The chart below shows the total number of minutes (in billions) of telephone calls in the UK, divided into three categories, from 1995-2002.
Sample Response
The bar chart shows the total number of call minutesdemonstrates the duration of phone calls in the United Kingdom divided into three categoriesdivided into three different typesover the eight-year period from 1995, during an eight-year period, commencing from 1995. Looking at the details, domestic and overseas phone calls and mobile lines accounted an increase of telephone calls. Yet, the number of local calls rose and then fellshowed a fluctuation. The quantity of national and international call during this time in the UK was about 36 billion minutes in 1995 and swelled gradually to about 36 billion minutes in 2002, approximately twice than that of 1995. Meanwhile, mobile calls also rose overallmobile call showed the same trend. The number of mobile phone calls went up significantly from about 3 billiononly about 2 billion minutes in 1995 to about 45 billion minutes in 2002 and representedoutlined a dramatic rise, in fact, about fifteen times the 1995 figurealmost 28 times higher than in 1995. In contrast, the number of local calls fluctuated over the periodover the times observed. It was about 72 billion minutes in 1995about 71 billion in 1995 and rose modestly to about 90 billion minutes in 19991998. The figure levelled off and began to go down in 2002 and kept on falling significantly until 2002 when the figure hit about 71 billion minutes. Nevertheless, the local fixed-line calls accounted for the greatest number of minutesconstituted the highest duration. The number of minutes spent on mobile callsThe popularity of cell phone calls increased sharply overall, despite a final-year declineincreased steadily over the period.
Why this response received Band 5.5
The response captures the main overall trends: local fixed-line calls remained highest, while national/international and mobile calls rose. Its strongest feature is the inclusion of relevant start, peak, and end figures, but several values and time references are contradictory or inaccurate. Check every figure against the chart and present each call category in a clearly sequenced paragraph.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The principal trends are identified, but the national/international endpoint, the local-call peak year, and several calculations or time references are inaccurate or contradictory.
Verify that national/international calls end near 61 billion, local calls peak in 1999, and every stated multiplier matches the chart.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response follows the three categories in a broadly understandable order, but its single dense paragraph and contradictory sequencing weaken progression.
Use an overview followed by separate, chronologically ordered detail paragraphs for local calls and the two rising categories.
Lexical Resource
There is an adequate range of trend vocabulary, though several collocations such as "accounted an increase" and "constituted the highest duration" are inaccurate.
Prefer precise combinations such as "recorded an increase," "rose to," and "accounted for the greatest call duration."
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The response attempts varied complex sentences, but frequent agreement, article, comparison, and preposition errors reduce control and sometimes clarity.
Check singular and plural forms, comparative structures such as "twice as high as," and verb-preposition patterns in every sentence.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The chart below shows the total number of minutes (in billions) of telephone calls in the UK, divided into three categories, from 1995-2002.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.