The line graph compares average yearly spending by Americans on

mobile and landline phone services from 2001 to 2010.

It is clear that spending on landline phones fell steadily over the 10year period, while mobile phone expenditure rose quickly. The year
2006 marks the point at which expenditure on mobile services
overtook that for residential phone services.
In 2001, US consumers spent an average of nearly $700 on
residential phone services, compared to only around $200 on cell
phone services. Over the following five years, average yearly
spending on landlines dropped by nearly $200. By contrast,
expenditure on mobiles rose by approximately $300.
In the year 2006, the average American paid out the same amount
of money on both types of phone service, spending just over $500
on each. By 2010, expenditure on mobile phones had reached
around $750, while the figure for spending on residential services
had fallen to just over half this amount.

The diagram illustrates the various stages in the life of a honey bee.
We can see that the complete life cycle lasts between 34 and 36
days. It is also noticeable that there are five main stages in the
development of the honey bee, from egg to mature adult insect.
The life cycle of the honey bee begins when the female adult lays an
egg; the female typically lays one or two eggs every 3 days.
Between 9 and 10 days later, each egg hatches and the immature
insect, or nymph, appears.
During the third stage of the life cycle, the nymph grows in size and
sheds its skin three times. This moulting first takes place 5 days
after the egg hatches, then 7 days later, and again another 9 days
later. After a total of 30 to 31 days from the start of the cycle, the
young adult honey bee emerges from its final moulting stage, and in
the space of only 4 days it reaches full maturity.
(169 words, band 9)

The chart compares average figures for temperature and

precipitation over the course of a calendar year in Kolkata.
It is noticeable that monthly figures for precipitation in Kolkata vary
considerably, whereas monthly temperatures remain relatively
stable. Rainfall is highest from July to August, while temperatures
are highest in April and May.
Between the months of January and May, average temperatures in
Kolkata rise from their lowest point at around 20C to a peak of just
over 30C. Average rainfall in the city also rises over the same
period, from approximately 20mm of rain in January to 100mm in
May.
While temperatures stay roughly the same for the next four months,
the amount of rainfall more than doubles between May and June.
Figures for precipitation remain above 250mm from June to
September, peaking at around 330mm in July. The final three
months of the year see a dramatic fall in precipitation, to a low of
about 10mm in December, and a steady drop in temperatures back
to the January average.
(173 words, band 9)
Posted by Simon in IELTS

The bar charts compare students of different ages in terms of why

they are studying and whether they are supported by an employer.
It is clear that the proportion of students who study for career
purposes is far higher among the younger age groups, while the
oldest students are more likely to study for interest. Employer
support is more commonly given to younger students.
Around 80% of students aged under 26 study to further their
careers, whereas only 10% study purely out of interest. The gap
between these two proportions narrows as students get older, and
the figures for those in their forties are the same, at about 40%.
Students aged over 49 overwhelmingly study for interest (70%)
rather than for professional reasons (less than 20%).
Just over 60% of students aged under 26 are supported by their
employers. By contrast, the 30-39 age group is the most selfsufficient, with only 30% being given time off and help with fees.
The figures rise slightly for students in their forties and for those
aged 50 or more.
(178 words, band 9)

The bar chart compares the number of incidents and injuries for
every 100 million passenger miles travelled on five different types of
public transport in 2002.
It is clear that the most incidents and injuries took place on demandresponse vehicles. By contrast, commuter rail services recorded by
far the lowest figures.
A total of 225 incidents and 173 injuries, per 100 million passenger
miles travelled, took place on demand-response transport services.
These figures were nearly three times as high as those for the
second highest category, bus services. There were 76 incidents and
66 people were injured on buses.
Rail services experienced fewer problems. The number of incidents
on light rail trains equalled the figure recorded for buses, but there
were significantly fewer injuries, at only 39. Heavy rail services saw
lower numbers of such events than light rail services, but commuter
rail passengers were even less likely to experience problems. In fact,
only 20 incidents and 17 injuries occurred on commuter trains.
(165 words, band 9)

