The graph shows estimated oil production capacity for several Gulf countries between 1990 and 2010. Oil Production Capacity, millions of barrels per day (estimated) [Figure: Millions of Barrels per day]
Sample Response
The given illustration compares oil production capacity of several Gulf countries namely Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE between 1990 and 2010. As is presented in the diagram, Saudi Arabia had the highest capacity of oil production and its production increased significantly. Initially, in 1990, Iraq & the UAE produced over 2 million barrels of oil per day whereas the production for Iran was 3 and for Kuwait and Qatar were less than 2 million Barrels. Saudi Arabia was the highest oil producing country that produced more than 8 million barrels daily in 1990. After 10 years, the oil production grew for all the countries except the UAE, where the production was same as it was a decade earlier. The trends of more oil production remained the same in all countries in 2005 except in Qatar. Finally, in 2010, Iran produced more than 4 million barrels daily, for Iraq, Kuwait & the UAE the production was nearly 4 million barrels. Saudi Arabia produced much more oil than other Gulf countries as it did for all the mentioned years and this in 2010 it was almost 15 million barrels per day.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Correct capacity preposition Original: of Suggested revision: in Why it matters: Production capacity is measured in countries, not possessed by them.
- 2. Use concise reference Original: As is presented Suggested revision: As shown Why it matters: This is a more natural way to refer to visual information.
- 3. Use standard term Original: capacity of oil production Suggested revision: oil production capacity Why it matters: This is the conventional noun phrase used in the graph.
- 4. Report capacity measure Original: production Suggested revision: capacity Why it matters: The graph estimates production capacity rather than actual production.
- 5. Use capacity ranking Original: highest oil producing Suggested revision: largest oil-producing Why it matters: “Largest” is the natural superlative for the country with the greatest capacity.
- 6. Give precise estimate Original: more than 8 million barrels daily Suggested revision: about 8.5 million barrels per day Why it matters: The 1990 Saudi bar is approximately 8.5 million barrels per day.
- 7. Use concise time link Original: After 10 years Suggested revision: A decade later Why it matters: This links the 1990 and 2000 data more smoothly.
- 8. Describe capacity growth Original: the oil production grew Suggested revision: oil production capacity increased Why it matters: The revision matches the measure and uses a more precise trend verb.
- 9. Add exception preposition Original: except the UAE, where Suggested revision: except in the UAE, where Why it matters: “In” is required before the country in this construction.
- 10. Add definite article Original: production was same Suggested revision: production was the same Why it matters: The fixed comparison phrase is “the same.”
- 11. Name upward trend Original: The trends of more oil production Suggested revision: The upward trend in oil production capacity Why it matters: The original phrase is unnatural and does not clearly describe the change.
- 12. Avoid trend ambiguity Original: remained the same Suggested revision: continued Why it matters: The capacities continued to rise rather than remaining at identical values.
Suggested Rewrites
- of in
- As is presented As shown
- capacity of oil production oil production capacity
- production capacity
- highest oil producing largest oil-producing
- more than 8 million barrels daily about 8.5 million barrels per day
Why this response received Band 6.5
The response establishes Saudi Arabia's dominance and gives a broadly accurate chronological account of production changes across the six countries. Its main limitation is precision and coverage: several values are rounded loosely, Iraq is said to exceed two million barrels in 1990 when it is at two, and the middle years receive only vague treatment. Prioritize clearer cross-country comparisons supported by selected figures from each year.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The report identifies the dominant country and main upward trends, but some figures are imprecise and the 2005 comparison is underdeveloped.
Support the overview with accurate selected values, including Iraq at two million in 1990 and Qatar's fall after 2000.
Coherence and Cohesion
The chronological sequence is easy to follow, although presenting the entire response as one paragraph weakens the grouping of overview and details.
Separate the overview from two detail paragraphs, grouping Saudi Arabia with the larger producers and the smaller producers together.
Lexical Resource
The vocabulary covers production, change and comparison adequately, but repetition and awkward phrases such as 'trends of more oil production' reduce precision.
Use a wider set of accurate trend expressions such as 'rose steadily', 'remained stable' and 'declined after peaking'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Meaning remains clear through varied sentence forms, but agreement, article and clause-joining errors occur noticeably.
Check subject-verb agreement and restructure long comparisons so each country and figure has a complete grammatical clause.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The graph shows estimated oil production capacity for several Gulf countries between 1990 and 2010. Oil Production Capacity, millions of barrels per day (estimated) [Figure: Millions of Barrels per day]
Your response
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