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This is an IELTS Writing Task 1 sample answer of a pie graph/chart related to water usage in various regions.
It features 3 pie charts and is straightforward.
If you need to learn more about pie charts, you can read about them here.
My other sample answers for task 1 writing are here.
The recent questions from the IELTS writing task 2 exam are here, task 1 is here and the speaking questions and topics are here.
For detailed help and feedback, sign up for my online lessons for just $14.99 a month here.
IELTS Writing Task 1 Sample Answer: Water Usage
The pie charts below compare water usage in San Diego, California and the rest of the world.
The pie charts compare water usage in San Diego County and California as a whole to worldwide figures. Looking from an overall perspective it is readily apparent that while in San Diego and California the majority of water was used for homes (followed by industry and agriculture), worldwide use focused overwhelmingly on agriculture over industry and finally residential use.
Water usage in San Diego County and California displayed broadly similar patterns. In San Diego, 60% of water was used by households, compared to 39% for all of California. The sector with the second most usage for San Diego and California was industrial with 23% and 33%, respectively. In the final position was agricultural usage at 17% (San Diego) and 28% (California).
In contrast, worldwide usage was dominated by agriculture at 69%, followed by industry and residential at 23% and 8% in turn.
Words: 143
Analysis
1. The pie charts compare water usage in San Diego County and California as a whole to worldwide figures. 2. Looking from an overall perspective it is readily apparent that while in San Diego and California the majority of water was used for homes (followed by industry and agriculture), worldwide use focused overwhelmingly on agriculture over industry and finally residential use.
- The first sentence simply paraphrases the sentence above the graph. Don’t waste time making this sentence perfect, it isn’t that important compared to other sentences in your writing.
- My next sentence is the general overview and it is the most important sentence in all of your task 1 writing. It must include the trend, speed and ranking for all charts to get above band 6 for task achievement (learn more about overviews here).
1. Water usage in San Diego County and California displayed broadly similar patterns. 2. In San Diego, 60% of water was used by households, compared to 39% for all of California. 3. The sector with the second most usage for San Diego and California was industrial with 23% and 33%, respectively. 4. In the final position was agricultural usage at 17% (San Diego) and 28% (California).
- The first sentence is a topic sentence comparing San Diego and California in general. You don’t always need topic sentences for task 1 writing but they do help your cohesion and coherence score.
- My second sentence begins to compare and describe the data. Always compare, always include the data.
- The next sentence continues to the compare the data.
- The final sentence finishes the comparison and data. Include all the data.
1. In contrast, worldwide usage was dominated by agriculture at 69%, followed by industry and residential at 23% and 8% in turn.
- This last sentence includes all the data for the final pie chart. It is ok to have a one sentence paragraph if you can include all the data in a single sentence.
Words: 143
(You should write between 150 and 200 but technically anything over 141 is fine).
Vocabulary
Try to write a synonym or think of a definition for the words in bold below:
The pie charts compare water usage in San Diego County and California as a whole to worldwide figures. Looking from an overall perspective it is readily apparent that while in San Diego and California the majority of water was used for homes (followed by industry and agriculture), worldwide use focused overwhelmingly on agriculture over industry and finally residential use.
Water usage in San Diego County and California displayed broadly similar patterns. In San Diego, 60% of water was used by households, compared to 39% for all of California. The sector with the second most usage for San Diego and California was industrial with 23% and 33%, respectively. In the final position was agricultural usage at 17% (San Diego) and 28% (California).
In contrast, worldwide usage was dominated by agriculture at 69%, followed by industry and residential at 23% and 8% in turn.
Answers
as a whole taken all together
figures numbers
looking from an overall perspective it is readily apparent that in general
majority most of
overwhelmingly strongly
displayed broadly similar patterns almost the same trend
sector area
in contrast to compare
dominated was much larger
in turn respectively
Pronunciation
æz ə həʊl
ˈfɪgəz
ˈlʊkɪŋ frɒm ən ˈəʊvərɔːl pəˈspɛktɪv ɪt ɪz ˈrɛdɪli əˈpærənt ðæt
məˈʤɒrɪti
ˌəʊvəˈwɛlmɪŋli
dɪsˈpleɪd ˈbrɔːdli ˈsɪmɪlə ˈpætənz
ˈsɛktə
ɪn ˈkɒntrɑːst
ˈdɒmɪneɪtɪd
ɪn tɜːn
Listen and repeat:
Vocabulary Practice
The pie charts compare water usage in San Diego County and California __________________ to worldwide __________________. __________________ while in San Diego and California the __________________ of water was used for homes (followed by industry and agriculture), worldwide use focused __________________ on agriculture over industry and finally residential use.
