Academic Writing Task 1

The bar chart illustrates the proportion of individuals across six age groups who attended music concerts in 2010 and in 2015.

Overall, concert attendance rose across every age group over the five-year period. Younger age groups consistently recorded the highest attendance in both years, while the most striking proportional increases were seen among the two oldest groups.

In both years, the 16–24 age group had the highest attendance, rising from 40% in 2010 to 50% in 2015. The 25–34 group followed a similar upward trend, increasing from 30% to 35%. Attendance in the 35–44 and 45–54 groups also grew moderately — from 25% to 30% and from 20% to 25% respectively — meaning all four younger cohorts saw a rise of 5–10 percentage points.

By contrast, the two oldest groups experienced far more dramatic relative gains. Attendance among 55–64 year-olds doubled from 10% to 20%, while the 65+ group saw an even more notable rise, tripling from just 5% to 15%. Despite these significant increases, older age groups still attended far less frequently than younger people, with the 65+ figure in 2015 (15%) remaining lower than the 35–44 figure in 2010 (25%).

The bar chart compares the average number of hours per week that men and women in one country devoted to five leisure activities in 2022.

Overall, television was the most time-consuming pastime for both sexes, followed by internet use, while men and women differed noticeably in how they spent the rest of their free time. Total leisure time was almost identical, at around 43 hours for men and 42 hours for women.

Watching television accounted for 15 hours a week among men and 13 among women, while using the internet took up 12 and 10 hours respectively. These two activities therefore occupied well over half of everyone's leisure time. Men also spent more time on sport and exercise, at 7 hours compared with just 4 for women.

By contrast, women devoted more time to the remaining two activities. They read for 6 hours per week, double the male figure of 3, and socialised for 9 hours against 6 for men. Reading was the least popular activity among men, whereas sport occupied the smallest share of women's time.

The stacked bar chart illustrates the proportions of workers who used four different modes of transport to get to work in four cities in 2023.

Overall, the car was the most common way of commuting in three of the four cities, the exception being Southport, where cycling was the leading method. Northbridge was the most car-dependent city, whereas Eastgate showed the most balanced mix of transport.

Northbridge relied most heavily on private vehicles, with 62% of commuters driving, compared with 48% in Westfield, 38% in Eastgate and only 25% in Southport. Public transport was used by 22% of workers in Northbridge, but this fell to 20% in Southport and just 12% in Westfield, with Eastgate recording the highest figure at 34%.

Active modes of travel varied greatly. Some 40% of Southport commuters cycled, far more than in Eastgate (14%), Westfield (8%) or Northbridge (6%). Walking was most popular in Westfield, at 32%, which was more than three times the figure for Northbridge (10%), while the corresponding figures for Southport and Eastgate were 15% and 14% respectively.

The pie chart illustrates the proportion of different energy sources used to generate electricity in a country in 2022.

Overall, coal was the most significant contributor to electricity generation, accounting for 35% of the total energy supply. This was closely followed by natural gas, which made up 30% of the energy mix. Together, these two non-renewable sources represented a substantial 65% of the country's electricity production.

Nuclear energy was the third-largest contributor, providing 20% of the total. While it is not a fossil fuel, it still plays a critical role in the country's energy strategy. Renewable sources, including solar, wind, and hydroelectric power, contributed 10% of the total energy output. Despite growing global awareness of renewable energy, this percentage remains relatively small compared to non-renewable sources.

Finally, other energy sources not specified in the chart made up just 5% of the electricity generation, indicating that less conventional sources had a minor impact on overall production.

The two pie charts compare how an average household in one country divided its spending among six categories in 1980 and in 2020.

Overall, the most notable change was a shift away from spending on food and clothing towards housing, transport and leisure. Housing, which ranked second in 1980, had become by far the largest item of expenditure by 2020.

In 1980, food was the largest category, at 30% of the household budget, followed by housing at 24%. Clothing accounted for 14%, while transport and other expenses each took 12%, and leisure represented only 8%. By 2020, spending on food had halved to 15%, and the share devoted to clothing had fallen from 14% to just 6%.

