IELTS Writing Describing Data
Academic Writing Task 1 Question & Answer
The graph below shows the number of first year international students studying in UK universities between 2004 and 2014.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
IELTS Writing Task 1 Sample Answer
The graph illustrates the number of first year international students from various countries and regions studying at UK universities over a 10 year period, from 2004 to 2014.
It can be clearly seen that students from non-EU countries represented the largest proportion of international students enrolled in first year university courses, while students from the USA and Nigeria accounted for the smallest proportion.
In terms of changes over the period in question, overall the total number of international students grew; the number of Chinese students doubled from 30,000 to 60,000, and the overall number of non-EU students grew by 50%, from 60,000 to 90,000.
However, notably, two groups experienced zero net growth over the ten-year period; the number of students from the USA remained unchanged throughout the entire period, and although the number of Indian students was more than double the original during 2008 – 2011, by the end of 2014 it had fallen to its original level back in 2004.