Academic Task 1
IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: International students (table)
Question type: Academic Task 1: table
The question
The table below shows the number of international students, in thousands, at universities in one country in 2010 and 2020, by the region they came from.
| 2010 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|
| Asia | 85 | 190 |
| Europe | 60 | 55 |
| Africa | 20 | 48 |
| North America | 15 | 18 |
| Total | 180 | 311 |
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
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How to approach it
- Start with the total row, which gives you the first sentence of the overview.
- Overview: the total rose a lot, Asia was the largest source and grew most, and only Europe fell.
- Write one paragraph for each year, and use fractions such as 'four fifths' as well as numbers.
Model answer
194 words (minimum 150). Written to show the features of a Band 8-level answer.
The table shows how many international students attended universities in one country in 2010 and 2020, and which parts of the world they came from.
Overall, the total number of international students rose considerably over the decade. Asia was the largest source in both years and accounted for most of the growth, while Europe was the only region to send fewer students in 2020 than in 2010.
In 2010 there were 180 thousand international students in total. Of these, 85 thousand were from Asia and 60 thousand from Europe, so these two regions together supplied about four fifths of the total. Africa and North America sent far fewer, at 20 thousand and 15 thousand respectively.
By 2020 the total had climbed to 311 thousand. The number of Asian students more than doubled to 190 thousand, which was about three fifths of all international students. African numbers also more than doubled, from 20 thousand to 48 thousand, although they remained below the European figure. The number of students from Europe fell slightly to 55 thousand, and North America saw only a small rise, to 18 thousand, so it remained the smallest of the four regions.
Useful language from this answer
- rose considerably over the decade
- a large increase across ten years
- accounted for most of the growth
- one item explains most of a rise in the total
- the only region to send fewer
- picking out the exception
- about four fifths of the total
- a fraction for two items added together
- saw only a small rise
- a slight increase
Common mistakes with this question
- Missing the overview. A report without a clear summary of the main features cannot score above Band 5 for Task Achievement.
- Ignoring the total row, which gives you the easiest overview sentence.
- Saying European students 'fell sharply'. The figure dropped by only five thousand, so 'slightly' is accurate.
Now write your own answer
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This model answer was written by TestWise Prep to show the features of a high-scoring answer. It is not official IELTS material. Use it for ideas and language, not to memorise.