Conversely, housing costs rose by 11 percentage points to 35%, and transport increased from 12% to 18%. The most striking proportional growth was in leisure, which more than doubled from 8% to 17% and so overtook food in the household budget. Other expenditure declined slightly, from 12% to 9%.

The three pie charts show the proportion of the population of Country X falling into three age bands in 1990 and 2020, together with projected figures for 2050.

Overall, the share of children falls steadily across the period while the proportion of people aged 65 and over rises sharply, meaning the population is predicted to be considerably older by 2050. The working-age group remains the largest in every year.

In 1990, children aged 0-14 made up 32% of the population and those aged 15-64 accounted for 62%, leaving just 6% aged 65 or over. By 2020, the proportion of children had dropped to 24%, the working-age group had grown slightly to 65%, and the over-65s had almost doubled to 11%.

Looking ahead to 2050, this trend is expected to intensify. Children are projected to account for only 17% of the population, and the working-age share is forecast to fall to 59%. By contrast, the 65+ group is expected to reach 24%, which would be four times its 1990 level.

The line graph illustrates the number of international students studying in three different countries — Country A, Country B, and Country C — over a ten-year period from 2010 to 2020.

Overall, the number of international students increased in all three countries, although at different rates. Country A experienced a steady and consistent rise, while Country B's numbers fluctuated slightly throughout the period. Country C saw a rapid increase in the first few years, which then levelled off toward the end of the period.

In 2010, the number of international students in all three countries started at around the same level — approximately 20,000. However, by 2020, the number in Country A had risen steadily to reach around 80,000. Country B's figures showed fluctuations, rising to about 50,000 by 2015, dropping slightly in 2017, and then reaching 60,000 by 2020.

Country C experienced a sharp increase from 20,000 to about 70,000 between 2010 and 2015, after which the number plateaued and remained at around the same level until 2020. Despite all three beginning at the same point, Country A ultimately recorded the highest number of students by 2020, narrowly ahead of Country C.

The line graph illustrates changes in the percentage of households owning landline telephones, mobile phones and laptop computers over a twenty-year period from 2000 to 2020.

Overall, ownership of mobile phones and laptops increased significantly, whereas landline ownership went into steady decline. By the end of the period, mobile phones were found in almost every household, while the landline had become the least common of the three devices.

In 2000, landlines were by far the most widespread device, present in 92% of homes, compared with 25% for mobiles and only 12% for laptops. Landline ownership fell gradually to 82% by 2008, then dropped more steeply to 66% in 2012 and 35% in 2020.

Mobile phone ownership, by contrast, tripled to 75% in 2008 and overtook the landline between 2008 and 2012, reaching 90% in the latter year. It then levelled off at 98% by 2020. Laptop ownership grew more slowly but consistently, rising from 12% to 65% in 2012, and by 2016 (74%) it comfortably exceeded landline ownership (48%), eventually reaching 78%.

The line graph compares the average number of visitors, in thousands, who went to two national parks, Sandy Bay Park and Highland Park, in each month of 2023.

Overall, the two parks displayed very different seasonal patterns. Sandy Bay Park attracted most visitors in summer, with a single, pronounced peak, whereas Highland Park had two smaller peaks, one in winter and one in summer.

Sandy Bay Park began the year with just 20,000 visitors in January, and numbers rose slowly until April (45,000) before climbing sharply to a peak of 120,000 in July. Visitor numbers then declined steadily to 45,000 in October and 22,000 in December, almost exactly the same as at the start of the year.

Highland Park was busiest in winter, with 70,000 visitors in January and 80,000 in February, but numbers then fell to a low of 28,000 in May. They recovered over the summer to a second peak of 85,000 in August, before dropping to 30,000 in October and rebounding to 62,000 in December. Consequently, Sandy Bay Park was the more popular destination from April to October, while Highland Park led during the other months.

