The graphs show changes in spending habits of people in UK between 1971 and 2001.
Sample Response
The pie charts show changes in UK spending patterns between 1971 and 30 years later, 2001.
As an overall trend, increased amounts of money spent on cars, computers and eating out were made up for by drops in expenditure on food and books.
In detail, food and car made up the two biggest item of expenditure in both years. Together they comprised over half of household spending in the UK. Food accounted for 44% of spending in 1971, but this dropped by two thirds to 14% in 2001. However, the outlay on cars doubled, rising from 22% in 1971 to 43% in 2001.
Other areas changed significantly. Spending on eating out dou bled, climbing from 7% to 14%. The proportion of salary spent on computers increased dramatically, up from 2% in 1971 to 12% in 2001. However, as computer expenditure rose, the percentage of outlay on books plunged from 6% to 1%.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Simplify time span Original: between 1971 and 30 years later, 2001 Suggested revision: between 1971 and 2001 Why it matters: The direct date range expresses the period more clearly and concisely.
- 2. Use plural noun Original: car Suggested revision: cars Why it matters: The category name needs the plural form to match the chart label.
- 3. Fix plural agreement Original: item Suggested revision: items Why it matters: The noun must be plural after the number two.
- 4. Qualify the increase Original: doubled, rising from 22% in 1971 to 43% in 2001 Suggested revision: nearly doubled, rising from 22% in 1971 to 43% in 2001 Why it matters: An increase from 22% to 43% is close to, rather than exactly, a doubling.
- 5. Correct wording Original: eating out dou bled Suggested revision: spending at restaurants doubled Why it matters: This removes the broken spelling and uses the category wording shown in the chart.
- 6. Use correct measure Original: proportion of salary spent on computers Suggested revision: proportion of spending allocated to computers Why it matters: The chart displays shares of expenditure, not proportions of salary.
- 7. Sentence rewrite Original: As an overall trend, increased amounts of money spent on cars, computers and eating out were made up for by drops in expenditure on food and books. Suggested revision: Overall, cars became the dominant category as spending on food fell sharply, while the shares for computers and restaurants also increased. Why it matters: The overview should foreground the largest shift and avoid implying that selected changes numerically offset one another.
- 8. Clarify category rankings Suggested revision: State that food was the largest category in 1971, while cars ranked first in 2001 and food tied with restaurants at 14%. Why it matters: Calling food and cars the two biggest items in both years overlooks the tie in 2001.
- 9. Cover omitted categories Suggested revision: Add a concise comparison showing that furniture fell from 9% to 8% and petrol from 10% to 8%. Why it matters: Including the two omitted categories would make coverage of the visual more complete.
Suggested Rewrites
- between 1971 and 30 years later, 2001 between 1971 and 2001
- car cars
- item items
- doubled, rising from 22% in 1971 to 43% in 2001 nearly doubled, rising from 22% in 1971 to 43% in 2001
- eating out dou bled spending at restaurants doubled
- proportion of salary spent on computers proportion of spending allocated to computers
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response gives a clear, selective, and highly accurate account of the main spending changes, supported by well-chosen figures and confident comparative language. Its main limitation is that petrol and furniture are omitted, leaving the smaller stable or slightly declining categories unrepresented. For a more complete report, briefly group those two categories together while retaining the concise overview and focused comparisons.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
A clear overview and accurate figures cover the dominant changes, although petrol and furniture are omitted.
Add one grouped sentence noting that petrol fell from 10% to 8% and furniture from 9% to 8%.
Coherence and Cohesion
Information progresses logically from the overall trend to the largest categories and then the remaining major changes.
Link the final details explicitly to the overview so the grouping of rising and falling categories is even more apparent.
Lexical Resource
A wide and precise range, including expenditure, outlay, accounted for, and plunged, conveys the trends effectively.
Correct the split spelling of doubled and use accurate plural forms such as the two biggest items of expenditure.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Varied complex structures are handled with strong control, and the few errors do not impede communication.
Refine agreement and number in the phrase food and cars made up the two biggest items of expenditure.
Write this task while it is fresh
Try the same task now. It helps you remember the feedback and write better next time.
IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The graphs show changes in spending habits of people in UK between 1971 and 2001.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.