Water usage in San Diego County and California __________________. In San Diego, 60% of water was used by households, compared to 39% for all of California. The __________________ with the second most usage for San Diego and California was industrial with 23% and 33%, respectively. In the final position was agricultural usage at 17% (San Diego) and 28% (California).
__________________, worldwide usage was __________________ by agriculture at 69%, followed by industry and residential at 23% and 8% __________________.
Listen and check:
Listening Practice
Watch the video below to review about the topic in general. It may come up on other parts of IELTS so it makes sense to put in some extra practice now.
You can use some of the ideas here to practice.
Reading Practice
Read the article to further review about water in case it comes up on the test somewhere. You can use this post for some ideas about reading the news and improving your IELTS score.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2018/03/world-water-day-water-crisis-explained/
Student Corrections
Read the corrections on a student sample below to get some idea of your own score.
The pie charts demonstrate how much water is consumed in for the purposes of residential, industrialy and agricultural purposese in San Diego County, California, and throughout the world.
What stands out from the three pie charts is that
the percentage of water is used in homes is higher than that
of industry and agriculture in the two regions of the US. Another striking feature is that
agriculture accounts for the highest proportion of water, compared to residential
and industry globally.[G1]
It can be clearly seen that while residential
water consumption of residential in San Diego and
California was the highest, at 60% and 39 % respectively, water used in
homes which is used across the globe is the
least, atonly stood at 8%. In contrast, the
opposite trend can be witnessed in the domain of aAgriculture,
which
makes up the highest percentage at 69% of water
worldwide is used for this purpose, but it
accounts for only 17% and 28 % of water usage in San Diego and
California.
Regarding industrial usey,
there are
no massive changes in the usage of water[G2] the
disparity between the charts is smaller. The same proportions are
seen in the water consumption of industry in San Diego and around the world, with the
figure being twenty three percent(23%), but it
occupies the higher percentage at 33% in California.while the
number for California is slightly higher at 33%.
[G1]The overview must touch on all areas if possible. There is no mention at all of industry and agriculture in san diego and California so it is a maximum band 5 for task achievement.
[G2]This graph does not show change at all – just disparity
Comment any questions that you might have below!
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Hi Dave, I see on the figure that the percentages of industrial use in San Diego and worldwide are the same, but you didn’t include this. Is this included as ‘missing key features’ on the TA description or it’s okay? Also, I write another point of overview (so mine has 2 points/sentences) that is water use for industries is at the medium level. Is it okay? Here it is my essay of this topic, maybe you’d like to give comments. Thank you in advance. The pie chart compares the percentages of water use in two states namely San Siego County… Read more »
Hi Carry, great question! I don’t think that is a key area because I mention the data for both in the body but I don’t draw that comparison. You are right that it would be better if in the body of the writing I included that they were equal for industrial use. But it doesn’t have to be in the overview – it is a nice detail to compare but not essential and it won’t hurt your TA if you don’t include it. You’re overview is good but you can’t say ‘at the medium level’ – instead say that industrial… Read more »
Thank you, Dave!
Another question, sometimes I confuse with ‘key features’ especially for figures that contain a lot of numbers so I’m afraid of missing one and might affect TA score. Do you think key features only for largest, lowest, equal and some comparisons?
If you don’t mind, can you give the approximate band for this?
Thank you in advance.
For ones that have a lot of numbers – like a line chart – try to group it together and focus on major areas.
Examiners aren’t too strict about it and you can get a sense from reading some sample answers.
For maps, processes, you need to include everything.
Your score is in the band 7/7.5 range at the moment.
The pie charts provide information on how water is used in San Diego, California and other parts of the world. Looking from an overall perspective, the water consumption is San Diego and California displays broadly similar patterns, with residential use dominating the water usage followed by industry and agriculture, while the worldwide use of water focuses overwhelmingly on the sector of agriculture, with residential use taking up a comparably minimal portion. Looking in more details, in San Diego and California, the majority of water supply goes to residential areas, at 60% and 39% respectively. Less water is used by industries… Read more »