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IELTS Writing Samples

IELTS essay samples (writing task 2), report and letter samples (writing task 1) with Band Scores, marked by IELTS teachers, including comments and suggestions on how to increase your score

IELTS Report, topic: Table describing the use of water in 6 countries

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Table Model Answer Band 8

This is a model answer for an Academic Writing Task 1 from the IELTS exam in Sri Lanka, shared recently. This response is likely to get Band 8 or 8.5 in IELTS.

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task

The table below describes water usage for 3 different purposes in 6 countries in 2003. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words

IELTS Writing Task 1 Table Water Usage for Domestic Agricultural and Industrial Purposes In 6 Countries In 2003

* Note: this isn’t the actual table given in the test, it was recreated for the purpose of demonstration.

Band 8.5 Model Answer

The table illustrates the proportions of water use for 3 different purposes in 6 countries in 2003.

It is clear from the table that most countries used the largest share of water in the agricultural sector and the smallest – in industrial.

To begin, the United Kingdom and China had almost identical water usage profiles and their ratios of agricultural water usage were around 90%, while their domestic and industrial water usage ranged between 5 and 7%. India had slightly different figures, with a lower value for agriculture at 82% and higher figures for domestic and industrial usage at 10 and 8%, respectively.

Canada and Australia had a similar domestic water usage, at 63 and 65%, respectively; however the industry in Canada was a major water consumer at 32%, compared to just 2% in Australia. The Canadian agriculture consumed an insignificant 5% of water, unlike Australia, whose agriculture used 33% of water.

Lastly, Japan use the largest share of its water in agriculture (66%), and the rest was shared between domestic and industrial use, in similar proportions of 19% and 15%, respectively.

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IELTS essay, topic: In some cities the numbers of tourists seem overwhelming, why is this happening?

IELTS Model Essay Sample Band 9 April 2023

This is a model response to a Writing Task 2 topic from High Scorer’s Choice IELTS Practice Tests book series (reprinted with permission). This answer is close to IELTS Band 9.

Set 5 General Training book, Practice Test 23

Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

In some cities, the numbers of tourists seem to be overwhelming. Why is this happening? What are the effects of this on individuals and society?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Sample Band 9 Essay

With the rise of cheaper airlines and with technology and affluence allowing people to travel more easily, tourism is an industry that has experienced a significant increase. This caused the numbers of tourists in some popular cities to become greater than desirable and created some effects on both individuals and society.

People feed on the positive experiences of others, and vivid images on social media, shared by happy holiday-makers, attract more and more visitors to iconic cities. This creates a snowball effect where increasing numbers of people cause an even bigger influx of tourism by sharing their experiences online. Affordable airfares and modern websites that make finding accommodation easier also play a significant role in making certain cities extremely attractive to tourists.

One positive effect of this phenomenon for both individuals and society is that it is an indicator that people are travelling to different countries. Travel is a great way to broaden the mind and develop more understanding and acceptance of other cultures and beliefs. Individuals will become more tolerant and society should be more integrated and peaceful. Another positive effect is that jobs and businesses are created and supported by the tourism industry, thus generating taxes to help support government infrastructures.

There are negative effects though, especially for the residents of the cities with high numbers of tourists. It is well known that excessive tourism dilutes the authentic culture of the destination, the prices go up and the quality of products and services goes down. The historic centres of too many popular cities now seem to only feature the same chain stores and services, and food tends to become more internationalised rather than offering the authentic food of the country and region. The centres of very busy tourist towns become overly geared towards providing accommodation for rent, whether it is hotels, hostels or private apartments. This reduces the amount of housing for locals, as well as driving up rental and purchase prices.

To sum up, tourism has many positive effects, but when the numbers of tourists get so high, it can spoil the authenticity of a destination, which is negative for local and visiting individuals and society as a whole.

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