The charts below show the changes in ownership of electrical appliances and amount of time spent doing housework in households in one country between 1920 and 2019.
Sample Response
The first line chart illustrates the proportions of households owning washing machines, refrigerators and vacuum cleaners while the second one depicts how much time per week every family expended on household chores from 1920 to 2019 in one particular nation. Overall, it is notable that while the figures for the utensils witnessed a strong surge, the opposite was true for the time quantity. In addition, refrigerators and vacuums gained substantial popularity, making them the most common at the end of the period. Upon a closer look at appliance ownership, in 1920, the percentages of homes having refrigerators and vacuums were nearly 3% and 30%, respectively. During the next ten decades, the former skyrocketed to its peak of 100% in 1980, followed by a plateau, whereas the latter soared to 100% in 2000, then remained unchanged. As for washing machines, ownership was much higher than the others initially, at 40%. However, it experienced a slower growth to just 70% between 1920 and 1960, but later dipped slightly by about 5% in 1980 and recovered steadily to approximately 75% by 2019. Turning to the figures for hours spent on housework weekly, a plunge from 50 to 15 was seen over the first 60 years, and it then marginally declined to 10 hours by 2019.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use natural wording Original: every family expended Suggested revision: each household spent Why it matters: Households spend time on chores; 'expend' is unnatural in this context.
- 2. Use the chart term Original: utensils Suggested revision: appliances Why it matters: The chart shows electrical appliances, whereas utensils are tools used mainly for cooking or eating.
- 3. Clarify the measure Original: time quantity Suggested revision: time spent on housework Why it matters: This phrase accurately names the measure shown in the second chart.
- 4. Use the full noun Original: vacuums gained Suggested revision: vacuum cleaners gained Why it matters: 'Vacuum cleaners' is the precise appliance name used in the chart.
- 5. Correct the figure Original: nearly 3% Suggested revision: 0% Why it matters: The refrigerator figure starts at zero in 1920.
- 6. Correct the timespan Original: During the next ten decades Suggested revision: Over the following six decades Why it matters: The refrigerator figure reaches 100% in 1980, six decades after 1920.
- 7. Avoid overstatement Original: much higher than the others initially Suggested revision: higher than the figures for the other appliances initially Why it matters: Washing-machine ownership was only ten percentage points above vacuum-cleaner ownership in 1920.
- 8. Remove the article Original: a slower growth Suggested revision: slower growth Why it matters: 'Growth' is uncountable when it refers generally to an increase.
- 9. Avoid double contrast Original: but later dipped Suggested revision: later dipped Why it matters: 'However' already marks the contrast, so 'but' is redundant here.
- 10. Use percentage points Original: by about 5% Suggested revision: by five percentage points Why it matters: The chart falls from 70% to 65%, a change of five percentage points.
- 11. Name the chart directly Original: second one depicts Suggested revision: second chart shows Why it matters: This wording is more direct and avoids the vague substitute 'one'.
- 12. Use concise wording Original: one particular nation Suggested revision: one country Why it matters: 'One country' conveys the same meaning more precisely and concisely.
Suggested Rewrites
- every family expended each household spent
- utensils appliances
- time quantity time spent on housework
- vacuums gained vacuum cleaners gained
- nearly 3% 0%
- During the next ten decades Over the following six decades
Why this response received Band 7.5
This is a strong, concise report with an accurate overview and well-selected comparisons across both charts. Its main limitation is occasional imprecise or unnatural wording, such as describing appliances as utensils and referring to the time quantity, while the single-block presentation also weakens visual organisation. Prioritise more natural data-reporting collocations and clearer paragraph separation between the overview and detailed trends.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The response provides a clear overview and accurately selects the principal appliance-ownership trends and the substantial fall in weekly housework hours.
Add one or two intermediate housework figures to make the treatment of the second chart as detailed as the appliance comparison.
Coherence and Cohesion
Information progresses logically from the overview to appliance details and then housework, with effective signposting throughout.
Separate the overview and the two sets of details into distinct paragraphs so the organisation is immediately visible.
Lexical Resource
The response uses a broad range of trend vocabulary, although several choices such as utensils and time quantity are imprecise or unnatural.
Use standard chart-reporting terms such as appliances, ownership rates, and time spent on housework consistently.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A varied range of complex structures is handled accurately, with only minor awkwardness in comparisons and reference.
Refine comparison structures so ownership is compared with ownership and every pronoun has an unmistakable referent.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The charts below show the changes in ownership of electrical appliances and amount of time spent doing housework in households in one country between 1920 and 2019.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.