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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 practice questions
Academic Task 1 practice questions on line graphs, bar charts, pie charts, tables and process diagrams. Each one has the key features for your overview and a band-8 model answer.
- Internet users (% of population)The percentage of the population using the internet in four countries between 2000 and 2020
- UK electricity generation by sourceThe amount of electricity generated from three sources in the UK between 1990 and 2020
- International students enrolledThe number of international students enrolled at universities in four countries from 2005 to 2020
- Share of daily journeys by transport modeThe percentage of daily journeys made by bicycle, car and public transport in one European city between 1980 and 2020
- Annual visitors to the islandThe number of tourists visiting a small island resort between 2008 and 2020
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- Smartphone ownership by age groupThe percentage of people owning a smartphone in three age groups between 2010 and 2022
- Unemployment rateThe unemployment rate in three countries from 2000 to 2020
- Renewable share of energy consumptionThe proportion of total energy consumption that came from renewable sources in three countries between 1995 and 2020
- Higher education enrolmentThe percentage of men and women aged 18–24 enrolled in higher education in one country from 1970 to 2020
- Child obesity rateThe percentage of children classed as obese in three countries between 1990 and 2020
- Annual fish catchThe annual fish catch in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans between 1950 and 2010
- Annual water consumptionThe amount of water used for agriculture, industry and households in one country from 1980 to 2020
- Births and deaths per 1,000 peopleThe number of births and deaths per thousand people in one country between 1950 and 2010
- Average house priceAverage house prices in three cities between 2000 and 2020
- Weekly hours of entertainment (teenagers)The average number of hours per week spent on three forms of entertainment by teenagers between 2005 and 2022
- Road deaths per 100,000 peopleThe number of road deaths per 100,000 people in four age groups in one country between 1995 and 2020
- Annual consumption per personThe average amount of tea and coffee drunk per person per year in one country from 1990 to 2020
- Employees working mainly from homeThe percentage of employees working mainly from home in four sectors between 2015 and 2023
- CO2 emissionsCarbon dioxide emissions in three regions of the world between 1980 and 2020
- Electric car salesThe number of electric cars sold in four countries between 2012 and 2022
- Public library useThe number of visits to public libraries and books borrowed in one city between 2000 and 2020
- International tourist arrivalsThe number of international tourists arriving in three countries between 2000 and 2019
- Annual food salesAnnual sales of fast food and of fresh healthy food in one country from 1995 to 2020
- Subscriptions per 100 peopleThe number of mobile phone and landline subscriptions per 100 people in one country between 1998 and 2018
- Recycling rate by materialThe percentage of waste recycled in one country for three materials between 1990 and 2020
- Average monthly temperatureThe average monthly temperature, in degrees Celsius, in three cities over one year
- Workforce employed in agricultureThe percentage of the workforce employed in agriculture in four countries from 1960 to 2010
- Households with internet accessThe percentage of urban and rural households with internet access in one country between 2005 and 2023
- Newspaper and online newsThe number of daily newspaper copies sold and online news subscriptions in one country from 2000 to 2020
- Average monthly rainfallAverage monthly rainfall, in millimetres, in three regions of one country
- Solar installations and costThe average cost of solar panel installation and the number of installations in one country between 2008 and 2022
- Marriages and divorces per 1,000 peopleThe number of marriages and divorces per 1,000 people in one country between 1960 and 2020
- Regular participantsThe number of people regularly taking part in gym, yoga and swimming activities in one city between 2005 and 2020
- Cereal productionWorld production of three cereal crops between 1990 and 2020
- Annual passengersThe number of passengers using three airports between 2000 and 2020
- Destination of school leaversThe percentage of school leavers who went into work and into further study in one country between 2000 and 2020
- Average download speedThe average broadband download speed in three countries between 2010 and 2022
- Life expectancy at birthLife expectancy at birth in Europe (for women and men) and in Sub-Saharan Africa between 1950 and 2020
- Monthly online spending per personAverage monthly spending on online shopping by four age groups between 2012 and 2022
- Average number of births per womanThe number of births per woman in three countries between 1960 and 2020
- Household spending by categoryThe percentage of household income spent on five categories in three countries
- International students by destinationThe number of students from one country studying in five destinations in 2010 and 2020
- Average weekly working hoursThe average number of hours worked per week in six countries
- Cars per 1,000 peopleThe number of cars owned per 1,000 people in 2000 and 2020 in six countries
- Museum visitors by age groupThe percentage of visitors to a city museum in each age group in 2005 and 2020
