The pie charts below show units of electricity production by fuel source in Australia and France in 1980 and 2000.
Sample Response
The pie charts show electricity productionThe pie charts reveal units of electricity produced by fuel source in Australia and France in 1980 and 2000in two different years, 1980 and 2000. In general, coal was the main source offor electricity production in Australia and nuclear power became the dominant sourcenuclear power replaces other fuel sources in France in 2000.
Looking at the details, in 1980 coal accounted for exactly halfcoal accounted exactly a half of the electricity production in Australia, 50 out of 100 units. Yet, oil was the smallest sourcethe oil source was true as the smallest proportion, only 10 of the 100 unitsonly 10 units of 100 units. Meanwhile, in France, coal and natural gas were the joint-largest sources of electricitywere noticed as main sources of electricity, each generated 25 unitsthey both generated 25 units each out of 90 units. In contrast, hydropower accounted for a tiny proportionhydropower shaped a tiny proportion, only 5 out of 90 units.
Furthermore, in 2000, electricity produced from coalcoal resource rose dramatically in Australia; it accounted for 130 of 170 unitsaccounted 130 out 170 units and was by far the largest sourceexactly was the biggest proportion among other sources, while natural gas fell to 2 units, while nuclear power rose from zero to 2 unitsnatural gas and nuclear power produced lower electricity than in 1980. Together, they produced only 4 unitsIt was only 4 units of both. In contrast, in France, nuclear power was the largest source of electricitybiggest electricity sources. It accounted for 126 of 180 unitsamassed 126 out of 180 units, exactly 70%nearly 3 quarters. Meanwhile, electricity from natural gas decreased significantly to only 2 of the 180 unitselectricity from natural gas decreased significantly, only 2 units out of 180 units.
Why this response received Band 6.0
The response's strongest feature is its accurate overview of coal's growing dominance in Australia and nuclear power's dominance in France by 2000. However, coverage is selective and one major detail is misread: Australia's two four-unit minor sources were natural gas and oil, while nuclear power remained absent; several other fuel figures are omitted. Prioritise systematic country-by-country comparisons that identify all major rises, falls and unchanged categories with correct units.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The overview identifies the two dominant 2000 sources and several figures correctly, but important categories are omitted and Australia's minor sources are misidentified.
Report that Australian oil and gas each fell to two units while hydropower rose to 36 and nuclear stayed at zero, then cover France's coal, oil and hydropower figures.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response progresses logically from an overview to 1980 and 2000 details, although comparisons are sometimes isolated and reference words are unclear.
Within each year, compare Australia and France source by source, and replace vague references such as 'It was only 4 units of both' with named fuels.
Lexical Resource
There is an adequate range of chart vocabulary, but frequent inaccurate collocations make descriptions of proportions and production sound unnatural.
Use standard phrases such as 'accounted for half', 'generated 25 units', 'rose to 130 units' and 'was the largest source'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Both simple and complex sentences are attempted, but missing prepositions, agreement errors, comma splices and unclear pronoun reference recur.
Add 'for' after 'accounted', match singular and plural nouns, and separate comma-linked independent clauses into complete sentences.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The pie charts below show units of electricity production by fuel source in Australia and France in 1980 and 2000.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.