The pie charts compare ways of accessing the news in Canada and Australia.
Sample Response
The pie charts show the principle ways of finding out the news in two different countries, Canada and Australia. The two nations show broadly similar patterns, though there are some differences, both significant and minor.
One of the most prominent features of this data is that, while in Canada over a third of people access the news online, in Australia the figure is more than half, at 52%. It is apparent that viewing the TV news is popular in both countries, with about two fifths of Canadian population favouring this mode of delivery and only 3% fewer in Australia. One major difference between Canada and Australia is that over twice as many people read the news in print in the former, compared with the latter. The figures are 14% and 7% respectively. Similarly, listening to the news on the radio is preferred by three times more people in Canada than in Australia.
Overall, it can be said that the high levels of internet use in Australia mean that other methods such as radio and print are used less in comparison with Canada.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Correct word choice Original: principle Suggested revision: principal Why it matters: Principal means main, whereas principle refers to a rule or belief.
- 2. Use task wording Original: finding out the news Suggested revision: accessing the news Why it matters: Accessing is a more precise description of the methods shown in the charts.
- 3. Fix demonstrative agreement Original: this data Suggested revision: these charts Why it matters: The plural noun phrase accurately refers to the two pie charts.
- 4. Use natural collocation Original: viewing the TV news Suggested revision: watching TV news Why it matters: Watching TV news is the standard collocation for this activity.
- 5. Add definite article Original: two fifths of Canadian population Suggested revision: two fifths of the Canadian population Why it matters: The specific national population requires the definite article.
- 6. State percentage-point gap Original: only 3% fewer in Australia Suggested revision: 3 percentage points lower in Australia Why it matters: The values are 40% and 37%, a difference of three percentage points.
- 7. Correct the comparison Original: over twice as many Suggested revision: twice as many Why it matters: The print shares are exactly 14% and 7%, so the Canadian figure is twice the Australian one.
- 8. Sentence rewrite Original: The two nations show broadly similar patterns, though there are some differences, both significant and minor. Suggested revision: Online and television are the two main sources in both countries, with online access much higher in Australia and print and radio more common in Canada. Why it matters: This gives a specific overview of the dominant modes and the main cross-country differences.
- 9. Sentence rewrite Original: Similarly, listening to the news on the radio is preferred by three times more people in Canada than in Australia. Suggested revision: Similarly, the share accessing news by radio in Canada is about three and a half times that in Australia. Why it matters: The chart shows 7% in Canada and 2% in Australia, so the original comparison is imprecise.
- 10. Sentence rewrite Original: Overall, it can be said that the high levels of internet use in Australia mean that other methods such as radio and print are used less in comparison with Canada. Suggested revision: Overall, online access is substantially more common in Australia, whereas radio and print account for larger shares in Canada. Why it matters: The charts show contrasting proportions but do not establish that internet use causes the other shares.
Suggested Rewrites
- principle principal
- finding out the news accessing the news
- this data these charts
- viewing the TV news watching TV news
- two fifths of Canadian population two fifths of the Canadian population
- only 3% fewer in Australia 3 percentage points lower in Australia
Why this response received Band 8.0
The report is concise, well organised, and highly accurate in selecting the dominant methods and the most useful cross-country comparisons. Its main limitation is a small loss of precision: the unspecified category is omitted and the radio comparison is rounded somewhat loosely. Add that minor category and give the exact radio figures while retaining the strong comparative focus.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The response provides a clear overview and accurately compares all major news sources, with only the small unspecified shares omitted and the radio ratio slightly imprecise.
Complete the coverage by noting the 3% and 2% unspecified segments and state the radio figures directly as 7% and 2%.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas are logically grouped, comparisons progress smoothly, and referencing devices connect the figures without distracting repetition.
Integrate the overview into the opening paragraph so the final paragraph can be avoided or used only for an additional synthesis.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is varied and appropriately comparative, although principle is incorrect for principal and a few phrases are less exact than they could be.
Check easily confused words and favour exact formulations such as the principal ways and 7% compared with 2%.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A broad range of complex comparison structures is handled accurately, with only minor lapses such as the missing article before Canadian population.
Proofread article use in noun phrases, particularly expressions such as two fifths of the Canadian population.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The pie charts compare ways of accessing the news in Canada and Australia.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.