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How To Write an IELTS Pie Chart Essay

Using this 5 steps process to plan and write IELTS pie chart essays will help you to achieve high marks in Task 1:

1)  Analyse the question

2)  Identify the main features

3)  Write an introduction

4)  Write an overview

5)  Write the details paragraphs

In this lesson, we’re going to work thorough each step as we answer a practice question and I want to start by highlighting the importance of steps 1 and 2. It is essential that you learn how to do this planning stage properly if you hope to write a high-scoring essay.

Before we begin, here’s a model essay structure that you can use as a guideline for all IELTS Academic Task 1 questions.

Ideally, your essay should have 4 paragraphs:

Paragraph 1  – Introduction

Paragraph 2  – Overview

Paragraph 3  – 1 st  main feature

Paragraph 4  – 2 nd  main feature

We now have everything we need to begin planning and writing our IELTS pie chart essay.

Here’s our practice question:

The chart below shows the reasons why people travel to work by bicycle or by car. 

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

Write at least 150 words.

graph essay pie chart

Source: Official website  IELTS Essentials

Step 1 –  Analyse the question

The format of every Academic Task 1 question is the same. Here is our practice question again with the words that will be included in all questions highlighted .

The chart below shows the reasons why people travel to work by bicycle or by car.

Every question consists of:

  • Sentence 1 – A brief description of the graphic
  • Sentence 2 – The instructions
  • The graphic – chart, graph, table, etc.

Sentence 2 tells you what you have to do.

You must do 3 things:

1.     Select the main features.

2.     Write about the main features.

3.     Compare the main features.

All three tasks refer to the ‘ main features ’ of the graphic. You  do not  have to write about everything. Just pick out 2 or 3 key features and you’ll have plenty to write about.

Step 2 – Identify the Main Features

The graphic in IELTS pie chart questions should not be difficult to interpret. Each question has been created to  test your language skills, not your mathematics ability.

Pie charts always show percentages or proportions. Apart from that, they are essentially the same as bar charts and line graphs in that they are a way of presenting data visually.

All you are looking for are the main features. These will usually be the easiest things to spot. There will be lots of information in the graphic to help you identify them.

Here are some useful questions to ask?

  • What are the units of measurements?
  • What are the time periods?
  • What can you learn from the title and any labels?
  • What is the most obvious trend?
  • Are there any notable similarities?

(I give more detail on how to use these questions, plus downloadable checklists for identifying the main features of all 7 different types of IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 questions, in the lesson on  How To Understand & Analyse Task 1 Questions .)

Pie charts generally have titles and labels or sometimes a key instead of segment labels as in our practice question. The key explains what each segment of the pie chart represents.

So, what information is contained in the two pie charts?

Here's our IELTS pie chart again.

graph essay pie chart

They show two different methods of travelling to work and illustrate the reason why people choose these types of transport.

What main features stand out?

There are 2 main features in these IELTS pie charts:

Main feature 1:  The largest proportion of people who cycle do so for health and environmental reasons.

Main feature 2:  The highest percentage of people who drive do so because it’s comfortable.

Another notable feature is that the only reason included in both pie charts – that the method is faster – shares almost the same proportion for both modes of transport.

We may not have space to cover this final feature but we’ll note it just in case we need it to make up the words.

The key features you select will be the starting point for your essay. You will then go on to add more detail. However, with just 20 minutes allowed for Task 1, and a requirement of only 150 words, you won't be able to include many details.

We’re now ready to begin writing our essay. Here’s a reminder of the 4 part structure we’re going to use.

Step 3 – Write an Introduction 

In the introduction, you should simply paraphrase the question, that is, say the same thing in a different way. You can do this by using synonyms and changing the sentence structure. For example:

Introduction (Paragraph 1): 

The two pie charts display the key reasons why people choose to either cycle or drive to work by percentage. 

This is all you need to do for the introduction.

Step 4 – Write an Overview (Paragraph 2)

In the second paragraph, you should report the main features you can see in the pie charts, giving only general information. The detail comes later in the essay. You should also make any clear comparisons you spot.

Here are the ones we picked out above. I’ve added the additional feature as it will fit well in the overview.

Main feature 3:  For an almost equal proportion of people, their chosen method is the fastest.

Now form these ideas into two or three sentences with a total of around 40 words. State the information simply, using synonyms where possible. No elaborate vocabulary or grammar structures are required, just the appropriate words and correct verb tenses.

For example:

Overview  (Paragraph 2): 

The largest proportion of people who cycle, have made this choice for health and environmental reasons whilst the prime advantage of driving to work is considered to be the comfort of travelling by car. Notably, for an almost equal proportion of people, their chosen method is the fastest.

Step 5  – Write the 1st Detail Paragraph

Paragraphs 3 and 4 of your IELTS pie chart essay are where you include more detailed information about the data in the graphic. In paragraph 3, you should give evidence to support your first key feature. Don’t forget to make comparisons where relevant.

Here is our first main feature again:

Main feature 1:   The largest proportion of people who cycle do so for health and environmental reasons.

And this is an example of what you could write:

Paragraph 3 :

T aken together, health and fitness and less pollution are reasons given by over half of all people who prefer travelling by bike. Each represents a 30% portion which is double the next most popular reason which is a lack of parking issues at 15%.

Step 6  – Write the 2nd Detail Paragraph

For the fourth and final paragraph, you do the same thing for your second key feature. 

I’ve added the third main feature again as it will round off the essay well. In an exam situation, I would include it if I had time.

Here’s an example of what you could write:

Paragraph 4 :

A different set of concerns has affected the decision of those who choose to commute by car. Comfort is by far the most significant factor at 40% of people, but distance to work is a more important concern for just over a fifth of drivers. For 14% of people, a faster journey time is the key factor compared to a figure of 12% of cyclists who find their means of transport quicker.

I just want to say a quick word about verb tense in this sample essay. Since there is no time frame given in the question, you could use either the present simple tense or the past simple tense. I've used the present simple tense. Whichever tense you choose, remember to be consistent throughout your whole essay.

Here are the four paragraphs brought together to create our finished essay.

Finished IELTS Pie Chart Essay

graph essay pie chart

This sample IELTS pie chart essay is over the minimum word limit so you can see that you don’t have space to include very much detail at all. That’s why it is essential to select just a couple of main features to write about.

Now use what you’ve learnt in this lesson to practice answering other IELTS  pie chart questions. Start slowly at first and keep practicing until you can plan and write a complete essay in around 20 minutes.

Want  to watch and listen to this lesson on how to write an IELTS Pie Chart essay?

Click on this video.

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Ielts academic writing task 1 – all lessons.

IELTS Academic Writing  –  A summary of the test including important facts, test format & assessment.

Academic Writing Task 1  – The format, the 7 question types & sample questions, assessment & marking criteria.  All the key information you need to know.

Understanding Task 1 Questions  – How to quickly and easily analyse and understand IELTS Writing Task 2 questions.

How To Plan a Task 1 Essay  –  Discover  3 reasons why you must plan, the 4 simple steps of essay planning and learn a simple 4 part essay structure.

Vocabulary for Task 1 Essays  –  Learn key vocabulary for a high-scoring essay. Word lists & a downloadable PDF.

Grammar for Task 1 Essays   – Essential grammar for Task 1 Academic essays including, verb tenses, key sentence structures, articles & prepositions.

The 7 Question Types:

Click the links below for a step-by-step lesson on each type of Task 1 question.

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Writing about a pie chart.

Look at the pie chart, exam question and sample answer and do the exercises to improve your writing skills.

Instructions

Do the preparation exercise first. Then read the text and do the other exercises.

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Report on a pie chart

Check your writing: gap fill

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How to describe Pie charts for IELTS

Home  »  IELTS Academic Task 1  »  Pie chart for IELTS

 In this  IELTS Writing Task 1  tutorial, you’ll learn different ways to structure and  describe a   pie chart for IELTS .

We will talk about the best language to use and teach you how to structure your writing task to get the best results in your  IELTS exam .

How to structure your writing task for academic task 1 – pie chart IELTS

To help with your  IELTS preparation  we will give you a step by step guide on how to structure your  pie charts description  to receive great results on your writing task 1 exam.

Remember that in IELTS writing task 1, your task is to summarise the main features and make comparisons where relevant. There are several tricks to help you do this.

Step 1 – Prepare

  • Let’s start with selecting and reporting the main features of the pie chart. What does the pie chart show? Can you quickly think of any synonyms? Write these words under the IELTS pie chart diagram.
  • Look for the biggest and smallest sections of your pie charts – What do they represent? What is the percentage?
  • Make a quick analysis – note down the period of time, dates and measurements.
  • See the big picture, avoid getting lost in the details. After all, this is a summarizing task.
  • When you are confident you have selected the main features, carry on to step 2.

Step 2 – Organise your findings into two groups

When organising the information into two separate groups focus on these topics for your pie charts:

  • Major trends
  • Major groups
  • Group information
  • Other similar ideas

Note – you do not have to find examples for all these. The point is that by organising information into groups, you are doing two things at once; reporting the main features (two main trends) and you can also make comparisons where relevant (one group is bigger than the other).  

A trend could be that over time, students at the University of Cambridge always spent the most money while students at the British Council spent the least. Another trend could be that one category started out the least popular and became the 2nd most popular by the end of the period studied.

Step 3 – How to organise your paragraphs

Structure everything into this four-paragraph model

Here we have focused on the language we need when we see 2 or more pie charts to compare. The other issue is organization, how to structure and sequence our answer. Here are a couple of ideas:

How many  paragraphs  do we need – one paragraph is never enough. In fact, we are encouraged to write in paragraphs. Decide on a  simple paragraph structure  – there’s only 20 minutes for this. The best is the traditional “introduction”, summary “body”, structure with the main “body” part divided into two or three body paragraphs. Overall, you must write at least 150 words.

