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This is an IELTS writing task 1 sample answer essay on the topic of an ownership of electrical appliances line chart from IELTS Cambridge 16.
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IELTS 16 Essay: Ownership of Electrical Appliances Line Chart
The charts below show the changes in ownership of electrical appliances and amount of time spent doing housework in households in one country between 1920 and 2019.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
The line charts detail total percentages of electrical appliances in a given country from 1920 to 2019 and the results on housework undertaken per week. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that all electrical appliances became more popular, in particular refrigerators and vacuum cleaners. The total time spent doing housework has also declined steadily and dramatically in the last one hundred years.
Refrigerators witnessed the most significant rise, beginning at just over 0% in 1920, surging to more than 50% by 1950, and then continuing to rise steadily until plateauing at 100% around 1980. Vacuum cleaners started higher at 30% and then rose by precisely 20% every 20 years until 1960 when growth tapered and ownership ultimately reached 100% by 1980. In contrast, proportions for washing machines began at 40%, climbed to 70% by 1960, then fell slightly, and recovered to finish the period at just above 70%.
The result for housework was that time spent washing clothes, preparing meals, and cleaning fell steadily from 50 hours a week in 1920 to 20 by 1960. After that, the decline was more gradual, reaching slightly above 10 hours by 2019.
Analysis
1. The line charts detail total percentages of electrical appliances in a given country from 1920 to 2019 and the results on housework undertaken per week. 2. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that all electrical appliances became more popular, in particular refrigerators and vacuum cleaners. 3. The total time spent doing housework has also declined steadily and dramatically in the last one hundred years.
- Paraphrase what the process shows.
- Write a clear overview summarising the major groups. Read here about overviews for processes.
- You might need a second sentence for your overview.
1. Refrigerators witnessed the most significant rise, beginning at just over 0% in 1920, surging to more than 50% by 1950, and then continuing to rise steadily until plateauing at 100% around 1980. 2. Vacuum cleaners started higher at 30% and then rose by precisely 20% every 20 years until 1960 when growth tapered and ownership ultimately reached 100% by 1980. 3. In contrast, proportions for washing machines began at 40%, climbed to 70% by 1960, then fell slightly, and recovered to finish the period at just above 70%.
- Begin writing about the data for the first category.
- Describe the next area and compare it to the area before.
- Make sure everything is detailed.
1. The result for housework was that time spent washing clothes, preparing meals, and cleaning fell steadily from 50 hours a week in 1920 to 20 by 1960. 2. After that, the decline was more gradual, reaching slightly above 10 hours by 2019.
- Write about the final line chart – include everything!
- Try to paraphrase some words used before as well.
Vocabulary
What do the words in bold below mean? Take some notes on a piece of paper to aid your memory:
The line charts detail total percentages of electrical appliances in a given country from 1920 to 2019 and the results on housework undertaken per week. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that all electrical appliances became more popular, in particular refrigerators and vacuum cleaners. The total time spent doing housework has also declined steadily and dramatically in the last one hundred years.
Refrigerators witnessed the most significant rise, beginning at just over 0% in 1920, surging to more than 50% by 1950, and then continuing to rise steadily until plateauing at 100% around 1980. Vacuum cleaners started higher at 30% and then rose by precisely 20% every 20 years until 1960 when growth tapered and ownership ultimately reached 100% by 1980. In contrast, proportions for washing machines began at 40%, climbed to 70% by 1960, then fell slightly, and recovered to finish the period at just above 70%.
The result for housework was that time spent washing clothes, preparing meals, and cleaning fell steadily from 50 hours a week in 1920 to 20 by 1960. After that, the decline was more gradual, reaching slightly above 10 hours by 2019.
