Six IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answers — with Plans, Vocabulary and PDF Practice
Study one complete example for every major Academic Task 1 visual: a map, bar chart, pie charts, line graph, table and process. Each sample shows what to notice, what to write in the overview and how to organise the details.
6 high-band-style model answers
Map sample first
Mobile-friendly visuals
Practice resource: the tasks and visuals on this page were created for Ross IELTS Academy learners and are not official IELTS test materials.
Do not only read the answers
Reading model answers can help, but improvement happens when you first analyse the visual, write your own response and then compare your choices with the model.
- Spend about 3 minutes identifying the main features.
- Write your own introduction and overview before opening the model.
- Compare how the details are grouped, not just which vocabulary is used.
- Rewrite one paragraph using your own accurate language.
A reliable Task 1 structure
A clear four-paragraph structure works well for most Academic Task 1 questions:
IELTS Writing Task 1 Map Sample Answer
Map questions test whether you can describe locations and major changes clearly without listing every small detail.
High-band-style teaching model
The maps below show the Brookfield district in 2005 and after redevelopment in 2025. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
2005
2025
Model answer
The two maps illustrate how the Brookfield district changed between 2005 and 2025.
Overall, the area became more developed and residential, while its public facilities and transport infrastructure were substantially improved. The most noticeable changes were the replacement of the warehouse and houses, together with the expansion of the park and parking facilities.
In the north-west of the district, the original houses were replaced by apartment blocks. The small park beside them was enlarged, and a café was added within the green space. Meanwhile, the warehouse in the north-east was demolished to make way for a health centre, giving the area a new public service.
Further changes occurred around the main road and the river. The old bus stop was upgraded to a bus station, while the local shops were developed into a larger shopping area. The open car park on the eastern side became a multi-storey facility. In addition, cycle lanes were introduced along the main road and beside the river, where the former footpath was converted into a combined river walk and cycle route.
Why this answer works
- The overview identifies the biggest changes instead of repeating details.
- The body paragraphs group features by location.
- Past passive forms describe completed changes accurately.
- Location language makes the comparison easy to follow.
Useful map language
| Function | Useful phrase |
|---|---|
| Replacement | was replaced by / made way for |
| Expansion | was enlarged / was developed into |
| Removal | was demolished / was removed |
| Location | in the north-east / beside / along |
Map practice challenge
Write only the overview in no more than two sentences. Include the overall direction of change and two major developments. Do not mention every building.
Need deeper map training? Study the full IELTS Writing Task 1 Map Sample Answer with step-by-step analysis.
IELTS Writing Task 1 Bar Chart Sample Answer
In a bar chart, focus on the highest and lowest figures, major changes and useful comparisons.
High-band-style teaching model
The bar chart compares the average number of hours per week that full-time university students spent on independent study, paid work and leisure in 2005 and 2025. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
2025
Unit: hours per week
Model answer
The bar chart shows the average weekly time that full-time university students devoted to independent study, paid employment and leisure in 2005 and 2025.
Overall, students spent more time studying and working for pay in 2025 than they had twenty years earlier, whereas the amount of leisure time declined. Leisure was the largest category in 2005, but independent study became the dominant activity by 2025.
In 2005, students allocated 22 hours per week to leisure, four hours more than the 18 hours spent on independent study. By 2025, these positions had reversed. Study time rose by six hours to 24, while leisure fell by the same amount to 16 hours. As a result, the gap between the two activities changed from four hours in favour of leisure to eight hours in favour of study.
Paid work accounted for the least time in both years. Nevertheless, it increased considerably, from 10 hours per week in 2005 to 15 hours in 2025. Taken together, the time allocated to study and paid work increased from 28 to 39 hours per week, while leisure fell to 16 hours.
Why this answer works
- The overview states both the direction of change and the ranking shift.
- Related categories are compared directly.
- Figures support the main features instead of appearing as a list.
- “By the same amount” avoids unnecessary repetition.
Useful bar-chart language
| Meaning | Phrase |
|---|---|
| Time used | devoted to / allocated to / accounted for |
| Increase | rose by / climbed to / increased considerably |
| Decrease | fell to / declined by |
| Comparison | four hours more than / the gap widened |
IELTS Writing Task 1 Pie Chart Sample Answer
Pie charts usually require you to compare proportions and show which categories gained or lost share.
High-band-style teaching model
The pie charts show the proportions of electricity generated from four energy sources in Norland in 2000 and 2025. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
2000
2025
Gas: 30% → 25%
Nuclear: 15% → 20%
Renewables: 10% → 35%
Model answer
The two pie charts compare the percentage of electricity produced from coal, gas, nuclear power and renewable sources in Norland in 2000 and 2025.
