User-written IELTS example

Writing Academic Task 1 Band 4.0 Example

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

212 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 4.0

The given graph illustrates the consumption of three variation of foods (margarine, low fat and reduced spreads and butter) between 1981 and 2007. In overall, we can see on the graph butter peaked at 1986 year and margarine fluctuated over the period. Low fat and reduced spreads reach a high point on 2001 year. When comparing the figures, butter was the most popular spread in 1981 and 1986, at about 140 and 160 grams. After this, its consumption fell quickly to 100 grams in 1991, and continued going down to around 70 grams in 1996 and 60 in 2001. In 2007 it was about 50 grams. Margarine started at 90 grams and went down to 80 in 1986. It then increased to 100 in 1991 and stayed same in 1996. After that it fell to around 85 in 2001 and 40 in 2007. Low fat and reduced spreads was not shown until 1996, when it was only about 10 grams. It then rose sharply to around 85 grams in 2001, before falling to 70 in 2007. Overall, butter had highest consumption at first, but decreased a lot. Low fat spreads increased quickly and reached roughly the same level as margarine in 2001, while margarine changed less and finished at the lowest level.

Targeted Improvement Tips

Write a one-sentence overview that contrasts butter’s overall decline with the sharp rise of low-fat and reduced spreads after 1996.

Check the chart year by year and use approximate figures consistently; compare margarine and low-fat spreads at 2001, when both are around 85 grams.

After drafting, check subject–verb agreement and noun forms, especially phrases like “spreads were” and “three types.”

AI Feedback

Overall Band

4.0

Modest

Words

212

Type

Line Graph

Criteria Breakdown

Task Achievement

5.0 Band

The answer identifies the three spreads and includes the main trends, supported by figures such as butter rising to “160 grams” and low-fat spreads reaching “around 85 grams in 2001.” Its overview notes butter’s decline and the later rise of low-fat spreads. However, “became a high point” is vague in the opening, and the final overview could state the key change in ranking more clearly. Next, give a concise overview of the starting and ending pattern before selecting figures.

Coherence & Cohesion

5.0 Band

The sequence is generally easy to follow: the response describes butter, then margarine, then low-fat spreads, and closes with an overview. Connectors such as “After this” and “before falling” help show changes over time. However, the opening repeats the overview idea, and the final overview partly repeats earlier details. Group the opening into a clear introduction and overview, then use the remaining paragraphs for comparisons.

Lexical Resource

4.0 Band

The answer uses relevant chart language, including “consumption,” “peaked,” “fell quickly,” and “rose sharply,” which conveys several trends. However, phrases such as “three variation of foods” and “went down” are imprecise or repetitive, and “foods” is less suitable than “spreads” for this graph. Use a wider set of accurate trend verbs and collocations, for example “declined steadily” and “remained stable.”

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

4.0 Band

Some simple past-tense sentences communicate the data, such as “It then increased to 100 in 1991.” There are frequent errors in number, articles, prepositions, and verb forms, including “three variation,” “In overall,” and “stayed same.” These make parts of the description less natural, though the main meaning is usually clear. Review plural nouns and past-tense sentence patterns, then check each sentence for articles and prepositions.

Topic Band Distribution

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Band 5.03 examples

Band 4.03 examples

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