Answers
Try to write down or think of an antonym/opposite word for further practice:
detail describe
electrical appliances toasters, washers, ovens, etc.
a given country a random nation
results causes
housework undertaken chores done
per week each week
Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that overall
popular common
in particular especially
refrigerators place to keep your food cold
vacuum cleaners pick up dust and dirt on your floor
total complete number
declined steadily decreased at regular intervals
dramatically by a lot
last one hundred years from the last 100 years
witnessed experienced
most significant rise huge increase
beginning at just over starting just above
surging to rising a lot to
continuing to rise keeping going up
until plateauing at leveling off at
started began
rose increase
precisely exactly
tapered slowed
ownership to have/purchase and keep
ultimately reached finally got to
in contrast however
proportions percentages
washing machines where you wash your clothes (if you do that)
climbed rose
fell slightly went down a little
recovered came back up
finish the period at end the time surveyed at
above over
preparing meals making food
after that following this
gradual slowly
slightly above just over
Pronunciation
Practice saying the words below using this tip with Google voice dictation:
ˈdiːteɪl
ɪˈlɛktrɪkəl əˈplaɪənsɪz
ə ˈgɪvn ˈkʌntri
rɪˈzʌlts
ˈhaʊswɜːk ˌʌndəˈteɪkən
pɜː wiːk
ˈlʊkɪŋ frɒm ən ˈəʊvərɔːl pəˈspɛktɪv, ɪt ɪz ˈrɛdɪli əˈpærənt ðæt
ˈpɒpjʊlə
ɪn pəˈtɪkjʊlə
rɪˈfrɪʤəreɪtəz
ˈvækjʊəm ˈkliːnəz
ˈtəʊtl
dɪˈklaɪnd ˈstɛdɪli
drəˈmætɪk(ə)li
lɑːst wʌn ˈhʌndrəd jɪəz
ˈwɪtnɪst
məʊst sɪgˈnɪfɪkənt raɪz
bɪˈgɪnɪŋ æt ʤʌst ˈəʊvə
ˈsɜːʤɪŋ tuː
kənˈtɪnju(ː)ɪŋ tuː raɪz
ənˈtɪl ˈplætəʊɪŋ æt
ˈstɑːtɪd
rəʊz
prɪˈsaɪsli
ˈteɪpəd
ˈəʊnəʃɪp
ˈʌltɪmɪtli riːʧt
ɪn ˈkɒntrɑːst
prəˈpɔːʃənz
ˈwɒʃɪŋ məˈʃiːnz
klaɪmd
fɛl ˈslaɪtli
rɪˈkʌvəd
ˈfɪnɪʃ ðə ˈpɪərɪəd æt
əˈbʌv
prɪˈpeərɪŋ miːlz
ˈɑːftə ðæt
ˈgrædjʊəl
ˈslaɪtli əˈbʌv
Vocabulary Practice
Remember and fill in the blanks:
The line charts d_______l total percentages of e_____________________s in a_______________________y from 1920 to 2019 and the r________s on h_____________k u________________________k. L___________________________________________t all electrical appliances became more p________r, i_______________r r____________s and v______________s. The t_______l time spent doing housework has also d_____________y and d______________y in the l___________________________s.
Refrigerators w__________d the m____________________e, b________________t j_________r 0% in 1920, s__________o more than 50% by 1950, and then c_____________________e steadily u____________________t 100% around 1980. Vacuum cleaners s_________d higher at 30% and then r____e by p___________y 20% every 20 years until 1960 when growth t__________d and o______________________________d 100% by 1980. I__________t, p____________s for w___________________s began at 40%, c__________d to 70% by 1960, then f_____________y, and r___________d to f___________________t just a_______e 70%.
The result for housework was that time spent washing clothes, p___________________s, and cleaning fell steadily from 50 hours a week in 1920 to 20 by 1960. A__________t, the decline was more g__________l, reaching s_____________e 10 hours by 2019.
Listening Practice
Listen to the related topic below and practice with these activities:
Reading Practice
Read more and use these ideas to practice:
https://www.homestratosphere.com/washing-machine-history/
Speaking Practice
Practice with the following related questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:
Buying
- Which item do you buy the most?
- Do you care about the price when buying an item?
- What was the last thing you bought?
- Are good products always expensive?
Writing Practice
Practice with the related line graph below and then check with my sample answer:
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