  • Paragraph 1: In your essay introduction, write one sentence explaining what the graphs show. You can paraphrase the title. Example: Pie Chart title:   Holiday destinations chosen by Welsh people 1955-2005. Your first sentence:  The pie chart shows the vacation preferences of Welsh people over a fifty-year period starting in 1955 and finishing in 2005.
  • Paragraph 2: In paragraph 2, you should talk about the information that you identified in step 2. This paragraph should focus on the first group. However, it’s good to include half a sentence if you can compare the first group to other data. For example; Consumers in Sweden, who spent more than twice as much in total than any other country…. follow with more detail about Sweden.
  • Paragraph 3: Talk about the information that you have separated in step 2. This paragraph should focus on the second group. For example; In contrast, Belgian shoppers, who spent the least of any group… follow with more detail about Belgian shoppers.
  • Paragraph 4: Two sentences summarising your description. (What are the major overall trends, changes, etc.)

Tips for interpreting pie charts in IELTS

We will begin by giving you some general tips for interpreting a pie chart in your IELTS academic writing task.

These tips are good to keep in mind from the moment you take the first look at the pie charts given to you, to the moment you finish your writing task 1:

  • If you cannot compare the information on your pie charts, don’t panic. In such a case giving a summary of each picture is fine. Make comparisons where relevant. Take a look at our tutorial on how to compare pie charts  here .
  • Avoid giving personal opinions at all costs.  ( E.g . If the graph shows rising prices and you know it’s because of a war in the Middle East, do not say anything. Your personal opinion must not be mentioned.)
  • Always pay attention to the time frame of your pie charts and use the appropriate tense (past, present or future).
  • Focus on getting all of the  appropriate  data from the pie charts/graphs into your writing.
  • These are quick tips, if you are still struggling you should consider  enrolling in an online course  to prepare for IELTS.
  • For pie chart interpretation examples and model essays, click  here .

Vocabulary for IELTS Pie Charts

Now that you have an understanding of how to structure your description of pie charts and graphs for IELTS writing task 1, let’s talk about the language you should use.

One of the EASIEST WAYS to make sure you ‘make comparisons where relevant’ is to use superlatives: the biggest, the smallest, the largest, the most expensive, the least expensive.

Every superlative you use is an automatic comparison.

Using referencing (which, it, that) helps you summarise the information and if you think carefully you can also include a superlative – potatoes, which were the most expensive type of root vegetable in 2019…

Here are a few  examples  of good wording for the largest section of your pie charts:

  • It is clear that ____represents the largest portion of _____, whereas _____ is undoubtedly the smallest.
  • Sales of _____ stood at __% in 1925, which is the majority of_____.
  • (If the percentage is around 60%) – Nearly a third…
  • (If the percentage is around 52%) – Over a half of all respondents…

Here are a few  examples  of good wording for the  smallest  section of your pie chart:

  • A small fraction…
  • Exactly 30% of students…
  • (If the percentage is around 25%) Roughly a quarter of respondents
  • … whereas sales for  _____  were just 10% .
  • In 1955 approximately three quarters were ____, whereas in 1960 this had fallen to just under a fifth.

Written forms of percentages and fractions look like this:

  • a half, 50%, 1/2,
  • a third, 33%, 1/3,
  • two thirds, 66%, 2/3,
  • three quarters, 75%, 3/4,
  • a quarter, 25%, 1/4

Which tense should you use to describe pie charts in IELTS?

These are the two basic rules you should follow:

Check the graph title, and the pie chart subtitles, look for dates! 

– if the year is before the present year (i.e. 2020), use the past tense – if the year is after the present year (i.e 2025), use the future tense – if there is no year, use the present simple tense.

Check you don’t accidentally switch the tense halfway through.

Sometimes you will get charts and graphs that will require you to use more than one tense, but do this deliberately and with caution.

For a more in-depth tutorial about tenses check out this page:  126 IELTS academic task 1 – What tense?!

A great tip to improve your answer when you are writing about past tense pie charts is to START your body paragraphs with fixed expressions in the present tense then switch to the past tense. For example:

The data shows that between 2000 and 2003, there was a significant decrease in the number of…

In contrast, it is evident that in the following year, sales of bread plummeted….

Model Answer for a Pie Chart

2014WorldFoodConsumption

This pie chart shows the shares of total world food consumption held by each of seven different food types in 2014.

Meat is consumed the most, at 31.4 per cent. Fish has the second-highest consumption levels, at 27.9 per cent. Cereals consumption represents 11.7 per cent of the total. Fruits’ share of consumption is 10.6 per cent, followed closely by vegetables at 10.5 per cent, and then bread at 5.5 per cent. The smallest food group in terms of world consumption is rice, at 2.4 per cent.

The graphs show that overall global consumption is widely dispersed among food types; no one type has a majority share. Animal-based foods (meat and fish) do make up the majority of consumption when added together. It is important to note, however, that based on the information in this pie chart no conclusions can be drawn about the dietary diversity of an individual person.

How to compare two pie charts

The language to compare two pie charts

Summarising two pie charts for an  IELTS academic task 1  needs careful preparation. Here, I am going to focus on deciding the language we need because if we use the correct language, then we have a good chance to obtain a high band score .

Now we need to handle the language of percentages and proportions and, of course, the language we need will vary according to the topic and content of the pie charts. That is one reason why it is vital to study the title and any sub-headings of the charts.

Pie chart review

Take this example and decide what type of language we will need to describe it.

Naturally, we need in the first place  language to describe proportions . Some keywords are:

  • per cent (correctly spelt as two words)

At the same time, we must be able to use  the language of comparison  – to say which country had the largest and smallest share etc. Some keywords here are:

  • largest/smallest
  • greater/smaller

Two pie charts: related topics, one-time frame  (pie chart comparison)

For two pie charts on a different topic and the same time frame you need to use the language of proportion and comparison

Usually, task 1 will not be just one pie chart to describe but two or maybe more. This might involve two pie charts related in terms of “opposition” but static in the sense that both refer to the same time frame, normally a year. Look at the following which presents for the year 2018 the principal European Union trade partners in terms of food and drink: the first chart concerns export partners and the second, import.

In this case, what kind of language do we need?

Of course, we still need the same  language of proportion and pie chart comparison.

The major difference is the need to  compare two pie charts, comparing  exports with imports, making the task more complex.

Two pie charts: one topic only at different times

For two pie charts on a related topic and in a different time frame, you need to use the language of proportion and comparison and change

Now, look at these pie charts. There are of course similarities with the first set. We will always need language to describe proportions and to compare items.

This set refers to agricultural exports from the USA to Cuba in 2005 and then in 2014. In other words, we have just one topic shown over time.

Therefore, we need to use language describing change and trends.

This may be more complex because we have to handle all of the following:

  • proportion language – to describe percentages
  • comparison language – to describe the biggest and the smallest
  • trend language – to describe what changes over time

VIDEO: IELTS Writing Academic Task 1 – How to Describe a Pie Chart

Some final practical advice

  • Do not start writing before giving yourself enough time to think. First, decide the language you will need in your answer. Give yourself 5 minutes to look, think and plan.
  • Study the charts carefully: the titles for example to check if they deal with the same or connected topics.
  • Check the time frames very carefully in the charts and plan how time differences will affect your choice of verb tenses.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How to write a pie chart in ielts task 1.

Try to divide the information into two groups. Focus on trends and exceptions for an easy way to do this. Think of synonyms for the keywords and most important numbers – for example, 20% is a fifth.

How do you describe a pie chart vocabulary?

Superlatives (the most, the largest, the smallest) combine description with the comparison which is crucial for a good score. Referencing (which, that, it) is a good way to paraphrase and demonstrate that you can write complex sentences.

How do you write a report on a pie chart?

Follow the 4 paragraph model. First, summarize the question. Second, talk about the first group of data. Third, the other group of data. Fourth, write a summary with the overall trends and patterns. Be sure to use the correct tense.

More useful IELTS Academic Task 1 lessons

  • Academic Task 1 Sample Essays
  • IELTS Writing Task 1 Vocabulary List With Examples
  • Bar Chart IELTS
  • How to describe a map
  • Describe an image 
  • Describe a natural process
  • How to describe a table
  • How to paraphrase
  • Line graph sample answer
  • Marking criteria for Task 1
  • Map vocabulary for IELTS Task 1
  • How to describe a flow chart
  • Essential skills for Task 1
  • How to get band 9 for academic task 1
  • How to describe a process diagram
  • Academic task 1: sentences and grammar to describe a chart
  • IELTS Task 1 Sample Answer 2 Double Graph Pie Chart and Bar Chart

IELTS Writing Task 1 Pie Charts Guide

IELTS Writing Task 1: Pie Charts Guide

Do you have an idea what a pie chart is? Are you taking the IELTS test soon?

If your answer to the first question is ‘No’ and ‘Yes’ to the second question, then it is high time you learn what a pie chart is. It is because chances are, if you are taking the IELTS Academic Test, you will encounter one. 

On the other hand, even if you already know what a pie chart is, reviewing its basic features and how it is a significant part of the IELTS Writing Test will aid you achiever your desired band score in the IELTS Writing Task 1. 

This article will guide and help you prepare for the IELTS Writing Task 1 if the question is an IELTS pie chart. Please continue reading. 

What is IELTS Writing Task 1?

What is a pie chart, what are the major features of the pie chart, how to analyze the question, how to structure your essay for pie chart ielts question, points to remember while writing the response, practice tips for evaluating pie charts, words and phrases to use in ielts academic writing task 1, sample pie charts responses with feedback, additional faqs on ielts writing task 1: pie charts guide.

The IELTS Writing Task 1 is the first part of the IELTS Writing Test . 

It is different for the IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training modules. 

  • For the IELTS Academic Writing , you are given either a graph, chart, table, or diagram, and you need to interpret, describe, and explain the information given. 
  • On the other hand, the IELTS General Writing requires you to compose a letter in response to a given situation.
  • Both tasks need you to have at least 150 words. 
  • You are advised to spend 20 minutes at most finishing this task because the IELTS Writing Task 2 has more weight. 

An IELTS pie chart task is one of the tasks you might be given in the IELTS Academic Writing Task 1.

It is a form of a graph that uses a circular representation to display data. The graph’s parts are proportional to the percentage of the full number in each group. To put it simply, the size of a slice of the pie is proportional to the size of the group as a whole.

The full ‘pie’ represents 100% of the total pie, whereas the pie ‘slices’ represent parts of the whole. 

