IELTS Essay Task 1: Bookseller Pie Charts

The pie charts detail sales by a bookseller between 1972 and 2012 according to genre. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that adult fiction became by far the most popular type at the expense of the genres which declined in popularity (others, biography, and travel). Interest in children’s fiction also increased.
In 1972, this particular bookseller sold relatively equal proportions of each type with others leading at 25%, followed by adult fiction, children’s fiction, and biography all at 20%, and travel lowest at 15%. By 1992, adult fiction had risen by 5%, while others and biography declined by the same number. Travel and children’s fiction grew by 3% and 2%, respectively.
In the final year surveyed, adult fiction surged to 45% and children’s fiction ticked up slightly to 25%. The rise of adult fiction was compensated for by dramatic drops for the remaining genres with others finishing at 12%, travel at 10%, and biography 8%.
Analysis
1. The pie charts detail sales by a bookseller between 1972 and 2012 according to genre. 2. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that adult fiction became by far the most popular type at the expense of the genres which declined in popularity (others, biography, and travel). 3. Interest in children’s fiction also increased.
- Paraphrase what the table shows.
- Write a clear overview summarising the differences.
- You might need another sentence for your overview.
1. In 1972, this particular bookseller sold relatively equal proportions of each type with others leading at 25%, followed by adult fiction, children’s fiction, and biography all at 20%, and travel lowest at 15%. 2. By 1992, adult fiction had risen by 5%, while others and biography declined by the same number. 3. Travel and children’s fiction grew by 3% and 2%, respectively.
- Begin writing about the data for the first categories.
- Make sure you compare as much as possible.
- Don’t leave anything out!
1. In the final year surveyed, adult fiction surged to 45% and children’s fiction ticked up slightly to 25%. 2. The rise of adult fiction was compensated for by dramatic drops for the remaining genres with others finishing at 12%, travel at 10%, and biography 8%.
- Write about the final, other parts of the graph – include everything!
- Compare the categories.
Vocabulary
What do the words in bold below mean? Take some notes on a piece of paper to aid your memory:
The pie charts detail sales by a bookseller between 1972 and 2012 according to genre. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that adult fiction became by far the most popular type at the expense of the genres which declined in popularity (others, biography, and travel). Interest in children’s fiction also increased.
In 1972, this particular bookseller sold relatively equal proportions of each type with others leading at 25%, followed by adult fiction, children’s fiction, and biography all at 20%, and travel lowest at 15%. By 1992, adult fiction had risen by 5%, while others and biography declined by the same number. Travel and children’s fiction grew by 3% and 2%, respectively.
In the final year surveyed, adult fiction surged to 45% and children’s fiction ticked up slightly to 25%. The rise of adult fiction was compensated for by dramatic drops for the remaining genres with others finishing at 12%, travel at 10%, and biography 8%.