The table presents data on the average weekly working hours and annual salaries for five professions in a European country in 2023.

Overall, lawyers earned the highest salaries but also worked the longest hours, while chefs worked comparably long hours for significantly lower pay. Teachers worked the fewest hours per week, though their salary was mid-range among the professions listed.

In terms of earnings, lawyers received the highest annual salary at €95,000, followed by software engineers at €78,000. Teachers earned €42,000 per year, placing them in the middle of the salary range. Nurses received €36,000, while chefs earned the least at just €28,000.

Regarding working hours, lawyers also topped the list at 52 hours per week, closely followed by chefs at 50 hours. Software engineers worked 42 hours per week, and nurses worked 38 hours. Teachers had the shortest working week at 35 hours. Notably, chefs worked almost as many hours as lawyers but earned less than a third of the lawyer's salary, highlighting a striking disparity between hours worked and financial compensation across these professions.

The table provides information about the underground railway systems in six cities, including when each opened, the length of its routes and the number of passengers carried annually.

Overall, the oldest systems tended to be the longest, while the newest were the smallest and carried far fewer passengers, although passenger numbers did not always reflect the size of the network.

Northbridge has the oldest system, opened in 1863, and also the longest network, at 402 km. However, Westfield, which opened in 1927 with a 310 km network, carried by far the most passengers, at 2,630 million per year, ahead of Eastgate (1,520 million) and Northbridge (1,370 million). Thus the longest network carried fewer passengers than two shorter ones.

The three newer systems were considerably smaller. Southport (opened in 1969) had 154 km of routes and 810 million passengers, and Lakeview (1976) had 120 km and 430 million. Harborne, which opened in 1999, had the shortest network at 78 km and the fewest passengers, at only 240 million annually.

The table compares the number of international visitors received by five countries in 2000 and 2019, as well as the average amount each visitor spent in 2019.

Overall, four of the five countries saw a rise in visitor numbers, with Country C growing fastest, while Country B was the only one to record a decline. Average spending per visit tended to be highest in the countries with the smallest tourist numbers.

Country D received the most visitors in 2000, at 31.7 million, but was overtaken by Country A by 2019 (41.5 million, up from 22.0 million). Country D's figure rose only modestly, to 38.2 million. The most dramatic growth occurred in Country C, where the number rose more than fivefold from 5.1 million to 26.3 million, while Country E grew from 2.8 million to 6.0 million. In contrast, Country B's total slipped slightly from 12.4 to 11.8 million.

Spending patterns differed markedly. Visitors to Country E spent the most, at $2,350 each, followed by those to Country B ($1,900), even though these two countries had the fewest tourists in 2019. By contrast, Country C, despite its rapid growth, recorded the lowest spend at just $780 per visit, with Countries D and A in the middle at $1,420 and $1,150 respectively.

The diagram illustrates the six-stage process through which wastewater is treated and made safe for release or reuse, along with the handling of two by-products generated during the process.

Overall, the treatment cycle moves from raw sewage collection through progressively more refined purification stages before producing clean water, with useful materials extracted at two intermediate points.

The process begins with the collection of wastewater from sewers and drains, which is then transported to a treatment facility. In the second stage, screening removes large solid objects from the water. The water then undergoes sedimentation in step three, during which smaller solid particles sink to the bottom and form sludge. This sludge is removed, dried, and converted into agricultural fertiliser — one of the two main by-products of the process.

In step four, biological treatment uses microorganisms to break down organic matter in the water. This stage produces biogas, which is captured and used to generate electricity, thus making the process partially self-sustaining. The partially treated water then passes through disinfection in step five, where chlorine or ultraviolet light eliminates remaining pathogens. Finally, in step six, the clean water is either released into the environment or recycled for reuse.

The diagram illustrates the life cycle of a butterfly, which consists of four distinct stages.

