User-written IELTS example

Writing Academic Task 1 Band 9.0 Example

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

187 words AcademicTask 1Line Graph

Task 1

Illustrative target band for this original model answer.

Plan your answer

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Ideas to explore

Identify the overall direction of each line separately: margarine and butter fall over the full period, while the low-fat variety rises after it appears and then declines.
Highlight key turning points: butter peaks in 1986, margarine reaches a plateau around 100 grams in 1991–1996, and the low-fat line surges by 2001.
Mention crossovers where they change the ranking: Low Fat & Reduced Spreads is highest in 2001, while butter and margarine are no longer the leading series.

Suggested structure

Introduce the graph, naming all three spreads, the years and the unit.
Give an overview that accurately summarises the different overall patterns and the late-period ranking.
Describe butter and margarine together, using their start values, peaks or plateaus and final values.
Describe the later-starting low-fat series and compare its 2001 peak with the other spreads.

Useful vocabulary & examples

reached a peak of: rose to its highest recorded value
Butter reached a peak of approximately 160 grams in 1986.
remained stable at: stayed at approximately the same level
Margarine consumption remained stable at around 100 grams from 1991 to 1996.
overtook both alternatives: became higher than the other two series
Low Fat & Reduced Spreads overtook both alternatives in 2001.
eased to: fell slightly or gradually to a lower value
The low-fat spread eased to about 70 grams by 2007.

Task Prompt

The graph below shows the consumption of 3 spreads from 1981 to 2007.

User Essay Analysis

Review the public answer with report-style highlights.

Band 9.0

The line graph illustrates the trends in the consumption of three types of spreads—Margarine, Low Fat & Reduced Spreads, and Butter—from 1981 to 2007. Overall, the data indicates a marked decline in the consumption of all spreads towards the end of the period, with Butter maintaining the highest consumption levels throughout. In 1981, Margarine consumption was about 90 grams, then dipped to 80 grams in 1986. It subsequently recovered to roughly 100 grams in 1991 and remained at that level in 1996, before falling to 80 grams in 2001 and just 40 grams in 2007. Butter began at approximately 140 grams and peaked at 160 in 1986. Its consumption then dropped sharply to 100 grams in 1991, around 70 in 1996 and 50 in 2001, ending at about 50 grams. Low Fat & Reduced Spreads appeared later, at approximately 10 grams in 1996. This figure climbed steeply to around 85 grams in 2001, overtaking both other spreads, but eased to about 70 grams by 2007. Thus, the later figures show different patterns: margarine and butter declined, whereas the newer spread first rose rapidly and then fell slightly.

Targeted Improvement Tips

Before writing the overview, compare each series’ first and final values, and note any crossing points; this would prevent the inaccurate claim that butter is highest throughout.

Use two overview statements: one for the declines in margarine and butter, and one for the rise and subsequent fall in Low Fat & Reduced Spreads.

Keep units and approximate values consistent: state grams for the key figures and use “about” or “roughly” where the plotted value is not exact.

AI Feedback

Overall Band

9.0

Excellent

Words

187

Type

Line Graph

Criteria Breakdown

Task Achievement

5.5 Band

The answer includes the main series and several accurate values, such as margarine at about 100 grams in 1991 and the low-fat spread reaching roughly 85 grams in 2001. However, the overview claim that Butter maintained the highest consumption “throughout” is inaccurate: margarine is level with it in 1991, and low-fat spreads overtake both in 2001. Next, check the overview against every series at the start, turning points and end.

Coherence & Cohesion

6.0 Band

The progression from an overview to margarine, butter and then the later-introduced spread is easy to follow, and the final sentence usefully compares the later trends. However, “Butter maintaining the highest consumption levels throughout” conflicts with the later statement that low-fat spreads overtook both other spreads in 2001. Replace the overview with a concise account of each series’ overall pattern, then group the figures by trend.

Lexical Resource

7.0 Band

The response uses relevant chart language effectively, including “peaked,” “dropped sharply,” “climbed steeply” and “overtaking.” These verbs make the direction and scale of change clear without excessive repetition. “Marked decline” is too broad for all three series, because the low-fat line rises substantially before its late fall. Refine the overview vocabulary to distinguish a long-term decline from a rise followed by a modest decrease.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

7.0 Band

There is a good range of sentence structures, including the time clause “before falling to 80 grams” and the contrast introduced by “whereas.” The figures and time references are generally expressed clearly, with no major grammatical problems in the completed text. For a final check, keep the spread names and capitalisation consistent and read through longer sentences to ensure that each comparison has an unmistakable subject.

Topic Band Distribution

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