The table below shows social and economic indicators for four countries in 1994, according to United Nations statistics. Describe the information shown below in your own words. What implications do the indicators have for the countries? Indicators Canada Japan Peru Zaire Annual income per person (in $US) Life expectancy at birth Daily calorie supply per person Adult literacy rate (%)
Sample Response
The provided table compares four important economic and social factors of four countries namely Canada, Japan, Peru and Zaire for the year 1994. As is observed from the given data, Canada and Japan had a far better economic and social conditions than the other two countries. We can observe from the given information that, Japan had the highest literacy rate (99%), per person annual income (USD 15760), longest life expectancy (78 years) and second-highest (2846) daily calorie supply per person. Again Canada was another country with a very good social and economic situation that had 99% literate population, USD 11100 per person annual earning, 76 years life expectancy and the highest daily calorie supply per person which was 3326. On the contrary, the other two countries had poorer economic and social conditions. Peru had only $ 160 annual income per person which is 98 times less than Japan and they had only 68% adult literate compared to the 99% from two other developed countries. Zaire had the worst economic and social condition among these four countries in the year 1994 with the least adult literacy (only 34%), 130 USD annual per-person income, 1749 daily calorie supply and only 47 years life expectancy. In summary, Japan and Canada were two socially and economically developed countries with very good social and economic indicators while Peru and Zaire were two undeveloped countries with poor life expectancy, earning, food supply and literacy rates.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Avoid repetitive wording Original: four important economic and social factors of four countries Suggested revision: four key socioeconomic indicators for four countries Why it matters: 'Indicators' names the table measures more precisely and avoids repeating 'four'.
- 2. Remove article mismatch Original: a far better economic and social conditions Suggested revision: far better economic and social conditions Why it matters: The singular article 'a' cannot modify the plural noun 'conditions'.
- 3. Remove incorrect comma Original: information that, Suggested revision: information that Why it matters: A comma should not separate 'that' from the clause it introduces.
- 4. Use standard word order Original: per person annual income Suggested revision: annual income per person Why it matters: This is the conventional ordering for the indicator shown in the table.
- 5. Place figure clearly Original: second-highest (2846) daily calorie supply per person Suggested revision: second-highest daily calorie supply per person (2,846 calories) Why it matters: Placing and formatting the figure this way makes the comparison easier to read.
- 6. Remove unsuitable linker Original: Again Canada Suggested revision: Canada Why it matters: 'Again' does not express the contrast or addition intended at this point.
- 7. Use indicator structure Original: 99% literate population Suggested revision: an adult literacy rate of 99% Why it matters: The replacement supplies the article and expresses the measured indicator grammatically.
- 8. Format income precisely Original: USD 11100 per person annual earning Suggested revision: an annual income per person of USD 11,100 Why it matters: This wording matches the table's indicator and presents the number clearly.
- 9. Use correct noun pattern Original: 76 years life expectancy Suggested revision: a life expectancy of 76 years Why it matters: The measure requires the pattern 'a life expectancy of' before the value.
- 10. State unit clearly Original: which was 3326 Suggested revision: of 3,326 calories Why it matters: The replacement removes the vague relative clause and identifies the unit.
- 11. Use comparison linker Original: On the contrary Suggested revision: By contrast Why it matters: 'By contrast' appropriately introduces the poorer results of the other countries.
- 12. Use standard income phrasing Original: 130 USD annual per-person income Suggested revision: an annual income per person of USD 130 Why it matters: This wording accurately names the indicator and uses natural word order.
Suggested Rewrites
- four important economic and social factors of four countries four key socioeconomic indicators for four countries
- a far better economic and social conditions far better economic and social conditions
- information that, information that
- per person annual income annual income per person
- second-highest (2846) daily calorie supply per person second-highest daily calorie supply per person (2,846 calories)
- Again Canada Canada
Why this response received Band 6.5
The response accurately establishes the sharp divide between Canada and Japan and the two less prosperous countries, with clear comparisons and extensive use of the table's figures. Its main weakness is uneven coverage, since Peru's life expectancy and calorie supply are omitted, alongside some awkward grammar and phrasing; the priority is to compare every indicator selectively and precisely across both country groups.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The overview is clear and nearly all reported figures are accurate, but the description leaves out Peru's life expectancy and calorie supply and uses an imprecise 98 times less comparison.
Include Peru's remaining figures and express the income contrast accurately by stating that Japan's income was about 98 times Peru's.
Coherence and Cohesion
Information progresses logically from the two stronger countries to the two weaker ones, although the single-paragraph format limits the clarity of the grouping.
Use a separate overview and two detail paragraphs, pairing Canada with Japan and Peru with Zaire for direct comparison.
Lexical Resource
There is sufficient range for describing indicators and contrasts, but repeated wording and collocations such as adult literate and annual earning are occasionally unnatural.
Prefer precise forms such as adult literacy rate, annual income per person, and higher or lower calorie supply.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The response uses varied sentence structures with generally clear meaning, but agreement, article, punctuation, and pronoun errors recur across several sentences.
Check singular and plural agreement and sentence boundaries, particularly in phrases such as better conditions and in clauses beginning with which or that.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The table below shows social and economic indicators for four countries in 1994, according to United Nations statistics. Describe the information shown below in your own words. What implications do the indicators have for the countries? Indicators Canada Japan Peru Zaire Annual income per person (in $US) Life expectancy at birth Daily calorie supply per person Adult literacy rate (%)
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.