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- CO2 emissions per personCarbon dioxide emissions per person in seven countries in 2019
- Pupils with computer accessThe percentage of pupils with access to computers at home and at school in four countries
- Café sales by monthThe monthly sales of ice cream and hot drinks in one café over six months
- Reasons for learning EnglishThe main reasons given for learning English by people in three age groups
- Visitors to the UK by region of originThe number of visitors to the UK from five regions of the world in 2019
- Weekend leisure timeThe average time men and women spent on five leisure activities at weekends
- Health spending (% of GDP)Health spending as a percentage of national income in six countries in 2000 and 2020
- Population by age group (2020)The proportion of the population in three age groups in Japan and India in 2020
- Daily portions of fruit and vegetablesThe average number of daily portions of fruit and vegetables eaten per person in six countries
- Average daily commuteThe average length of daily commute by five modes of transport in one city
- App downloads by categoryThe number of app downloads in four categories in 2018 and 2022
- Recorded crimeThe number of recorded burglary, car theft and online fraud cases in one country in 2000, 2010 and 2020
- Graduates by subjectThe percentage of male and female graduates in five subject areas in one country
- Energy consumption by sectorEnergy consumption in three sectors in four countries in 2020
- Bottled water consumptionThe amount of bottled water drunk per person in seven countries in 2010 and 2020
- Regular sport participationThe percentage of people who play sport regularly in four age groups
- Petrol price per litreThe price of a litre of petrol in six countries in 2023
- Average monthly rentThe average monthly rent for one-bedroom and three-bedroom flats in five cities
- Main source of newsThe percentage of adults who named each source as their main source of news in 2005, 2015 and 2023
- Rice productionRice production in six countries in 1990 and 2020
- Test takers by regionThe number of IELTS candidates from five regions in 2015 and 2022
- Employment by sectorThe percentage of the workforce in three sectors in one country in 1980, 2000 and 2020
- Trains arriving lateThe percentage of trains arriving late for five rail companies in 2018 and 2023
- Daily household water useThe average daily household water use for six activities in one city
- Adults who volunteerThe percentage of adults who volunteer, by age group, in 2010 and 2020
- Cinema visits per person per yearThe average number of cinema visits per person per year in five countries in 1995 and 2019
- Clothing exportsThe value of clothing exports from five countries in 2000, 2010 and 2020
- Preferred holiday typeThe percentage of people choosing each type of holiday in three age groups
- Teacher salaryThe average annual salary of primary and secondary school teachers in five countries
- Dairy consumption per personThe amount of dairy products eaten per person per year in four countries
- Hotel occupancyHotel occupancy rates in four months of the year in three cities
- Home ownershipThe percentage of people who owned their home in four age groups in 1990 and 2020
- Main language spoken at homeThe languages most commonly spoken at home in one multicultural city, in 2000 and 2020
- Freight carriedThe volume of freight carried by road, rail, sea and air in one country in 2000 and 2020
- Household waste recycledThe percentage of household waste recycled, by material, in three cities in 2022
- Household spendingHow an average family in one country spent its income in 1970 and 2020
- Sources of electricityThe sources of electricity in a country in 1990 and 2020
- Students by subject areaThe subjects chosen by university students in one country in 2000 and 2020
- Greenhouse gas emissions by sectorThe percentage of greenhouse gas emissions produced by each sector in one country
- Teenagers' use of time (waking hours)How teenagers spend their time on a weekday and at the weekend
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- Tourist expenditureHow tourists spent their money in a coastal city in 2005 and 2022
- World population by continentThe distribution of world population by continent in 1950 and 2020
- Main reason for migratingThe main reasons why people moved to a new country, according to a survey
- Water use by sectorHow water was used in one country in 1980 and 2020
- Music revenue by formatThe share of music revenue from different formats in 2000 and 2020
- School lunch choicesWhat students chose to eat for lunch at one school in 2008 and 2023
- Company budgetHow a technology company divided its annual budget between departments in 2015 and 2023
- Methods of travelling to workThe methods people used to travel to work in London, Delhi and Amsterdam
- Land useHow land was used in a rural region in 1960 and 2020
- Online purchases by categoryThe types of goods bought online by consumers in one country in 2010 and 2022
- Population by age groupThe age structure of the population of one country in 1990 and 2020, and a forecast for 2050
- Sources of ocean plastic wasteThe main sources of plastic waste in the oceans
- Reasons for hospital visitsWhy patients visited a city hospital in 1995 and 2022
- Language of web contentThe proportion of internet content in each language in 2000 and 2020
- Crop productionThe types of crop grown in three regions of one country
- Holiday destinationsWhere residents of one country went on holiday in 2000 and 2020
