Tables. Everyone hates tables. They’re full of data.
And sometimes it feels like an impossible task to describe it all.
Read here about how to simplify and analyse tables.
I’ll be totally honest with you: this table is an absolute nightmare! I was sitting with one of the head IELTS trainers when I was marking this one and we had a real tough time figuring out the overview.
In that situation, most (but not all) examiners will be more lenient when it comes to marking the overview. They will take it easy on you because it is a tough graph!
Study the sample answer below so that you won’t feel like that dog on test day!
Be sure to avoid the mistakes that most students make on writing by signing up for my exclusive IELTS Ebooks here on Patreon.
The recent questions from the IELTS writing task 2 exam are here, task 1 is here and the speaking questions and topics are here.
Dave
The Question
The table below gives information about populations in Australia and Malaysia in 1980 and 2002. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. |
Australia |
Malaysia |
|||
1980 |
2002 |
1980 |
2002 |
|
Total population (millions) |
14.7 |
19.6 |
13.7 |
24.3 |
Male population (%) |
49.9 |
49.9 |
50.3 |
50.6 |
Female population (%) |
50.1 |
50.1 |
49.7 |
49.4 |
Birth rate (%) |
1.5 |
1.3 |
3.2 |
2.2 |
Average annual population growth (%) |
1.2 |
1.3 |
2.4 |
2.1 |
Population aged over 65 (%) |
9.6 |
12.4 |
3.7 |
4.3 |
Examiner Sample Answer (by Dave)
The table compares six demographic indicators of Australia and Malaysia in the years 1980 and 2002. Overall, while the population size in both countries increased considerably over the period, Malaysia’s grew at a much higher rate. Despite the overall rate of growth, the birth rate percentage was in decline by 2002. Both countries had comparable stable figures for the approximately equal male and female population proportions, however Australia had more older people and saw a larger percentile increase there as well.
The total population in both countries witnessed a substantial growth with the figure for Malaysia nearly doubling to 24.3 million while Australia increased from 14.7 to 19.6 million people. The percentage of men and women of Australia remained steady during the period at 49.9% for males and 51.1% for females. In contrast, the Malaysian male population increased its share by .3% to 50.% and there was a reciprocal decline of 0.3% for females.
Both nations experienced a downward trend in birth rates in 2002, with a decline of 1.0% in Malaysia. Overall, Malaysia had a much higher birthrate and annual population growth in 1980 (3.2% and 2.4%) and 2002 (2.2% and 2.1%). In Australia, the changes were less dramatic with the birth rate falling from 1.5% to 1.3% and average annual population growth slipping slightly from 1.3% to 1.2%. Seniors experienced a different trend. Between 1980 and 2002, Australia was home to an extra 2.8% (12.4% overall) of the elderly while the figure for Malaysia rose much less substantially by 0.6% (4.3% in total in 2002).
Sample Answer Analysis
1. The table compares six demographic indicators of Australia and Malaysia in the years 1980 and 2002. 2. Overall, while the population size in both countries increased considerably over the period, Malaysia’s grew at a much higher rate. 3. Despite the overall rate of growth, the birth rate percentage was in decline by 2002. 4. Both countries had comparable stable figures for the approximately equal male and female population proportions, however Australia had more older people and saw a larger percentile increase there as well.
1. My first sentence simply paraphrases the question. Don’t worry about this standard, token sentence – write it quickly.
2. My second sentence begins a torturous general overview. I start with the most important information – population growth for both countries.
3. My third sentence is still part of my never-ending general overview and notes an important decreasing trend related to birth rate %.
4. My merciful final sentence of the overview notes that both countries have similar proportions with the exception of the elderly, of which there are more in Australia.
1. The total population in both countries witnessed a substantial growth with the figure for Malaysia nearly doubling to 24.3 million while Australia increased from 14.7 to 19.6 million people. 2. The percentage of men and women of Australia remained steady during the period at 49.9% for males and 51.1% for females. 3. In contrast, the Malaysian male population increased its share by .3% to 50.% and there was a reciprocal decline of 0.3% for females.
1. My first sentence details the statistics for overall population growth in both countries.
2. My second sentence describes the ratio changes for men and women in Australia.
3. My third sentence does the same but for Malaysia, where there are fewer females.
1. Both nations experienced a downward trend in birth rates in 2002, with a decline of 1.0% in Malaysia. 2. Overall, Malaysia had a much higher birthrate and annual population growth in 1980 (3.2% and 2.4%) and 2002 (2.2% and 2.1%). 3. In Australia, the changes were less dramatic with the birth rate falling from 1.5% to 1.3% and average annual population growth slipping slightly from 1.3% to 1.2%. 4. Seniors experienced a different trend. 5. Between 1980 and 2002, Australia was home to an extra 2.8% (12.4% overall) of the elderly while the figure for Malaysia rose much less substantially by 0.6% (4.3% in total in 2002).
