This is an example of a real question from the exam – keep reading our IELTS sample answer to find out exactly how to deal with bar charts showing time!
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You can also check out this post on pie charts and changes over time for more tips. On our YouTube Channel you’ll find sample speaking answers.
The first important thing to notice about this chart isn’t that it is a bar chart. That isn’t very important.
Pay attention to the fact that it is showing change over time, from 2007 to 2009. That means that you have to include the general trend in your overview and include vocabulary like ‘sharp rise’ and ‘precipitous drop’ throughout.
Let’s take a look at the sample answer – then there is some online practice for you to do and an example of good note taking!
The chart below shows the number of films produced by five countries in three years. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.
Sample Answer
The bar chart compares film production in five different countries in the years 2007, 2008 and 2009. Overall, country A produced the most films during the given three-year period followed by country B, while the film industry was not as strong in countries C, D, and E. The largest increase was in country B while country A experienced a small decrease and there were minimal rises in the other nations.
Leading the chart in 2007, country A produced approximately 87 movies and this figure remained unchanged the next year before decreasing to 80 in 2009. On the contrary, a reverse trend was witnessed in B’s film production. Only manufacturing 50 movies in 2007, country B produced 3 more films the next year and about 17 films in 2009, which was the most significant rise among all the countries surveyed.
With substantially lower output, countries C, D, and E were responsible for fewer than 20 movies in each year. Specifically, about 8 films were manufactured in C in the first year, before this figure increased twofold in 2008 and finally reached 18 movies in 2009. Country E also experienced an upward trend, increasing from approximately 9 films to around 12 films by the end of the period. In contrast, country D decreased sharply from around 13 films in 2007 to 8 in 2008 (the lowest number among all countries that year) before recovering to 12 films produced in 2009.
Analysis
Introduction: 1. The bar chart compares film production in five different countries in the years 2007, 2008 and 2009. 2. Overall, country A produced the most films during the given three-year period followed by country B, while the film industry was not as strong in countries C, D, and E. 3. The largest increase was in country B while country A experienced a small decrease and there were minimal rises in the other nations.
1. The first sentence simple paraphrases the topic – don’t spend too much time worrying about this sentence. Write it quickly.
2-3. The second and third sentences are the most important sentence of the whole essay: the general overview. I describe which countries were the biggest/smallest overall and also whether or not each country had an increasing/decreasing trend for the whole period.
Body Paragraph 1: 1. Leading the chart in 2007, country A produced approximately 87 movies and this figure remained unchanged the next year before decreasing to 80 in 2009. 2. On the contrary, a reverse trend was witnessed in B’s film production. 3. Only manufacturing 50 movies in 2007, country B produced 3 more films the next year and about 17 films in 2009, which was the most significant rise among all the countries surveyed.
1. The first sentence describes the figures for the leading country.
2. My second sentence transitions to country B, which was in second place. It’s important to always compare. I compare country B to country C.
3. The third sentence gives the detailed data for country B.
Body Paragraph 2: 1. With substantially lower output, countries C, D, and E were responsible for fewer than 20 movies in each year. 2. Specifically, about 8 films were manufactured in C in the first year, before this figure increased twofold in 2008 and finally reached 18 movies in 2009. 3. Country E also experienced an upward trend, increasing from approximately 9 films to around 12 films by the end of the period. 4. In contrast, country D decreased sharply from around 13 films in 2007 to 8 in 2008 (the lowest number among all countries that year) before recovering to 12 films produced in 2009.
1. The first sentence is a topic sentence that focuses on the three countries with fewer films produced.
2. The second sentence describes the data across the whole period for country C.
3. My third sentence describes the data across the whole period for country E.
4. The fourth sentence describes the data across the whole period for country D.
Vocabulary Practice
Quizlet is an amazing website for helping students to improve their vocabulary and grammar through practice activities (that we designed).
Don’t believe me?
Check it out! We’ve included a set of vocabulary from the sample answer above for you to study.
Quizlet Vocabulary Study
IELTS sample answer vocabulary practice!
Related Articles and Videos
Film Production Statistics
Largest Film Industries in the World
Top 10 Countries for Film Production Video
Example Notes
Here are some notes I made on the vocabulary from the IELTS sample answer (from our Instagram page)!
IELTS Task 1 Writing notes from our Instagram page!
IELTS Task 1 Writing notes from our Instagram page!
IELTS Task 1 Writing notes from our Instagram page!
FINALLY: Here is a BAND 6 STUDENT MODEL ANSWER
Can you find the mistakes in it?
The bar chart illustrated the number of films produced by five countries from 2007 to 2009. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that country A produced most, followed by country B, which showed a rapid growth by the end of the given period, overweighing the remaining countries by a wide margin. Most countries displayed an upward trend except that country A experienced a drop while country D fluctuated.
To started with the biggest producer, country A stood at nearly 90 films in 2007, holding equal in the following year before a considerable decrease to 80 in 2009. On the other hand, fugues of country B climbed substantially during the three-year period from 50 to as much as 70. Likewise, country C and country E recorded a steady increase, form below 10 to approximately 18 and 13 respectively.
Country D however, showed fluctuations. Figures dropped from around 15 to below 10 in 2008 before rising to about 13 in 2009. (162 words)
The bar chart illustrated the number of films produced by five countries between 2007 and 2009. Overall, country A produced the most movies during this period, followed by country B which recorded a surge. Their productions overweighed the remaining countries by a wide margin. Most countries showed an upward trend, except country A displayed a dip while country D fluctuated.
To start with the top producer, country A stood at about 87 in 2007 and this figure remained unchanged the following year before decreasing to 80 in 2009. In contrast, a reverse trend was witnessed in country B’s production, from 50 in 2007 to as much as 70 by 2009, which was the most significant rise among all the countries. Likewise, figures of country C and country E grew steadily throughout the period, from below 10 to approximately 19 and 13 respectively. On the other hand, country B showed a drop from about 15 to just under 10 in 2008, then recovered by 2008 to about 13. Despite the minimal rises and fluctuations, country C, D and E made substantially less compared with country A and B.
thank you so much for your detailed explanation.
You’re welcome!
The bar chart above present the statistics of film production in five countries during three-year time span. Overall, the country A has the highest numbers and hold the first rank of film production in three years among the surveyed countries. Country B Follows after country A and during 2009 it has quite close statistics to A. Except for country A and D, the trend of film production in other countries is increasing and country B experienced the highest increase in 2009.
To be more specific, Country A shows a slight fall in the amount of film production in 2009, however it has still the highest number in 2009 among other countries. The chart of country C shows the sharpest increase in the number of film produced during the surveyed years in such a way that the number of film produced during 2009 experienced 100 percent increase in comparison to 2007. It can be seen that the general trend is decreasing except for country D that experienced a sharp fall in 2008 in comparison 2007 and returned to almost same position where it was during 2007 in 2009.
Looking at the country E bars, one can see that the number of productions in this country is increasing by a small sloop linear trend.
The presented bar graph depicts information about the amount of movies, which were produced by five countries from 2007 to 2009.
It can be clearly seen that two states were shooting the highest number of films of all five countries over years. Countries C, D and E had almost the same amount of finished films. I would dare to presume that nations A and B are the famous producers in the world.
Based on given data we can say that Country A decrease making films in the end of period from 87 to 80. In contrast, producing films in state B had an upward trend from 50 to 70 over three years. Countries C and E had the similar progress. In comparison, the amount of films, which was shooting in country D, fluctuated from 2007 to 2009 around 10.
In conclusion, we can say that the number of films produced by all five countries together increased over years.
Nice work – keep it up!