The chart shows the number of mobile phones and landlines per 100 people in selected countries.
Sample Response
The supplied bar graph shows data on the number of cell phone and land phone users in seven countries in the Europe and the American regions. As is observed from the presentation, the number of landline users in Denmark, US and Canada are higher than the number of cell phone users in these countries. On the contrary, in Italy, Sweden, Denmark and Germany the cell phone users are higher in number than that of land phone users.
In Italy, Sweden, UK and Denmark almost 80-90 percent people use the cell phone. Among these six countries, Italian people are highest in percent in terms of cell phone usages whereas the highest percentages of land phone users are found in Denmark which is almost 90%. The difference between cell phone and land phone users is highest in Italy and in Denmark. The lowest number of land phone users can be found in Canada. In summary, North America has more land phone users than their cell phone users and most of the European people prefer to use mobile phones over land phones.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Report phones, not users Original: number of cell phone and land phone users in seven countries Suggested revision: number of mobile phones and landlines in seven countries Why it matters: The chart measures phones per 100 people rather than the number of users.
- 2. Remove the article Original: in the Europe Suggested revision: in Europe Why it matters: Europe does not take the definite article in this expression.
- 3. Name North America Original: the American regions Suggested revision: North America Why it matters: The two American countries shown are Canada and the US, both in North America.
- 4. Match the singular subject Original: are Suggested revision: is Why it matters: The subject is the singular noun number, so it requires is.
- 5. Use a contrast linker Original: On the contrary Suggested revision: By contrast Why it matters: By contrast introduces an opposing data pattern without implying that the preceding statement is false.
- 6. Correct the country group Original: Sweden, Denmark and Germany Suggested revision: Sweden, the UK and Germany Why it matters: Mobile-phone figures exceed landline figures in the UK, while Denmark shows the reverse.
- 7. Fix the comparison Original: higher in number than that of land phone users Suggested revision: higher than the landline figures Why it matters: The original comparison mismatches plural users with the singular that.
- 8. Use the chart unit Original: 80-90 percent people use the cell phone Suggested revision: 80 to 90 mobile phones per 100 people Why it matters: The chart reports phone subscriptions per 100 people, not the percentage of people using a phone.
- 9. Correct the country count Original: six Suggested revision: seven Why it matters: The chart contains seven countries.
- 10. Use concise data language Original: Italian people are highest in percent in terms of cell phone usages Suggested revision: Italy has the highest mobile-phone figure Why it matters: The replacement reports the national chart value directly and avoids the incorrect plural usages.
- 11. Use a singular figure Original: highest percentages of land phone users are found Suggested revision: highest landline figure is found Why it matters: The chart shows one highest landline figure, so the singular structure is required.
- 12. Use per-100 units Original: which is almost 90% Suggested revision: at almost 90 per 100 people Why it matters: The vertical scale gives the number of phones per 100 people rather than a user percentage.
Suggested Rewrites
- number of cell phone and land phone users in seven countries number of mobile phones and landlines in seven countries
- in the Europe in Europe
- the American regions North America
- are is
- On the contrary By contrast
- Sweden, Denmark and Germany Sweden, the UK and Germany
Why this response received Band 6.0
The response identifies the broad continental pattern and includes several relevant comparisons, with a clear two-part structure. However, multiple key details are inaccurate: Denmark is placed in both comparison groups, Denmark is said to have one of the largest gaps, and Canada is wrongly identified as having the fewest landlines. Recheck each bar systematically before writing, then use precise comparative structures and correct agreement throughout.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The report identifies the broad regional pattern and some correct extremes, but several important country comparisons and rankings contradict the chart.
Create a country-by-country mobile-versus-landline table before drafting so Denmark, the largest gap, and the lowest landline figure are reported accurately.
Coherence and Cohesion
The introduction, broad comparison, details, and summary are recognisably sequenced, though internal contradictions and mechanical linking weaken coherence.
Group countries consistently by which phone type is higher and remove any country that conflicts with the stated comparison group.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is adequate for describing the chart, but repetition and awkward phrases such as highest in percent and cell phone usages limit precision.
Use concise comparative language such as had the highest mobile-phone figure, exceeded, and recorded the widest gap.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Meaning remains clear, but frequent errors in articles, agreement, plurals, and comparative structures reduce grammatical control.
Check every comparison for correct subject-verb agreement and use the pattern the figure for X was higher than that for Y.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The chart shows the number of mobile phones and landlines per 100 people in selected countries.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.