1. My first sentence describes the percentage changes for birth rates.
2. My second sentence compares Malaysia which had much higher overall growth rates.
3. My third sentence compares Australia, which had lower growth rates.
4. My fourth sentence introduces the category of seniors.
5. My fifth sentence compares the data for seniors in Malaysia and Australia.
Vocabulary Analysis and Practice
The table compares six demographic indicators of Australia and Malaysia in the years 1980 and 2002. Overall, while the population size in both countries increased considerably over the period, Malaysia’s grew at a much higher rate. Despite the overall rate of growth, the birth rate percentage was in decline by 2002. Both countries had comparable stable figures for the approximately equal male and female population proportions, however Australia had more older people and saw a larger percentile increase there as well.
The total population in both countries witnessed a substantial growth with the figure for Malaysia nearly doubling to 24.3 million while Australia increased from 14.7 to 19.6 million people. The percentage of men and women of Australia remained steady during the period at 49.9% for males and 51.1% for females. In contrast, the Malaysian male population increased its share by .3% to 50.% and there was a reciprocal decline of 0.3% for females.
Both nations experienced a downward trend in birth rates in 2002, with a decline of 1.0% in Malaysia. Overall, Malaysia had a much higher birthrate and annual population growth in 1980 (3.2% and 2.4%) and 2002 (2.2% and 2.1%). In Australia, the changes were less dramatic with the birth rate falling from 1.5% to 1.3% and average annual population growth slipping slightly from 1.3% to 1.2%. Seniors experienced a different trend. Between 1980 and 2002, Australia was home to an extra 2.8% (12.4% overall) of the elderly while the figure for Malaysia rose much less substantially by 0.6% (4.3% in total in 2002).
Practice – categorise the vocabulary from the sample answer below:
Vocabulary for describing growth:
Vocabulary for describing decline:
Ways to say big/fast:
Ways to say small/slow:
Answers:
Vocabulary for describing growth: increased, grew at a much higher rate, substantial growth, rose much less substantially
Vocabulary for describing decline: was in decline, reciprocal decline, downward trend, slipping slightly
Ways to say big/fast: much higher rate, considerable, substantial
Ways to say small/slow: less dramatic, slightly, less substantially
Grammar Analysis and Practice: Present Simple
Wait, don’t skip this section right away! I know, I know – present simple. The simplest, most basic grammar.
If you are reading this, you already know about present simple.
But you wouldn’t believe how many students make simple mistakes in the first sentence of their writing and give the examiner a really bad first impression.
My tip is to make sure you get the subject/verb agreement here correct as a reminder to keep getting it correct as you continue writing.
The table compares six demographic indicators of Australia and Malaysia in the years 1980 and 2002.
Red: Subject – is it singular or plural (table is singular, tables is plural)
Table: Verb (if the subject is singular then there is an ‘s’ – compares. If it is plural, then there is no ‘s’ – compare.
Correct: The table compares six demographic indicators of Australia and Malaysia in the years 1980 and 2002.
Incorrect: The table compare six demographic indicators of Australia and Malaysia in the years 1980 and 2002.
Let’s do some simple practice:
Correct the mistakes:
1. The pie charts illustrates the band scores for IELTS candidates in Vietnam in 2005 and 2018.
2. The diagram describe the process by which an examiner marks IELTS.
3. IELTS examiners likes marking Task 1 because it is easy.
4. IELT Writing Task 1 stop many students from getting the scores that they deserve.
5. IELTS students almost never spends enough time to prepare.
Answers:
1. The pie charts illustrate the band scores for IELTS candidates in Vietnam in 2005 and 2018.
2. The diagram describes the process by which an examiner marks IELTS.
3. IELTS examiners like marking Task 1 because it is easy.
4. IELT Writing Task 1 stops many students from getting the scores that they deserve.
5. IELTS students almost never spend enough time to prepare.
I know it’s simple – just make sure you do it and then remember that your subjects and verbs should always agree (regardless if it is present simple or not).
My Handwritten Notes
IELTS Tables Vocabulary
thanks for such a nice sample you just shared with us.
You’re welcome!
such a nice sample,thank you for sharing with us
You’re welcome!
The given table shows how many people lived in Australia and Malaysia in 1980 and 2002. From general perspective it is readily apparent that Total population in Australia didn’t change as much as Malaysia did since Australia didn’t have the highest population in 2002 anymore. Both countries shared nearly equal percentages of female and male while Malaysia had a slight difference between genders in both years. Considering birth rate and average annual population growth, Malaysia approximately experienced twice growth than Australia in 1980 and 2002. In addition, the number of senior citizens in Australia was considerably higher than Malaysian society in two observed years.
