Writing Academic Task 1 Band 9.0 Example

The graph illustrates the production trends of three primary fuel sources in the United Kingdom between 1981 and 2000, with energy units measured as equivalent to one million tons of oil. The overall pattern reveals a significant shift in the dominance of fuel sources over the two-decade period, with natural gas experiencing a substantial surge, while coal production declined overall. Petroleum output began at about 90 units in 1981 and rose sharply to around 140 by the middle of the 1980s. It then fell gradually, reaching roughly 100 in 1990–91, before recovering and fluctuating around 140–150 for the rest of the period. It was the highest-producing fuel throughout. Coal started at approximately 80 units, but its output dropped abruptly to just under 40 in 1984. After recovering to around 60 in 1986, it generally trended downward, ending at about 35 units. By contrast, natural-gas production stayed close to 40 units during the 1980s, then increased from the early 1990s, accelerating in the middle of that decade. It overtook coal at around 1992 and reached approximately 100 units by 2000. Thus, although petroleum remained dominant, gas was the only fuel to finish substantially above its starting level.