Overall, the country became considerably less dependent on coal and shifted towards renewables and nuclear power. Coal was the largest source at the beginning of the period, whereas renewables accounted for the greatest share by 2025. Nuclear power also increased slightly, while gas experienced a modest decline.
In 2000, fossil fuels dominated electricity production. Coal alone supplied 45% of the total, and gas contributed a further 30%, meaning that the two sources together represented three quarters of generation. By 2025, coal’s share had fallen sharply to 20%, less than half its original proportion. Gas decreased more moderately, from 30% to 25%.
The opposite pattern can be seen in the other two categories. Renewable energy rose dramatically from just 10% in 2000 to 35% in 2025, making it the leading source. Nuclear power also grew, although much less significantly, from 15% to 20%. Together, renewables and nuclear energy therefore supplied a majority of 55% by the end of the period.
Why this answer works
- It combines categories to show the larger energy shift.
- The overview identifies the change in the leading source.
- Percentages are used selectively and accurately.
- “Together” creates meaningful comparisons across categories.
Useful proportion language
| Function | Phrase |
|---|---|
| Share | accounted for / contributed / represented |
| Large fall | fell sharply / less than half its original share |
| Small change | experienced a modest decline |
| Combined total | together supplied / collectively made up |
Can you understand a model answer—but still struggle to write one in 20 minutes?
The problem is usually not a lack of vocabulary. It is not having a repeatable system for analysing the visual, selecting key features, writing the overview and grouping the details. The course teaches that system step by step.
IELTS Writing Task 1 Line Graph Sample Answer
Line graphs reward clear trend language, accurate starting and ending comparisons, and sensible grouping.
High-band-style teaching model
The line graph shows the number of visitors, in thousands, to three attractions in one city from January to June 2025. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Model answer
The line graph compares monthly visitor numbers, measured in thousands, for a museum, an aquarium and an art gallery in one city during the first half of 2025.
Overall, attendance at the museum and art gallery increased throughout the period, whereas the aquarium experienced a continuous decline. The aquarium was initially the most popular attraction, but the museum finished in first place, while the gallery almost caught up with it.
In January, the aquarium received 55,000 visitors, compared with 40,000 at the museum. The two figures then moved in opposite directions. Museum attendance rose steadily by 5,000 each month, reaching 65,000 in June. In contrast, the number visiting the aquarium fell at the same rate, ending the period at only 30,000. The museum overtook the aquarium in April, when their figures stood at 55,000 and 40,000 respectively.
The art gallery began with the lowest attendance, at 25,000. However, its visitor total increased more rapidly than the museum’s, rising to 38,000 in March and 45,000 in April. By June, it had reached 58,000, just 7,000 below the museum but almost twice the aquarium figure.
Why this answer works
- It reports trends before individual monthly figures.
- Starting points, crossing points and final positions are highlighted.
- “At the same rate” shows an efficient comparison.
- The final sentence compares all three attractions meaningfully.
Useful trend language
| Trend | Phrase |
|---|---|
| Steady rise | rose steadily / increased throughout |
| Continuous fall | experienced a continuous decline |
| Pass another line | overtook / moved ahead of |
| Near equality | almost caught up with / just below |
IELTS Writing Task 1 Table Sample Answer
A table can contain many numbers. Your job is to find patterns, not to report every cell separately.
High-band-style teaching model
The table compares average monthly household spending, in US dollars, on four categories in Canada, Japan and Spain in 2025. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
| Country | Housing | Food | Transport | Recreation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 1,200 | 650 | 400 | 300 | 2,550 |
| Japan | 900 | 700 | 300 | 250 | 2,150 |
| Spain | 800 | 550 | 350 | 400 | 2,100 |
Model answer
The table compares the average amount that households in Canada, Japan and Spain spent each month on housing, food, transport and recreation in 2025, with figures given in US dollars.
Overall, housing was the largest expense in all three countries. Canadian households had the highest total expenditure, while the totals for Japan and Spain were relatively similar. Spain was the only country where recreation cost more than transport.
Canadians spent $1,200 per month on housing, substantially more than households in Japan and Spain, at $900 and $800 respectively. Food was the second-largest category in every country. Japanese households recorded the highest food bill, at $700, followed by Canada at $650 and Spain at $550.
Transport spending ranged from $300 in Japan to $400 in Canada, with Spain in between at $350. The pattern for recreation was different: Spain led this category at $400, compared with $300 in Canada and $250 in Japan. Overall monthly expenditure was highest in Canada, at $2,550. Japan and Spain spent considerably less, with totals of $2,150 and $2,100 respectively.