Australia had the highest number of residents in 1980 which was 14.7 million and it increased to 19.6 by 2020 while Malaysian population increased sharply by 10.6 million and reached 24.3 in 2002. As it is clear, both birth rate and average yearly population growth is much higher in Malaysia. In terms of percentage of population growth, Malaysia holds 2.4% compare to 1.2% in Australia in 1980 and 2.1% compare to 1.3% in 2002. Considering birth rate, it is 3.2% and 2.2% in 1980 and 2002 in Malaysia while it is just 1.5% and 1.3% in 1980 and 2002 in Australia and as it is clear both countries experienced decreases as much as 0.2% in Australia and 1.0% in Malaysia.
Number of senior citizens in in Australia held the highest in both years as they were 9.6% and 12.4% of the population in 1980 and 2002 respectively. On the other hand, only 3.7% in 1980 and 4.3% in 2002 of Malaysian community is consisted of people aged over 65. Regarding proportion of female and male, Australian community shared the exact same number among genders in both years which were 49.9% male proportion and 50.1% female numbers while Malaysian male were higher as slight as 0.6% in 198 and 1.2% in 2002.
Thanks for commenting first of all! Your sample is 315 words – more than double the required length so it is very difficult to give an accurate score on it… The overview is too long and specific, though this graph is very difficult. You cover all the areas though so you can probably expect a band 5 or 6 for task achievement depending on your overview. Your cohesion and coherence is good and includes relative clauses, referencing, paragraphs, linking phrases but there are numerous small mistakes and some sentences are not entirely clear – around band 6. Vocabulary is good, some rare phrases but most is standard and there are some mistakes – also band 6. Grammar has a few too many mistakes and limited structures so it is more likely to be band 5, despite some good complex grammar. Overall you are in the band 5.5/6 range. Keep up the hard work!
Hi Dave, would you mind to comment on this including the band level ?
The table provides detail regarding the population changes took place for a period of 22 years starting from 1980 to 2002, particularly in Australia and Malaysia.
Overall, the most striking feature is, total population manifest a growth in both countries but the amount in 2002 in Malaysia has surpassed Australia. Additionally, the number of elderly people (65+) in both countries show an increment, yet, Australia outweigh the complete population in Malaysia in both years. Furthermore, other parameters such as, male and female population, birth rate and average annual population growth, have undergone with diminutive alterations. In overall perspective, Australia owns more women than Malaysia while Malaysia shows the reciprocal of it, in both years.
Looking first, even though, the total population in Australia in 1980 (14.7M) was higher than Malaysia (13.7M), by 2002 Malaysia supplanted and exhibits a lead in total population (24.3 M) in opposed to Australia (19.6M). In addition, the increment is approximately twice than in Australia. Albeit, the population of aged people (over 65) illustrates a similar pattern, it is highly noticeable this number in Australia (12.4M) is nearly thrice than in Malaysia (4.3M) by 2002, in contrast to 1980 (9.6M in Australia and 3.7M in Malaysia).
Secondly, another significant point is, Australia was able to restrain a change in both male (49.9M) and female (50.1M) population , which remain unchanged for 22 years, while, Malaysia elucidates a tiny increment in males (50.3 to 50.6 M) with a reduction of females (49.7M to 49.4M ) by 2002.
In contrast, Birth rate express a contradicting pattern, where both countries indicate a drop (Australia 1.5% to 1.3%, and Malaysia 3.2% to 2.2%) by 2002. Last but not least, average annual population growth notifies a trivial rise of 0.1% in Australia while, Malaysia signifies a drop of 0.3% by 2002.
The table presents data on how Australian and Malaysian population had developed from 1980 to 2002. Overall, both countries saw a considerable increase in total population despite the decreasing birth rates. The proportions of males and females remained stable over the years. So was the average annual growth, whereas the percentages of senior population grew more in Australia than Malaysia.
Australia started off with a larger population in 1980 by .7 million at 14.7 million, however Malaysia’s population grew so rapidly that in 2002, its total count reached 24.3 million over Australia’s by 4.7 million. Likewise, the senior population (65+) of both countries went up from 9.6% (Australia) and 3.7% (Malaysia) to 12.4% and 4.3% respectively.
In contrast, both countries showed a downward trend in birth rate. The percentage of Australia decreased slightly by .2 % to 1.3% in 2012, while Malaysia recorded a 1% drop from a much higher rate of 3.2% in 1980. Finally, the proportions of males and females remained stable over the year with no greater than .3% variation, which also applied to the marginal growth in average annual population.
(184 words)
Your overview did not include the data of average annual population growth, wasnt it?
If it is true, then will the overview, which is missing only a data, still able to reach the band 7?
Overviews cannot contain data – otherwise it will not be counted as an overview and your score will be limited to a max of band 5 for task achievement.
The first sentence covers the average annual population growth so all categories are touched on.
All my essays are band 9 across the board, An!