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Sample IELTS Writing Task 1: The spending per household in the US on five different products in 2010 and 2014

The IELTS Writing Task 1 prompt "The spending per household in the US on five different products in 2010 and 2014" has recently appeared in the real IELTS exam. Let's review the prompt, outline, and a high-quality band 7.0+ sample essay carefully prepared by top-tier teachers at PREP.

Sample IELTS Writing Task 1: The spending per household in the US on five different products in 2010 and 2014
Sample IELTS Writing Task 1: The spending per household in the US on five different products in 2010 and 2014

I. IELTS Writing Task 1 task and outline: The spending per household in the US on five different products in 2010 and 2014

Before reviewing the IELTS Writing Task 1 sample essay on "The spending per household in the US on five different products in 2010 and 2014", let's explore the prompt and a detailed outline with PREP.

1. Task

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The chart below shows the spending (in dollars) per household in the US on five different products in 2010 and 2014. 

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

Write at least 150 words.

2. Outline

Let's quickly review the detailed outline for the IELTS Writing Task 1 prompt "The spending per household in the US on five different products in 2010 and 2014" below:

Introduction and overview

  • Introduction: Paraphrase the subject of the bar chart

  • Overview: Comment on the most noticeable features:

    • Spending on food, smartphones and toiletries increased

    • The spending on food was the highest in both years

    • The spending on books was the lowest in both years

Body 1: Comparison in 2010

  • Item with the highest spending: Food ($3700)

  • Items with lower spending:

    • Clothes ($2500)

    • Smartphones and toiletries (~$2000)

    • Books ($1000)

Body 2: Changes from 2010 to 2014

  • Spending on food increased to nearly $4500

    • Remained as the item with the highest spending

  • Spending on smartphones increased to $2700

    • Became the item with the second highest spending

  • Spending on toiletries increased slightly

  • Spending on clothes did not change

  • Spending on books halved to $500

    • Remained as the item with the lowest spending

II. Sample IELTS Writing Task 1: The spending per household in the US on five different products in 2010 and 2014

After thoroughly reviewing the prompt and the detailed outline, let's quickly take a look at the IELTS Writing Task 1 sample essay on "The spending per household in the US on five different products in 2010 and 2014" prepared by Mr. Minh Nhat - the Marker Leader at PREP.

The bar chart provides a breakdown of a typical American household’s outlay on various items in 2010 and 2014. Overall, it could be seen that the expenditure on all goods, except for clothes and books, had increased. In both years, furthermore, spending on food was the highest, and on books was the lowest.

In 2010, food ranked first in terms of expense, with around 3700 dollars. The figure for clothes was two-thirds of food’s, with $2500, while the expenditure on smartphones and toiletries displayed similar levels of approximately 2000 dollars. American households, on average, spent $1000 on books that year, which was also the lowest spending point.

By 2014, spending on food had grown to nearly 4500 dollars. The amount of money expended for smartphones had risen by the same degree to about $2700, which was the second-highest figure that year, constituting 60% that of food. The typical American household’s clothing spending had not changed, placing it behind the data of smartphones. Expenditure on toiletries, meanwhile, only increased slightly, whereas the outlay on books had shrunk by a half of its 2010 amount, declining to $500. The level for books was roughly equal to one-tenth that for food, and it remained in last place.

Vocabulary commonly used in the IELTS Writing Task 1 sample essay on "The spending per household in the US on five different products in 2010 and 2014":

  • Outlay (n.): expenditure

  • Constitute (v.): make up

  • Shrink (v.): decrease in size

However, simply reviewing sample essays online is not enough to achieve a high IELTS Writing score. You need to practice writing daily. To progress, your writing should be reviewed, and errors should be pointed out and corrected. If you haven't found a study partner for this process, the virtual writing room VWR at PREP is always ready to assist you.

  • PREP's virtual writing lab offers flexible scheduling for study sessions, allowing students to learn at any time when they have free time.

  • The experience of the test environment, with a realistic test structure and workflow, helps students visualize and familiarize themselves with the actual test room, reducing the fear of taking the actual exam.

  • The Virtual Writing Lab applies the core Process Writing method, focusing on the process of creating a complete written piece, helping students develop the thinking skills to independently develop the ideas in their writing.

  • The configuration in the Writing practice section provides an experience similar to taking the actual test. Features like a timer and word count will help students manage their time appropriately for each section and ensure they meet the minimum word requirement to avoid losing points.

Hopefully, after reading this article, you have a good understanding of the specific prompt, a detailed outline, and a high-quality IELTS Writing Task 1 sample essay on "The spending per household in the US on five different products in 2010 and 2014". Keep following PREP to regularly update your valuable English knowledge!

Master Tu Pham
Master Tu Pham
Founder/CEO at Prep
Founder of Prep Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of experience in teaching and test preparation, Mr. Tú has helped thousands of students achieve high scores in the IELTS exam. In addition, Mr. Tú Phạm is also a consulting expert in British Council programs and a speaker at many leading educational events, programs, and conferences.
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