Answers
Try to write down or think of an antonym/opposite word for further practice:
detail show
sales how much was sold
bookseller person who sells books
according to genre by type
Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that overall
adult fiction stories and novels
by far a lot more than
most popular much more common
at the expense of to the detriment of
declined in decreased
popularity prevalence
others other types of books and genres
biography books about a person
travel going to other places
interest in caring about
children’s fiction kid’s books
particular especially
relatively equal proportions kind of the same
leading at highest at
followed by after that
lowest the least
risen has grown
grew rose
respectively for each
in the final year surveyed the last year detailed
surged grew a lot
ticked up slightly increased a little
compensated for made up the difference
dramatic drops huge decreases
remaining left over
finishing at ending at
Pronunciation
Practice saying the words below using this tip with Google voice dictation:
ˈdiːteɪl
seɪlz
ˈbʊkˌsɛlə
əˈkɔːdɪŋ tuː ˈ(d)ʒɑːŋrə
ˈlʊkɪŋ frɒm ən ˈəʊvərɔːl pəˈspɛktɪv, ɪt ɪz ˈrɛdɪli əˈpærənt ðæt ˈædʌlt ˈfɪkʃən
baɪ fɑː
məʊst ˈpɒpjʊlə
æt ði ɪksˈpɛns ɒv
dɪˈklaɪnd ɪn
ˌpɒpjʊˈlærɪti
ˈʌðəz
baɪˈɒgrəfi
ˈtrævl
ˈɪntrɪst ɪn
ˈʧɪldrənz ˈfɪkʃən
pəˈtɪkjʊlə
ˈrɛlətɪvli ˈiːkwəl prəˈpɔːʃənz
ˈliːdɪŋ æt
ˈfɒləʊd baɪ
ˈləʊɪst
ˈrɪzn
gruː
rɪsˈpɛktɪvli
ɪn ðə ˈfaɪnl jɪə sɜːˈveɪd
sɜːʤd
tɪkt ʌp ˈslaɪtli
ˈkɒmpɛnseɪtɪd fɔː
drəˈmætɪk drɒps
rɪˈmeɪnɪŋ
ˈfɪnɪʃɪŋ æt
Vocabulary Practice
The pie charts d_____________s by a b__________r between 1972 and 2012 a_________________e. L______________________________________________t a________________n became b_______r the m______________r type a______________________f the genres which d_____________________y (o_________s, b____________y, and t_______l). I____________n c___________________n also increased.
In 1972, this p_________________r bookseller sold r______________________________s of each type with others l_____________t 25%, f_____________y adult fiction, children’s fiction, and biography all at 20%, and travel l_________t at 15%. By 1992, adult fiction had r_____n by 5%, while others and biography declined by the same number. Travel and children’s fiction g____w by 3% and 2%, r_____________y.
I________________________d, adult fiction s________d to 45% and children’s fiction t_________________y to 25%. The rise of adult fiction was c__________________r by d______________s for the r___________g genres with others f_____________t 12%, travel at 10%, and biography 8%.
Listening Practice
Reading Practice
https://www.trafalgar.com/real-word/best-bookstores-around-the-world/
Speaking Practice
Practice with the following related questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:
Books
- What genres are popular in your country?
- How does the film industry impact booksellers in your country?
- How can people be encouraged to read more?
- Are there any drawbacks to reading too often?
- What are differences between reading a real book and an online one?
Writing Practice
Practice with the related chart below and then check with my sample answer:

sample answer is great
Appreciate any feedback, pls, Thanks.
The given pie charts compare the proportion of books according to the genre an author had sold every two decades, from 1972 to 2012.
Overall, fiction books had become popular over the period, particularly for adult readers, while children’s fiction relatively increased. In contrast, biography, travel, and other books dropped in numbers in the final year.
In 1972, the bookseller distributed 20% each of adult and children’s fiction as well as biography books while 15% accounted for travel and a quarter portion for other kinds of books. After two decades, there was a slight fluctuation in the number of books sold, around 2 to 5 percent deviation among these five kinds of books.
However, in 2012, adult fiction experienced a dramatic rise, almost half of the proportion, same as children’s fiction, although the increase is marginally, exactly a quarter. Conversely, biography, travel, and other books declined its popularity, showed 8%, 10%, and 12%, respectively.
152 words
the given three pie charts illustrates the information about the ratio of five various kinds of books:(Adult fiction , children fiction , Biography, Travel, other books) sales by bookseller from 1972 to 2012.
overall, it can be seen that the highest proportion of Adult fiction and children fiction books were purchased by people , whereas Biography books was sold least amount during the three given years.
In detail , the maximum ratio of adult fiction books were sales by bookseller at around 20% and 25% from 1972 to 1992 respectively. Whereas, after the 20 years later , the proportions of adult books were inclined from 20% to 45%
follow this children fiction books stood at second position which sales approximately 20% and 25% from 1972 to 2015.
moving-further, in 1972, the sales of other books around 25%, while it was declined quickly 25% to 12% in 2012. Travel books 15% sales less than biographies 20% in 1972 . whereas , in 2012, its charge because travel books was purchased by people 10% much more than biographies 8%.