The column graph shows the percentage of males in a particular country who prefer watching sports to males who prefer participating in sports.

Males Watching vs Participating Sports Country Bar Chart - IELTS Writing Task 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

A student's answer to this task, and the feedback on it

Written by an IELTSX user under exam conditions and published unedited and anonymously. Band 9 · 213 words.

The bar chart compares the proportions of males in a particular country who prefer either watching or participating in six different sports.

Overall, watching is more popular than taking part in most of the sports shown, with fishing being the only major exception. Football records the highest figure for spectators, whereas fishing stands out as by far the most preferred activity for participation. By contrast, badminton shows the smallest gap between the two preferences.

Looking first at sports that are mainly watched, football has the largest share of male viewers, at 40%, while only about 11% prefer playing it. A similar pattern can be seen in horse riding and racing, where around 36% of males prefer watching, compared with just 20% who choose to participate. Basketball also attracts considerably more viewers than participants, with the figures standing at approximately 36% and 25% respectively. Rugby follows the same trend, though the gap is narrower, at 28% for watching and 20% for participation.

In contrast, fishing is much more popular as an activity than as a spectator sport. Half of the males prefer participating in it, which is the highest figure on the chart, while only around 13% prefer watching it. Badminton is the most balanced sport, with roughly 27% watching and 25% taking part.

Examiner feedback

This is an exceptional response that meets all the criteria for Band 9. It features a clear overview, sophisticated data comparison, and high-level grammatical and lexical control.

Task Achievement - 9

- All requirements of the task are fully satisfied, with a clear overview identifying the main trends and exceptions. - Key features (watching vs. participating) are skillfully selected and clearly highlighted with accurate data support. - The description provides a highly effective comparison across all categories.

Coherence & Cohesion - 9

- Paragraphing is used logically with a clear introduction, overview, and data-specific paragraphs. - Cohesive devices such as 'By contrast', 'Looking first at', and 'In contrast' are used effectively to signal transitions. - There is a clear progression of information, grouping sports with similar trends together.

Lexical Resource - 9

- A wide range of vocabulary is used accurately and appropriately (e.g., 'proportions', 'spectators', 'narrower', 'balanced'). - Lexical features are used with a natural and sophisticated control of collocations. - There are no errors in spelling or word formation.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 9

- A wide range of structures is used with full flexibility and control. - The majority of sentences are error-free with precise punctuation. - Complex structures like 'with fishing being the only major exception' are used naturally and accurately.

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