Writing Task 1: Pie Chart & Table: Question 8
Syllabus W.task1
The two pie charts below show the main methods that workers in the town of Denford used to travel to work in 2000 and in 2024.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
2000
| Method of travel | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Car | 46% |
| Bus | 24% |
| Walking | 15% |
| Bicycle | 9% |
| Train | 6% |
2024
| Method of travel | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Car | 31% |
| Bus | 18% |
| Walking | 12% |
| Bicycle | 24% |
| Train | 15% |
Show worked solution Hide worked solution
Worked solution
Task type notes
This is a two-pie-chart Task 1 covering the same five categories at two points in time. The examiner’s priority is a comparison between years for each method of travel, not two independent descriptions. The model answer restructures the data by method (car, then cycling, then the rest) rather than by chart, which is the key skill this variant tests.
Why the model answer scores Band 9
Task Achievement. The overview isolates the two most reportable trends (car declining, cycling rising) ahead of the two secondary trends (bus and walking falling, train rising), which is exactly the selection judgement a two-chart comparison requires. Every figure for both years is accurate, and each is stated together with its counterpart from the other year so the change is explicit (“fell…from 9% to 24%,” “more than doubled, from 6% to 15%”). No unsupported claim is made about why the shift happened.
Coherence and Cohesion. The chronological structure (2000 paragraph, then 2024 paragraph) is threaded together by explicit cross-references (“a fall of 15 percentage points,” “overtaking the bus”) so the second paragraph reads as a comparison, not a fresh description.
Lexical Resource. A wide range of change language is used without repetition: “fell considerably,” “a fall of 15 percentage points,” “rose,” “overtaking,” “fell slightly,” “more than doubled.” “Easily the leading method” and “by only a small margin” add precision beyond the bare percentages.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy. Correct use of the past simple throughout (since both years are historical data points), accurate comparative structures (“more common than,” “the most striking change”), and a well-controlled long sentence in the final paragraph without losing clarity.
Common pitfalls specific to this task
- Structuring the answer as “Chart 1 shows… Chart 2 shows…” rather than tracking each transport method across both years, which loses the comparison the task asks for.
- Overstating the change in walking or train use relative to the more dramatic car/cycling shift, unbalancing the report.