The chart below shows information about the challenges people face when they go to live in other countries.
Sample Response
The chart shows the challenges people face when they settle in a new country and how the challenges vary according to people’s ages.
The most challenging aspect for young people aged 18 to 34 is making new friends, a problem experienced by 46% of the people in this age group. However, only 36% of 35 – 54 year olds find it hard to make friends, while even fewer people over 55 (23%) have this problem.
54% of the older age group finds learning the local language the biggest obstacle when settling. In comparison, the youngest age group finds this easier, and the percentage of people who have problems learning the language is much lower, at only 29%.
In contrast to their language-learning difficulties, only 22% of people in the oldest age group have trouble finding accommodation. However, this is the second most significant problem for the other two age groups with 39% to 40% of the people in each group finding it hard.
In general, all age groups experience the same problems to some extent, but people over the age of 55 reported that they face markedly fewer challenges settling in a new country than their younger respondents.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use concise wording Original: according to people’s ages Suggested revision: by age group Why it matters: This is the standard concise expression for the chart's grouping variable.
- 2. Hyphenate the age range Original: 35 – 54 year olds Suggested revision: 35–54-year-olds Why it matters: A compound age expression used as a noun requires hyphens.
- 3. Fix subject agreement Original: finds Suggested revision: find Why it matters: The percentage refers to multiple people, so the plural verb is required.
- 4. Complete the phrase Original: when settling. Suggested revision: when settling in a new country. Why it matters: Adding the destination makes the expression complete and precise.
- 5. State the comparison precisely Original: the youngest age group finds this easier Suggested revision: the youngest age group reports fewer language-learning difficulties Why it matters: This wording directly reflects the lower reported percentage without implying measured ease.
- 6. Correct the ranking Original: second most significant problem for the other two age groups Suggested revision: second-largest problem for 18–34-year-olds and the largest for 35–54-year-olds Why it matters: Accommodation ranks second for the youngest group but first for the middle group.
- 7. Keep tense consistent Original: reported Suggested revision: report Why it matters: The sentence otherwise describes the chart in the present tense.
- 8. Fix the comparison Original: their younger respondents Suggested revision: younger respondents Why it matters: The possessive determiner incorrectly suggests that the older people own or represent the younger respondents.
- 9. Complete the language comparison Suggested revision: Add that 35% of 35–54-year-olds report difficulty learning the local language. Why it matters: Including the middle group's value would complete the three-way comparison for this challenge.
- 10. Qualify the overview Suggested revision: Revise the overview to show that the oldest group reports fewer friendship and accommodation problems but the greatest language difficulty. Why it matters: The current claim of markedly fewer challenges overlooks the oldest group's chart-high language figure.
Suggested Rewrites
- according to people’s ages by age group
- 35 – 54 year olds 35–54-year-olds
- finds find
- when settling. when settling in a new country.
- the youngest age group finds this easier the youngest age group reports fewer language-learning difficulties
- second most significant problem for the other two age groups second-largest problem for 18–34-year-olds and the largest for 35–54-year-olds
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response is well focused and easy to follow, accurately comparing how the three age groups experience each challenge and providing a meaningful overall pattern. The main limitation is a small number of language slips, especially subject–verb agreement and the inaccurate reference to younger respondents, while one middle-group language figure is left implicit. Prioritise checking agreement and comparison wording, then include every relevant category value when making grouped comparisons.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The report accurately covers all three challenges, makes clear age-group comparisons, and supplies a valid overall pattern.
Include the 35–54 language figure explicitly so that every three-group comparison is fully documented.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response is logically organised by challenge, and its paragraphing and linking make the comparisons easy to follow.
Tighten the final overview sentence so its comparison refers unambiguously to the age groups.
Lexical Resource
A flexible range of topic vocabulary and comparative language conveys the chart's patterns precisely with only rare lapses.
Use a precise noun such as groups or participants instead of the inaccurate phrase younger respondents.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Varied complex structures are used with strong control, and the few errors do not impede communication.
Check percentage subjects for agreement, changing 54% of the older age group finds to find.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The chart below shows information about the challenges people face when they go to live in other countries.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.