- Methods of learning new skillsHow adults learned new skills in 2010 and 2023
- University fundingWhere one university received its funding in 1990 and 2020
- Pet ownershipThe types of pet owned by households in one country in 2000 and 2020
- Volunteer hoursHow volunteers divided their time between types of organisation in one city
- Tourism in five countries (2019)The number of international visitors and the income from tourism in five countries in 2019
- Daily phone use by age groupAverage daily time spent on four phone activities by three age groups
- Housing costs in six citiesAverage house prices and monthly rents in six cities
- Education indicators in five countriesSpending on education and class sizes in five countries
- Energy use per person (kWh)The energy used per person from three fuels in four countries
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- Participation in sport (%)The percentage of men and women taking part in sports in 2000 and 2020
- Cost of studying abroadAnnual tuition fees and living costs for international students in four countries
- Employment by sector (%)The percentage of the workforce employed in agriculture, industry and services in five countries
- Food pricesThe average price of five basic foods in 2000, 2010 and 2022
- Hospital performance by regionWaiting times and the number of beds in hospitals in five regions of one country
- Commuting in four citiesCar ownership and commuting habits in four cities
- Olympic medals wonThe medals won by five countries at the last three Olympic Games
- Online activities by age group (%)The percentage of internet users in four age groups who carry out five online activities
- Household waste and recyclingThe amount of waste produced per person and the percentage recycled in five countries
- Coffee production and consumptionCoffee production and consumption in five countries
- Weekly household spendingThe weekly cost of food, transport and leisure for four household types
- Language course enrolmentThe number of students enrolled in five language courses at a university in 2005, 2015 and 2023
- Average annual salaryAverage annual salaries of men and women in five professions
- Wind and solar capacityThe installed wind and solar power capacity in five countries in 2010 and 2022
- Online course statisticsThe number of learners, completion rates and average ratings for five types of online course
- The water cycleHow water circulates between the Earth and the atmosphere
- Life cycle of a butterflyThe stages in the life cycle of a butterfly
- Chocolate productionHow chocolate is produced from cocoa beans
- Glass bottle recyclingThe process of recycling glass bottles
- Paper manufacturingHow paper is made from wood
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- Hydroelectric power generationHow electricity is generated at a hydroelectric power station
- The rock cycleThe formation and transformation of rocks over millions of years
- Cement productionHow cement is manufactured
- The carbon cycleHow carbon moves between the atmosphere, plants, animals and the soil
- Smartphone manufacturingThe stages in producing a smartphone
- Tea processingHow tea leaves are processed for sale
- Wastewater treatmentHow sewage is cleaned at a treatment plant
- Life cycle of a frogThe stages in the life of a frog
- Coffee processingHow coffee beans are processed before export
- Steel productionHow steel is made from iron ore
- The nitrogen cycleHow nitrogen circulates through the air, soil and living things
- Olive oil productionHow olive oil is produced from olives
- Aluminium can recyclingHow used aluminium cans are recycled
- Silk productionHow silk fabric is produced
- Biogas productionHow biogas is produced from farm waste
- Rice productionThe stages of growing and processing rice
- Brick manufacturingHow bricks are made in a factory
- Cheese productionHow cheese is made from milk
- Formation of a volcanic islandHow a volcanic island forms and later erodes
- Life cycle of a salmonThe life cycle of a salmon
Browse every question
- Task 2 essayEssay questions by topic and type, with ideas for both sides and an outline.Browse
- GT Task 1 letterFormal, semi-formal and informal letters, with the right greeting and sign-off.Browse
Task 2 by topic
- Education
- Technology
- Environment
- Work
- Health
- Cities
- Transport
- Society
- Family
- Crime
- Government
- Economy
- Globalisation
- Media
- Culture
- Language
- Science
- Sport
- Tourism
- Food
Task 2 by essay type
Letters by tone
Frequently asked questions
Which chart types come up in Academic Task 1?
Line graphs, bar charts, pie charts, tables, process diagrams and maps, and sometimes two of them together. Every figure here is drawn to scale from a data table, so you can open that table under it and check the exact values your report uses.
Do I need to describe every number in Task 1?
No. Select the main features: the overall trends, the highest and lowest values and the biggest changes or contrasts. Listing every figure reads as a data dump and scores lower than a short, well-chosen report.
How long should a Task 1 answer be?
At least 150 words in about 20 minutes, for both the Academic report and the General Training letter. Task 2 carries twice the marks of Task 1, so do not let Task 1 run over.
Are these real IELTS questions?
No. They are practice questions written by GoPrep in the style of the exam, on the themes and question types the test uses. Official past papers are not published as a free bank, and sites that claim to have this month's real questions are guessing.
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