The charts below show the qualifications of staff in an advertising company in 1990 and 2010.

Practice this IELTS Writing Task 1 question on IELTSX. The charts below show the qualifications of staff in an advertising company in 1990 and 2010.

Qualifications Staff Advertising Company 1990 and 2010 - 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.

IELTS Writing Task 1 chart for Qualifications Staff Advertising Company 1990 and 2010
Chart supplied with the IELTS Writing Task 1 question: Qualifications Staff Advertising Company 1990 and 2010

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 8 · 176 words.

The pie charts show the qualifications of staff in an advertising company in 1990 and 2010.

Overall, the proportion of employees with science qualifications increased, especially Ph.D holders. However, the percentage of staff with first degree qualifications decreased over the period.

In 1990, the largest group was employees with a Master’s degree in Science, at 29%. This was followed by Master’s degree in Art, which made up 21%. Staff with a First Degree in Science accounted for 20%, while First Degree in Art represented 15%. The proportion of Ph.D holders in Science was 12%, but Ph.D holders in Art were only 2%.

By 2010, Ph.D holders in Science became the largest group, rising significantly to 30%. Master’s degree in Science stayed the same at 29%. The percentage of Master’s degree in Art also increased slightly from 21% to 23%. Ph.D holders in Art rose from 2% to 5%.

In contrast, the share of employees with First Degree in Science fell from 20% to 11%, and First Degree in Art dropped sharply from 15% to only 2%.

Examiner feedback

This is a very strong response that accurately describes the data with high levels of grammatical control and a wide range of vocabulary. The overview is clear, and the data is well-organized, making it easy for the reader to follow the changes between 1990 and 2010.

Task Achievement - 8

- The response covers all requirements of the task, providing a clear overview of the main trends (increase in Ph.D/science, decrease in first degrees). - All key features are highlighted and supported with accurate data from the charts. - Comparisons between the two years are clearly established, showing the shift in the company's educational profile.

Coherence & Cohesion - 8

- Information is logically organized by year (1990 followed by 2010), which allows for a clear progression of ideas. - Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'By 2010', and 'In contrast' are used effectively to signal transitions. - Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview, the initial state, and the subsequent changes.

Lexical Resource - 8

- Vocabulary is varied and precise, using terms like 'accounted for', 'represented', 'proportion', and 'share' to describe data. - Collocations are used naturally (e.g., 'rose significantly', 'dropped sharply'). - There is a good range of descriptive language for trends, avoiding repetitive phrasing.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 8

- The majority of sentences are error-free, demonstrating a high level of control over grammar and punctuation. - A wide range of structures is used, including complex sentences to compare data points (e.g., 'Ph.D holders in Art rose from 2% to 5%'). - Tense usage is consistently correct, appropriately using the past simple to describe historical data.

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