Overall, the cycle is continuous, beginning with an egg and ending with an adult butterfly that produces the next generation of eggs. The insect changes dramatically in appearance between stages, and the caterpillar stage lasts longest of the three that precede adulthood.

The cycle begins when an adult female lays tiny eggs on the leaves of a plant, where they remain for between three and seven days. A caterpillar, or larva, then hatches and spends the next two to four weeks eating leaves almost constantly. During this time it grows rapidly and sheds its skin four or five times.

Once fully grown, the caterpillar attaches itself to a twig and forms a protective case known as a chrysalis, or pupa. Inside, its body is transformed over a period of one to two weeks. Finally, an adult butterfly emerges, dries its wings and flies off to find a mate. After mating, the female lays new eggs, so the cycle begins again.

The diagram illustrates how electricity is produced in a hydroelectric power station and sent to consumers.

Overall, the process uses the energy of falling water to turn a turbine, and the electricity that results is carried along power lines, while the water itself is returned to the river downstream.

The process begins with a dam, which holds back a river to form a large reservoir. Water from the reservoir enters the system through an intake gate at the base of the dam and flows down a large pipe known as a penstock, gaining speed as it falls towards the power station.

The fast-moving water then strikes the blades of a turbine, causing it to rotate. The turbine is connected by a shaft to a generator, which produces electricity as it spins. This electricity passes to a transformer outside the power station and is then transmitted along power lines to homes and industry. Finally, the water leaves the turbine through a tail pipe and flows back into the river downstream.

The two maps illustrate how the layout of Riverside town centre changed between 2000 and 2024.

Overall, the town underwent significant redevelopment over this period, with a clear shift from industrial and underused spaces toward residential, commercial, and recreational facilities.

The most striking change in the northern part of the town was the demolition of the factory in the top-left area, which was replaced by a residential housing complex. The open car park in the centre of this zone was upgraded to a multi-storey car park, presumably to accommodate the higher population density. The outdoor market in the top-right corner was also removed to make way for a large enclosed shopping centre.

In the southern part of the town, the small local shops along the High Street were retained but renovated. The High Street itself was pedestrianised by 2024, suggesting an effort to reduce traffic and improve the area for pedestrians. Most notably, the large area of empty land that had occupied the south-central and south-eastern portions of the town in 2000 was transformed into a public park, providing residents with a green recreational space.

The three maps illustrate how Greenfield Island developed between 1995 and 2024.

Overall, the island was transformed from a quiet, largely undeveloped place with a small village into a tourist destination, with the changes taking place gradually over the three decades. The most significant developments were the construction of tourist accommodation and the loss of much of the forest, while the village itself remained in the same place.

In 1995, the island consisted of a small village in the west, with a jetty beside it, a forest covering the northern and central areas, and a beach along the south coast. A footpath connected the village to the beach. By 2010, several changes had been made. The jetty had been replaced by a longer pier, shops had been added to the village, and a road had been built from the pier into the centre of the island, where a guesthouse had been constructed on cleared forest land.

Further development took place between 2010 and 2024. The guesthouse was replaced by a much larger hotel with a swimming pool, and a ferry terminal was added at the pier. Two new facilities, a water-sports centre and a beach bar, were opened on the beach, while the forest was reduced to a small area in the north, through which a trail was laid leading to a viewpoint.

The two plans illustrate how the ground floor of a public library was reorganised during a refurbishment.

Overall, the library was modernised to offer more services for the public. Space previously used for staff, books and the computer room was reduced or converted to make way for a café and a children's area, while the entrance, toilets and reading area stayed in the same places.

At the top of the plan, the staff office in the north-west corner was replaced by a new café, and the large reading area to its right was retained as a quiet study zone. The toilets, in the south-west corner, and the main entrance at the bottom of the plan were not altered.

In the middle of the building, the bookshelves were reduced in size, and the computer room, which had previously taken up the whole right-hand side, was made smaller. The space between them was used to create a new children's area. Finally, the reception desk beside the entrance was replaced by a smaller area containing self-service kiosks.