As part of your IELTS exam preparation, consistent writing practice for IELTS is essential to get a high score on the Academic Writing Test.
You can learn about writing skills here and many other online sources to help you improve your vocabulary for IELTS and sentence structure, among other things.
Below is a recent Task 1 question to help you practice writing for IELTS. How would you answer it?
Model IELTS Writing Task 1
Sample AnswerThe bar chart compares the percentages of young people aged 16-25 who played versus watched various sports in a particular country in 2000.
One of the most striking features is that for most sports, the percentage of people watching exceeds those participating, with tennis showing the largest disparity. 60% of young people watched tennis, while only 30% played it, a difference of 30 percentage points.
Basketball stands out as the most popular sport overall, with high levels of both participation (50%) and spectatorship (55%). It's the only sport where the percentages for playing and watching are relatively close.
In contrast, gymnastics and badminton have notably lower percentages across both categories. Gymnastics was watched by 20% but played by only 10%, while badminton had the lowest viewership at 5% but slightly higher participation at 12%.
Golf presents an interesting case as one of only two sports where participation (30%) exceeded viewership (10%). Badminton follows this pattern to a lesser extent.
In summary, the data reveals varying levels of engagement across different sports, with most having higher percentages of spectators than active participants. Basketball emerges as the most popular overall, while tennis shows the most significant gap between watching and playing.
IELTS Writing Tips
Insights for scoring high on IELTS Academic Writing Task 1:
Do:- Start with a clear overview of the main trends or features
- Group data logically and compare relevant information
- Use a variety of appropriate linking words
- Include specific data to support your observations
- Use a range of vocabulary to describe trends (e.g., "increased sharply", "fluctuated", "remained stable")
- Maintain a formal, objective tone
- Structure your response with clear paragraphs
- Use accurate grammar and punctuation
- Stay within the 150-word minimum (aim for 170-190 words)
- Personal opinions or speculations
- Irrelevant information not shown in the data
- Repeating the same words or phrases excessively
- Writing less than 150 words
- Spending too much time on minor details
- Using overly complex language unnecessarily
- Copying large chunks of the question
Remember to time yourself when doing practice writing for IELTS and analyze various chart types.
Focus on clear, concise reporting of the key information presented.
Good luck with your IELTS exam preparation