Pie charts have unique characteristics that make them different from the other tasks in the IELTS Writing Academic Task 1. Before taking the test, make it a point that you familiarize yourself with these features to avoid confusion. 

  • Title : The title gives a quick summary of what is in your pie chart. This makes it easier for the readers to figure out what they are about to look at. It is not an issue if it is creative or simple as long as it explains the chart. 
  • Legend : The legend explains what each slice stands for. It aids the reader in understanding what they are looking at. 
  • Source : The source specifies where you obtained the data in your graph. It is critical to acknowledge those who gathered your data. 
  • Data : The information, or data, that your chart contains is the most significant component of it. Data is shown in pie charts as part of a 100-point scale (a percentage). Each slice represents a unique piece of information.

Part of the criteria for your writing in the IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 is Task Achievement. Were you able to accomplish what is asked of you? That is why to get your desired band score. It is a must that you analyze the question carefully. 

  • Examine the pie charts and make a plan of what you will write : This is probably the most important stage in the IELTS Writing Test because what you plan will dictate the flow of your writing. Keep in mind that you need to analyze the IELTS pie charts carefully. Study the given details before planning on what to write. 
  • Compare the main features to each other : The IELTS pie chart is meant to compare and contrast the given information. These comparisons will aid you in developing a strategy for the body of your IELTS Writing Task 1. Remember that you should not state your opinions and that you are only asked to examine, describe and explain the data given. 
  • Select the data for the overview statement : The next step is to consider what information should be included in the Overview statement. Remember that an ‘Overview Statement’ summarizes what you believe is the most important information to know about the pie chart. 
  • Write the overview paragraph : The last step is to write your response in the IELTS Academic Writing pie chart task. The first paragraph, the ‘overview paragraph,’ must be written first. Remember two tips when writing your response. First, you need to paraphrase the task, and second, have your overview statement followed by supporting and relevant details. 

Paraphrasing the Question

Paraphrasing the question is essential in the IELTS Academic Writing pie chart task. It increases your chances of getting a high mark from the examiner as it demonstrates that you have a wide range of vocabulary. 

You should rephrase this by utilizing your own grammar and vocabulary as possible. You also need to get a little more specific about the kind of information in the pie chart.

The way you structure your writing in the IELTS Academic Writing pie chart task will dictate your fate in this part of the test. That is why, in the next section of this article, we have listed the steps that you should follow when writing your 150-word (or more) output. 

IELTS Writing Task 1 Pie Charts Guide - How to Structure Your Response

Step 1 — Analyze the question

Every IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 question has the same format. Here’s another version of our practice question, this time with the words that will appear in all of the questions highlighted.

The graph below depicts the reasons why people choose to commute to work by bicycle or car.

Select and summarize the most important data elements and draw comparisons where appropriate.

All questions in the IELTS Academic Writing pie chart task consist of: 

  • 1 st sentence – A brief description of the task 
  • 2 nd sentence – The instructions
  • 3 rd sentence – The graphic (graph, chart, table, diagram) 

The second sentence of the IELTS Academic Writing pie chart task instructs you what to do. You should do the following:

  • Choose the main features. 
  • Write about the main features. 
  • Compare and contrast the main features. 

Step 2 — Identify the Main Features 

In the IELTS Academic Writing pie chart tasks, the graphic should be simple to understand. Each question is designed to assess your language skills rather than your numerical skills.

Percentages or proportions are always shown in pie charts. Apart from that, they are similar to bar charts and line graphs in that they’re a visual representation of data.

Here are some good questions to ponder.

  • What unit of measurements are used?
  • What does the title and label say? 
  • What is the most notable trend of the graphic? 
  • What are the similarities and differences? 

Step 3 — Write the Introduction

Simply paraphrase the question in the introduction. Express similar sentences differently. This can be accomplished by employing synonyms and altering the phrase structure. 

Step 4 — Write an Overview

The primary elements shown in the pie charts should be reported in the second paragraph, with just broad information provided. The essay’s detail comes later. You should also make any obvious comparisons you notice.

Step 5 — Write the First-detail Paragraph

More specific information regarding the data in the image should be included in paragraphs 3 and 4 of your IELTS Academic Writing pie chart essay.

In paragraph 3, you should support your first essential characteristic with proof. Remember to make comparisons when appropriate.

Step 6 — Write the Second-detail Paragraph

You repeat the process for your second significant characteristic in the fourth and final paragraph. If you need to add a third primary feature to complete the essay nicely, do so. 

Because the question does not specify a time range, you can use either the present simple tense or the past simple tense. The present simple tense was used. Remember to be consistent with your tenses throughout your essay, regardless of which one you chose.

Sample — Complete IELTS Academic Writing Pie Chart Essay: 

To obtain a high mark in the IELTS Academic Writing pie chart task, you should bear in mind the following:

  • Be consistent with the verb tenses : This means that if the pie chart image is in the present, your explanation should also be in the present tense. If your chart reflects the past, the explanation must be in the past tense.
  • Meet the minimum number of words required : Write at least 150 words. Otherwise, it can be rejected. To avoid being rejected, make sure your answer is at least 155-190 words long while writing the explanation.
  • Have a clear comparison of the data : Comparing two graphs is frequently easier than creating an explanation for a single graph. Because of this, you need to pay close attention to every aspect to develop excellent ideas to write about the chart.
  • Do not deviate from the given topic : The answer you write must correspond to the chart exactly. When composing the explanation, you must exercise considerable caution. So, before you start writing on the chart, have a good look at it.
  • Make it easier to read : When writing an IELTS Academic Writing pie chart task, organize material logically to make it easier to follow and read. Rather than writing about each chart independently, the most natural thing to do with an IELTS pie chart is to compare categories across charts, concentrating on similarities and contrasts.

Accomplishing an IELTS Academic Writing pie chart task is not as easy as it seems.

It entails a lot of preparation, and that is why you are advised to consider the following when you practice for the IELTS Academic Writing pie chart task.

  • Know what a pie chart is :

Pie charts are extremely useful when comparing a specified category (a slice of the pie) to the whole (the entire pie). The area of pie chart slices is a better representation of the relative size. Inflations and deflations, numbers per category, or direct correlations between categories in which one set of statistics depends on another should not be shown using pie charts. Using a line graph is a better format to utilize in this scenario.

  • Have annotations :

Outside of minor fractions like 1/2 (50 percent), 1/3 (33 percent), and 1/4 (25 percent), it is actually quite difficult to deduce exact proportions from pie charts (25 percent). Furthermore, if the slice values are designed to represent amounts rather than proportions, pie charts usually lack the tick markings that allow direct value calculation based on slice sizes. Annotations are a regular feature of pie charts because of these reasons.

  • Think about the order of the slices :

A solid slice order can make it easier for a reader to understand what is being said in the pie chart. When there are categories with relatively comparable values, a usual ordering goes from the largest slice to the smallest slice, which is highly useful. If the category levels have a natural ordering, plotting slices is usually preferable.

  • Keep the amount of pie pieces to a minimum :

It can be tough to understand pie charts with many slices. It is difficult to identify the smallest slices, and it can also be difficult to select enough colors to distinguish all of the slices. Recommendations vary, but you should consider utilizing a different chart type if you have more than five categories. Another possibility is to combine little pieces into a single ‘others’ slice, which would be colored in a neutral gray.

  • Do not use distorting effects: 

To read a pie chart correctly, slices of the areas, arc lengths, and angles must all relate to an appropriate depiction of the data. While it is good to prevent 3-d effects in any plot, it is especially critical with pie charts. Squeezing or expanding the circle, or adding too much depth, can easily alter the size of each slice in relation to the total.

Vocabulary accounts for 25% of your marks in the IELTS Writing Test.

To earn a good score, you must produce accurate and strong descriptions and analyses for the provided graph(s) or diagram. It is simple to keep repeating phrases and numbers in this minimum 150-word essay.

However, this is not an excellent way to get a decent grade. You must utilize a variety of terminology that describes and emphasizes the changes, similarities, and contrasts in the data. 

Here are some of the words and phrases that will help you accomplish the IELTS Academic Writing pie chart task. 

Adjectives : 

  • significant
  • considerable
  • fluctuation
  • dramatically
  • significantly
  • considerably

General Trend:

  • It is clear…
  • In general…
  • It is obvious…
  • At the onset…
  •  It is clear that…
  • As can be seen…
  • As it is observed…
  • As a general trend…
  • As it is presented…
  • At first glance…
  • Generally speaking…
  • It can be clearly seen that…
  • As an overall trend/ As overall trend…
  • A glance at the graph(s) reveals that…
  • According to… 
  • It is clear that…
  • According to the…
  • It is possible that… 
  • It is worth noting…
  • It is obvious that… 
  • It is stated directly that…
  • Categorically speaking…
  • As shown in the image… 
  • Returning to the specifics… 
  • As can be observed in the… 
  • It is without a doubt/clear that…
  • It can plainly be seen that… 
  • Now, returning to the details… 
  • It is worth mentioning that…
  • It appears to be the case that…
  • It is evident from the statistics… 
  • As you can see from the diagram…
  • Based on the facts, it appears that…
  • The figure is depicted in the graph…

Summarizing:

  • Overall, the picture is clear…
  • The majority/minority, in general…
  • To summarize, the most significant difference is…
  • To summarize, the most notable tendency is…

Predictions:

  • is shown to…
  • is expected to…
  • is forecast to…
  • is predicted to…
  • is projected to…

Approximations:

  • Just around
  • Approximately
  • More or less
  • A little more than
  • A little less than
  • 33% – nearly a third
  • 4% – a tiny fraction
  • 50% – exactly a half
  • 48% – around a half
  • 52% – just over a half
  • 48% – just under a half
  • 23% – almost a quarter
  • 27% – roughly one quarter
  • 75% – nearly three quarters
  • 78% – approximately three quarters

Proportions:

  • 12% – a small minority
  • 80% – a large proportion
  • 68% – a significant majority
  • 4% – an insignificant minority

To get an idea of how the questions in the IELTS Academic Writing pie chart task are posed, you are advised to study some sample responses. It will also help you structure your essay. Here are some of them:

IELTS Writing Task 1 Pie Charts Guide - Sample Response - Band 7

How Do You Write an Answer IELTS Pie Chart Question?

