This is an IELTS writing task 1 sample answer essay on the topic of household work from the real IELTS exam.

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IELTS Task 1 Essay: Household Work

The bar chart below shows the average duration of housework women did (unemployed, part-time employed and full-time) when compared to men who had full-time work in the UK between 1985 and 2005.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.


The bar chart details hours of housework completed in the UK from 1985 to 2005 by fully employed males and females with various states of employment. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that time spent on housework rose for all groups with the exception of unemployed women, which was stable overall. However, the latter category undertook by far the most housework, while men with full-time jobs did comparatively little.

Unemployed women led throughout the period in terms of hours, at a peak of 7 hours in 1985 and 2005 and a slight dip to 6.5 hours in between. In contrast, men with full-time work were unchanged at just 1 hour in 1985 and 1995, though there was a slight rise to 1.5 hours in 2005.

Women with part-time employment were slightly lower than their unemployed counterparts throughout the period, beginning at 5.3 hours in 1985, before declining to 5 hours over the next 5 years, and then finishing the period with a surge to 6 hours. The figures for women with full-time employment resembled those of men, though they were marginally higher at 2, 1.5, and 2.8 hours in 1985, 1995, and 2005, respectively.

Analysis

1. The bar chart details hours of housework completed in the UK from 1985 to 2005 by fully employed males and females with various states of employment. 2. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that time spent on housework rose for all groups with the exception of unemployed women, which was stable overall. 3. However, the latter category undertook by far the most housework, while men with full-time jobs did comparatively little.

  1. Paraphrase what the bar chart shows.
  2. Write a clear overview summarising the differences.
  3. You might need a second sentence for your overview.

1. Unemployed women led throughout the period in terms of hours, at a peak of 7 hours in 1985 and 2005 and a slight dip to 6.5 hours in between. 2. In contrast, men with full-time work were unchanged at just 1 hour in 1985 and 1995, though there was a slight rise to 1.5 hours in 2005.

  1. Begin writing about the data for the first category.
  2. Make sure you compare as much as possible.

1. Women with part-time employment were slightly lower than their unemployed counterparts throughout the period, beginning at 5.3 hours in 1985, before declining to 5 hours over the next 5 years, and then finishing the period with a surge to 6 hours. 2. The figures for women with full-time employment resembled those of men, though they were marginally higher at 2, 1.5, and 2.8 hours in 1985, 1995, and 2005, respectively.

  1. Write about the final other parts of the graph – include everything!
  2. There is a lot of data in this one but try to get to all of it.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean? Take some notes on a piece of paper to aid your memory:

The bar chart details hours of housework completed in the UK from 1985 to 2005 by fully employed males and females with various states of employment. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that time spent on housework rose for all groups with the exception of unemployed women, which was stable overall. However, the latter category undertook by far the most housework, while men with full-time jobs did comparatively little.

Unemployed women led throughout the period in terms of hours, at a peak of 7 hours in 1985 and 2005 and a slight dip to 6.5 hours in between. In contrast, men with full-time work were unchanged at just 1 hour in 1985 and 1995, though there was a slight rise to 1.5 hours in 2005.

Women with part-time employment were slightly lower than their unemployed counterparts throughout the period, beginning at 5.3 hours in 1985, before declining to 5 hours over the next 5 years, and then finishing the period with a surge to 6 hours. The figures for women with full-time employment resembled those of men, though they were marginally higher at 2, 1.5, and 2.8 hours in 1985, 1995, and 2005, respectively.

Answers

Try to write down or think of an antonym/opposite word for further practice:

details shows

housework chores

completed in done in

fully employed males men with 40 hour a week jobs

females women

various states of employment different levels of work

Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that overall

with the exception of not counting the case of

stable overall unchanged in general

latter category area mentioned second

undertook did

by far a lot more than

full-time jobs normal workweek

comparatively little by comparison less

led throughout the period in terms of highest the whole time when it comes to

peak high point

slight dip small fall

in contrast however

unchanged no difference

though despite

slight rise small growth

part-time employment job with less than 40 hours a week

slightly lower a little less

counterparts their opposites

beginning at starting at

before declining to prior to falling to

finishing the period with a surge to ending the time surveyed with a big rise to

figures statistics

resembled looked like

marginally higher a little bigger

respectively in turn

Pronunciation

Practice saying the words below using this tip with Google voice dictation:

ˈdiːteɪlz 
ˈhaʊswɜːk 
kəmˈpliːtɪd ɪn 
ˈfʊli ɪmˈplɔɪd meɪlz 
ˈfiːmeɪlz 
ˈveərɪəs steɪts ɒv ɪmˈplɔɪmənt
ˈlʊkɪŋ frɒm ən ˈəʊvərɔːl pəˈspɛktɪvɪt ɪz ˈrɛdɪli əˈpærənt ðæt 
wɪð ði ɪkˈsɛpʃən ɒv 
ˈsteɪbl ˈəʊvərɔːl
ˈlætə ˈkætɪgəri 
ˌʌndəˈtʊk 
baɪ fɑː 
fʊl-taɪm ʤɒbz 
kəmˈpærətɪvli ˈlɪtl
lɛd θru(ː)ˈaʊt ðə ˈpɪərɪəd ɪn tɜːmz ɒv 
piːk 
slaɪt dɪp 
ɪn ˈkɒntrɑːst
ʌnˈʧeɪnʤd 
ðəʊ 
slaɪt raɪz 
pɑːt-taɪm ɪmˈplɔɪmənt 
ˈslaɪtli ˈləʊə 
ˈkaʊntəpɑːts 
bɪˈgɪnɪŋ æt 
bɪˈfɔː dɪˈklaɪnɪŋ tuː 
ˈfɪnɪʃɪŋ ðə ˈpɪərɪəd wɪð ə sɜːʤ tuː 
ˈfɪgəz 
rɪˈzɛmbld 
ˈmɑːʤɪnəli ˈhaɪə 
rɪsˈpɛktɪvli

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks. Note it on a piece of paper so you can remember better:

The bar chart d________s hours of h______________k c________________n the UK from 1985 to 2005 by f_____________________________s and f___________s with v______________________________t. L____________________________________________t time spent on housework r____e for all groups w______________________f unemployed women, which was s_____________l. However, the l___________________y u___________k b________r the most housework, while men with f____________s did c_________________e.

Unemployed women l_________________________________f hours, at a p______k of 7 hours in 1985 and 2005 and a s______________p to 6.5 hours in between. I____________t, men with full-time work were u_____________d at just 1 hour in 1985 and 1995, t________h there was a s____________e to 1.5 hours in 2005.

Women with p____________________t were s________________r than their unemployed c____________s throughout the period, b________________t 5.3 hours in 1985, b______________o 5 hours over the next 5 years, and then f____________________________________o 6 hours. The f_________s for women with full-time employment r______________d those of men, though they were m________________r at 2, 1.5, and 2.8 hours in 1985, 1995, and 2005, r____________y.

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.theguardian.com/inequality/2018/feb/17/dirty-secret-why-housework-gender-gap

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following related questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Tidiness

  1. Are you a tidy person?
  2. Are you more tidy at home or at school?
  3. Were you tidy as a child?
  4. Are people in your country very tidy?

Writing Practice

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

IELTS 16 Essay: Ownership of Electrical Appliances Line Chart

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