IELTS Writing Task 1 · Academic

Bar chart: how average and low-income households spend, 2024

A real-format chart task with a band 8 report written from its data, the plan behind it, and the phrases worth keeping. Aim for 150 to 190 words in 20 minutes.

The task

The chart below shows how an average household and a low-income household divided their annual spending in 2024. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Share of annual household spending by category (%)	Housing	Food	Transport	Health	Leisure	Savings	Other
Average	33	15	14	7	11	12	8
Low income	41	24	12	9	5	1	8

Band 8 model answer

180 words. The minimum is 150, and anything under it is penalised on Task Achievement; a strong answer sits between 150 and 190, which leaves time to check the figures.

The bar chart compares the percentage of annual household spending allocated to seven categories by an average household and a low-income household in 2024. Overall, low-income households spent a much larger share on necessities, especially housing and food, and were left with very little for savings or leisure. Housing was the largest category for both groups. Housing took 41 percent of low-income spending against 33 percent for the average household, and food accounted for 24 percent against 15 percent. Together, these two essentials absorbed 65 percent of a low-income budget, compared with 48 percent for the average household. Health was also slightly higher for low-income households, at 9 percent compared with 7 percent. In contrast, the average household had more room for choice. It saved 12 percent of its spending, twelve times the 1 percent saved by low-income households, and spent 11 percent on leisure, more than double the 5 percent of the poorer group. Transport was marginally larger for the average household, at 14 percent against 12 percent, and the other category was identical, at 8 percent for both.

Why this answer earns band 8

"low-income households spent a much larger share on necessities" groups housing and food under one idea and states the central contrast of the chart, the overview that Task Achievement looks for.
"Together, these two essentials absorbed 65 percent of a low-income budget" adds two bars into a new figure (41 and 24), and the sum is right, so the comparison with 48 percent is a true insight under Task Achievement.
"absorbed 65 percent" and "allocated" in the introduction are precise verbs for money shares, which is the Lexical Resource that lifts a budget report above "spent" repeated seven times.
"In contrast, the average household had more room for choice." opens the second body paragraph with a linker that matches the logic of the data, which is Coherence and Cohesion.
"Transport was marginally larger for the average household, at 14 percent against 12 percent" shows a measured adverb, a comparative and a closing contrast phrase working together, the range Grammatical Range and Accuracy asks for.

The plan, reusable on any chart of this kind

Introduction (1 sentence, 20-30 words): the measure, the seven categories, the two households and the year.
Overview (2 sentences, 25-35 words): the necessities versus savings and leisure contrast, and the category that is largest for both. No numbers.
Body 1 (50-60 words): the necessities where low-income households spend more, with one combined figure for housing and food.
Body 2 (60-70 words): the categories where the average household is ahead, then the small differences and the one identical figure.

Phrases worth learning

a much larger share on	to open an overview about which group spends more on a type of item
absorbed 65 percent	for a combined share taken up by two or more categories
In contrast	to turn from one group's pattern to the other's
twelve times the	to compare two figures when one is an exact multiple of the other
was identical	for the category where the two groups match

With seven categories and two groups you cannot mention all fourteen bars without writing a list, so choose the contrasts that matter and group the rest. Whatever you combine, such as housing and food here, add the real figures yourself and check the total, because a wrong sum is an invented number as far as Task Achievement is concerned.

Questions about this answer

What band is this model answer?

It is written to band 8, and the notes under it quote the answer's own words to show why.

How long should a Task 1 answer be?

Aim for 150 to 190 words in 20 minutes. This model answer is 180 words, and anything under 150 is penalised on Task Achievement.

What is the most common mistake on Task 1?

Writing under the 150 word minimum, which is penalised on Task Achievement, or running out of time to check the figures.