ACADEMIC WRITING TASK 1

Bar Chart Report: Practice

1. Look at the chart and plan your answer by completing the boxes WITH NOTES.
Remember the steps: 1. Read the task carefully
2. Find the Key features
3. Organise Paragraphs

The chart below shows the number of apps that were sold in three
different stores from 2010 to 2014.

Write at least 150 words.

Total Number of Apps by App Store (thousands)

1500

1250

1000

iOS App Store

750 Google Play

Amazon Appstore

500

250

0
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

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 INTRODUCTION PARAPHRASE  

Key Feature 1 _______________________________

OVERVIEW

Key Feature 2 _______________________________

Key Feature 3 _______________________________

 
_______________________________

_______________________________
Specific Details Paragraph 1
_______________________________

 
_______________________________

_______________________________
Specific Details Paragraph 2
_______________________________

2. Take 15 minutes to write your report. When you have finished, check your report for grammar
mistakes.
 

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 My IELTS Classroom Writing Answer Sheet – TASK 1
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Candidate Name

Centre Number Candidate Number

Module (shade one box): Academic General Training

Test Date

D D M M Y Y Y Y

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TASK 1

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Do not write below this line

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3. Look at the chart and plan your answer by completing the boxes WITH NOTES.
Remember the steps: 1. Read the task carefully
2. Find the Key features
3. Organise Paragraphs

The bar chart below shows spending on different forms of music

in America in two years.

Write at least 150 words.

1800

1600 1541

1400
1300

1200

1000
millions ($)

885
860

800
719
700

600

400

200
100 90
50
10
0
Downloads Streaming CD Synchronisation Music Video
Royalties

2013 2014
 

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 INTRODUCTION PARAPHRASE  

Key Feature 1 _______________________________

OVERVIEW

Key Feature 2 _______________________________

Key Feature 3 _______________________________

 
_______________________________

_______________________________
Specific Details Paragraph 1
_______________________________

 
_______________________________

_______________________________
Specific Details Paragraph 2
_______________________________

4. Take 15 minutes to write your report. When you are finished, check your report for grammar
mistakes.
 

© 2017 My IELTS Classroom ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

 My IELTS Classroom Writing Answer Sheet – TASK 1
___________________________________________________________________________________

Candidate Name

Centre Number Candidate Number

Module (shade one box): Academic General Training

Test Date

D D M M Y Y Y Y

___________________________________________________________________________________
TASK 1

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___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
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___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
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___________________________________________________________________________________
Do not write below this line

© 2017 My IELTS Classroom ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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© 2017 My IELTS Classroom ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
 ANSWERS & COMMENTS

1.

INTRODUCTION PARAPHRASE  

Key Feature 1 - All increase  

OVERVIEW

Key Feature 2 - Biggest increase between 2013 and 2014  

- iOS App Store biggest seller until 2013 BUT
Key Feature 3
overtaken by Google Play  

- iOS App Store

Specific Details Paragraph 1
- Google Play

Specific Details Paragraph 2 - Amazon Appstore

2. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! I am so proud of you for taking the time to practise your writing.
Here is my report. It is important to read good examples of reports. The more you are exposed to, the easier it
will be for you to write your own. Notice how I describe the Amazon Appstore in 2010 – it’s a useful
expression! Also notice how I tried to join Amazon to the other items in the final paragraph – the more you can
compare, the higher your score will be.

The bar chart illustrates how many apps were sold on the iOS App Store, Google Play and Amazon Appstore
over a 5 year period (2010-2015).

Overall, it is clear that the number of apps sold in all 3 shops grew dramatically over the period, with the
biggest increase being in the final year. While the iOS App Store was the biggest seller of apps until 2013, it
was overtaken in the final year by Google Play. However, both shops sold significantly more than Amazon
Appstore.

In 2010, iOS App Store dominated the small market with sales of around 175,000 apps. Sales then
grew consistently to hit just over 750,000 in 2013. At the same time, while Google Play had almost no apps
in the first year, it too saw a steady rise, finishing at just under 750,000 in 2013. However, by 2014, sales of
apps at Google Play had surged to overtake those of the iOS App Store, with the former recording roughly
1,400,000 sales and the later just under 1,250,000.

As for Amazon Appstore, it was not represented in 2010, only entering the market in 2011 at a very low
figure. Sales then grew very slightly over the next two years, but like the other two shops, rose more in the
final year, ending at just over 250,000, which is the same level as the iOS store’s in 2011 and Google Play in
2012.

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3. These are my notes. It was difficult to find a lot of key features for this chart, but I hope that you found the
“exception”. As for organising paragraphs, I have given you 2 alternatives. You can either divide by big
decreases and small decreases (and add Streaming to the end of small decreases) OR you can discuss the
larger numbers together (including streaming) and then the smaller numbers

INTRODUCTION PARAPHRASE  

Key Feature 1 - All forms of music sales decreased, expect streaming  

OVERVIEW

- Downloads = most revenue  

Key Feature 2
- Streaming and CD sales reversed positions  
Key Feature 3

- Downloads - Downloads
Specific Details Paragraph 1 - CD - CD
- Streaming
OR
- Synchronization - Synchronization

Specific Details Paragraph 2 Royalties Royalties

- Music Videos - Music Videos
- Streaming

4. YAY!!! That’s 3 full bar charts you have now written. It’s time to take a break and relax. However, before you
go and have fun, take 5 minutes to read my model answer and study the language I used.

The bar chart illustrates how much money Americans spent on five forms of music in 2013 and 2014.

Overall, it is clear that total music sales of all forms fell, with the exception of streaming. In terms of individual
types of music sales, downloads received the highest revenue while music videos received the lowest.

The three largest forms of music sales were downloads, streaming and CDs. However, the amount of money
made from downloads, the biggest seller in both years, fell by around $200 million (from $1,541 million to
$1,300). Likewise, sales of CDs also dropped from $885 million to $719 million). In contrast, streaming was
the only area to undergo a growth, climbing from around $700 million to $860 million, more or less reversing
positions with CD sales.

As for the lower revenue streams, synchronization royalties made twice as much as music video sales in
2013 ($100 million and $50 million respectively). Although sales of both fell over the next year, there was
only a slight decrease in synchronization royalties to $90 million, but a sharp drop in music video sales to
$10 million.

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