VPA 3
WRITING TASK 1
TABLE
Describing an IELTS table is similar to describing charts or graphs. The same structures of
comparison and contrast are used or language of change if the table is over time.
A table is just another way to present information.
Take a look at this IELTS table showing the quality of life in four countries presented in a table:
Country GNP per head Daily calorie Life expectancy Infant mortality
(1982: US dollars) supply per head at birth (years) (per 1000 live
births
Bangladesh 140 1877 40 132
Bolivia 570 2086 50 124
Egypt 690 2950 56 97
Indonesia 580 2296 49 87
USA 13160 3653 74 12
Another way to demonstrate the information:
As you'll notice, it is better presented as a table because of the huge difference between the USA
and the others - this is not very clear on a bar chart.
So a table looks better, but they would both be described in exactly the same way.
Notes:
Do not describe all the data presented - present the main points of each feature (you should
make sure you mention each feature though, e.g. if there are 5 countries, mention every
one)
Look for significant data; e.g. the highest, the lowest etc
Try and group the data. This may require you to use some general knowledge about the
world, such as recognising developed and developing countries
A CLOSER LOOK
VPA 3
The following table gives statistics showing the aspects of quality of life = living standard in
five countries.
Write at least 150 words.
Country GNP per head Daily calorie Life expectancy Infant mortality
(1982: US dollars) supply per head at birth (years) (per 1000 live
births
Bangladesh 140 1877 40 132
Bolivia 570 2086 50 124
Egypt 690 2950 56 97
Indonesia 580 2296 49 87
USA 13160 3653 74 12
What is the table measuring?
What type of language do you need to use (Change? Comparing and contrasting?)
What tense would you use?
Which country has the best quality of life and which has the worst?
What information could you use for an overview / conclusion?
How could you group the information?
How many paragraphs would you have and what would you write about in each one?
Making a plan
Topic – standard of living, 5 countries
Language – comparison
Time / tense – 1982 = past
Overview – USA far higher, ko dc chứa details
Groups USA = highest
Egypt, Indo, Bol = similar
Bangladesh = very low
Gap-filling: NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS
- Dùng far higher thay vì higher
The table uses four economic 1._____indicators_(chỉ số)_____ to show the standard of
2.___living____ in five selected countries in 1982. Overall, it can be seen that the quality of 3.
__life___ in the USA was far higher than the other four countries.
To begin, the USA, which is a 4.___developed_____ country, had the highest GNP at 13,160
dollars per head. It also had a much higher daily calorie 5._intake____ and life expectancy, and
the lowest rate of infant mortality, at only 12 per 1000 6.____live birt ______.
Quality of life was much lower for the other 7.__surveyed___ countries. The indicators for Egypt,
Indonesia and Bolivia were 8.___fairly___ similar, with their GNP ranging 9.__from___ 570 to 690
and daily calories in the 2000s. Life 10.___expectancy____ was also almost the same, although
Bolivia had much worse infant mortality at 124 per 1000.
Bangladesh had 11. _____by far_ ____ the lowest quality of life in all the indicators. Its GNP per
12._head____ was approximately one percent of the USA’s. Its calorie intake and life expectancy
were about 13.____half___ those of the USA, and 14. __its___ infant mortality rate was 11 times
15. ___greater___.
VPA 3
PRACTICE
No total
1. The table below shows expenditures of four car companies on advertising in the UK in 2002.
Where: _____
When: _____
Units: ______
Overview:
_________ was the leading spender
_________ attracted the highest advertising expense
Special figures: _______: same
The given table depicts the spending on advertisements among four different car brands in
the UK in 2002.
Overall, it is easily recognized that four surveyed companies allocated financial resource to
TV advertising the most, whilst the amount of money spent on cinema remained the lowest during
the year 2002. Another highlight is that these car brands all expended the same amount on radio
advertising.
For details, in terms of TV advertisements, Cetirizine allotted 70 million dollars, far
exceeding those of Vauxhall, Renault and Rover with just 65, 59 and 45 million respectively. In
2002, the expenditures for advertising on press of four car companies were extremely unequal,
with 45 million of Renault and only 8 million of Vauxhall.
Of the other forms, cinema was a far less favored form of advertising since it failed to garner
the attention of Rover and Cetirizine while Renault and Vauxhall allocated only 5 to 6 million to it.
Meanwhile, 7 million were expended on outdoor advertising by Renault and Vauxhall, compared to
2 to 3 million spent by the other two brands.
2. The table below gives information on consumer spending on different items in five
different countries in 2002.
Where: _____
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When: _____
Units: ______
Overview: __________: largest proportion
____________: lowest percentages
3. The table details the international tourist arrivals in millions in 8 countries in
2009 and 2010 and the changes (in percentages).
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Expected vocab: proportion, remained steady, welcomed, moderately, signìicantly, escalate,
on the other hand, …
With Total
4. The Table below shows the results of a survey that asked 6800 Scottish adults (aged 16
years and over) whether they had taken part in different cultural activities in the past 12
months.
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Expected vocab: undertook, popular, was seen, evident, interest, young adults, …
5.
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6.
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