The table and chart give information about doctors in Australia between 1986 and 2006.

Information about doctors in Australia between 1986 and 2006 - 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 · 210 words.

The table and bar charts illustrate the number of doctors in Australia in 1986, 1996 and 2006, as well as the percentages of doctors by gender and place of birth during the same period.

Overall, the total number of doctors increased steadily over the period. In addition, the proportion of female doctors rose, while the percentage of male doctors declined. Regarding place of birth, the share of overseas-born doctors increased, whereas the proportion of doctors born in Australia decreased until both groups accounted for equal percentages in 2006.

According to the table, the number of doctors grew from 23,720 in 1986 to 29,060 in 1996 before reaching 35,450 in 2006.

In terms of gender, male doctors represented approximately 75% of the workforce in 1986, compared with only 25% for females. By 1996, these figures had changed to around 66% and 34%, respectively. In 2006, the proportion of male doctors fell further to about 61%, while females accounted for roughly 39%.

As for place of birth, around 63% of doctors were born in Australia in 1986, compared with about 37% who were born overseas. The percentage of Australian-born doctors declined to approximately 58% in 1996 and 50% in 2006, while the figure for overseas-born doctors increased to 42% and then 50%.

Examiner feedback

The response is exceptionally well-written, demonstrating strong control over grammar, vocabulary, and task requirements. It provides a clear overview and accurately selects and reports key features from the visual data with appropriate paragraphing.

Task Achievement - 8

- All requirements of the task are fully and appropriately satisfied, covering both the table and the charts comprehensively. - Key features such as the overall growth in doctor numbers, gender shifts, and birthplace changes are clearly presented and illustrated with data. - A clear, well-rounded overview is provided in the second paragraph.

Coherence & Cohesion - 8

- Paragraph organization is logical, separating the overall trends, absolute numbers, and specific breakdowns by gender and birthplace. - Cohesive devices are used effectively to guide the reader through different categories and years. - Overall progression is clear, with a strong introductory overview and well-linked body paragraphs.

Lexical Resource - 8

- A varied and precise vocabulary is employed to describe trends, proportions, and numerical changes effectively. - Word formation and spelling are entirely accurate. - Collocations such as 'rose', 'declined', and 'proportion of' are natural and appropriate.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 8

- A wide range of sentence structures is used accurately and flexibly to compare data across time. - The majority of sentences are error-free with excellent control over complex comparative structures. - Punctuation is well managed throughout the response.

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