To write an IELTS Academic Writing pie chart task, you need to analyze the question first. Then, identify its main features.

Next, you have to write the introduction, overview, and summary.  Please review our suggestions discussed above to ace this question type.

How Do You Write a Summary for the IELTS Academic Writing Pie Chart Task? 

The summary is the last part of the IELTS Academic Writing pie chart task.

Therefore, before you can write one, you should first analyze the data and identify its main features. From there, you can write your summary.

Do not make it too long. It should be a short and brief conclusion on what you have written. 

How Long Should I Spend in the IELTS Academic Writing Pie Chart Task? 

You are strongly advised to spend no more than 20 minutes on the IELTS Academic Writing pie chart task because the second task carries more weight.

However, that is not to say that you should neglect this part of the test. The first task also accounts for your overall marks in the IELTS Writing Test, so you should give your best performance in both tasks. 

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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Pie Chart with Model Answer

Hand holding pen pointing at IELTS Writing Task 1 pie chart - image by Magoosh

This IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 question type might make you a little hungry. That’s because we’re going over pie charts today! To help give you an idea of what to expect and how to write a response, let’s look at this pie chart practice question with a model band 9 essay .

To see why this essay is band 9, see our Band 9 essay with scorer commentary , and check out the official IELTS rubric for Task 1 (PDF) .

This particular prompt is a pie chart. Your approach to this chart should be the same as your approach to any other Task 1 infographic Take a look at the information and think carefully. What is the best way to summarize the way the information is structured and the main points? From there, how can you best compare the most relevant pieces of information? Finally, how should you structure that summary and comparison? For more advice on how to approach this, see our article on IELTS Academic Task 1 paragraph structure , as well as our main page for IELTS sample questions and practice resources .

Try to do this prompt yourself. Then check out our band 9 model essay below the prompt and compare it to your own work to see how you did.

Model IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Prompt: Pie Chart

The chart below gives information about the household percentage of spending on essential goods in China for the years 1995 and 2011

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

graph essay pie chart

The two pie graphs show differences in Chinese household spending in four essential categories. These categories are marked as percentages of total spending, with differences in spending for 1995 and 2011.

Food and clothing remained the largest categories in both years, with medicine and household goods remaining the smallest. Nonetheless, there were measurable changes in all four categories over the years. Changes to the household budget shares of food and medicine were particularly noticeable.

Both of the top two categories, clothing and food, shrank during this 16 year period. Clothing lost just 1% of its share, going from 19% to 18%, while food dropped more dramatically, starting at 68% but losing 9 points of share by 2011.

In both 1995 and 2011, medicine and household goods represented the lowest and second-lowest spending categories, respectively. Still, both gained a larger share of household spending in China by 2011. Medicine jumped 7 points from 4% to 11%, while household goods made a smaller but still-noticeable increase from 9 to 12 percent.

More Practice IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Sample Questions and Model Essays

  • IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Process Diagram with Model Answer
  • IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Bar Chart With Model Answer
  • IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Map With Model Answer
  • IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Line Graph with Model Answer
  • IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Comparing two Graphics with Model Answer

And don’t forget to use Magoosh’s complete guide to IELTS Writing .

David Recine

David is a Test Prep Expert for Magoosh TOEFL and IELTS. Additionally, he’s helped students with TOEIC, PET, FCE, BULATS, Eiken, SAT, ACT, GRE, and GMAT. David has a BS from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and an MA from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. His work at Magoosh has been cited in many scholarly articles , his Master’s Thesis is featured on the Reading with Pictures website, and he’s presented at the WITESOL (link to PDF) and NAFSA conferences. David has taught K-12 ESL in South Korea as well as undergraduate English and MBA-level business English at American universities. He has also trained English teachers in America, Italy, and Peru. Come join David and the Magoosh team on Youtube , Facebook , and Instagram , or connect with him via LinkedIn !

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2 responses to “IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Pie Chart with Model Answer”

sirin Avatar

The pie charts show data about the proportion of money which people spent on 4 main categories in China, between 1995 and 2011. İn general, more money reserved, which was a large proportion of pie charts, for food category.The proportion of household products and medicine was doubled total in 2 years.The percentage of money reserved for clothing category saw a decrease over the period in China. When looked in detail, in the beginning of the period, food category had the proportion of 68%. However, the figure dropped significantly to 59%. Household products and medicine category started at 9% and 4%. When the figure of household products went up slightly to 12%, the figure of medicine accounted for 11% which was an overwhelming change. The pie charts clearly show that, the amount of clothing category stood at 18%in 2011, which was 19% in the beginning.It is clear that clothing category had a minimal change.

Jakhangir Avatar

The presented pie charts give information on household expenditures for staple commodities of the people of China. The charts indicate the changes for the years 1995 and 2011. Calibration of data is done in percentages and the outlays are represented by dividing them into 4 sections. As an overall trend food and clothing remained the biggest category during the mentioned period. Whereas the other two groups of medicine and household utilities showed the same indices relative to one another by the end of the timeframe. It is explicitly observed that spending on food stayed prevalent over the period demonstrating a slight change from 68% in 1995 to 59% in 2011. Expenses on clothing, likewise, mildly shrank from 19% to 18%. Concerning expenses on medicine and household goods both witnessed a moderate ascent, the former started at 4% in 1995 and eventuated at 11% in 2011. On the other hand, household goods gained 3 points and uplifted from 9% at the beginning to 12% by the end of the span.

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IELTS Pie Charts

IELTS Pie charts Sample Questions SQ 1.1

#5. Focus on Your Vocabulary

Vocabulary is critical to attaining a high score in writing tasks. Scoring well on vocabulary within the constraints of the instructions might seem a bit difficult. But if you follow these pointers, you are good to go.

Maintain the following to demonstrate that your essay has a strong vocabulary for IELTS:

  • Make use of a wide vocabulary range, but avoid words that you are unsure of. These will stand out in your writing and cause you to lose marks.
  • Avoid using phrases and words that are repeated. Think of other words or phrases that you can use instead.
  • Try to include phrases and idioms you know in your response, as long as they fit into the context.
  • Use precise language. Don’t be vague or overly wordy.
  • Make use of synonyms.
  • Choose and use effective connectors/transition words and phrases. These might seem to be pretty common words and phrases; however, using the right connecting word in the right place and using a varied range of such words will showcase your vocabulary in a good light.

Enriching your vocabulary can help you achieve a high band score because it accounts for 25% of the total score!

Some More Tips to Solve IELTS Pie Chart Questions

Follow the tips given below to tackle the pie chart questions in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1:

  • Read the question and the pie chart(s), and determine what is important.
  • Concentrate on incorporating relevant facts from the pie chart(s) into your essay.
  • Pay attention to the time frame of your question and use a suitable tense.
  • Paraphrase the given information to avoid using the same words as the question in your introduction.
  • To ensure continuity and flow, use transition words.
  • Avoid repetition of ideas and vocabulary as much as possible.
  • Do not be alarmed if the information on your pie chart differs from other given information. In such circumstances, including a summary of each image.
  • Personal opinions should be avoided at all costs.

Now, let’s implement these tips to solve the IELTS Pie Chart Essay sample questions given in the following section.

Pie Charts Sample Questions & Answers

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The charts below show the percentage of available water resources in Japan in 2000, 2010, and 2020. The table shows the percentage of annual water consumption in the country in those three years. 

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

Write at least 150 words. 

IELTS Pie Chart Question Q1.1

Sample Answer

The pie charts illustrate the percentage of water resources in Japan in the years 2000, 2010, and 2020, while the table shows the annual water consumption in the country in those years. 

At a glance, specific changes can be easily detected. Seawater, the largest water resource in Japan, remained constant across the two decades until 2020 when we can see a decrease in the amount by 4%. There has been a steady decline in the amount of freshwater from rivers, lakes, and marshes. The water from glaciers, on the other hand, seems to have increased since 2000, after a slight dip in 2010. Groundwater has also increased from its initial value, though it fell again from 9% in 2010 to 7% in 2020.

With regard to the table, the annual water consumption has been increasing steadily since 2000, with 2020 seeing the highest amount of 93 gallons. Regardless of the cause, this is a concerning statistic, considering that the amount of freshwater resources available in the country has not increased significantly. 

Sample Question 2

The pie charts below show the online shopping sales for retail sectors in New Zealand in 2003 and 2013.

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

Write at least 150 words.

The two pie charts compare the percentages of online sales across four different retail sectors in New Zealand in the years 2003 and 2013. For three of these sectors, it is evident that over this time frame, there was a significant change in their proportion of online transactions.

At 36%, we can see that the travel sector accounted for the majority of online sales in 2003, but this percentage dropped to 29% by 2013. Across the same ten-year period, we can see that film/music transactions went from just 21% to 33%, making it the retail sector with the highest overall share of sales on the online market. In 2003, the clothing industry boasted an impressive 24% of total online sales in New Zealand. However, by 2013, the figure fell considerably to 16%.

Interestingly, online sales of books eventually overtook sales of clothes, although books still represented only 22% of the market. Books are the retail sector with the least change in the percentage of sales.

IELTS Pie chart Sample Question 3

The charts below show the yearly budget of two publishing companies—BK and Nook.  

Summarise the information by analyzing and reporting the main features, making comparisons where relevant. 

IELTS Pie chart Questions 3

The given pie charts portray the yearly budget of two publishing companies—BK Publishing Company and Nook Publishing Company. The budget for both companies is allocated to four sectors, namely Development, Design, Production, and Marketing. 

In both companies, marketing seems to have the largest budget, with BK allotting 34.5% to the sector and Nook assigning 30%. This speaks for the weight of marketing in the industry. With respect to Development, the two companies differ by a slight percentage, with BK dedicating 20% and Nook 24%. But BK clearly values its Design sector as it has the second-highest budget in the company, with 27.5% for its tasks. Nook, however, has only set aside 21% for its Design projects. On the other hand, the budget of Nook’s Production sector is significantly higher than BK’s, with the former allocating 25% and the latter only 18%. 

