Write at least 150 words · 20 minutes
The bar chart below shows the percentage of household waste recycled in four towns in a European country in 2005 and 2020. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
See the figures (%)
| 2005 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|
| Ashford | 18 | 46 |
| Bramley | 25 | 41 |
| Corwen | 12 | 38 |
| Dunmore | 30 | 57 |
How to structure your report
- Introduction: paraphrase what the bar chart shows.
- Overview: two or three main features or trends, with no numbers. This is the most important sentence for your band.
- Two body paragraphs: group the details logically and compare them, quoting the key figures.
- No opinion and no conclusion of your own: describe only what is shown.
A plan for this chart
- Introduction: paraphrase the chart: the percentage of household waste recycled in four towns, 2005 and 2020.
- Overview: recycling rose in every town; Dunmore was highest in both years and Corwen lowest.
- Body 1: the 2005 figures, and Dunmore’s rise to 57%, the only town above half.
- Body 2: the changes in the other towns: Ashford’s rise of 28 points, Corwen more than tripling, Bramley’s smallest rise and its fall in the ranking.
Model report
163 words
The bar chart compares the proportion of household waste that was recycled in four towns in a European country in 2005 and 2020.
Overall, recycling rates rose considerably in all four towns over the fifteen-year period. Dunmore recycled the highest proportion of its waste in both years, while Corwen had the lowest rate in both years.
In 2005, Dunmore led the four towns, recycling 30% of its household waste, followed by Bramley at 25%. Ashford recycled 18%, and Corwen only 12%. By 2020, Dunmore’s figure had almost doubled to 57%, making it the only town to recycle more than half of its waste.
The largest increase was in Ashford, where the rate rose by 28 percentage points to 46%, moving the town from third to second place. Corwen also made rapid progress, more than tripling its rate to 38%, although it remained in last place. Bramley, by contrast, recorded the smallest rise, from 25% to 41%, and dropped from second to third position.
Written by Acedmi to show what a high-band report looks like. It is not an official IELTS sample, and your own ideas can be different.
Useful vocabulary
- proportion
- A part of the whole, often a percentage.
- “Dunmore recycled the highest proportion of its waste.”
- recycling rate
- The percentage of waste that is recycled.
- “Recycling rates rose in every town.”
- rise considerably
- Increase by a large amount.
- “Rates rose considerably over fifteen years.”
- almost double
- Become nearly twice as large.
- “Dunmore’s rate almost doubled.”
- more than triple
- Become over three times as large.
- “Corwen’s rate more than tripled.”
- percentage points
- The difference between two percentages: 18% to 46% is 28 points.
- “Ashford’s rate rose by 28 percentage points.”
- lead
- Be first or highest.
- “Dunmore led the four towns in 2005.”
- drop to … place
- Fall to a lower position in a ranking.
- “Bramley dropped to third place.”
Common mistakes
- Describing each town separately with no comparison. The task says "make comparisons", so compare the towns with each other.
- Writing "Ashford rose by 28%" when it went from 18% to 46%. That is 28 percentage points; the percentage increase is much larger.
- An overview with numbers, or no overview at all. Give the main trend and the highest and lowest towns.