IELTS Writing Task 1: Household Spending by Category Pie Charts

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Writing Prompt

The two pie charts below show how an average household divided its spending across five categories in 1995 and in 2023. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Show Band 8–9 model answer

The pie charts compare the proportions of household expenditure on five categories in 1995 and 2023.

Overall, spending priorities shifted markedly over the period, with housing and leisure taking a larger share of the budget, while food and transport became relatively less important. The proportion devoted to ‘Other’ items remained unchanged.

In 1995, the largest share of spending went on housing, at 25%. This rose substantially to 35% by 2023, making it by far the dominant category. Leisure also increased noticeably, from 10% to 17%, suggesting that non-essential activities absorbed a growing part of household budgets.

By contrast, there was a clear decline in the relative importance of food and transport. Food spending fell from 30% in 1995 to 20% in 2023, losing its position as the biggest item of expenditure. Similarly, the share allocated to transport dropped modestly, from 20% to 18%.

Spending on ‘Other’ items, such as miscellaneous goods and services, remained stable at 15% in both years. Taken together, the data indicate a move away from basic necessities such as food towards housing and discretionary areas, particularly leisure.

Why this response works

This response would score highly because it presents a clear overview highlighting the main trends (rises in housing and leisure, falls in food and transport, stability in ‘Other’). All key figures are reported accurately, with logical grouping and comparisons across years. The essay is well organised, using clear paragraphing and cohesive devices without overuse. Vocabulary is varied yet natural (e.g. “dominant category”, “non-essential activities”, “relative importance”), and grammatical structures are flexible and generally error-free, with accurate use of complex sentences and comparatives.