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.

cambridge 16 line chart electrical appliances
Cambridge 16: Line Chart Electrical Appliances

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.

  1. Paraphrase what the process shows.
  2. Write a clear overview summarising the major groups. Read here about overviews for processes.
  3. 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%.

  1. Begin writing about the data for the first category.
  2. Describe the next area and compare it to the area before.
  3. 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.

  1. Write about the final line chart – include everything!
  2. 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 pəˈspɛktɪvɪt 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

  1. Which item do you buy the most?
  2. Do you care about the price when buying an item?
  3. What was the last thing you bought?
  4. Are good products always expensive?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related line graph below and then check with my sample answer:

IELTS Writing Task 1 Sample Answer Essay: Concerts Line Chart (Real Past IELTS Exam)

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