IELTS Writing Task 1: Table
To answer an IELTS Task 1 table, identify the categories and units, then group the data by the biggest patterns rather than listing every cell. Write an overview stating the two or three most striking features, then use body paragraphs to compare figures with specific numbers, using percentages or totals to support each comparison.
Sample task
The table below shows the percentage of households with internet access in four countries in 2000, 2010 and 2020. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
The data
Percentage of households with internet access in four countries, 2000, 2010 and 2020
| Country | 2000 (%) | 2010 (%) | 2020 (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | 19 | 83 | 96 |
| United Kingdom | 7 | 73 | 95 |
| Brazil | 2 | 27 | 72 |
| Nigeria | 0 | 6 | 38 |
How to structure a table answer
- 1Paraphrase the caption: name the countries, the measure (household internet access) and the three years covered.
- 2Write a two-sentence overview: highlight the overall upward trend, the leading countries by 2020 and the widest gap.
- 3Group similar countries together (e.g. South Korea and the UK as high-access nations) and compare their figures across the three years with exact percentages.
- 4Cover the remaining countries (Brazil and Nigeria) in a second paragraph, noting their slower starts and the size of the gap that remains in 2020.
Band 9 sample answer
198 wordsThe table compares the proportion of households with internet access in South Korea, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Nigeria at three points in time: 2000, 2010 and 2020.
Overall, internet access rose sharply in all four countries over the period, with South Korea and the UK reaching near-universal coverage by 2020. Nigeria, however, remained far behind the other three nations throughout, despite recording the fastest rate of relative growth.
In 2000, South Korea already led the group with 19% of households connected, compared with just 7% in the UK, 2% in Brazil and 0% in Nigeria. By 2010, access had expanded dramatically in the first two countries, reaching 83% in South Korea and 73% in the UK, while Brazil climbed to 27% and Nigeria to only 6%.
This pattern continued into 2020: South Korea and the UK converged at very high levels, 96% and 95% respectively, showing that the gap between these two leaders had almost closed. Brazil also made substantial progress, more than doubling its 2010 figure to reach 72%. Nigeria, by contrast, achieved only 38% coverage by 2020, meaning that fewer than two in five households there had internet access, the lowest figure among the four countries in every year recorded.
Why this scores Band 9
- Overview gives the two clearest patterns (near-universal coverage in two countries, Nigeria lagging) without listing every figure
- All percentages in the body paragraphs match the table exactly, including calculated comparisons such as 'more than doubling'
- Paragraphs are logically grouped by similarity of trend rather than by year or by table row order
- Wide range of comparative and linking language (compared with, by contrast, meaning that) used accurately
Useful language for a table
| Phrase | When to use it |
|---|---|
| stood at X% in [year] | reporting a single data point precisely |
| more than doubled/tripled | describing a large proportional increase between two years |
| converged at a similar level | when two rows end up close together despite starting apart |
| remained far behind | highlighting a country or category that consistently lags the others |
| the gap between X and Y narrowed/widened | comparing the difference between two rows across time |
| fewer than two in five | expressing a percentage as an approximate fraction for variety |
Common mistakes
Incorrect: Describing every single cell in the table row by row, resulting in a shopping list with no comparison.
Correct: Group countries or categories that share a similar trend and compare them together, e.g. the two high-access nations versus the two lower-access nations.
Incorrect: Writing an overview that simply repeats the highest and lowest numbers without identifying a trend.
Correct: State the overall pattern first, such as universal growth, then mention the leading and lagging cases as supporting detail.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write an overview for a table with three time periods?
Focus on the change from the first to the last period rather than the middle one. Mention which category grew fastest, which stayed highest or lowest throughout, and any point where rows converge or diverge.
Should I include every number from the table?
No. Select the figures that support your main comparisons and overview; you can round or omit minor details, but every number you do use must be accurate.
How many paragraphs should a table answer have?
Four is typical: introduction paraphrasing the caption, an overview of two or three sentences, and two body paragraphs each covering a logical group of rows or categories.
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