The graph below shows information about the total oil consumption of four major consumers from 2009 to 2030.

Practice this IELTS Writing Task 1 question on IELTSX. The graph below shows information about the total oil consumption of four major consumers from 2009 to 2030.

Total Oil Consumption Four Major Consumers 2009-2030 Line Graph - 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 Total Oil Consumption Four Major Consumers 2009-2030 Line Graph
Chart supplied with the IELTS Writing Task 1 question: Total Oil Consumption Four Major Consumers 2009-2030 Line Graph

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 8.5 · 215 words.

The line graph compares four different regions—the US, Western Europe and Japan, China, and the Middle East—in terms of their total oil consumption from 2009 up until 2030. Units are measured in million barrels per day.

From an overall perspective, China and the Middle East experience an upward trend, albeit with varying levels, while the US and Western Europe and Japan decline. Of particular note is the US, which holds a dominant position throughout the whole period.

Of significance are the increasing trajectories observed for China and the Middle East. As far as China is concerned, the figure is expected to rise to nearly 4 million barrels by 2025 after starting at just under 2 million barrels in 2009. However, it will decrease slightly to just over 3 million barrels by 2030. When it comes to the Middle East, it began at approximately 1.5 million barrels in 2009 before reaching a high of roughly 3 million barrels by 2030.

By contrast, the US remained unchanged at just under 10 million barrels until 2015, but there is projected to be a consistent drop to about 4.5 million barrels by 2030. Western Europe and Japan, on the other hand, began at around 4 million barrels in 2009 prior to dipping steadily to 2 million barrels by 2030.

Examiner feedback

This is an excellent response that demonstrates a high level of proficiency. The writing is clear, logically organized, and uses a sophisticated range of vocabulary and grammar to describe trends and projections accurately. To reach a perfect 9.0 in Task Achievement, the response could slightly expand on the comparative relationship between the lines (e.g., noting that China overtakes Western Europe and Japan by 2025).

Task Achievement - 8

- The response covers all requirements of the task, including a clear overview of the main trends (upward vs. downward) and a standout feature (US dominance). - Key features are skillfully selected and supported with accurate figures based on the provided graph. - Data is reported for all four regions across the entire timeframe (2009–2030), though a bit more detail on the intersection points could elevate this further.

Coherence & Cohesion - 9

- The structure is exceptionally logical, grouping information by trend (increasing vs. decreasing) which aids readability. - Cohesive devices like "Of particular note," "As far as... is concerned," and "prior to dipping" are used naturally and vary the sentence flow. - Paragraphing is used skillfully to separate the introduction/overview from the detailed data analysis.

Lexical Resource - 8

- A wide range of vocabulary is used accurately: "increasing trajectories," "dominant position," "consistent drop," and "dipping steadily." - Collocations are natural and sophisticated, conveying precise meanings without being repetitive. - Spelling and word formation are error-free.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 9

- The response uses a wide variety of structures, including complex sentences and appropriate tense shifts to handle projections (future) and historical data (past). - Examples include the use of "is expected to rise" and "is projected to be," showing strong control of passive forms and future probabilities. - Punctuation is used correctly throughout, with no visible errors.

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