Chart and table provide allocation of men and women for the household activities, apart from paid work, in 2008 in the UK.

Allocation of men and women for household activities in UK in 2008 - IELTS Writing Task 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

A student's answer to this task, and the feedback on it

Written by an IELTSX user under exam conditions and published unedited and anonymously. Band 8 · 259 words.

The table provides information regarding the amount of time men and women allocated to three leisure activities, while the bar chart compares the median minutes each day men and women spent on four different household activities in 2008 in the UK.

Overall, it is evident that both males and females allocate the highest amount of time to TV, video and radio, whereas they spent the lowest time on sport. While males spent a higher amount of time on repairing than females, the opposite was true for the remaining categories. Notably, both men and women devoted most of their time to cooking & washing.

Focusing on first leisure activities, both men and women spent the greatest amount of time on TV, video, and radio, with the respective figures accounting for 137 minutes and 118 minutes. As for reading, these figures made up 18 minutes and 19 minutes, respectively. Lastly, while men allocated 15 minutes to sport, women spent 11 minutes on it.

Turning to household activities, repairing is the only category where men spent a relatively higher amount of time than women, making just under 20 minutes and 10 minutes, respectively. In contrast, the figures for cooking and washing stood at roughly 30 minutes for men and 75 minutes for women. As for clothes washing & ironing, men devoted just under 10 minutes, and women spent around 30 minutes. Moreover, the gap was narrowed when the amount of time allocated to shopping was concerned, accounting for just over 35 minutes for females and around 24 minutes for their male counterparts.

Examiner feedback

The response is well-structured, accurate, and covers all key features of both the chart and the table with appropriate data. The language is natural, featuring a good range of grammatical structures and precise vocabulary.

Task Achievement - 8

- The response fully satisfies all requirements of the task by covering both the chart and the table adequately. - Key features are skillfully selected, clearly presented, and supported by accurate figures from the source. - A clear overview is provided, highlighting the main trends and differences between men and women.

Coherence & Cohesion - 8

- Information and ideas are logically organized into clear paragraphs with an introduction, overview, and detailed body paragraphs. - Cohesive devices such as 'while', 'in contrast', and 'notably' are used effectively to link ideas. - Progression is clear throughout the response, guiding the reader effortlessly between the chart and table data.

Lexical Resource - 8

- A wide vocabulary resource is used fluently to convey precise meanings regarding data and trends. - Appropriate collocation and lexical items are deployed (e.g., 'median minutes', 'respective figures', 'counterparts'). - Spelling and word formation are entirely accurate.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 8

- A wide range of sentence structures, including complex clauses and comparative forms, is used accurately. - The majority of sentences are error-free, with excellent control over tense consistency (past tense for 2008 data). - Punctuation is well managed and supports readability.

Related prompts

• Male Female Students Art Related Subjects UK University 2011
• Town Centre Changes 1990 and Today
• Male Female Students High Grades Five Subjects Parston School National Average
• Qualifications Staff Advertising Company 1990 and 2010
• Australian School Leavers Activity 1980 1990 2000
• Layout Town Shopping Centre Present and Future Redevelopment