The line graphs show the proportion of residents using public transport and private cars in five Australian cities between 2000 and 2010.

Practice this IELTS Writing Task 1 question on IELTSX. The line graphs show the proportion of residents using public transport and private cars in five Australian cities between 2000 and 2010.

Proportion of residents using public transport and private cars in five Australian cities between 2000 and 2010 - 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.

IELTS Writing Task 1 chart for Proportion of residents using public transport and private cars in five Australian cities between 2000 and 2010
Chart supplied with the IELTS Writing Task 1 question: Proportion of residents using public transport and private cars in five Australian cities between 2000 and 2010

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 9 · 273 words.

The line graphs illustrate changes in the proportion of residents using public and private transport in five Australian cities – Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, and Melbourne – over a decade from 2000 to 2010. The data are based on the 2000 population and standardised to a benchmark of 20 million people for meaningful cross-city comparison.

Overall, public transport usage increased in all cities throughout the period, while private transport experienced a corresponding decline. Nevertheless, private transport remained by far the most widely used mode of travel in every city surveyed.

In terms of public transport, Sydney consistently recorded the highest figures, rising from approximately 20% in 2000 to nearly 25% by 2010. Similarly, Canberra and Melbourne showed steady growth, both ending the period at around 15% to 18%, up from roughly 12% and 10% respectively. By contrast, Perth and Adelaide displayed the lowest uptake of public transport, with both cities remaining below 10% across the entire decade, despite marginal increases.

Turning to private transport, the trends were inversely related. Sydney had the smallest share of private vehicle users, falling from about 80% in 2000 to roughly 70% in 2010. Melbourne and Canberra followed similar downward patterns, declining from approximately 85% to 80% and from 82% to 78%, respectively. In contrast, Perth and Adelaide consistently showed the highest reliance on private transport, although their figures decreased slightly from over 90% to around 85% over the ten-year period.

In conclusion, while a clear shift towards public transport was evident in all cities, the dominance of private transport remained unchallenged, and the gap between cities with the highest and lowest usage rates persisted throughout the period

Examiner feedback

This is an exceptional response that demonstrates full mastery of the IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 requirements. The data analysis is precise, the organization is logical, and the language used is sophisticated, accurate, and natural.

Task Achievement - 9

- The response fully satisfies all requirements of the task, providing a comprehensive and accurate description of the data. - The overview is clear and highlights the most significant trends effectively. - Data is skillfully selected and illustrated with precise figures and comparisons across all five cities.

Coherence & Cohesion - 9

- Paragraphing is managed skillfully, with a logical divide between introduction, overview, and detailed analysis of the two transport modes. - Cohesive devices are used naturally and unobtrusively to guide the reader through comparisons and contrasts. - Information is sequenced logically, ensuring the message can be followed effortlessly from start to finish.

Lexical Resource - 9

- Lexical choice is sophisticated and highly appropriate for a data description task (e.g., 'standardised to a benchmark', 'inversely related', 'marginal increases'). - Vocabulary is used with natural control and precision throughout the response. - There are no errors in spelling or word formation.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 9

- A wide range of complex structures is used with full flexibility and precision. - The response is entirely error-free, demonstrating a mastery of grammar and punctuation. - Sophisticated sentence constructions are used to compare data effectively without loss of clarity.

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