Write at least 150 words · 20 minutes
The bar chart below shows the number of students starting degree courses in five subject areas at universities in one country in 2000, 2010 and 2020. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
See the figures (thousands)
| 2000 | 2010 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering | 42 | 45 | 48 |
| Medicine | 18 | 22 | 27 |
| Business | 55 | 71 | 68 |
| Arts | 38 | 34 | 25 |
| Computing | 15 | 29 | 52 |
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: new university students in five subjects in 2000, 2010 and 2020 (in thousands).
- Overview: business was most popular throughout, computing grew dramatically, and arts was the only subject to decline.
- Body 1: business (peak in 2010) and computing (from smallest to second largest).
- Body 2: steady growth in engineering and medicine, and the fall in arts.
Model report
171 words
The bar chart shows how many students began degree courses in five subject areas at universities in one country in 2000, 2010 and 2020.
Overall, business was the most popular subject throughout the period, but the most dramatic change was the rapid growth of computing. Arts was the only subject to become less popular.
Business attracted the largest number of new students in every year shown. Its intake rose sharply from 55,000 in 2000 to 71,000 in 2010, before falling slightly to 68,000 in 2020. Computing, which had the smallest intake in 2000 at just 15,000, grew rapidly to 29,000 in 2010 and 52,000 in 2020, more than three times its original level, overtaking engineering to become the second most popular subject.
Engineering and medicine both grew steadily. The number of new engineering students rose gradually from 42,000 to 48,000, while medicine increased by half, from 18,000 to 27,000. In contrast, arts subjects lost popularity, with new students falling from 38,000 to 34,000 and then to 25,000 over the twenty years.
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
- intake
- The number of people who join at one time.
- “The computing intake tripled.”
- attract
- Make people want to come or join.
- “Business attracted the most students.”
- rise sharply
- Increase quickly by a large amount.
- “Business rose sharply between 2000 and 2010.”
- fall slightly
- Decrease by a small amount.
- “Business fell slightly to 68,000.”
- more than three times
- Over three times as large.
- “Computing was more than three times its original level.”
- overtake
- Become higher than something else.
- “Computing overtook engineering.”
- increase by half
- Grow by 50%.
- “Medicine increased by half.”
- lose popularity
- Become less liked or chosen.
- “Arts subjects lost popularity.”
Common mistakes
- Ignoring the units. The chart is in thousands, so 55 means 55,000 students.
- Writing three separate paragraphs for the three years. Group the subjects by trend instead.
- Explaining why, for example "because of jobs in technology". Task 1 reports only what the chart shows.