Below is an example of IELTS writing task 1, especially on how to describe a chart or graph. Inspite of having no picture, I hope the experssion, structure, vocabulary and connecting words used are still worthwhile.The graph indicates the average number of books bought per person per year from 1960 to 1990. Over the 30-year period, the trends were upward. The number of paperbacks bought was always above the hardback ones. The paperback books rose erratically from 20 in 1960 to nearly 40 in 1990. The hardback books, on the other hand, showed a steadily increase from 1960 to 1975, followed by a slight fall in 1980, before rising again to nearly 10 in 1990.
The bar chart shows the number of books bought, divided into five types i.e. biography, history, self-help, political and religious. From 1960 to 1990, there was a decidedly upward trend of self-help books bought, from only about 2 in 1960, reaching a peak at 30 in 1980, before standing at roughly 27 in 1990. In contrast, political books, which was quiet high at about 20 in the first ten years, dropped considerably to 8 in 1975 and remained steady until 1990. The religious books bought showed a decline in the first decade from 23 to 13, before climbing sightly to nearly 17 in 1990. Biography and history books, which were quiet popular in the first year, decreased gradually and hovered at less than 5.
Overall, the number of books bought over 30 years was upward, and the self-help books became more popular than biography and history.
(226 words)
This writing was corrected by my EAP teacher at IALF Bali.
Submitted by Ady Wirawan, ADS6ME, 2006