Why this answer works
- It identifies the largest category across all countries.
- Figures are grouped by spending category, not read row by row.
- The unusual Spanish recreation pattern is highlighted.
- The totals are compared clearly at the end.
Useful table language
| Function | Phrase |
|---|---|
| Spending | expenditure / expense / household bill |
| Large difference | substantially more than |
| Similar figures | relatively similar / only slightly higher |
| Range | ranged from X to Y |
IELTS Writing Task 1 Process Diagram Sample Answer
For a process, describe the stages in order, identify where it begins and ends, and use passive grammar when the action is more important than the person doing it.
High-band-style teaching model
The diagram below shows how used glass bottles are recycled and returned to shops as new bottles. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features.
Model answer
The diagram illustrates the process by which used glass bottles are recycled and manufactured into new containers before being returned to shops.
Overall, this is an eight-stage process that begins with the collection of discarded bottles and ends with new bottles being filled and distributed to retailers. The main phases involve preparing the old glass, heating and reshaping it, and checking the finished product.
Initially, used bottles are deposited in recycling bins and transported to a processing facility. There, they are sorted according to colour before being crushed into small pieces. The glass fragments are then washed thoroughly so that dirt and other unwanted material are removed.
In the next phase, the clean glass is heated in a furnace to approximately 1,500 degrees Celsius until it becomes liquid. This molten glass is poured into moulds to create new bottles. After the containers have cooled, they undergo a quality inspection, and any defective items are removed. Finally, the approved bottles are filled with products and delivered to shops for sale.
Why this answer works
- The overview states the number of stages and the start and end points.
- The process is divided into two logical phases.
- Passive structures keep the focus on the glass and bottles.
- Sequencing is clear without overusing “then.”
Useful process language
| Function | Phrase |
|---|---|
| Beginning | the process begins with / initially |
| Order | in the next phase / after this / finally |
| Transformation | is crushed into / becomes liquid / is formed into |
| Quality control | undergoes an inspection / defective items are removed |
Before you finish any Academic Task 1 answer
Content and organisation
- Did you write at least 150 words?
- Did you include a clear overview?
- Did you select the main features instead of describing everything?
- Did you group related information logically?
- Did you support comparisons with accurate figures or locations?
Language and accuracy
- Are your tenses suitable for the dates shown?
- Did you use comparison and trend language accurately?
- Are singular, plural, articles and prepositions controlled?
- Did you avoid opinions, causes or explanations not shown in the visual?
- Did you check numbers, units and spelling?
To understand how Task Achievement, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy affect your score, read our IELTS Writing Band Score guide.
Choose the support that matches your real Writing problem
Model answers can show you what a strong response looks like, but they cannot tell you why your own answer loses marks. Choose the path below based on what is currently stopping your progress.
You understand model answers—but cannot reproduce them under time pressure
Learn a repeatable method for analysing questions, selecting key features, writing clear overviews, grouping details and controlling grammar across Task 1 and Task 2.
You keep practising—but do not know what is holding your band down
Submit your own Task 1 or Task 2 response and receive an estimated band score, detailed corrections, repeated-error diagnosis and practical next steps.
Not sure whether you need the course, corrections or a wider IELTS plan?
Use the free personalised tool to review your target, timeline and current skill profile, then receive a clearer direction for what to work on next.
IELTS Writing Task 1 FAQ
How many words should I write for Academic IELTS Writing Task 1?
You must write at least 150 words. A focused answer slightly above the minimum is usually more practical than a very long report because you still need enough time for Task 2.
How much time should I spend on Task 1?
IELTS recommends spending about 20 minutes on Task 1 and about 40 minutes on Task 2. Practise under time limits so you can analyse, plan, write and check without taking time away from Task 2.
Do I need a conclusion in Academic Task 1?
You normally need a clear overview, not an opinion-based conclusion. The overview should summarise the main trends, differences, stages or changes. Avoid repeating the same overview again at the end.
Can I memorise these sample answers?
No. Use them to study structure, grouping, comparison and accurate language. Memorised answers will not match the visual you receive in the real test and can lead to irrelevant or unnatural writing.
Which Academic Task 1 question types should I practise?
Prepare for charts, graphs, tables, maps, plans and process or diagram questions. You may also receive a combination of more than one visual, so the core skill is selecting and grouping the most important information.
Are these official IELTS questions?
No. These are original IELTS-style practice materials created by Ross IELTS Academy for educational use. They are designed to help you practise the format and skills required for Academic Writing Task 1.
Related IELTS Writing resources
Ross IELTS Academy is an independent education provider and is not affiliated with IELTS, the British Council, IDP or Cambridge.