The chart below shows information about changes in average house prices in five different cities between 1990 and 2002 compared with the average house prices in 1989.
Sample Response
The bar chart depicts percentage changes in average house pricesdepicts the average house prices in five different cities between 1990 and 2002 compared with the prices in 1989prices of the year 1989, covering two periodsa period of 12 years. Overall, it can be seen that the average house prices in London were shown fluctuating throughout the year.
In detaildetails, New York house pricesthe percentage of house prices in New York between 1990 and 1995in between the year 1990 -1995 were 5 percent below the 1989 levelwas accounted just 5 percent in a negative direction. However, the figure for New Yorkthe same percentage in New York was 5 percent above the 1989 levelon the positive side between 1996 and 2002between 1996 - 2002. Similarly, the average house prices in London and Tokyo (Japan) was presented in similar percentage approximately 7 percent in negative in 1990-1995 where the percentage of London peaks at the highest position at 13 percent in 1996-2002 and Tokyo city house price was still observed the on the negative side at 5 percent.
The percentage change in average house prices in Madridaverage house price of Madrid (Spain) was 2 percentonly 1 percent in 1990–1995in previous 6 years but it doubled to 4 percentdramatically increased 4 times in 1996–2002in next following year. In 1990-1995 the average house price of Frankfurt (Germany) was only 2 percent but it was interesting that it declines and reached the same percentage as Madrid (Spain) at 1 percent.
Why this response received Band 5.0
The response covers all five cities and identifies several broad changes, with the shift in New York and the strong later rise in London communicated reasonably clearly. However, the overview does not summarize the two-period pattern and several figures or comparisons are inaccurate, especially for Madrid and Frankfurt. The priority is to state a valid overall contrast first, then report each percentage change precisely and compare the two periods consistently.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
All cities are mentioned and some major movements are recognized, but the overview is weak and several values and comparisons do not match the chart.
Summarize the overall contrast between the two periods, then verify each city's percentage and describe changes without unsupported calculations.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response has a recognizable introduction and body structure, but progression is weakened by overloaded sentences and somewhat mechanical city-by-city linking.
Group cities by shared trends and divide long comparisons into shorter sentences with clear reference to each time period.
Lexical Resource
The response uses a modest range of chart vocabulary, but recurring awkward collocations and imprecise expressions reduce clarity.
Use conventional phrases such as “house prices rose by,” “fell below the 1989 level,” and “recorded the largest increase.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Frequent errors in agreement, articles, tense, prepositions, and clause construction occur, though the main comparisons remain understandable.
Check subject-verb agreement and use consistent past-tense comparison structures with correctly formed time expressions.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The chart below shows information about changes in average house prices in five different cities between 1990 and 2002 compared with the average house prices in 1989.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.