Prompt
Task 1 – Household spending: 2005 vs 2025
The pie charts shows the proportion of household spending in a country in 2005 and 2025. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Band 9 sample answer
Band 9 sample answer
The two pie charts compare how households in one country allocated their expenditure across seven categories in 2005 and 2025.
Overall, housing and food accounted for the largest shares in both years. Over the period, spending shifted away from housing, transport, education and “other”, while the proportions for food, healthcare and leisure increased, with food becoming the biggest item by 2025.
In 2005, housing was the dominant expense at 30%, followed by food at 22%. Transport represented a further 15%, while education took 10%. Smaller portions were devoted to healthcare and other items (both 8%), and leisure was the least significant category at 7%.
By 2025, food rose markedly to 28%, overtaking housing, which declined to 25%. Healthcare also grew, increasing from 8% to 12%, matching the share for transport, which fell from 15% to 12%. Leisure spending climbed from 7% to 10%, whereas education dropped slightly to 8%. Finally, the share for other expenditure decreased from 8% to 5%, becoming the smallest category in 2025.
Verified word count: 166
Why this answer works
explanation
It provides a clear overview highlighting the most important trends (largest categories and key increases/decreases), then supports these points with precise data for both years. Comparisons are logically grouped (major items first, then mid and minor categories), and the language is varied and accurate for describing proportions and change.
what this question tests
This Task 1 question tests your ability to summarise and compare proportions across two pie charts. To score highly, you need a clear overview of the dominant categories and the main shifts over time, supported by accurate figures and relevant comparisons.
Useful vocabulary and phrases
accounted for the largest share
A precise, formal way to describe the biggest segment in a pie chart.
Housing accounted for the largest share in 2005.
overtake
Concise verb for ranking changes between categories.
Food overtook housing by 2025.
rose markedly
Adds appropriate degree adverb for significant change.
Food rose markedly from 22% to 28%.
declined to
Natural, data-focused reporting verb.
Housing declined to 25% in 2025.
represented a further
Helps vary sentence structure when listing categories.
Transport represented a further 15%.
the least significant category
Formal and clear for describing the smallest slice.
Leisure was the least significant category at 7%.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Omitting an Overview paragraph that summarises the main shifts.
- Listing every category without making comparisons between years.
- Using incorrect prepositions (e.g., ‘increased to from’).
- Confusing ‘percent’ and ‘percentage points’ when describing change.
- Overusing repetitive verbs like ‘increase/decrease’ without variation.
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