IELTS Writing Task 1 bar chart: question, model answer and tips
Bar charts reward comparison more than any other Task 1 visual. The bars are already side by side, so the examiner expects you to say which is bigger, by how much, and what pattern runs across the categories. Try the question in 20 minutes before reading the model.
Updated 2026-10-23
What a bar chart question asks you to do
A bar chart compares the size of different things. The bars may show categories at one point in time (as in the practice question) or the same category in different years. Either way, the instruction asks you to select the main features and make comparisons. On a bar chart, comparisons are the main features.
Ask yourself three questions before you write:
- Which bar or group is biggest overall, and which is smallest? That goes in your overview.
- Is there a pattern across the categories? For example, does one series rise as you move along the axis?
- Are there exceptions? An exception to the pattern is always worth a sentence.
Two ways to group the information
| Grouping | When to use it | Body paragraph plan |
|---|---|---|
| By series | Each series has a clear pattern across the categories | Body 1: the largest series. Body 2: the other series, compared with the first |
| By category | The categories are very different from each other | Body 1: the first categories. Body 2: the remaining categories |
In the practice question, each mode of transport has its own pattern across the age groups, so the model answer groups by series.
Practice question
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The chart below shows the percentage of commuters in four age groups who travelled to work by car, by public transport, or by cycling or walking in one European city in 2023.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
The figures are invented for practice.
Band 9 model answer
The bar chart shows the proportion of commuters in four age groups who travelled to work by car, by public transport, or by bicycle or on foot in a European city in 2023.
Overall, the car was the most popular way to commute for every age group except the youngest, who preferred public transport. Cycling and walking were the least common choice in all four groups.
Car use rose steadily with age up to the 45–59 group, climbing from 38% of 18–29-year-olds to 55% of those aged 30–44 and 62% of 45–59-year-olds. It then fell back to 48% among people aged 60 and over.
Public transport showed almost the reverse pattern. It was used by 42% of the youngest commuters, the highest figure for this mode, but by only 30% and 24% of the two middle groups. Among the over-60s, the figure recovered to 35%.
Active travel varied far less. Between 14% and 20% of each group cycled or walked, with the youngest commuters the most likely to do so and those aged 45–59 the least likely.
Word count: 177
Why this answer scores highly
Task Achievement. The overview gives the main pattern (cars most popular) and its one exception (the youngest group) without numbers. Each body paragraph covers one mode of transport and gives the figures that show its pattern, including the turning point at 60+.
Coherence and Cohesion. The paragraphs are linked by meaning: "almost the reverse pattern" tells the reader exactly how paragraph four relates to paragraph three. Referencing is clear: it, this mode, the figure, those aged.
Lexical Resource. The writer varies the way age groups are named (18–29-year-olds, those aged 30–44, the over-60s, the two middle groups) and finds a natural synonym for cycling and walking: active travel.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy. Comparatives and superlatives are accurate (the most likely, the least likely, far less), and there is a participle clause, a reduced relative clause and a range of sentence lengths.
Language for comparisons
| Purpose | Examples |
|---|---|
| Biggest / smallest | the most popular, the highest proportion, the least common choice, ranked last |
| Difference in size | nearly twice as many as, three times higher than, far fewer, slightly more |
| Similarity | roughly the same proportion, a similar figure, almost identical |
| Contrast | whereas, while, by contrast, in contrast to, unlike |
| Approximate figures | just over a third (35%), nearly two thirds (62%), around one in five (20%) |
Fractions and approximations are a good way to show range, but use them accurately. 62% is "almost two thirds", not "about half".
Common mistakes on bar charts
- Describing every bar. Twelve bars do not need twelve sentences. Group them and give the figures that show a pattern.
- Using trend language for a static chart. Age groups are not years, so car use did not "increase" over time here. The model answer uses rose with age, which is accurate.
- Getting comparative grammar wrong. Write more popular than, not more popular as or most popular than.
- Forgetting the exception. The youngest group preferring public transport is one of the main features. Leaving it out of the overview costs Task Achievement marks.
Before you hand it in
- Does your overview say which item is largest and mention any clear exception?
- Does each body sentence compare at least two things?
- Are all percentages correct and labelled with the right group?
- Have you avoided trend words if the chart is not about time?
Next, try a pie chart, or practise trends with the line graph question.
Frequently asked questions
Should I describe a bar chart by category or by series?
Choose whichever shows the pattern most clearly. If each series has a clear trend across the categories, as car use does across age groups here, group by series. If the categories differ sharply from each other, group by category.
Do bar charts always show change over time?
No. Some bar charts compare categories at one point in time, like this one, so you use comparison language rather than trend language. If the horizontal axis shows years, treat it like a line graph.
How many numbers should I include?
Enough to support each point, usually eight to twelve figures in total. Every sentence in the body should contain a comparison, and most should contain a figure.