Energy Generation and Emissions
IELTS Writing Practice — AI-Powered Feedback
Writing Prompt
The bar chart and line graph below show the sources of electricity generation in one country and the country's total carbon emissions between 2000 and 2020. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
The bar chart displays the percentage of electricity generated from coal, natural gas, nuclear and renewables in 2000, 2010 and 2020. Coal fell sharply from 55 per cent in 2000 to 25 per cent in 2020, while renewables rose dramatically from 5 per cent to 35 per cent. Natural gas increased slightly from 25 to 30 per cent, and nuclear declined from 15 to 10 per cent. The accompanying line graph shows total carbon emissions, measured in millions of tonnes, falling steadily from about 500 million tonnes in 2000 to around 300 million tonnes in 2020, with the sharpest drop occurring after 2010.
Show Band 8–9 model answer
The bar chart compares how electricity was generated from four sources in one country in 2000, 2010 and 2020, while the line graph shows changes in total carbon emissions over the same period.
Overall, there was a marked shift away from coal towards renewable energy, accompanied by a substantial reduction in national carbon emissions. The most dramatic changes occurred between 2010 and 2020.
In 2000, coal was by far the dominant source, providing 55% of electricity, more than double the share of natural gas at 25%. Nuclear energy accounted for 15%, whereas renewables played only a minor role at 5%. By 2010, coal’s share had already declined noticeably, while natural gas had risen slightly and renewables had begun to expand.
By 2020, coal’s contribution had plummeted to 25%, while renewables had surged to 35%, becoming the single largest source of electricity generation. Natural gas rose modestly to 30%, overtaking coal, whereas nuclear power declined slightly to 10%, making it the least significant of the four.
Over the same twenty-year period, total carbon emissions fell consistently from about 500 to roughly 300 million tonnes, with the most pronounced decline after 2010. This downward trend appears closely linked to the replacement of coal with cleaner sources, particularly renewables and, to a lesser extent, natural gas.
Why this response works
This response would likely achieve a high band because it provides a clear overall overview, highlighting key trends and the main comparison between coal and renewables, as required by Task Achievement. Data from all years and all sources are accurately reported and compared without adding invented figures, supporting a strong score for Accuracy. Coherence is maintained through clear paragraphing and effective use of linking phrases (e.g. “overall”, “by 2020”, “over the same period”). Lexical resource is varied but natural (e.g. “dominant source”, “plummeted”, “surged”), and complex grammatical structures are used accurately with good control of tense and comparison, supporting high bands for Lexical Resource and Grammar.
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