Overall, while there are quite a few differences in the budget dedicated to each sector in both companies, there aren’t any drastic divergences, showing that each of the four sectors plays an invaluable role in both places.

IELTS PIe chart Question Type : Assessment

Practice question 1.

The pie charts below show the percentage of pop music enthusiasts according to age in 2018 and 2021.  

Summarise the data by selecting and reporting the main features, and making comparisons where relevant. 

IELTS Pie charts Practice Question PQ 1.1

Practice Question 2

The pie chart shows the career preferences of the 2010-batch students from St. Albert School. The table shows the percentage of 2010-batch students from St. Albert School employed in various sectors in 2018.

IELTS Practice Question PQ 2.1

Practice Question 3

The pie charts represent data from land surveys conducted in India in the years 2000 and 2020.

Summarise the data by selecting and reporting the main features, making comparisons where relevant. 

IELTS Pie chart QuestionsPQ 3.1

Another Pie Chart Questions and Answers

The pie charts below show the devices people in the 18 to 25 age group used to watch television in Canada in two different years.

Summarize the data by selecting and reporting the essential elements, as well as making appropriate comparisons.

IELTS Pie charts Sample Questions SQ 1.1

The two graphs show which devices young adults in Canada used to watch television in 2009 and how this changed in 2019. One of the most significant shifts is the shift from traditional televisions to flat-screens, with the former declining from 34% to 4% and the latter jumping from 8% to 27% during the same time period. The latter surpassed the former as the most widely used TV viewing device in 2019.

Another general tendency is that, compared to 2009, young folks in 2019 preferred watching tv on smaller, handheld devices. In particular, the usage of mobile phones for watching television almost doubled, going from 15 to 26%, with tablet use increasing nearly fourfold to 19 percent from 5%. This tendency is in alignment with the change in the number of 18 to 25-year-olds who watch TV on laptops. The use of both desktop and laptop computers decreased significantly, each category losing nearly one-third of its users.

Overall, the two pie charts indicate that TV viewing preferences in Canada have shifted away from older gadgets and toward more recent equivalents over the period from 2009 to 2019.

Another Pie Chart Question

The graph shows data on the manufacture of passenger cars in 2015.

IELTS Pie Chart FAQs :

How many words do we need to write for an ielts pie chart essay.

You must write at least 150 words, preferably more. The recommended word count is 160 to 180 words.

What are the essential elements of a Pie Chart Essay?

The essential elements of a Pie Chart Essay are an introduction, overview, and conclusion.

Where should the essential aspects of the pie chart be highlighted?

The essential elements of the pie chart should be covered in the overview and described in detail in the body of your essay.

Conclusion :

The Pie Chart Essay is one of the most common question types in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1. You must write a response explaining the given pie chart.

You must be capable of preparing a report of at least 150 words in 20 minutes. To get a band 8 or higher, you must thoroughly investigate the question and identify crucial features that can be written down.

We hope you found this article on IELTS Pie Charts informative. Stay tuned for more!

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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 – Charts And Graphs

In writing task 1 , you may be asked to write about a chart, line graph, table or proportional bar chart. 

There is a number of practice questions out there for you to try and perfect your answers in preparation for the Academic IELTS test . In this post, we will be looking at line graphs, bar charts, pie charts, useful vocabulary and describing changes over time. 

Here are a few examples below of the graphs or charts you may see >>

You need to able to report neutrally on the visual information presented to you. You should not include any opinion on the data , only report the data and trends that you can see.  

It is a good idea to spend a minute or two looking at your chart/graph and circling/highlighting any information that is important.

For example, think about the following questions >> 

  • What is being measured and how?
  • Is it in percentages? Millions? Degrees? (for the temperature)
  • Then think about the timing – is it over the period of one year? Five? or Ten?
  • Can you make any comparisons ? 

The Essay Structure >>

Paragraph 1 – Paraphrase the question

When writing your own introduction of one or two sentences paraphrase the question and add detail. 

Paragraph 2 – Overview of the main features

You need to be able to give a broad summary of the information . This is best started with – Overall ……. then giving details of the main features you can see. You can write this in one or two sentences, which describe the main features of the information that is presented in the chart or graph.

Paragraph 3 – Specific details of first main feature

Write about the specific details that you can see – looking closely at the first main feature and including data/stats and trends. Make any comparisons if relevant. 

Paragraph 4 – Specific details of second main feature

Write about the specific details that you can see – looking closely at the second main feature and including data/stats and trends. Make any comparisons if relevant.

TIP >> You will be marked on the type of information you write about, as well as the language you use. You need to make sure the information you write down is accurate . If it is not, then your score will be lower. 

TIP >> Leave time at the end to check your work – you need to make sure there are minimal errors in the writing (the language) and that you have accurate data.

Here are some words and phrases that you can use in task 1 >>

These words and phrases can be used to describe the information in a formal academic way. Here are some examples of how they might be used >>

  • The number of people who have higher-level qualifications is the same as the number who have no qualifications.
  • While students read every type of textbook, no students read any magazines.
  • With regards to medical journals, there is no significant difference between the reading habits of nurses and doctors. 
  • The number of nurses (30) who read medical journals is much smaller than the number of doctors (70).
  • There is only a slight difference in the number of nurses and doctors who read monthly medical journals.

Here is a list of words and phrases that you can use in your essay, to show intensity , reporting phrases and categorising words >>

TIP >> During the exam, students can make notes on the question paper, which is separate from the answer sheet. The examiner does not see these notes. You can circle words or make notes to help you write your essay.

TIP>> Using the word respectively can be useful when writing your task 1 essay. This is a high-level vocabulary word , used to indicate the order in which information is given.

Describing Changes Over Time >>

The list of verbs and adjectives below are useful for describing changes over time , they should be used objectively to describe obvious changes that you can see. For example;

  • The number of people who read medical journals decreased in 1999.
  • The number of people who applied to medical school fluctuated from 2005 – 2007.
  • The number of people who graduated medical school peaked in 2010.
  • The number of students attending biology class remained steady during the period of 1999, with a sudden decline in 2001.

These adverbs and periods of time can also help you to describe the information you are writing about, for example;

  • The number of students who attended medical courses in 1999 gradually increased from 20,000 to 60,000.
  • Over the period of the study from 1990 to 1999 there was suddenly a sharp decline in the number of library books returned by students. 

Writing Task 1 Charts and Graphs Sample Essays >>

Here are three sample essay questions and answers for you to look at. Review the language used, the essay structure, the information gathered and how they were written. In all of these questions, the minimum word count is 150 words .              

Sample Line Graph Essay 

The graph illustrates comparative statistics on the number of burglaries in four countries (Great Britain, Greece, Spain and Norway) over a 10-year period (2000-2009).  The units of thefts were measured in thousands.

Overall, the highest recurrence of burglary was in Great Britain, which was fairly high from 2000-2009 in comparison to the other countries, while the lowest incidence when the study began in 2000 was in Spain. It can be seen that in 2009 Spain reported slightly lower figures than the other four countries.  

The graph shows that Great Britain’s burglaries were consistently high, never below the 20,000 mark, though the trend fluctuates over the 10-year period.  According to the data, the country experienced the highest number of thefts during 2002 (20,000) and 2006 (20,000). However, it experienced its lowest amount stolen in 2009 at approximately 15,000. 

Similarly, Spain experienced fluctuating trends, but on the opposite side of the spectrum as it reported the least amount of burglaries in 2000 (6,000) with frequency varying over the years and finally reporting a decline in 2009 (4,000). However, other notable statistics are Greece’s upward trend in the number of burglaries, which started in 2000 (8,000) and finally peaked at 14,000 during 2009.  Norway is also noteworthy for having considerably low thefts over the course of 10 years compared to the other countries, dropping sharply in 2003, but increasing slightly from there, finally peaking at 6,000 slightly higher than Spain.

(Word Count = 237 / Band Score 9)

Feedback

  • Task Achievement – The answer provides a paraphrased question, to begin with, followed by an overview that gives the reader key information.    
  • Coherence and Cohesion – The answer has been divided into clear logical paragraphs.      
  • Lexical Resource – There is evidence of paraphrasing, synonyms and some less common words (fluctuating, spectrum). 
  • Grammatical Range and Accuracy – The answer has no grammatical errors. The sentences are mainly made up of multiple clauses and have a variety of structures. 

TIP >> Remember to identify two or three main features and write about those. You don’t need to write about everything you see in order to gain a high band score.  

Sample Bar Chart Essay

The bar chart displays the estimated fuel consumption and cost per mile of some vehicles. Therefore, this report explains the relevant data of the diagram and the differences among the fuel costs for each type of vehicle.

Overall, there is a significant difference between the Range Rover and Smart Car fuel consumption; the chart also shows that the Smart Car is the lowest fuel consumer of all the vehicles. However, there is a common pattern in the increase of the cost and the miles travelled, from all of the vehicles. 

On the one hand, the cars with low fuel consumption include the following; Smart Car (approx. £5/10 miles), Ford KA (approx. £6/10 miles) and the Nissan Micra (approx. £7/10 miles). The Range Rover uses a high level of fuel in comparison to the Smart Car, using three times the amount at £20/10 miles.

On the other hand, the exception to this general trend is the variation of the cost of the Range Rover and Audi A6 from the rest of the vehicles at nearly £20/10 miles and £15/10 miles respectively. In addition, the BMW M3 also uses £15/ 10 miles, while the Mini Cooper consumes at least £5 less for travelling 10 miles at £10. 

Finally, this bar chart illustrates an exponential increase in the cost of fuel consumption of all the luxurious vehicles, with an exception for those, which are smaller, more environmentally friendly and essential for everyday use, such as the Smart Car, Ford KA and the Nissan Micra. 

(Word Count = 252 Band Score 9)

  • Task Achievement – The answer provides a paraphrased question, to begin with, followed by an overview that gives the reader key information. This shows a fully developed response.   
  • Coherence and Cohesion – The answer has been divided into clear logical paragraphs. Linking words have been used to skilfully guide the reader through the information given (overall, one the one hand, on the other hand, finally).      
  • Lexical Resource – There is evidence of paraphrasing, synonyms and some less common words. 

TIP >> Look for the highs/lows /increases/decreases and any comparisons you can see. Write about one main idea in each main body paragraph . 

