The bar chart below gives information about the percentage of the population living in urban areas in the world and in different continents.
Sample Response
The column graph gives data on the growth of urban population in five different continents as well as in the world as a whole in three different years including the projection for the year 2030. Overall, percentages of global city-dwellers increased remarkably and a great ratio of the world population would live in cities in the future. As is obvious from the illustration, less than one-third global population lived in urban areas in 1950. The majority of this city-dwellers were in American and European continents while only 15-17% Asian and African were in municipalities. After 57 years, around half of the global population lived in cities and in Europe and America, this ratio went as high as eight out of ten. More than one-third African lived in urban areas in this year while it was slightly over 40% in Asia. It is projected that six out of ten persons in the world will live in urban areas in 2030. In this year more than 8 persons in every ten in America would be city living population while almost a same ratio would prevail for the European city-dwellers. In Africa and Asia, more than half of the population will start living in different cities.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Chart categories Original: five different continents Suggested revision: five regions Why it matters: The chart separates Latin America and North America, so regions is safer than continents.
- 2. Measure accuracy Original: growth of urban population Suggested revision: percentages of people living in urban areas Why it matters: The chart shows percentages, not absolute population growth.
- 3. Natural phrasing Original: great ratio Suggested revision: large proportion Why it matters: Proportion is the standard word for this type of chart.
- 4. Missing article Original: less than one-third global population Suggested revision: less than one-third of the global population Why it matters: The fraction needs of the before the noun phrase.
- 5. Plural reference Original: The majority of this city-dwellers Suggested revision: The highest proportions of city dwellers Why it matters: This avoids the incorrect singular this and focuses on percentages rather than absolute numbers.
- 6. Separate regions Original: American and European continents Suggested revision: North America, Latin America, and Europe Why it matters: The chart has two American regions with different figures.
- 7. People labels Original: 15-17% Asian and African Suggested revision: 15% of Africans and 17% of Asians Why it matters: Use plural nouns for population groups and keep the values tied to the correct regions.
- 8. Region precision Original: in Europe and America Suggested revision: in Europe, Latin America, and North America Why it matters: America is too broad because Latin America and North America have separate bars.
- 9. Natural statistic Original: six out of ten persons Suggested revision: six out of ten people Why it matters: People is more natural than persons in this context.
- 10. Article error Original: almost a same ratio Suggested revision: almost the same proportion Why it matters: The fixed phrase is the same, and proportion suits percentages.
- 11. Sentence rewrite Original: Overall, percentages of global city-dwellers increased remarkably and a great ratio of the world population would live in cities in the future. Suggested revision: Overall, the share of people living in cities rose in every region and is projected to continue rising, with North America remaining the most urbanised region. Why it matters: This overview adds the key highest category from the chart.
- 12. Sentence rewrite Original: The majority of this city-dwellers were in American and European continents while only 15-17% Asian and African were in municipalities. Suggested revision: In 1950, North America, Europe, and Latin America had the highest urban shares, while only 15% of Africans and 17% of Asians lived in urban areas. Why it matters: This corrects grammar, category names, and the chart focus.
Suggested Rewrites
- five different continents five regions
- growth of urban population percentages of people living in urban areas
- great ratio large proportion
- less than one-third global population less than one-third of the global population
- The majority of this city-dwellers The highest proportions of city dwellers
- American and European continents North America, Latin America, and Europe
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Detailed feedback by IELTS writing criterion after the annotated essay.
Task Achievement
The report identifies the overall rise in urban populations and includes several relevant comparisons for 1950, 2007, and 2030. It is weakened by imprecise grouping of Latin America and North America as America, and it does not clearly state that North America is highest throughout while Africa remains lowest.
Separate North America from Latin America and add the strongest comparisons: North America leads at 64%, 79%, and 87%, while Africa rises from 15% to a projected 51%.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response is logically ordered from introduction to overview and then chronological details. However, it is one long paragraph, and several comparisons are packed into dense sentences.
Use three paragraphs: introduction and overview, 1950 and 2007 comparisons, then 2030 projections.
Lexical Resource
There is enough vocabulary for the chart, but word choices such as municipalities, ratio, and city living population are sometimes unnatural or imprecise.
Use precise Task 1 terms such as proportion, urban population, regions, projected, and percentage points.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Meaning is generally clear, but there are repeated article, plural, and preposition errors, especially with percentages and population groups.
Check article use after fractions and use plural forms such as city dwellers, Africans, Asians, and people.