The chart shows information about the actual and expected figures of population in three cities.

Chart shows information actual expected figures population three cities - 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 7.5 · 184 words.

The bar chart illustrates the population sizes of three cities, Jakarta, Shanghai and Sao Paulo, in 1990, along with the predicted and actual figures for the year 2000.

Overall, all three cities experienced population growth between 1990 and 2000, and in each case the actual 2000 figure was different from what had been predicted.

In 1990, Sao Paulo had the largest population of the three cities, at around 17 million, followed by Shanghai with roughly 12 million and Jakarta with about 9 million. By 2000, the population in all cities had increased. Sao Paulo's population grew the most, reaching approximately 23 million people, which made it by far the most populated city on the chart.

In terms of predictions, Sao Paulo's actual population in 2000 was higher than expected, since it had been predicted to reach only 21 million. Similarly, Jakarta's actual figure was slightly higher than its prediction. Shanghai's population, on the other hand, grew only slightly, reaching about 15 million, close to its predicted number.

In conclusion, Sao Paulo remained the largest city throughout the period, and most predictions underestimated the actual

Examiner feedback

This is a very strong response that demonstrates high-level control of language and organization. The grammatical variety and lexical precision are excellent. To reach a higher score in Task Achievement, simply ensure the response is finished completely and include slightly more detailed data comparisons.

Task Achievement - 7

- The response covers all requirements of the task, providing a clear overview and highlighting key features. - Data is accurately cited for all three cities across the relevant timeframes. - The response ends abruptly (incomplete sentence), which slightly impacts the overall completion and full development of the final point.

Coherence & Cohesion - 8

- Information is logically organized with a clear progression from 1990 data to 2000 comparisons. - Cohesive devices like "On the other hand," "Similarly," and "Overall" are used effectively to link ideas. - Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview, data description, and comparative analysis.

Lexical Resource - 8

- The vocabulary range is wide and used fluently to convey precise meanings (e.g., "illustrates," "roughly," "approximately," "underestimated"). - Good use of synonyms for data description avoids repetition of simple terms. - Collocations are natural and sophisticated, such as "by far the most populated city."

Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 8

- A wide range of structures is used with flexibility, including past perfect for predictions ("had been predicted") and relative clauses. - Most sentences are error-free with precise control of punctuation. - The use of comparative and superlative forms is accurate and natural.

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