The line graph compares the percentage of people aged 65 or more

in three countries over a period of 100 years.
It is clear that the proportion of elderly people increases in each
country between 1940 and 2040. Japan is expected to see the most
dramatic changes in its elderly population.
In 1940, around 9% of Americans were aged 65 or over, compared
to about 7% of Swedish people and 5% of Japanese people. The
proportions of elderly people in the USA and Sweden rose gradually
over the next 50 years, reaching just under 15% in 1990. By
contrast, the figures for Japan remained below 5% until the early
2000s.
Looking into the future, a sudden increase in the percentage of
elderly people is predicted for Japan, with a jump of over 15% in just
10 years from 2030 to 2040. By 2040, it is thought that around 27%
of the Japanese population will be 65 years old or more, while the
figures for Sweden and the USA will be slightly lower, at about 25%
and 23% respectively.
(178 words, band 9)

The table shows percentages of consumer expenditure for three

categories of products and services in five countries in 2002.
It is clear that the largest proportion of consumer spending in each
country went on food, drinks and tobacco. On the other hand, the
leisure/education category has the lowest percentages in the table.
Out of the five countries, consumer spending on food, drinks and
tobacco was noticeably higher in Turkey, at 32.14%, and Ireland, at
nearly 29%. The proportion of spending on leisure and education
was also highest in Turkey, at 4.35%, while expenditure on clothing
and footwear was significantly higher in Italy, at 9%, than in any of
the other countries.
It can be seen that Sweden had the lowest percentages of national
consumer
expenditure
for
food/drinks/tobacco
and
for
clothing/footwear, at nearly 16% and just over 5% respectively.
Spain had slightly higher figures for these categories, but the lowest
figure for leisure/education, at only 1.98%.

The charts compare the amount of water used for agriculture,

industry and homes around the world, and water use in Brazil and
the Democratic Republic of Congo.
It is clear that global water needs rose significantly between 1900
and 2000, and that agriculture accounted for the largest proportion
of water used. We can also see that water consumption was
considerably higher in Brazil than in the Congo.
In 1900, around 500km of water was used by the agriculture sector
worldwide. The figures for industrial and domestic water
consumption stood at around one fifth of that amount. By 2000,
global water use for agriculture had increased to around 3000km,
industrial water use had risen to just under half that amount, and
domestic consumption had reached approximately 500km.
In the year 2000, the populations of Brazil and the Congo were 176
million and 5.2 million respectively. Water consumption per person
in Brazil, at 359m, was much higher than that in the Congo, at only
8m, and this could be explained by the fact that Brazil had 265
times more irrigated land.
(184 words, band 9)

The bar chart compares the cost of an average house in five major
cities over a period of 13 years from 1989.
We can see that house prices fell overall between 1990 and 1995,
but most of the cities saw rising prices between 1996 and 2002.
London experienced by far the greatest changes in house prices
over the 13-year period.
Over the 5 years after 1989, the cost of average homes in Tokyo and
London dropped by around 7%, while New York house prices went
down by 5%. By contrast, prices rose by approximately 2% in both
Madrid and Frankfurt.
Between 1996 and 2002, London house prices jumped to around
12% above the 1989 average. Homebuyers in New York also had to
pay significantly more, with prices rising to 5% above the 1989
average, but homes in Tokyo remained cheaper than they were in
1989. The cost of an average home in Madrid rose by a further 2%,
while prices in Frankfurt remained stable.
(165 words)

The table gives information about poverty rates among six types of
household in Australia in the year 1999.

It is noticeable that levels of poverty were higher for single people

than for couples, and people with children were more likely to be
poor than those without. Poverty rates were considerably lower
among elderly people.
Overall, 11% of Australians, or 1,837,000 people, were living in
poverty in 1999. Aged people were the least likely to be poor, with
poverty levels of 6% and 4% for single aged people and aged
couples respectively.
Just over one fifth of single parents were living in poverty, whereas
only 12% of parents living with a partner were classed as poor. The
same pattern can be seen for people with no children: while 19% of
single people in this group were living below the poverty line, the
figure for couples was much lower, at only 7%.
(150 words, band 9)

The map shows two potential locations (S1 and S2) for a new

supermarket in a town called Garlsdon.

The main difference between the two sites is that S1 is outside the
town, whereas S2 is in the town centre. The sites can also be
compared in terms of access by road or rail, and their positions
relative to three smaller towns.
Looking at the information in more detail, S1 is in the countryside to
the north west of Garlsdon, but it is close to the residential area of
the town. S2 is also close to the housing area, which surrounds the
town centre.
There are main roads from Hindon, Bransdon and Cransdon to
Garlsdon town centre, but this is a no traffic zone, so there would be
no access to S2 by car. By contrast, S1 lies on the main road to
Hindon, but it would be more difficult to reach from Bransdon and
Cransdon. Both supermarket sites are close to the railway that runs
through Garlsdon from Hindon to Cransdon.

