Unofficial practice. We wrote these questions to match the official IELTS question types and timings. They are not real exam questions, and points shown are practice feedback, not a band score. For official sample tests, visit ielts.org.
Loading questions…
More: IELTS Writing Task 1 guide · writing practice 1 · IELTS writing checker
Answers, explanations and transcripts
Finish the test first, then open each section to check your answers. Every answer has an explanation.
ielts-writing-5
Model answer: Academic Task 1 (20 minutes, at least 150 words)
The pie chart below shows how international students spend their money in an average month. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
The pie chart shows how international students divide their average monthly spending between six categories.
Overall, rent is by far the biggest expense, accounting for more than a third of the total, and together with food it makes up well over half of students' spending. The remaining categories each represent a much smaller share.
Rent takes the largest portion of the budget, at 38 per cent. Food is the second-largest category, at 21 per cent, meaning that housing and food together account for almost 60 per cent of monthly spending.
Transport makes up 12 per cent, which is slightly more than study costs, such as books and materials, at 11 per cent. Utilities and phone bills, and other expenses, each account for 9 per cent, the smallest shares in the chart.
In short, everyday living costs, particularly accommodation, dominate international students' budgets, while study-related costs form only a modest part of their spending.
Model answer: Academic Task 1 (20 minutes, at least 150 words)
The maps below show the centre of Millbrook in 2000 and 2025. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
The maps compare the centre of the town of Millbrook in 2000 and in 2025.
Overall, the town centre became much more developed over the period. Farmland was replaced by housing, transport links were improved, and more space was given to shopping and recreation. The Main Road, however, remained in the same position.
In 2000, the area to the east of the Main Road was entirely farmland. By 2025, this land had been cleared and a large housing estate had been built there. A park with a cycle path was also created along the southern bank of the river, and a new bridge was constructed so that the Main Road now crosses the river to the north.
On the western side of the road, the car park was replaced by a shopping centre, and the supermarket was demolished to make way for a new bus station. The primary school in the south-west was extended, and a sports field was added next to it.
In short, Millbrook changed from a small town surrounded by farmland into a busier residential centre with better facilities.