Pie Chart Sample Essay 

The pie charts illustrate the outcome of the survey conducted to a hundred visitors to Luton airport in order to evaluate their customer service, in 2010 and 2015.

Overall, it can be seen that a lot of people were satisfied by the services offered in 2010, but there was also a large number who thought the services given were poor. However, after 5 years, this trend changed. It shows that many found the services to be both good and excellent, with a decline in the number of people who were unsatisfied.

To begin with, in the year 2010, 45% of the respondents found the airport services satisfactory and exactly 14% rated it as good, while 5% considered the services excellent. Nevertheless, it also shows that the visitors rated it as poor and more so, very poor with 21% and 15%, respectively.

Over the 5-year period, the trend showed an improved airport service in 2015, wherein 39% of the visitors thought that services were good. Moreover, exactly 28% of the respondents answered that they received an excellent service while more than 15% said it was satisfactory. Lastly, we can observe that around 10% rated the services poor and very poor in comparison to the 2010 survey.  

(Word Count = 205 Band Score 9)

  • Task Achievement – The answer provides a paraphrased question, to begin with, followed by an overview that gives the reader key information.  The information selected is relevant.  
  • Lexical Resource – There is evidence of paraphrasing, synonyms and some less common words.

TIP >> Remember to identify two or three main features and write about those. You don’t need to write about everything you see in order to gain a high band score.

TIP >> When comparing two charts, look for the key trends . 

Writing Task 1 Band Score 9 Criteria >>

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IELTS Writing Task 1 - Pie Chart Example Essay 1

IELTS Writing Task 1 – Pie Chart Example Essay 1

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very good. Good knowledge and skill to understand Task1 better.

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How to Describe Pie Charts [IELTS Writing Task 1]

Posted by David S. Wills | Apr 12, 2021 | IELTS Tips , Writing | 0

How to Describe Pie Charts [IELTS Writing Task 1]

In task 1 of the IELTS writing test, you may be given one or several pie charts to describe. You will be required to write at least 150 words discussing those pie charts and (sometimes) how they relate to tables or other types of data. In this lesson, I will show you how to describe pie charts by giving you tips on vocabulary, grammar, and content.

If you want to boost your IELTS writing score quickly and effectively, you might be interested in my writing correction service .

How to Describe Pie Charts for IELTS Writing Task 1

First of all, we need to understand what the purpose of IELTS writing task 1 is. Basically, for this part of the test, you are required to describe some sort of data. This could be any of the following:

  • Process diagram

The whole purpose is to test your ability at writing concise and accurate descriptions. This is very different from task 2, where you need to write an essay that discusses or argues something.

The three main aspects of task 1 are:

  • Understanding the data
  • Describing it accurately
  • Grouping it effectively

This means that when you are given a pie chart (or several), then you will need to interpret it correctly and then write a short report in precise English that can be easily understood by the examiner.

That’s all there is to it. There are no tricks or tips or magical things you can do.

Now let’s look in a little more detail at how to do this properly.

Understanding Pie Charts for Task 1

A task 1 pie chart will more than likely be presented in two forms. Either you will be given one pie chart and some other form of data (line graph, table, etc) or you will be given several pie charts. The reason is that IELTS writing task 1 requires comparing and contrasting data. If you just had one single pie chart, there really would not be much to say about it.

Let’s look at some examples:

online retail sales in canada - ielts pie chart

Here, you can see that we have two pie charts to compare. The important thing here would be to compare the differences over time.

pie chart about education

Here again we have two pie charts, but this time we are not looking at differences over time. Instead, we are comparing two different countries. This requires different grammatical skills.

electricity in france and germany - ielts pie chart

Now there are four pie charts! This sort of task would take more thought in the beginning, but actually it is not much harder to answer.

ielts table and pie charts mixed

Finally, we have a mixture of a table and two pie charts. Actually, it is probably more common to say a table and one pie chart, but in this case there are two.

Pie Chart Vocabulary

There is really no special language that you need to know in order to describe pie charts. There are no unique features that require unusual vocabulary. Instead, you need a good knowledge of language that would also help you for line graphs, tables, and so on.

Perhaps the two most important words are “percentage” and “proportion.” This is because pie charts do not show a specific amount (dollars, kilograms, etc) but instead they show the proportion of something.

Thus, in descriptions of pie charts, you will frequently see the phrases:

  • the percentage of…
  • the proportion of…

Because pie charts contain this sort of data, they will invariably have many numbers for you to talk about. You should avoid using too many numbers (see this article for more information about describing numbers) and instead you should vary your language:

If you can do this effectively, you can avoid including too many numbers. This can make your essay look and sound better.

Some more advanced phrases:

Remember that you can also make your language more specific with adjectives, saying “a very small proportion” or “a tiny percentage of…”

Grammar for Pie Charts

Of course, it is not just vocabulary that is important when it comes to IELTS writing. In fact, grammar is far more important in many respects. When it comes to IELTS writing task 1, people really overlook the significance of accurate grammar.

First of all, you need to assess when the data took place or was gathered. Presumably it was in the past, but that is not always the case. Sometimes a pie chart will contain speculative data about the future. You need to choose the right verb form for an accurate description.

Many times, past simple will be the correct tense to use. You can say things like:

  • In 1994, a quarter of people said that…
  • In the first year, nearly half of shops made a profit…

However, we need to be aware that pie charts can show changes over time. This is true if there are two or three pie charts:

  • In 1998, that number had dropped by six percent…
  • Four years later, the proportion of bankrupt businesses had soared to…

In these cases, we have used past perfect because this accurately reflects changes between points of time in the past. We can pick one time and look further into the past from then.

Grouping Data for Pie Charts

Some people find that it is really difficult to group data effectively in IELTS. Sometimes it is hard because of a particular question but sometimes it can be much easier. You just need to think logically and make some choices.

To be honest, in most cases I would divide the data chronologically, which means “by time.” If you have a pie chart from 1991 and another from 2001, I would devote one paragraph to the first year and one to the second year. You can give a description of the first year and then in the next paragraph give some comparative details.

However, that is not the only way to approach it. You might also find it useful to break down the data by category if that is appropriate.

If there is a pie chart and a table, it might also be appropriate to deal with the pie chart in one paragraph and the table in another. It totally depends on the context.

You can read more about structuring task 1 essays here .

Sample Answers

Ok, now let’s explore further by looking at some sample band 9 answers.

Sample Answer #1 – online retail sales

graph essay pie chart

There are two pie charts showing data about online shopping in Canada in two different years, 2005 and 2010. The data is divided between the various types of goods sold online, with four retail sectors represented, and there were some notable changes during the five-year period.

In 2005, electronics and appliances were the most commonly sold items, making up a third of Canadian online sales. Home furnishings came next with a quarter of the total, and this was followed by food and beverage and then video games, each with roughly a fifth of the total online sales.

By 2010, this had all changed. Food and beverages were now the highest selling items online, while electronics and appliances had slipped into second place, having dropped by five percent. Home furnishings had dropped from second to last place, and video games sales had increased so that they now made up 23% of all online shopping.

First of all, let’s point out that I have changed the formatting of the labels on this task. That’s really important! Many people just copy them into their essays, but actually one of the challenges of IELTS is changing labels or titles into proper grammar.

Next, notice that my introduction is in the present tenses and my body paragraphs use appropriate past tenses. This is because the first paragraph looks at the pie charts on the piece of paper in front of me whilst the next paragraphs examine the data that comes from the past.

How many numbers have I used here? Just one! I only say “23%” in the final line. Prior to that, I used phrases like “a third” and “second place.” This shows off my English rather than just repeating numbers, which tells the examiner nothing.

Sample Answer #2 – pie charts about education

graph essay pie chart

These two pie charts give information about the highest levels of education attained by people in two different countries, with data drawn from people aged over twenty-one. In both nations, secondary school was the highest level of qualification achieved by the largest number of people.

In country A, 45% of people had secondary school as their highest level of education, compared to 35% in country B. Notably, both nations had exactly 30% of people giving vocational or technical school as their highest educational qualification. In this respect, the two countries were quite similar.

However, in country B, a quarter of the population had attended university, compared to just 5% in country A. Conversely, in country A it was much more likely that people had attended primary school as their highest level of education. In both nations, just 5% of the population had not gotten any form of education at all.

This essay uses more numbers but not too many. The grammar here is accurate but it is based upon an assumption that I have made – that the data is from the past. Of course, it could not be from the future and it is unlikely to reflect the present. However, you could theoretically describe this with the present simple tense.

Notice my structure: I have discussed both countries within each body paragraph. I did this in order to highlight differences more effectively. I thought that if I described one pie chart and then another, it would not be so obvious how they differed.

Sample Answer #3 – four pie charts about electricity

graph essay pie chart

There are four pie charts that give information about the generation of electricity in France and Germany in the year 2009. One set of charts looks at the total generation of electricity, while the other looks at how renewable forms of energy were produced. The two countries had roughly similar amounts of renewable energy, but these came from totally different sources.

Almost six tenths of German electricity came from conventional thermal sources, with almost a quarter coming from nuclear power. In France, however, about three quarters came from nuclear power and just a tenth came from conventional thermal. Both countries had similar figures for renewable sources – 17.4% for Germany and 13.7% for France.

In terms of different renewable energy sources, Germany relied primarily upon biomass, with forty percent of its renewable energy from that source, compared to less than a tenth for France. More than eighty percent of French renewables came from hydropower, compared to less than a fifth in Germany. About a third of German renewable energy came from wind, while the figure was just a tenth in France, and both countries produced very little solar power.

Here we have four pie charts. It is important first of all to divide them into two different countries and then to understand that the pie charts on the right are subsets of the pie charts on the left. If you failed to realise this, your description would not be accurate.

Notice again that I have avoided an over reliance upon numbers by converting these into fractions like this: “Almost six tenths of German electricity…”

I have devoted one paragraph to the first set of pie charts (overall energy) and the next paragraph to the renewable section. This allows me to effectively compare and contrast the two countries.

