Sample Answer to Writing Task One: UK Households with Cars

The graph above appeared in the real IELTS test on March 11th, 2019. This is a line graph, so we have change over time (COT). There are four lines, which is unusual [more often it is three], although the trends are simpler. It is this simplicity (strangely enough) which makes this a difficult item to summarise.

The answer below follows the system given in my Writing Task One book.

Here is the sample answer.

The graph shows the change in the proportion of UK households with specific numbers of cars, from 1975 to 2005.

Generally speaking, at all times, the majority of households had at least one car nestled* alongside, but as vehicle numbers grew, fewer households were involved – that is, having an inverse* correlation*. In addition, this situation remained static* over the three decades (despite the pronounced* social, economic, environmental, and demographic* changes which inevitably* took place), with only a slight tendency* towards less car-possession near the end.

Considering lower numbers of vehicles, for the first 25 years, the proportion of ‘car-free’ residences* remained at 30%, then suddenly increased over the last half-decade to 40%. Single-vehicle possession was always highest, about 10% above the ‘no-car’ profile*, and with a similar, but smoother, growth at the end to almost half of all households, being the highest proportion of all.

Moving onto multiple* ownership, two-vehicle residences was a mirror image of those with none, remaining similarly steady (at a lower 20%), then experiencing the same abrupt* change in 2000, downwards to only one in ten. Having three-cars is yet another near-perfect reflection* of one-car residences, coasting* at around 10%, then gently inclining* downwards to the lowest figure of 5%.

[204 words]



Word Learning Time

Now, use your dictionary to find the meaning of all these words, then check how I used them in the sample answer.

1to nestle(v)
14to coast(v)
15to incline(v)


I hope all this helps, and good luck with the IELTS test.