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User-written IELTS example

Writing Academic Task 1 Band 6.0 Example

Original task prompt, user essay, band score, and related examples in the same report workspace.

195 words AcademicTask 1Bar Chart
Task 1

Illustrative target band for this original model answer.

Plan your answer

Try your own response before reading the samples.

Ideas to explore

  • Compare each country group with the parity benchmark of 100, noting that developed countries reached or exceeded it only in tertiary education.
  • Identify the largest increase: developing countries’ secondary ratio rose by 10 points, from 72 to 82.
  • Highlight the widest gap: tertiary education in 1998 had figures of 75 in developing countries and 112 in developed countries.

Suggested structure

  1. Paraphrase what the chart measures and state the years and education levels.
  2. Give an overview of the overall group difference and identify the most notable level.
  3. Describe the three developing-country ratios, including their changes over time and position relative to 100.
  4. Compare the developed-country figures and finish with the largest gap.
Useful vocabulary & examples
gender parity
Equal representation of females and males, shown here by a ratio of 100 girls per 100 boys.

The developed-country primary ratio was close to gender parity in both years.

edge up
Increase by a small amount.

The developed-country primary ratio edged up from 95 to 96.

remain below the target
Stay under a stated benchmark or goal.

All three developing-country ratios remained below the target of 100 in 1998.

the gap between the groups
The difference between the figures for two categories.

The gap between the groups was largest in tertiary education in 1998.

Task Prompt

The chart below shows the number of girls per 100 boys enrolled in different levels of school education.
IELTS Writing Task 1 visual

User Essay Analysis

Review the public answer with report-style highlights.

Band 6.0

The chart compares the number of females per 100 males enrolled in different levels of school education, including primary, secondary, and tertiary education, in developed and developing countries in the years 1990 and 1998. Overall, the most notable trend is that the figures of female students in all three categories of developed and developing countries rose between 1990 and 1998, with the developed countries generally recording higher ratios. In 1990, the ratios in developed countries were 95 girls per 100 boys in primary education and 98 in secondary, compared with 83 and 72, respectively, in developing countries. In tertiary education, the gap was wider: the developed-country figure stood at 105, while the developing-country figure was 66. By 1998, all six figures had risen. The primary ratios reached 96 in developed countries and 87 in developing countries, while the corresponding secondary figures were 99 and 82. For tertiary education, developed countries climbed to 112, above the target of 100, whereas developing countries increased to 75 and remained well below it. Thus, although progress occurred everywhere, only the developed-country tertiary figure exceeded the target, and the divide between the two country groups was largest at this level.

Targeted Improvement Tips

1
Make the overview name both the general rise and the two standout comparisons: developed countries were higher overall, and the tertiary gap was widest.
2
Group each education level’s 1990 and 1998 figures together, or use parallel year comparisons, so readers can compare the two country groups quickly.
3
Prefer precise measurement language such as “girls per 100 boys” or “ratio,” and check that every stated value matches the chart.

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