Skip to content

IELTS Writing Samples

IELTS essay samples (writing task 2), report and letter samples (writing task 1) with Band Scores, marked by IELTS teachers, including comments and suggestions on how to increase your score

IELTS Report, topic: Table describing the viewers’ preferences for TV programs

This is a model answer for an Academic Writing Task 1 from the IELTS exam in Canada, shared recently. This response is likely to get Band 8 or 8.5 in IELTS.

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task

The table below shows the results of a survey conducted in 2012 in a European country, where viewers were asked about their preferences for TV programs. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words

IELTS Writing Task 1 Table of TV Program Viewer Preferences
* Note: this isn’t the actual table given in the test, it was recreated for the purpose of demonstration.

Band 8.5 Model Answer

The table summarises 2012 survey results about the favourite TV programs of people living in a European country, and the data is categorised by three different age groups, namely 11-15 years old, 16-20 years old and 21-25 years old.

Overall, it can be clearly seen that people in the oldest age groups preferred to watch either sports or the news and had the least interest in cartoons. The youngest age group, on contrary, was mostly interested in cartoons.

Looking at the table in greater detail, we can see that 29% of 11 to 15 year-olds enjoyed watching cartoons, which is more than any other age group, while the older viewers (16 to 20 and 21 to 25 year olds) were far less likely to watch such programs, at only 7% and 4% respectively.

The category of Feature films appealed to all the three age groups; 19% of the youngest viewers, 28% of the 16-20 year olds, and 20% of the oldest age group liked watching films. Sports programs have also been watched by a large proportion of viewers from all the three age groups, with the ratios ranging from 23% to 31%.

Only a small proportion of people from the youngest group watched Soap operas, just 9%, while an average of 20% of people from the other two groups watched this type of show.

Click here to see more IELTS reports of band 8

IELTS essay, topic: Despite the benefits of walking, very few people walk nowadays (reasons and solutions)

This essay topic was seen in a recent IELTS test in the USA.

Even though experts believe that walking is a great way to improve one’s health, very few people walk nowadays. Why aren’t people walking? What can be done to encourage them to walk more?

Sample Band 8 Essay

The benefits of walking are numerous, and experts recommend it as a good way to keep healthy and fit. Despite this, the number of people who walk on a daily basis is on the decline. The reasons for this are manifold, but there are also several solutions that may help people walk more.

Lack of time is the most common reason people cite for not engaging in any form of physical activity. These days most people have hectic schedules that involve juggling their work and home responsibilities. As a result, they are often too exhausted or pressed for time and therefore opt for faster and more comfortable forms of transport, such as cars, bikes or public transport. Another major reason for the reduced number of pedestrians on the roads is a lack of safety. Most full-time workers are not free to walk during the day, and will skip it in the evenings or early morning hours, if they do not feel safe enough to do so.

Fortunately, there are quite a few solutions to this issue. One is making walkers safe, which means the government should ensure that there are enough sidewalks and streetlights available in every suburb, so that pedestrians can walk or jog safely whenever time allows. Another useful option is to create special walking tracks and parks in neighbourhoods where people can get some much-needed exercise in the evenings. The added benefit of promoting the healthy lifestyle and walking in the community makes this solution even more attractive.

To conclude, the pressures of daily life and lack of safely while walking reduce the popularity of this healthy practice. Governments can reverse this trend by creating more green spaces for people to walk in and addressing their safety concerns.

Click here to see more IELTS essays of Band 8