The chart below shows the GDP growth per year for three countries between 2007 and 2010.
Sample Response
The chart shows the annual GDP growth for three countries from 2007 to 2010. In 2007By the year 2007 Tunisia's growth ratethe figure for Tunisia was by far the highest at approximately 6.3%close to 6.3% per annum. This figure is approximately double Ecuador's figuredouble that of Ecuador and just over three times Japan's figurethree times that of Japan Deleteon a global level. However, by 2008However by 2008 this trend hadhas changed considerably; Japan's annual GDP growth rate more than doubledthe Japanese doubled their annual GDP between 2007 and 2008over this period and there was also an increase in Ecuador's GDP growth ratethe GDP of Ecuador, while Tunisia's growth rate fell to 4.5%Tunisia fell to 4.5% per year. In 2009 and 2010, the downward trend for Tunisia continued falling to a low of 3% at the end of this period. For Ecuador, the GDP growth rate fell sharplythe GDP fell sharply to just under 1.5% in 2009in the year 2009 and recovered slightly to 2.3% in 2010rose only slightly in 2010 to 2.3%. On the other hand, for Japan, the GDP figure rose significantly throughout this time and by the year 2010 had more than matched the GDP figures for Tunisia of the year 2007.
Why this response received Band 7.0
The response accurately reports the main movements and most key figures, and its comparative language makes the contrasting national trends easy to follow. The main limitation is that the overview is not clearly separated or succinctly stated, while wording about Japan doubling its annual GDP misrepresents a change in the growth rate. Prioritise a clear overall summary of Tunisia's decline, Japan's rise, and Ecuador's fluctuation, using precise metric language.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The report covers the principal trends and relevant figures accurately, although the overall pattern is embedded in the details and Japan's growth rate is described imprecisely as its GDP.
Add a distinct overview summarising the three contrasting trajectories and consistently refer to annual GDP growth rather than GDP itself.
Coherence and Cohesion
The chronological progression and comparisons are easy to follow, but presenting the entire report as one paragraph weakens the hierarchy between overview and detail.
Separate the introduction, overview, and detailed comparisons into clear paragraphs while retaining the effective chronological progression.
Lexical Resource
The response uses a good range of trend and comparison vocabulary, though expressions such as Japanese for Japan and on a global level are imprecise in this context.
Use country names and exact statistical phrasing so every lexical choice identifies the nation and the growth-rate measure precisely.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex comparative and contrast structures are generally controlled, with only occasional awkward tense choices and punctuation lapses that do not impede meaning.
Keep the description consistently in the past tense and punctuate introductory linking expressions to sharpen sentence control.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The chart below shows the GDP growth per year for three countries between 2007 and 2010.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.