Sample Answer #4 – tables and pie charts together

graph essay pie chart

There is a table that gives the numbers of visitors to a museum before and after its renovation, as well as two pie charts that show details about visitor satisfaction. After refurbishment, the museum received many more visitors and they were much more satisfied with their visits.

In the year before the museum was renovated, there were 74,000 visitors, and in the year after that number soared to 92,000. Prior to this work being done, a half of all visitors were unhappy with the museum. According to the survey, forty percent of them were dissatisfied and a tenth were very dissatisfied. Only 45% seemed to have enjoyed their visit.

In the year following the museum’s refurbishment, visitors reported much more positive feelings towards their visits. The number of people who were unhappy with their museum visit dropped by a half, with those who were very dissatisfied falling to just 5% and only 15% of them now claiming to be dissatisfied. Three quarters of all visitors were at least satisfied.

In each survey, 5% of people gave no response.

This essay may look a little odd at first glance. The final paragraph is extremely short and normally I would advise against that, but in this instance it was fine because the data was relevant enough to include but not really connected to anything else, so it would have been strange within another paragraph. I also had to consider how to incorporate the data from the table, which certainly did not warrant a paragraph of its own. You can see that I slotted it into the second paragraph.

In order to describe this data effectively, I have combined some categories. The pie chart categorised people as “very satisfied” and “satisfied” but for the sake of simplicity I have put them together. This is ok as long as it is clear to your reader what you are doing. In this case, I achieved that by saying things like “Three quarters of all visitors were at least satisfied.”

If you want to learn more about pie charts, you can read the Wikipedia page for some ideas. This might help you to pick up some new language or see how different types of pie charts look.

About The Author

David S. Wills

David S. Wills

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

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How to Describe Pie Charts in IELTS Writing Task 1

Learn in easy steps how to describe IELTS Pie Charts for writing task 1. Below are easy techniques to help you write each paragraph: introduction, overview, body paragraph 1 and body paragraph 2.

Source: The above pie charts were not created by IELTS Liz.

Describing Pie Charts Step by Step

Below you will find easy to follow advice on how to describe your IELTS pie chart paragraph by paragraph.

Introduction

You must paraphrase the information given at the top of the charts “The graph shows the main sources of energy for the USA in 1980 and 1990”. You cannot copy this, you must use your own language.

  • the graph = the pie chart
  • shows = illustrates
  • main sources of energy = energy production from different sources
  • for the USA = don’t change this
  • in 1980 and 1990 = in two different years (1980 and 1990)

The overview contains the key features of the charts. Answer the questions below to find the key features.

  • What was the main source of energy in 1980?
  • What was the main source of energy in 1990?
  • Which produced the least energy in 1980?
  • Which produced the least energy in 1990?
  • Did the amount of energy produced by each source change a lot or just a little between the years?
  • Did all types of energy increase by 1990?

Body Paragraph 1

This paragraph will give details about oil and hydroelectric power, which we highlighted in the overview above.

  • You will need to write one sentence about oil comparing the percentage each year and then one sentence about hydroelectric power comparing the years.
  • You must add data (percentages and dates) to support each sentence

Here are two example sentences. Fill in the gaps with the right words.

The amount of energy produced by oil in the USA 1. ………………. 42% in 1980 and this, then, 2. ………………….. to a third (33%) in 1990. The proportion of energy from hydroelectric power, 3………………, remained constant in both years ………a mere 5%.

  • accounted for / comprised of / made up / was
  • fell / declined / dropped / went down / decreased
  • on the other hand / by contrast / in contrast ( we use a linker to highlight that this is opposing information to the previous sentence)

Body Paragraph 2

This paragraph will give detail about the other sources of energy in the pie charts.

  • which sources increased?
  • which sources decreased?
  • what were the percentages for each source?

Again, fill in the gaps in these model sentences.

The energy generated by natural gas, which was the second 1. …………… source of energy in the USA in 1980, fell 2. ………. 1% to a quarter of all energy produced in 1990. In contrast, production by coal 3. ……………… from 22% to 27% in 1990 4. …………….. there was a 5% rise in energy from nuclear power to reach 10% in the second year.

  •  largest / major
  • by (this is used when writing about differences in amounts)
  • increased / rose / went up / climbed / grew
  • while / whereas

Recommended Lessons

IELTS PIE Chart Model Practice Writing Task 1 Charts

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Hi liz ,,, why did you use “while / whereas” to fill the fourth gap although the following information is not a contrast ? I mean both increased by 5% why you didnt use and instead of while ?

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The words “while” and “whereas” are not only used as contrasts. They are also used for comparisons. Therefore, they are the perfect linking words to use when making comparisons. Always remember that many words in any language might have more than one meaning, more than one usage and much will depend on context.

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The pie charts illustrate different sources of energy production for two different years (1980 and 1990) in America. The energy from different sectors are shown in perecentage.

It is apparent from the pie charts that oil constitutes the major source of energy in both the years , whereas hydroelectric power was the least source of energy for the two different years.The oil sector shows a decline in energy production in the next year whereas the hydroelectric power sector remained stable.

The energy generated by oil was 42% of the total energy in 1980 which then declined to a third of all energy generated in 1990. On the contrary , the hydroelectric power shares only 5% of the energy which remained to the same figure in the other year as well.

Natural gas was the second major energy generator with a share of 26% in 1980 which drops by 1% and became a quarter of all energy generated in 1990.Additionally coal and nuclear power which contributed to 22% ad 5% of all energy increased to 27% and 10% in 1990 respectively. (suggestions are welcome)

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The pie chart unveils the information about the production of energy from various sources in USA in two years’ comparison (1980 and 1990).

Overall, the highest proportion of oil was being used to produce energy in both the years. Whereas, hydroelectric power was the least interested amongst all. There has also been a significant drop in producing energy from oil in ten years. Moreover, a considerable increase in coal and nuclear energy was noticed despite the drop in other categories.

In 1980, the oil constituted about two-fifths (42%) of the whole energy production which dropped to nearly one-third of the total in 1990. In opposite, hydroelectric power only produces 5% of energy in both the years (1980 and 1990).

The energy produced from natural gas covered nearly one in five (26%) of the whole in 1980. This figure was dropped by 1% only to a quarter of all energy produced in 1990. On the contrary, coal and nuclear power went up by 5% to 27% and 10%, respectively.

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The pie chart illustrates the the changes in energy production from five different sources (oil, natural gas, hydroelectric power and nuclear power) for the USA in two different years(1980 and 1990).

Overall, it can be observed that in both years oil was used the most to produce energy, while hydroelectric power constituted the least energy. There was a slight decrease in the production from oil and natural gas, whereas an increase can be seen in the figures for coal and nuclear power.

In 1980, the percentage of power generation from oil and natural gas was 42% and 26% respectively. However these figures slightly dropped in 1990, with oil at mere 33% and natural gas at 25%.

Conversely, in the total amount of enegy production of 1980, coal and nuclear power contributed 22% and 5% respectively, while the contribution of each source increased by 5% which reached at 27% for coal and and at 10% for nuclear power in 1990. Remarkably, in both years, the same amount of enegery was produced from hydroelectric power (5%).

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Hi Liz, I cannot thank you enough to show my gratitude on your work. Great job!

Regarding one phrase that stuck in my mind: “The energy generated by natural gas, which was the second major source of energy in the USA in 1980, fell by 1% to a quarter of all energy in 1990.” Here, we know that in 1980 natural gas constituted 26% of total energy generated but in 1990 it was 25%. However, we do not know that the change was by 1% as the we do not know the numbers. Overall, I wanted to be sure if we can describe the “weight” change in percentages like that.

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thank you for your generosity! I can’t thank you enough. I have a questions regarding tenses. In scenarios like the task 1 here, should we stick to “past tense” when describing? Or we can simply use simple present tense since we are stating facts.

Your tense will depend on the data given. Data given in the past will require past tense. If not dates are given, you can use the present tense. And look out for any predictive graphs or charts which will require future forms.

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The given pie chart delineates five main manufactures, namely oil, natural gas, coal, hydroelectric power and nuclear power, of energy for the United States of America in 1980 compared to 1990. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that there were two downward trends in the proportion of natural gas and oil, while coal and nuclear power had upward trends in producing energy. The share of oil was below a half of energy in 1980, which is then decreased significantly by 9% from 42% to 33%. By contrast, natural gas produced 26% energy in 1980, then declined by 1% and accounted for the quarter of energy production in 1990. The energy generated by the proportion of coal underwent a considerable increase by 5% to 27% to over the quarter of the energy manufacturing. Hydroelectric power and nuclear power, on the other hand, were the same (5%) in 1980, however, the first one remained unchanged, whereas the latter rose by half to 10% in the USA.

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I have one doubt about the phrase “the energy generated by natural gas in this example “, ‘energy’ is mentioned as an uncountable noun in your uncountable word list but here it is with the article ‘the’.

You are doing a great job by spending your valuable time and thank you so much for that.

Best wishes to you.

There are two articles “a” and “the”. The article “a” is never used with uncountable nouns because there are never one of them. For example, “traffic”, we do not say “a traffic” because there is no singular. However, the article “the” is not about numbers or counting how many there is. It is about whether the noun is defined or not. We can say “the traffic” which means we are referring to specific traffic. Please get my Grammar E-book to learn more about articles: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

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The pie charts illustrates the percentage of energy produced from five different sources such as oil, natural gas, coal, hydroelectric power and nuclear power in the USA in two different years (1980 and 1990).

Overall, it can be seen that the main source of energy in 1980 and 1990 was through the use of oil whereas hydroelectric power produced the least energy. Similarly, there was a slight decrease in energy production from oil and natural gas while an increase can be seen in the figures for coal and nuclear power.

As seen in the graph, In the first year, the amount of energy produced from oil accounted for 42% of the total energy produced from different sources, however, this then decreased to 33% in 1990. Meanwhile the proportion of energy generated from hydroelectric power remained constant in both years.

Furthermore, nuclear power saw an increase in its energy production by 5% in the second year. Similarly, the amount of energy generated through the use of coal experienced a slight rise from 22% to 27% in that same year while natural gas which was the second largest source of energy in the USA, fell by 1%.

