IELTS Pie Chart Essay

Using this 5 steps process to plan and write IELTS pie chart essays will help you to achieve high
marks in Task 1:
1) Analyse the question
2) Identify the main features
3) Write an introduction
4) Write an overview
5) Write the details paragraphs
Before we begin, here’s a model essay structure that you can use as a guideline for all IELTS
Academic Task 1 questions.
Ideally, your essay should have 4 paragraphs:
Paragraph 1 – Introduction
Paragraph 2 – Overview
Paragraph 3 – 1st main feature
Paragraph 4 – 2nd main feature
 Step 1 – Analyse the question
The format of every Academic Task 1 question is the same. Here is our practice question again
with the words that will be included in all questions highlighted .
The chart below shows the reasons why people travel to work by bicycle or by car.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.

Every question consists of:

• Sentence 1 – A brief description of the graphic

• Sentence 2 – The instructions

• The graphic – chart, graph, table, etc.

Sentence 2 tells you what you have to do.

You must do 3 things:
✓ Select the main features.
✓ Write about the main features.
✓ Compare the main features.

All three tasks refer to the ‘main features’ of the graphic. You do not have to write about
everything. Just pick out 2 or 3 key features and you’ll have plenty to write about.

Step 2 – Identify the Main Features

The graphic in IELTS pie chart questions should not be difficult to interpret. Each question has
been created to test your language skills, not your mathematics ability.
Pie charts always show percentages or proportions. Apart from that, they are essentially the
same as bar charts and line graphs in that they are a way of presenting data visually.
All you are looking for are the main features. These will usually be the easiest things to spot.
There will be lots of information in the graphic to help you identify them.
Here are some useful questions to ask?

• What are the units of measurements?

• What are the time periods?
• What can you learn from the title and any labels?
 • What is the most obvious trend?
• Are there any notable similarities?
Pie charts generally have titles and labels or sometimes a key instead of segment labels as in our
practice question. The key explains what each segment of the pie chart represents.
So, what information is contained in the two pie charts?

➢ Main feature 1: The largest

proportion of people who cycle do
so for health and environmental
reasons.
➢ Main feature 2: The highest
percentage of people who drive
do so because it’s comfortable.

Another notable feature is that the only

reason included in both pie charts – that
the method is faster – shares almost the
same proportion for both modes of
transport.

We may not have space to cover this

final feature but we’ll note it just in case
we need it to make up the words.

They show two different methods of
travelling to work and illustrate the
reason why people choose these types
of transport.
What main features stand out?
There are 2 main features in these
IELTS pie charts:
The key features you select will be the
starting point for your essay. You will
then go on to add more detail. However,
with just 20 minutes allowed for Task 1,
and a requirement of only 150 words,
you won't be able to include many
details.

Step 3 – Write an Introduction

In the introduction, you should simply paraphrase the question, that is, say the same
thing in a different way. You can do this by using synonyms and changing the sentence
structure. For example:

Question:

The chart below shows the reasons why people travel to work by bicycle or by
car.

Introduction (Paragraph 1):

The two pie charts display the key reasons why people choose to either cycle or
drive to work by percentage.
 Step 4 – Write an Overview (Paragraph 2)
In the second paragraph, you should report the main features you can see in the pie
charts, giving only general information. The detail comes later in the essay. You should
also make any clear comparisons you spot.
Here are the ones we picked out above. I’ve added the additional feature as it will fit
well in the overview.

➢ Main feature 1: The largest proportion of people who cycle do so for health and
environmental reasons.

➢ Main feature 2: The highest percentage of people who drive do so because it’s
comfortable.

➢ Main feature 3: For an almost equal proportion of people, their chosen method is
the fastest.

Now form these ideas into two or three sentences with a total of around 40 words. State
the information simply, using synonyms where possible. No elaborate vocabulary or
grammar structures are required, just the appropriate words and correct verb tenses.

For example:

Overview (Paragraph 2):

The largest proportion of people who cycle, have made this choice for health and
environmental reasons whilst the prime advantage of driving to work is
considered to be the comfort of travelling by car. Notably, for an almost equal
proportion of people, their chosen method is the fastest.

Step 5 – Write the 1st Detail Paragraph

Paragraphs 3 and 4 of your IELTS pie chart essay are where you include more detailed
information about the data in the graphic. In paragraph 3, you should give evidence to
support your first key feature. Don’t forget to make comparisons where relevant.

Here is our first main feature again:

Main feature 1: The largest proportion of people who cycle do so for health and
environmental reasons.

And this is an example of what you could write:

Paragraph 3:

Taken together, health and fitness and less pollution are reasons given by over
half of all people who prefer travelling by bike. Each represents a 30% portion
which is double the next most popular reason which is a lack of parking issues at
15%.
 Step 6 – Write the 2nd Detail Paragraph
For the fourth and final paragraph, you do the same thing for your second key feature.

I’ve added the third main feature again as it will round off the essay well. In an exam
situation, I would include it if I had time.

➢ Main feature 2: The highest percentage of people who drive do so because it’s
comfortable.

➢ Main feature 3: For an almost equal proportion of people, their chosen method is
the fastest.

Here’s an example of what you could write:

Paragraph 4:

A different set of concerns has affected the decision of those who choose to
commute by car. Comfort is by far the most significant factor at 40% of people,
but distance to work is a more important concern for just over a fifth of drivers.
For 14% of people, a faster journey time is the key factor compared to a figure of
12% of cyclists who find their means of transport quicker.

I just want to say a quick word about verb tense in this sample essay. Since there is no
time frame given in the question, you could use either the present simple tense or the
past simple tense. I've used the present simple tense. Whichever tense you choose,
remember to be consistent throughout your whole essay.

Let`s practice!