The bar chart gives information about the number of car journeys into the city centre made by residents and non-residents.
Sample Response
The bar chartThe graph shows the number of car journeys into the city centre made by residents and non-residents over a ten-year periodten year period. In 1996 an average of just under 10,000 journeys per day were being made by residents, while approximately half as manyapproximately half that number were made by non-residents. Over the subsequent three years, resident journeys remained reasonably stable, while non-resident journeys increased each year, exceeding 8,000 per day in 1999. In early 2000, parking meters were introduced into the city centre, after which resident traffic virtually halvedand this had the effect of virtually halving resident traffic, although non-resident traffic decreased only slightly. By the end of 2002, the number of resident journeys had not altered significantly, but non-resident journeys had risen to their 1999 level. At this point, Westgate Street and Park Lane were closed to trafficwere pedestrianised. This resulted in a dramatic decline in non-resident traffic, and a smallerslight decrease in resident traffic. From this point onward, resident traffic remained more or less at the same level, while non-resident traffic resumed its upward trend, reaching nearly 5,000 journeys per day in 2005.
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response gives an accurate, highly controlled chronological account of both groups and connects the two traffic interventions clearly to the subsequent changes. Its main limitation is the absence of a distinct overview and paragraph structure, which makes the account read as one continuous sequence. Add an opening overview of the contrasting patterns, then group details around the two interventions.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The key figures, contrasting movements, and effects of both traffic measures are selected and reported accurately.
Add a concise overview stating that resident journeys fell overall while non-resident journeys fluctuated sharply around the two interventions.
Coherence and Cohesion
Chronological progression and referencing are clear, but presenting the entire report as one paragraph weakens the structural hierarchy.
Separate the initial period, the parking-meter period, and the post-pedestrianisation period into purposeful paragraphs.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is precise and flexible, with natural use of terms for stability, change, and degree.
Maintain this precision while adding a brief overview that uses broader trend language rather than repeating detailed figures.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex clauses, comparisons, and time relationships are handled accurately and naturally throughout.
Preserve the strong control while varying a few repeated 'while' structures to make the syntax even more flexible.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The bar chart gives information about the number of car journeys into the city centre made by residents and non-residents.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.