The table below shows social and economic indicators for four countries in 1994, according to United Nations statistics.
Sample Response
A glance at four indicators of economic and social conditions in four countries, Canada, Japan, Peru and Zaire, in 1994 reflects the great differences that exist between wealthier and poorer nations. The table shows that Japan and Canada had annual incomes of $15 760 and $11 100 per person, respectively. These figures were substantially higheroverwhelmingly greater than the corresponding figures of $160 in Peru and $130 in Zaire. Health indicators, too, reflected overall levels of affluence in the four nations. Life expectancy at birth, for example, was higher among the more economically developed countries. Japan reported the highest life expectancy, 78. This was followed by Canada, 76; Peru, 51; and Zaire, 47. This suggests that richer societies are able to put more money into health care than poorer ones. The daily calorie supply per personThe amount of calories consumed daily per person roughly followed the same ranking. Canadians each consumed some 3 326 calories per day while the Japanese took 2846 calories. The corresponding figures for Peru and Zaire were 1,927 and 1,7491927 and 1749, respectively. Literacy rates among adults, too, were higher in wealthier countries, Deleteno doubt a reflection of ability to invest in education. Canada and Japan both reported literacy rates of 99%, while Peru recordedclaimed 68%. Zaire, the least economically developed of the four countries, had a literacy rate of 34%. The data appear to confirm the often-citedoften cited link between national wealth and health and educationaleducation standards.
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response reports the table comprehensively and accurately, using precise comparisons and a broad, well-controlled vocabulary. Its main limitation is presentation as one long paragraph, compounded by causal explanations about healthcare and education that the table does not establish; prioritise separating the overview from grouped details and keeping conclusions strictly grounded in the displayed indicators.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
All four indicators are accurately reported with a clear wealthier-versus-poorer overview, though the claims about investment in healthcare and education go beyond the data shown.
Retain the accurate comparisons but remove unsupported causal explanations and describe only the relationship visible among income, health, calorie, and literacy figures.
Coherence and Cohesion
The sequence from income through health, calories, and literacy is logical, but presenting the entire report as one paragraph weakens its visual organisation.
Use a separate overview paragraph and group the detailed comparisons into two focused body paragraphs.
Lexical Resource
A wide and precise lexical range supports nuanced comparisons, with only occasional slightly overstated wording such as "overwhelmingly greater".
Use neutral quantitative phrasing such as "substantially higher" and avoid vocabulary that implies an interpretation beyond the table.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex comparative and explanatory structures are varied, accurate, and consistently easy to understand.
Maintain this control while shortening a few dense sentences so that the data comparisons remain as direct as possible.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The table below shows social and economic indicators for four countries in 1994, according to United Nations statistics.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.