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Thank you so much Ma’am…..it’s helps alot….extremely useful website😊

You’re welcome 🙂

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The pie chart illustrates the percentage of five different forms of energy(oil, natural gas, coal, hydroelectric power and nuclear power) produced in the USA in two different years (1980 and 1990). Overall, it can be clearly seen that the most common form of energy was oil within the given period, even though there was a significant fall recorded in 1990. While more than half of the energy came from the two sources (oil and natural gas), the remaining only were generated from other sources (coal, hydroelectric power and nuclear power). Furthermore, it is worth to notice that there was no change in the share from hydroelectric power production. On the one hand, Oil and natural gas together occupied more than half of the total production of energy in the USA during 1980 and 1990. However, while there was a dramatic fall in oil energy, declining from 42% to 33%, production from natural gas decreased only slightly from 26% to 25%. In contrast, generation of energy from both coal and nuclear power had witnessed a significant rise by 5% (Coal- from 22% to 27%; Nuclear power- from 5% to 10%) while the hydroelectric power generation only remained stable with 5% on both the years.

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Hey Teacher, First, I want to thank you endlessly for your efforts. Your lessons are useful. Please favour me with a small check to my essay for the example above.

The pie graphs illustrate different sources of energy production in the USA ( oil, natural gas, coal, hydroelectric power and nuclear power ) in the years 1980 and 1990.

Overall, at the beginning of the period the amount of energy produced from oil was the largest segment while coal and hydroelectric power made the lowest production. In comparaison, at the end of the period oil made up the biggest part of the chart as well. Meanwhile, production by hydroelectric power was the least significant of the main sources of energy for the USA.

The energy generated by coal accounted for 22% of the main sources of energy for USA in 1980 and had a moderate growth of 5% in 1990. That produced by nuclear power was 5% in the beginning of the period and experienced a twofold increase to one-tenth in the end of the period.

Energy from oil which comprised almost a half of the general energy produced in 1980, fell to 33% in1990. Furthermore in 1980, energetic outputs from natural gas ere at 26% and decreased slightly by 1% to a quarter of the main energy produced in 1990. However, the proportion of energy produced from hydroelectric power remained constant in both years at 5%.

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Thanks Liz for all you do here.

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Thanks Liza

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Hello, Liz! I can’t help leaving a comment to express my gratitude and appreciation for your example. It makes it simple to teach how to write a report by merely following several steps.

Best wishes for you!

I’m so pleased it was useful 🙂

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Hello Liz!Thank you very much for vivid explanation and clear ideas and clues about this type of task 1!I always was scared with pie-chart,but now im realised how to deal with them.Thank you!❤💕💗😘

I’m so glad you are more confident now. It’s just a matter of becoming more familiar with it all and have a clear approach 🙂

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my exam is tomorrow and I’ve finally got the hang of the writing task 1. Thank you Liz! I do think my answer is a little verbose.

Good luck tomorrow! Keep your eye on the clock and manage your time properly.

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Hi Liza thank you for your great page and priceless information.

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Thank you so much mam Lots of love from Nepal😍😍

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This was the best lesson and the best way to explain how to write a pie chart.Thank you so much Liz.

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You are doing a great job. Your tips are really useful and your efforts are remarkable.

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Hi Liz, you doing so good. thank you. but just a quick one, please are there no conclusion in writing task 1?

See the tips on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/

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It was very easy to understand .thank u so much!!!

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Thank you so much for your help while preparing for IELTS examination

See full model answers for writing task 1 on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/

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graph essay pie chart

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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1. Sample 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The pie graphs below show the result of a survey of children's activities. The first graph shows the cultural and leisure activities that boys participate in, whereas the second graph shows the activities in which the girls participate.

Write a report describing the information shown in the two pie graphs.

Write at least 150 words.

graph essay pie chart

How to answer this task?

Introduce the pie charts.

Write what do they summarize.

Write a general overview.

Write in brief the main trends.

Describe the first chart.

Tell about the activities on the boys' chart and their popularity. Use linking structures and vocabulary to describe graphs .

Describe the second chart.

Tell about the activities on the girls' chart and their popularity. Use words from academic wordlist .

Model answer

The two pie charts draw the conclusion of a survey of boys' and girls' cultural and leisure activities.

Overall, equal quantities of both sexes enjoyed listening to music, but a dramatically larger number of girls liked reading. There were also many differences in terms of the children's preferred sports.

Turning to the first chart, we can observe that boys prefer playing computer games (34% participation rate) than taking other activities. Playing basketball comes as the second most popular leisure, practiced by almost a third of male children. Basketball is followed by soccer, which is exercised by 17%. Skateboarding and listening to music are less preferable activities, chosen by 11% and 10% of boys respectively. Reading, the least popular cultural activity among boys, represents only two percent.

Taking a closer look at the second chart, we can see that girls' most preferred activity is dancing, being 27% of the total. In contrast to the boys' preferences, reading is chosen by more than a fifth of all girls. Although percentage of female children who play computer games is roughly twice less than that of boys (16%), this activity is third most popular on the girls' chart. With a slight difference between computer games and netball, the latter is practiced at 15% rate. Similarly to skateboarding popularity among boys, 11% of girls go in for gymnastics. Listening to music comes as the least popular leisure, with a proportion of 10%, equal to those on the first chart.

(244 words)

Pie Chart Maker

graph essay pie chart

Pie Chart Maker Features

With Pie chart maker, you can make beautiful and visually satisfying pie charts with just few clicks. It is really easy to use. You do not have to deal with traditional complex applications anymore. Simply enter the data and your pie chart will be ready. You can configure the other options according to your need.

What is a Pie Chart ?

A pie chart is a type of visualisation in which the entire circle is divided into pieces of pie according to the percentages of each data point. The entire circle represents 100% of the pie, which is divided based on the data percentage compared to the total. A pie chart is more suitable for small data sets. A doughnut chart is just an extension of a pie chart in which there is a pie hole in the centre of the circle.

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COMMENTS

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  8. IELTS Writing Task 1: Ace Pie Charts in Minutes

    In this lesson, we will show you a simple method on how to effectively write a Band 9 essay for Pie Charts.#IELTSWriting #IELTSTask100:00 Welcome00:22 Unders...

  9. IELTS Writing Task 1: Pie Charts Guide

    An IELTS pie chart task is one of the tasks you might be given in the IELTS Academic Writing Task 1. It is a form of a graph that uses a circular representation to display data. The graph's parts are proportional to the percentage of the full number in each group. To put it simply, the size of a slice of the pie is proportional to the size of ...

  10. IELTS Writing Task 1: How to Describe a Pie Chart

    The IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 essay has you write a 150-word report about a bar chart (also known as a bar graph), a process diagram, a table, line graph, or a pie chart. ... A pie chart is a type of graph in which a circle is divided into sections, where each section represents a proportion of the whole. The various sections add up to 100%.

  11. IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Pie Chart with Model Answer

    Model IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Prompt: Pie Chart. The chart below gives information about the household percentage of spending on essential goods in China for the years 1995 and 2011. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant. The two pie graphs show differences in Chinese ...

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    IELTS Writing Task 1 - Bar Chart Essay Example 1. IELTS Writing Task 1 Academic bar chart essay example that is a band score 8. The question is: The chart below gives information about Someland's main exports in 2005, 2015, and future projections for 2025. Take a look at the sample answer. View high band score examples of IELTS writing task ...

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    1. The bar chart records how long students spent in school by gender in two year intervals from 2000 to 2010, while the pie charts break down where they were studying. 2. In general, both males and females saw steady rises in years spent at school, though male figures were always higher. 3.

  14. IELTS Pie Charts

    Pie charts come in a variety of forms, including those with and without percentages or numbers. To write a pie chart essay, follow the following structure: Introduction. The first section of your IELTS pie chart response is an introduction to the chart written in one or two sentences.

  15. Pie Charts: Using, Examples, and Interpreting

    Use pie charts to compare the sizes of categories to the entire dataset. To create a pie chart, you must have a categorical variable that divides your data into groups. These graphs consist of a circle (i.e., the pie) with slices representing subgroups. The size of each slice is proportional to the relative size of each category out of the whole.

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    Pie Chart Sample Essay The pie charts illustrate the outcome of the survey conducted to a hundred visitors to Luton airport in order to evaluate their customer service, in 2010 and 2015. Overall, it can be seen that a lot of people were satisfied by the services offered in 2010, but there was also a large number who thought the services given ...

  17. IELTS Pie Chart Task 1 Sample Essays

    IELTS writing task 1 pie chart sample essays. Skip to content. IELTS Book Samples. Cambridge IELTS 18; Cambridge IELTS 17; ... Pie Chart Task 1. The Three Pie Charts Below Show the Changes in Annual Spending by a Particular UK School in 1981.

  18. How to Describe Pie Charts [IELTS Writing Task 1]

    The three main aspects of task 1 are: Understanding the data. Describing it accurately. Grouping it effectively. This means that when you are given a pie chart (or several), then you will need to interpret it correctly and then write a short report in precise English that can be easily understood by the examiner.

  19. How to Describe Pie Charts in IELTS Writing Task 1

    Introduction. You must paraphrase the information given at the top of the charts "The graph shows the main sources of energy for the USA in 1980 and 1990". You cannot copy this, you must use your own language. Tips. the graph = the pie chart. shows = illustrates. main sources of energy = energy production from different sources.

  20. IELTS Academic Task 1 Writing sample 1: pie chart

    IELTS Academic Writing Task 1. Sample 1. You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The pie graphs below show the result of a survey of children's activities. The first graph shows the cultural and leisure activities that boys participate in, whereas the second graph shows the activities in which the girls participate.

  21. IELTS Task 1: Pie Charts and Graphs

    These are pie charts and graphs that I've collected over the years from real past IELTS exams and other practice materials. Check out my Patreon EBooks here! If you want to stay up to date with all the latest task 1 questions, you can find those here. Here are the IELTS pie charts and graphs! Dave. IELTS Task 1: Pie Charts and Graphs

  22. Pie Chart Maker

    Simply enter the data and your pie chart will be ready. You can configure the other options according to your need. Change the background color according to your choice. Make a 3D pie chart with one click. Change the position of Legend as you need. Make a Doughnut chart with one click. Change the color of title and legend to your choice.