The bar chart compares consumer spending on six different items in

Germany, Italy, France and Britain.
It is clear that British people spent significantly more money than
people in the other three countries on all six goods. Of the six items,
consumers spent the most money on photographic film.
People in Britain spent just over 170,000 on photographic film,
which is the highest figure shown on the chart. By contrast,
Germans were the lowest overall spenders, with roughly the same
figures (just under 150,000) for each of the six products.
The figures for spending on toys were the same in both France and
Italy, at nearly 160,000. However, while French people spent more
than Italians on photographic film and CDs, Italians paid out more
for personal stereos, tennis racquets and perfumes. The amount
spent by French people on tennis racquets, around 145,000, is the
lowest figure shown on the chart.

The diagrams show how house designs differ according to climate.

The most noticeable difference between houses designed for cool
and warm climates is in the shape of the roof. The designs also differ
with regard to the windows and the use of insulation.
We can see that the cool climate house has a high-angled roof,
which allows sunlight to enter through the window. By contrast, the
roof of the warm climate house has a peak in the middle and roof
overhangs to shade the windows. Insulation and thermal building
materials are used in cool climates to reduce heat loss, whereas
insulation and reflective materials are used to keep the heat out in
warm climates.
Finally, the cool climate house has one window which faces the
direction of the sun, while the warm climate house has windows on
two sides which are shaded from the sun. By opening the two
windows at night, the house designed for warm climates can be
ventilated.
(162 words, band 9)

The picture illustrates the way in which water passes from ocean to
air to land during the natural process known as the water cycle.
Three main stages are shown on the diagram. Ocean water
evaporates, falls as rain, and eventually runs back into the oceans
again.
Beginning at the evaporation stage, we can see that 80% of water
vapour in the air comes from the oceans. Heat from the sun causes
water to evaporate, and water vapour condenses to form clouds. At
the second stage, labelled precipitation on the diagram, water falls
as rain or snow.
At the third stage in the cycle, rainwater may take various paths.
Some of it may fall into lakes or return to the oceans via surface
runoff. Otherwise, rainwater may filter through the ground,
reaching the impervious layer of the earth. Salt water intrusion is
shown to take place just before groundwater passes into the oceans
to complete the cycle.
(156 words, band 9)

The first picture shows the layout of an art gallery, and the second
shows some proposed changes to the gallery space.
It is clear that significant changes will be made in terms of the use
of floor space in the gallery. There will be a completely new entrance
and more space for exhibitions.
At present, visitors enter the gallery through doors which lead into a
lobby. However, the plan is to move the entrance to the Parkinson
Court side of the building, and visitors will walk straight into the
exhibition area. In place of the lobby and office areas, which are
shown on the existing plan, the new gallery plan shows an
education area and a small storage area.
The permanent exhibition space in the redeveloped gallery will be
about twice as large as it is now because it will occupy the area that
is now used for temporary exhibitions. There will also be a new room
for special exhibitions. This room is shown in red on the existing
plan and is not currently part of the gallery.
(178 words, band 9)

The table shows data about the underground rail networks in six
major cities.

The table compares the six networks in terms of their age, size and
the number of people who use them each year. It is clear that the
three oldest underground systems are larger and serve significantly
more passengers than the newer systems.
The London underground is the oldest system, having opened in
1863. It is also the largest system, with 394 kilometres of route. The
second largest system, in Paris, is only about half the size of the
London underground, with 199 kilometres of route. However, it
serves more people per year. While only third in terms of size, the
Tokyo system is easily the most used, with 1927 million passengers
per year.
Of the three newer networks, the Washington DC underground is the
most extensive, with 126 kilometres of route, compared to only 11
kilometres and 28 kilometres for the Kyoto and Los Angeles
systems. The Los Angeles network is the newest, having opened in
2001, while the Kyoto network is the smallest and serves only 45
million passengers per year.
(185 words)

Cambridge IELTS book 7, page 101:

