The two bar charts compare the average urban driving kilometers per person in six countries in 2003, and the percentage change in driving distance from 2003 to 2005.
Practice this IELTS Writing Task 1 question on IELTSX. The two bar charts compare the average urban driving kilometers per person in six countries in 2003, and the percentage change in driving distance from 2003 to 2005.
Two bar charts compare average urban driving kilometers per person six countries 2003 percentage change driving distance 2003 2005 - 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 ยท 180 words.
Two bar charts compare the population density in six countries in 2003 and the percentage change in population between 2003 and 2005.
Overall, Japan had by far the highest population density in 2003, while Australia and Canada were the least densely populated countries. In terms of population growth, Australia and Canada experienced the largest increases, whereas Sweden was the only country to record a decline.
Looking first at population density, Japan had the highest figure at 338 people per square kilometre. The United Kingdom ranked second with 243 people, followed by Italy at 191. Sweden had a much lower density of 20 people per square kilometre, while Canada and Australia recorded the lowest figures, at only 3 and 2 respectively.
Regarding population change between 2003 and 2005, Australia saw the greatest increase, with a growth of 1.42%, closely followed by Canada at 1.06%. Japan's population rose by 0.35%, while the United Kingdom and Italy experienced relatively small increases of 0.25% and 0.11% respectively. In contrast, Sweden was the only country whose population decreased, falling by 0.1% over the two-year period.
Examiner feedback
The writing quality of this response is exceptionally high, demonstrating near-native fluency in grammar and organization. However, the candidate completely misidentified the subject of the charts, writing about population density instead of urban driving distance, which severely impacts the Task Achievement score.
Task Achievement - 5
- The response fails to address the specific topic of the task; it describes 'population density' and 'population growth' instead of 'urban driving kilometers' and 'change in driving distance'. - While the data points (338, 243, 1.42%, etc.) match the numbers in the prompt's implied charts, the student has mislabeled the units and the subject matter entirely. - Key features are described accurately in terms of the numbers provided, but because the context is incorrect, the response is considered largely irrelevant to the specific prompt.
Coherence & Cohesion - 9
- The message can be followed effortlessly with a perfect logical flow from introduction to overview to detail. - Paragraphing is skillfully managed, with a clear distinction between the two data sets (kilometers vs. percentage change). - Cohesive devices (e.g., 'In terms of', 'Looking first at', 'In contrast') are used so naturally that they are almost invisible.
Lexical Resource - 7
- The vocabulary used is sophisticated ('by far the highest', 'recorded a decline', 'respectively') and shows a high level of control. - However, the score is limited because the vocabulary is not 'appropriate' for the task provided; the student uses terms like 'people per square kilometre' which do not relate to 'driving kilometers'. - Spelling and word formation are flawless.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 9
- A wide range of complex structures is used with full flexibility and accuracy. - The majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is handled with expert control. - The use of comparative structures (e.g., 'least densely populated', 'much lower density') is perfectly executed.
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