The pie charts below show the types of music media used from 1990 to 2010.
Sample Response
The given pie charts present information about the music storage media usedthe storage media which were used to store music in three different years, over a 20-year periodover a 30-years’ period. It is clear that compact discs were the main mediumcompact disc was the main media to store music in the first two years shownin the early two decades but in 2010, MP3 players becamein 2010 MP3 player became the main media to store music. In 1990, 55% music storage was done in compact disc (CD) and this figure dramatically increased to 95% in 2000. However, after MP3 players became dominantwith the dominance of MP3 player, CDs accounted for only 35% of music storageonly 35% music storage was done in CDs in 2010. The proportion of using cassettes to store music was 25% in 190 but it became obsolete in later decades. Vinyl records accounted for 20% of music storageVinyl Record stored 20% music in 1990 and 0% in 2000none in the year 2000. It reappearedInterestingly it reappeared in 2010 and was accounted for 5% of music storageused to store 5% music. Finally, digital audio (MP3)MP3 player, also known as Digital Audio, accounted for 0% in 1990was not used in 1990 for storing music but it accounted for 5% of music storagecontributed to 5% storage in 2000 and it became the leading music medium in 2010it became the primary storage for music in 2010 accounting for 60% of music storagewith 60% storage of music.
Why this response received Band 7.0
The response selects nearly all the relevant figures and gives a clear overview of the shift from CDs to digital audio, with the disappearance of cassettes and return of vinyl also well covered. Its main weakness is language precision: repetitive storage phrasing, awkward percentage constructions, and small date or time-span errors reduce accuracy. Prioritise concise comparative sentences with correct noun forms, articles, and time expressions.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The response accurately covers the dominant media and almost all category proportions, with only minor date and time-span inaccuracies.
Correct the 1990 date typo and describe 1990 to 2010 as a twenty-year period while retaining the strong coverage of changes.
Coherence and Cohesion
The overview is clear and the details move logically through the three years, although the single-block presentation is somewhat dense.
Separate the overview from the chronological details and combine related changes into more concise comparative sentences.
Lexical Resource
The vocabulary is sufficiently varied and specific, but repeated use of "store music" and awkward percentage phrasing limit flexibility.
Vary accurate expressions with phrases such as "accounted for," "represented," and "made up" while avoiding repetition.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex sentences are used effectively, but article, noun-form, possessive, and percentage-construction errors occur noticeably.
Use forms such as "a thirty-year period," "55% of music was stored," and "the use of cassettes" to improve control.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The pie charts below show the types of music media used from 1990 to 2010.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.