IELTS Writing Task 1: University Enrolment by Field of Study

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Writing Prompt

The table below shows the number of students, in thousands, enrolled in four fields of study at universities in one country in 2005, 2015 and 2023. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The rows list Engineering, Business, Arts and Humanities, and Health Sciences, and the columns give the figures for 2005, 2015 and 2023. Engineering enrolment rose from 40 to 55 and then to 70 thousand; Business increased from 60 to 75 but fell back to 65 thousand; Arts and Humanities declined steadily from 50 to 42 and then to 35 thousand; and Health Sciences grew most rapidly, from 30 to 48 and then to 68 thousand. By 2023, Engineering had the largest number of students, while Arts and Humanities had the smallest.

Show Band 8–9 model answer

The table compares university enrolments, in thousands, across four academic disciplines in a particular country in 2005, 2015 and 2023.

Overall, there was a clear shift away from Arts and Humanities towards more vocational fields, particularly Engineering and Health Sciences. By 2023, Engineering had overtaken Business to become the most popular subject area, while Arts and Humanities attracted the fewest students.

Engineering showed consistent growth over the period. Numbers rose from 40,000 in 2005 to 55,000 in 2015, before reaching 70,000 in 2023, an overall increase of 30,000. A similar but even steeper upward trend occurred in Health Sciences, where enrolment more than doubled, climbing from 30,000 to 48,000 and then to 68,000, almost matching Engineering by the end of the period.

In contrast, Arts and Humanities experienced a continuous decline. Student numbers fell from 50,000 in 2005 to 42,000 in 2015, and dropped further to just 35,000 in 2023, making it the least popular field. Business enrolment followed a more mixed pattern. It grew from 60,000 to a peak of 75,000 in 2015, remaining the leading discipline at that point, but then decreased to 65,000 in 2023, leaving it behind Engineering and only slightly ahead of Health Sciences.

Why this response works

This response provides a clear overview highlighting dominant trends and end-point comparisons, fulfilling the task requirements. Data are accurately reported and selectively chosen, avoiding unnecessary repetition. The organisation is logical, with a clear overall summary followed by grouped analysis of rising and declining fields, which supports coherence and cohesion. A wide range of vocabulary related to trends (e.g. “overtaken”, “more than doubled”, “continuous decline”) and accurate numerical expressions demonstrate lexical resource. Grammatical structures are varied and generally error-free, with complex sentences used naturally and appropriately.