The charts below show degrees granted in different fields at the National University in the years 1990, 2000, 2010.
Sample Response
The provided pie charts compare degrees in four fieldsfour different degrees that were awarded to the students at the National University in 1990, 2000, and 2010in three decades, commencing from 1990. As can be seen, the share of Computer Science degrees increasedmore students were granted Computer Science degrees while the share of Business degrees decreased over timeBusiness graduates decreased over the time. The illustration indicates that both Business and Computer Science degrees accounted for 30% eachdiplomas were achieved by 30% students in 1990 at the National University. The remaining 40% of degreesThe remaining 40% diplomas went to Medicine and Law graduates with a ratioration of 5: 3. After 10 years, the National University awarded 40% of its degreeshanded over 40% degrees to Computer Science students and 30% in Medicine30% to Medicine students. Total students who achieved Business degrees in this year reduced by 10% while it was a 5% drop for the Law graduates. Finally, in 20102000, the percentage of Computer Science degreesgraduates climbed to 45% in this institution. One-quarter of the degreesOne-fourth diplomas were given in Medicineto the Medicine students in thethis same year while the remaining 30% of degreesthe remaining 30% graduates were from the Business and Law departments with each field accounting for 15%with 15% from each faculty. In summary, more degrees were awarded in Computer Science at the National Universityto the Computer Science graduates in the National University and there was a 15-percentage-point decrease in the share of Business degrees by 2010a significant decrease in the number of Business graduates in 2000.
Why this response received Band 6.5
The response’s strongest feature is comprehensive selection: it accurately reports nearly every field share and clearly identifies the rise in Computer Science and decline in Business. The main limitation is a significant time-label error, as the final chart and concluding comparison are called 2000 rather than 2010, alongside recurring awkward degree-related phrasing. Prioritise correcting the chronology, then present the three years in clearly separated comparisons.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The overview is clear and the percentages across all four fields are comprehensively and mostly accurately reported, but the final 2010 chart is twice mislabeled as 2000.
Correct the final year to 2010 and frame the Business decline and Computer Science rise explicitly across the full 1990–2010 period.
Coherence and Cohesion
The report follows a clear chronological sequence with an overview and summary, although the single-paragraph format and repeated conclusion reduce structural clarity.
Separate the overview from chronological detail paragraphs and avoid restating the same trend in a final summary.
Lexical Resource
The response has adequate vocabulary for trends and proportions, but “diplomas,” “handed over degrees,” “achieved degrees” and the misspelling “ration” reduce precision.
Use consistent terms such as “degrees awarded,” “graduates,” “proportion” and “ratio” throughout.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A range of sentence forms conveys the comparisons clearly, but missing articles and prepositions and awkward subject constructions recur in phrases involving percentages and students.
Use forms such as “30% of students,” “the proportion fell by 10 percentage points,” and “one quarter of the degrees” consistently.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The charts below show degrees granted in different fields at the National University in the years 1990, 2000, 2010.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.