The pie charts compare the amount of electricity produced using

five different sources of fuel in two countries over two separate
years.
Total electricity production increased dramatically from 1980 to
2000 in both Australia and France. While the totals for both
countries were similar, there were big differences in the fuel sources
used.
Coal was used to produce 50 of the total 100 units of electricity in
Australia in 1980, rising to 130 out of 170 units in 2000. By contrast,
nuclear power became the most important fuel source in France in
2000, producing almost 75% of the countrys electricity.
Australia depended on hydro power for just under 25% of its
electricity in both years, but the amount of electricity produced
using this type of power fell from 5 to only 2 units in France. Oil, on
the other hand, remained a relatively important fuel source in
France, but its use declined in Australia. Both countries relied on
natural gas for electricity production significantly more in 1980 than
in 2000.
(170 words)

The chart gives information about UK immigration, emigration and net

migration between 1999 and 2008.
Both immigration and emigration rates rose over the period shown, but
the figures for immigration were significantly higher. Net migration
peaked in 2004 and 2007.
In 1999, over 450,000 people came to live in the UK, while the number
of people who emigrated stood at just under 300,000. The figure for
net migration was around 160,000, and it remained at a similar level
until 2003. From 1999 to 2004, the immigration rate rose by nearly
150,000 people, but there was a much smaller rise in emigration. Net
migration peaked at almost 250,000 people in 2004.
After 2004, the rate of immigration remained high, but the number of
people emigrating fluctuated. Emigration fell suddenly in 2007, before
peaking at about 420,000 people in 2008. As a result, the net migration
figure rose to around 240,000 in 2007, but fell back to around 160,000
in 2008.

It is clear from the charts that the figures for developed countries are
much higher than those for developing nations. Also, the charts show
an overall increase in participation in education and science from 1980
to 1990.
People in developing nations attended school for an average of around
3 years, with only a slight increase in years of schooling from 1980 to
1990. On the other hand, the figure for industrialised countries rose
from nearly 9 years of schooling in 1980 to nearly 11 years in 1990.
From 1980 to 1990, the number of scientists and technicians in
industrialised countries almost doubled to about 70 per 1000 people.
Spending on research and development also saw rapid growth in these
countries, reaching $350 billion in 1990. By contrast, the number of
science workers in developing countries remained below 20 per 1000
people, and research spending fell from about $50 billion to only $25
billion.
(187 words)
The diagram below shows how the Australian Bureau of Meteorology
collects up-to-the-minute information on the weather in order to

produce reliable forecasts.

The figure illustrates the process used by the Australian Bureau of

Meteorology to forecast the weather.
There are four stages in the process, beginning with the collection of
information about the weather. This information is then analysed,
prepared for presentation, and finally broadcast to the public.
Looking at the first and second stages of the process, there are three
ways of collecting weather data and three ways of analysing it. Firstly,
incoming information can be received by satellite and presented for
analysis as a satellite photo. The same data can also be passed to a
radar station and presented on a radar screen or synoptic chart.
Secondly, incoming information may be collected directly by radar and
analysed on a radar screen or synoptic chart. Finally, drifting buoys
also receive data which can be shown on a synoptic chart.
At the third stage of the process, the weather broadcast is prepared on
computers. Finally, it is delivered to the public on television, on the
radio, or as a recorded telephone announcement.

The line graph compares the percentage of people in three countries

who used the Internet between 1999 and 2009.
It is clear that the proportion of the population who used the Internet
increased in each country over the period shown. Overall, a much
larger percentage of Canadians and Americans had access to the
Internet in comparison with Mexicans, and Canada experienced the
fastest growth in Internet usage.
In 1999, the proportion of people using the Internet in the USA was
about 20%. The figures for Canada and Mexico were lower, at about
10% and 5% respectively. In 2005, Internet usage in both the USA and
Canada rose to around 70% of the population, while the figure for
Mexico reached just over 25%.
By 2009, the percentage of Internet users was highest in Canada.
Almost 100% of Canadians used the Internet, compared to about 80%
of Americans and only 40% of Mexicans.

The map shows the growth of a village called Chorleywood between

1868 and 1994.
It is clear that the village grew as the transport infrastructure was
improved. Four periods of development are shown on the map, and
each of the populated areas is near to the main roads, the railway or
the motorway.
From 1868 to 1883, Chorleywood covered a small area next to one of
the main roads. Chorleywood Park and Golf Course is now located next
to this original village area. The village grew along the main road to the
south between 1883 and 1922, and in 1909 a railway line was built
crossing this area from west to east. Chorleywood station is in this part
of the village.
The expansion of Chorleywood continued to the east and west
alongside the railway line until 1970. At that time, a motorway was
built to the east of the village, and from 1970 to 1994, further
development of the village took place around motorway intersections
with the railway and one of the main roads.