Task 1 Academic — Bar Chart
Highest/lowest framing · grouping logic · percentage vs. absolute
Topic & Why It Matters
A bar chart tests your ability to compare categories clearly. Unlike a line graph, it often does not focus on change over time. Instead, you need to rank values, group similar bars, identify the largest and smallest figures, and choose enough detail to support the overview.
Candidates usually lose marks when they describe the bars one by one, ignore the unit, or mix percentage language with absolute-number language. A strong response reads like a guided comparison: the examiner can see the main pattern first, then the selected evidence that proves it.
Knowledge Points
Structure Template
Four paragraphs, about 160-175 words total. Decide your grouping before writing.
| Paragraph | Target | What to Write |
|---|---|---|
| Paragraph 1 — Introduction | 25–35 words | Paraphrase the chart title. Name the categories, groups, time frame, and unit. Keep this sentence factual and compact. |
| Paragraph 2 — Overview | 30–45 words | State the broad pattern: which category dominates, which group is highest overall, and which value is lowest. Do not include specific figures here. |
| Paragraph 3 — Body A | 45–60 words | Describe the strongest group or category with exact values. Use comparisons such as 'slightly higher than', 'followed by', and 'respectively'. |
| Paragraph 4 — Body B | 40–55 words | Cover the remaining categories or exceptions. End with a sentence that links the detailed data back to the overview. |
Vocabulary & Grammar Toolkit
| Expression | Usage Note |
|---|---|
| the highest / the lowest figure | Use for the maximum and minimum bars in the chart |
| ranked first / ranked last | Ranking language for groups or categories |
| followed by [X] | Shows the next item in a ranked sequence |
| respectively | Links two or more values to items in the same order |
| stood at [value] | Neutral reporting verb for a static figure |
| amounted to [value] | Useful for totals or spending amounts |
| accounted for [percentage] | Use only when the unit is a percentage or share |
| represented [percentage] | Another percentage phrase; avoid with dollar amounts |
| spent / allocated / devoted | Useful verbs for expenditure charts |
| roughly / approximately / around | Use when a bar value is estimated from the axis |
| slightly higher than | Small difference between bars |
| considerably higher than | Large difference between bars |
| nearly twice as much as | Ratio comparison for absolute values |
| twice as high as | Ratio comparison for percentages or rates |
| by a margin of [value] | Precise difference: 'by a margin of $30' |
| a narrow gap | Small difference between two bars |
| a clear gap | Obvious difference between two bars |
| in contrast / by contrast | Signals an opposite pattern |
| whereas / while | Compare two bars or groups in one sentence |
| across all four cities | Shows the comparison covers the whole chart |
| the only city where... | Highlights an exception in the data |
| taken together | Useful final phrase for summarising grouped details |
Common Pitfalls
| Mistake | Correction |
|---|---|
| Writing one sentence for every bar | Group bars into patterns. For example, compare all food figures first, then transport and leisure, instead of moving city by city without a clear logic. |
| Putting numbers in the overview | The overview should contain the main pattern only. Save exact values for body paragraphs. |
| Confusing percentages with amounts | If the unit is dollars, write 'households spent $170'. Do not write 'food accounted for $170' or 'the share was $170'. |
| Ignoring the lowest value | A strong overview usually mentions both ends of the scale. If the lowest figure is not named in the overview, include it clearly in a body paragraph. |
| Overusing dramatic language | Static bar charts do not 'surge' or 'plummet' unless they show change over time. Use comparison language, not trend verbs, for one-year charts. |
Practice Prompt
Set a 20-minute timer. Write your response before reading the model answer.
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The bar chart below shows average weekly household spending on food, transport, and leisure in four cities — London, Tokyo, Sydney, and Toronto — in 2023.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
| City | Food | Transport | Leisure | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | $160 | $120 | $90 | $370 |
| Tokyo | $140 | $80 | $110 | $330 |
| Sydney | $170 | $100 | $130 | $400 |
| Toronto | $130 | $90 | $75 | $295 |
Model AnswerBand 7.5+ · 170 words
The bar chart compares average weekly household expenditure on food, transport, and leisure in four cities in 2023, measured in US dollars.
Overall, food was the largest spending category in every city, while leisure received the least money in London and Toronto. Sydney recorded the highest total outlay across the three categories, whereas Toronto had the lowest.
In detail, Sydney households spent $170 a week on food, slightly more than London at $160 and clearly above Tokyo and Toronto, at $140 and $130 respectively. Transport costs were highest in London, at $120, followed by Sydney at $100. By contrast, Tokyo and Toronto spent noticeably less on this category, at $80 and $90.
Leisure spending showed a different pattern. Sydney again led, with $130, while Tokyo allocated $110, making it the only city where leisure exceeded transport. London spent $90 on leisure, and Toronto had the lowest figure in the chart, at $75. Taken together, the data suggest stronger overall spending in Sydney and London than in the other two cities.
Annotated Commentary
Each paragraph is quoted, then broken down by examiner criteria. Notice how the overview selects the pattern and the body paragraphs prove it with exact values.
Self-Check
Answer these from memory before looking back. If you cannot answer all, re-read the relevant section.
- What are the two most important comparison points to identify before writing about a bar chart?
- A chart uses dollar amounts. A student writes: 'Food accounted for $170.' What is wrong with this phrase?
- Write one sentence comparing London and Sydney using 'whereas' or 'while' and at least one exact figure.