The chart below shows estimated world illiteracy rates by region and by gender for the year 2000.
Sample Response
The bar chart reveals the illiteracy rate by region and gender for 2000. It compared six parts 0f the world. Developed countries generally have a low rate of illiteracy, almost 0 for both males and females. However, South Asia, Arab states and Sub Saharan Africa have the highest rate of illiteracy, respectively.
In these regions, the percentage of female illiterates is quite higher than male counterparts. In Arab states, around 30 % of males can’t write or read, whereas more than half of females are not literate. There is a minor difference in Sub Saharan Africa, the percentage of male illiterates are the same as that of Arab states, and about 50% of females didn’t attend school. The figures in south Asia are also hovering around; around one in3 males are illiterate. At the same time, higher than 50% of females are not literate.
In Latin America/Caribbean, the illiteracy rate is relatively low, nearly close to 10%. And males and females have equal chances for education.
In conclusion, developed countries have the least illiteracy rate, followed by Latin America/Caribbean. On the contrary, South Asia, Arab states and Sub Saharan Africa have the highest rate of illiteracy, respectively.
From the data, it is possible to infer that in the majority of parts of the world, males have a higher chance of attending school than females.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Keep present tense Original: compared Suggested revision: compares Why it matters: Use the present simple to describe what the chart shows.
- 2. Correct word and typo Original: six parts 0f the world Suggested revision: six regions of the world Why it matters: “Regions” is the accurate term, and the zero in “0f” is a spelling error.
- 3. Report values accurately Original: almost 0 for both males and females Suggested revision: approximately 1% for males and 2% for females Why it matters: The chart shows small but nonzero rates for both groups.
- 4. Standardize region names Original: However, South Asia, Arab states and Sub Saharan Africa Suggested revision: However, South Asia, the Arab States and Sub-Saharan Africa Why it matters: The revised forms use the conventional article, capitalization, and hyphenation for these regions.
- 5. Fix comparison structure Original: the percentage of female illiterates is quite higher than male counterparts Suggested revision: the female illiteracy rate is considerably higher than the male rate Why it matters: The comparison needs parallel nouns and a natural degree modifier.
- 6. Name region formally Original: In Arab states Suggested revision: In the Arab States Why it matters: The region name conventionally takes the definite article and capital letters.
- 7. Use formal phrasing Original: can’t write or read Suggested revision: cannot read or write Why it matters: The full form and conventional word order suit an academic report.
- 8. Complete the comparison Original: figures in south Asia are also hovering around Suggested revision: figures for South Asia are also high Why it matters: “Hovering around” requires a stated value and is incomplete here.
- 9. Write number phrase correctly Original: one in3 males Suggested revision: one in three males Why it matters: The number word must be written correctly in this proportion.
- 10. Use quantity comparison Original: higher Suggested revision: more Why it matters: Use “more than” rather than “higher than” directly before a percentage quantity.
- 11. Remove redundant qualifier Original: nearly close to 10% Suggested revision: close to 10% Why it matters: “Nearly” and “close to” express the same approximation here.
- 12. Use lowest for rates Original: least Suggested revision: lowest Why it matters: “Lowest” is the appropriate comparative adjective for a rate.
Suggested Rewrites
- compared compares
- six parts 0f the world six regions of the world
- almost 0 for both males and females approximately 1% for males and 2% for females
- However, South Asia, Arab states and Sub Saharan Africa However, South Asia, the Arab States and Sub-Saharan Africa
- the percentage of female illiterates is quite higher than male counterparts the female illiteracy rate is considerably higher than the male rate
- In Arab states In the Arab States
Why this response received Band 6.0
The response’s strongest feature is its broad identification of the main regional and gender patterns, supported by several approximately accurate figures. However, it omits East Asia/Oceania and sometimes turns illiteracy data into unsupported claims about school attendance, while frequent language errors weaken precision. The priority is to cover all six regions selectively, describe only what the chart measures, and proofread comparisons and subject–verb agreement.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The main extremes and gender pattern are identified with generally reasonable data, but East Asia/Oceania is omitted and some educational inferences are unsupported.
Include a concise comparison for East Asia/Oceania and describe the figures strictly as illiteracy rates rather than school attendance.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response has a broadly logical regional progression, although the conclusion repeats the opening and some links within paragraphs are awkward.
Use one clear overview and organise the details into high-rate and low-rate regional groups without repeating the same summary.
Lexical Resource
There is sufficient topic vocabulary for the task, but recurrent imprecise collocations such as ‘equal chances for education’ reduce accuracy.
Prefer exact chart language such as ‘illiteracy rate,’ ‘female proportion,’ and ‘slightly higher than’ throughout.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Both simple and complex forms are attempted, but frequent tense, agreement, article, and sentence-boundary errors weaken control.
Prioritise subject–verb agreement and complete sentence structures, especially when comparing percentages across regions.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The chart below shows estimated world illiteracy rates by region and by gender for the year 2000.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.