The table above shows the percentage of people unemployed in the total labor work force across 9 countries in 1994 and 2004.

Unemployment Rate Labour Force Across 9 Countries 1994 2004 - 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 · 216 words.

The given table depicts the proportion of unemployed people in the total workforce across nine countries -- Ireland, Poland, Italy, Canada, the UK, Germany, the USA, Australia, and Japan -- over a decade, from 1994 to 2004.

Overall, there was an upward trend in Poland, Germany, Australia, and Japan, while remaining five countries, namely Ireland, Italy, Canada, the UK, and the USA, experienced a decline in unemployment rates. Although initially, Ireland had the highest unemployment rate, it recorded the lowest figure in 2004, which was surpassed by Poland at the end of the period.

In the initial year, Ireland stood out as the most prominent, at 14.8%, closely followed by Poland (12.4%) and Italy (11.8%). Canada and the UK had comparable rates of 10.6% and 9.5% respectively, whereas Germany and the USA both accounted for roughly 7.1%. Australia amounted to 5%, which was nearly double the lowest rate of 2.7% in Japan.

By 2004, Poland had risen sharply to 19%, the highest figure in the table. Germany also increased to 9.4%, whereas Italy and Canada declined to 8.4% and 7.7% respectively. Australia and the USA comprised the same percentages, converging at 5.4%. Similarly, Japan rose to 4.7%, close to the figure for the UK. Conversely, Ireland's rate plummeted to 4.4%, the lowest rate among all countries.

Examiner feedback

This is a very strong response that provides a clear and accurate summary of the table. The overview is well-developed, and the data selection is logical. To reach a Band 9, the candidate should aim for even more sophisticated data grouping and absolute precision in word choice.

Task Achievement - 8

- The response covers all requirements of the task, including a clear overview of the trends and the specific data for all 9 countries. - Key features are skillfully selected and highlighted, specifically the dramatic change in Ireland and the rise in Poland. - Comparison between 1994 and 2004 is clearly presented, though more direct comparisons of the magnitude* of change for some countries could have been explored.

Coherence & Cohesion - 8

- Information and ideas are logically sequenced with a clear progression from the introduction/overview to specific time-period comparisons. - Cohesive devices like 'By 2004', 'In the initial year', and 'Conversely' are used effectively to guide the reader. - Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview, the starting data, and the final data.

Lexical Resource - 8

- A wide range of vocabulary is used fluently to convey precise meanings (e.g., 'plummeted', 'surpassed', 'converging'). - Skillful use of uncommon items and collocations like 'total labor work force' and 'upward trend'. - There is a slight misuse of 'comprised' regarding percentages, but meaning remains clear.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 8

- A wide range of structures is used with flexibility, including complex sentences with relative clauses ('which was surpassed by...'). - The majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is well-managed. - Minor awkwardness in verb choice ('Australia amounted to 5%') does not detract from the overall high level of accuracy.

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