The tables below show people’s reasons for giving up smoking, and when they intend to give up.

Sample Response

IELTS Writing Correction

• 1. Fix the complement Original: is for general health Suggested revision: is general health Why it matters: The construction 'the reason is' takes a noun phrase directly here.
• 2. Use consistent tense Original: intended Suggested revision: intend Why it matters: The task and table describe current intentions, so the present tense is appropriate.
• 3. Spell out sentence start Original: 35% of smokers Suggested revision: Thirty-five percent of smokers Why it matters: Write out a number when it begins a sentence in formal prose.
• 4. Report the category accurately Original: said they were prepared to try within the following month Suggested revision: planned to give up within the next month Why it matters: The table records an intention to give up within the next month, not general preparedness to try.
• 5. Sentence rewrite Original: One fact to highlight from this table is that almost twice the percentage of heavy smokers cite present health problems as the reason compared to light smokers. Suggested revision: Almost twice as many heavy smokers as light smokers cite present health problems as a reason (19% versus 10%). Why it matters: This rewrite uses the correct comparative structure and clearly pairs the two percentages.
• 6. Sentence rewrite Original: Although only 29% of smokers on average were unwilling to give up, heavy smokers were almost twice as unwilling to try as light smokers, which perhaps reflects the level of addiction in the former group. Suggested revision: Although only 29% of smokers overall did not intend to give up, the figure for heavy smokers was almost double that for light smokers (40% versus 21%). Why it matters: This version follows the table's wording and removes unsupported speculation about addiction.
• 7. Add a clear overview Suggested revision: Summarize the dominant reason and the main intention pattern across smoking levels after the introductory sentence. Why it matters: The response needs an overview that combines the most important features of both tables.
• 8. Compare smoker groups Suggested revision: Add a concise comparison showing how at least one other reason varies across heavy, medium, and light smokers. Why it matters: The paragraph mostly reports totals and does not show the contrasting subgroup patterns across the reasons.
• 9. Cover the omitted category Suggested revision: Include the 21% who intend to stop within the next year and compare the middle smoking group where useful. Why it matters: This adds a significant omitted time category and improves coverage of the three smoker groups.

Suggested Rewrites

• is for general health is general health
• intended intend
• 35% of smokers Thirty-five percent of smokers
• said they were prepared to try within the following month planned to give up within the next month
• One fact to highlight from this table is that almost twice the percentage of heavy smokers cite present health problems as the reason compared to light smokers. Almost twice as many heavy smokers as light smokers cite present health problems as a reason (19% versus 10%).
• Although only 29% of smokers on average were unwilling to give up, heavy smokers were almost twice as unwilling to try as light smokers, which perhaps reflects the level of addiction in the former group. Although only 29% of smokers overall did not intend to give up, the figure for heavy smokers was almost double that for light smokers (40% versus 21%).