The graphs below provide information on global population figures and figures for urban populations in different world regions. World Population Growth 1800 - 2100
Sample Response
The provided illustrations show information on the world population from 1800 to 2100 and the distribution of this population in developed and developing regions. As per the line graph, the global population increased comparatively slowly from 1800 to 1940 and reached over 2000 million in 1940. This was followed by a drastic rise to 6000 million by the year 2000. The graph shows the projection that this rapid growth of population will continue until 2050 when the population would be over 8000 million. However, after that, it would fall to around 6000 million in 2100. According to the bar graph, around 1200 million people lived in developed countries in 2015 and this figure would remain unaffected until 2050. On the contrary, over 2000 million lived in developing countries in 2015 and the population in these areas are expected to be double by the year 2040. Overall, the global population would continue to rise until 2050 and the majority of the people would be living in developing regions while the population in the developed countries will remain almost the same.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use formal phrasing Original: As per Suggested revision: According to Why it matters: According to is the more natural formal phrase for referring to a graph.
- 2. Mark projection clearly Original: will continue until 2050 Suggested revision: is projected to continue until 2050 Why it matters: The graph presents future estimates, so projected language is more precise.
- 3. Correct peak value Original: over 8000 million Suggested revision: around 8,000 million Why it matters: The line peaks at approximately 8,000 million rather than clearly above it.
- 4. Correct final value Original: around 6000 million in 2100 Suggested revision: about 6,700 million in 2100 Why it matters: The 2100 endpoint is roughly 6,700 million on the line graph.
- 5. Use consistent projection Original: would continue to rise Suggested revision: is projected to rise Why it matters: This keeps the overview's future reporting language clear and consistent.
- 6. Sentence rewrite Original: This was followed by a drastic rise to 6000 million by the year 2000. Suggested revision: This was followed by a steep rise to about 5,000 million by 2000. Why it matters: The line reaches roughly 5,000 million in 2000, not 6,000 million.
- 7. Sentence rewrite Original: According to the bar graph, around 1200 million people lived in developed countries in 2015 and this figure would remain unaffected until 2050. Suggested revision: According to the bar graph, about 1,300 million people lived in developed regions in 2015, and this figure is projected to remain stable through 2040. Why it matters: The bar is approximately 1,300 million and the chart ends in 2040, not 2050.
- 8. Sentence rewrite Original: On the contrary, over 2000 million lived in developing countries in 2015 and the population in these areas are expected to be double by the year 2040. Suggested revision: By contrast, the urban population of developing regions is projected to rise from about 2,200 million in 2015 to 4,000 million in 2040. Why it matters: The bars show a rise to 4,000 million, which is slightly less than double the 2015 figure.
- 9. Group graph details Suggested revision: Place the overview after the introduction, then separate historical line data, future projections, and regional bar-chart comparisons into focused sections. Why it matters: The single block currently mixes data sets and time frames, making the progression harder to follow.
Suggested Rewrites
- As per According to
- will continue until 2050 is projected to continue until 2050
- over 8000 million around 8,000 million
- around 6000 million in 2100 about 6,700 million in 2100
- would continue to rise is projected to rise
- This was followed by a drastic rise to 6000 million by the year 2000. This was followed by a steep rise to about 5,000 million by 2000.
Why this response received Band 7.0
The response selects the central trends from both graphs and supports them with several relevant figures, while its varied sentence structures are mostly accurate. The main weakness is precision: it extends the regional chart to 2050 although it ends in 2040 and understates the projected 2100 total. Prioritise checking every year and value against the axes, then organise the report into clear paragraphs.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The report presents a clear overview and covers the principal population trends with generally relevant data from both visuals.
Correct the unsupported 2050 reference for the regional chart and report the 2100 global figure more accurately at roughly 6.5 to 7 billion.
Coherence and Cohesion
Information follows a coherent sequence from global growth to regional differences, but the entire report is presented as one paragraph.
Separate the introduction and overview from two detail paragraphs so the two graphs and their comparisons are easier to follow.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is varied and usually precise, with effective language for trends and projections, although a few expressions are unnatural.
Replace phrases such as 'as per' and 'remain unaffected' with more natural academic wording such as 'the graph shows' and 'remain stable'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The response uses a good range of complex structures with mostly accurate control and only occasional non-impeding errors.
Check agreement and complement forms, especially changing 'the population ... are expected to be double' to 'the population is expected to double'.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The graphs below provide information on global population figures and figures for urban populations in different world regions. World Population Growth 1800 - 2100
Your response
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