters: Naming the final year makes the time comparison more direct.
- 6. Fix pronoun agreement Original: their initial percentage Suggested revision: its initial rate Why it matters: Tunisia is singular, and rate is the precise noun for the measure.
- 7. Use comparison linker Original: On the contrary Suggested revision: By contrast Why it matters: The sentence contrasts Japan's trend with the other countries rather than contradicting a claim.
- 8. Fix tense and agreement Original: had been able to increase their annual GDP growth Suggested revision: saw its annual GDP growth increase Why it matters: This revision removes the unnecessary past perfect and agrees with singular Japan.
- 9. Include percent unit Original: well over 6 in 2010 Suggested revision: well over 6% in 2010 Why it matters: The 2010 value is a percentage and should be labelled accordingly.
- 10. Remove redundant modifier Original: provided bar chart Suggested revision: bar chart Why it matters: Provided adds no meaning when the chart is already the stated source.
- 11. Signal the overview Original: As is observed from the given data Suggested revision: Overall Why it matters: A direct overview marker makes the main trends easier to identify.
- 12. Use direct framing Original: As is given in the bar graph, initially Suggested revision: The chart shows that initially Why it matters: This revision removes an indirect passive expression.
Suggested Rewrites
- annual GDP of Tunisia annual GDP growth in Tunisia
- had decreased decreased
- the percentage of GDP the GDP growth rate
- over 6 while over 6% while
- Within three years By 2010
- their initial percentage its initial rate
Why this response received Band 6.0
The response clearly identifies the contrasting overall directions of change and communicates them in an easy-to-follow way. Its main limitation is incomplete coverage: it compares 2007 with 2010 but omits the important 2008 and 2009 patterns, especially Ecuador’s sharp rise and fall. The highest-priority improvement is to select and compare representative figures from the middle years while maintaining more precise grammatical control.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
A clear, accurate overview and generally correct endpoint comparisons address the task, but both middle years and their important fluctuations are omitted.
Add selected comparisons showing the countries’ convergence in 2008 and their marked divergence in 2009.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response progresses logically from an overview to endpoint details, although it is presented as one block and relies on repetitive formulaic linking.
Separate the overview from the detail paragraph and use less repetitive transitions to group related comparisons.
Lexical Resource
The vocabulary is sufficient and includes appropriate trend language, but repeated wording and imprecise references to GDP rather than GDP growth reduce precision.
Vary the trend vocabulary while consistently referring to the annual GDP growth rate and the correct country.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A mix of simple and complex sentences conveys meaning clearly, though tense choices and pronoun agreement are recurrently inaccurate.
Use simple past for completed chart periods and singular pronouns when referring to each country.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The chart below shows the GDP growth per year for three countries between 2007 and 2010.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.