IELTS Writing Task 1 #97
Test Tip
Vocabulary: Do not confuse ton and
tonne. A ton is the same as 1.016 tonnes. In American English
a ton is 2000 pounds.
Grammar: Use adverbs to make your comparisons more exact.
To emphasise a difference, you can use: many,
much, far, and significantly.
The amount of waste material being recycled in 2011 was much more than
in 1985.
For small differences you can use: slightly or
nearly as ... as.
The percentage of garbage being recycled in 1970 was slightly higher
than in 1960.
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The graph below shows waste recycling rates in the U.S. from 1960 to 2011.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
Source: http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/facts-text.htm#chart3
Read the following sample answer. Complete the answer by filling the gaps with the correct form of the words in the box. Some words can be used more than once.
The graph depicts waste recycling rates in the U.S. 1960 to 2011, in both percentage and tons.
Between 1960 and 1970, the percentage of garbage being recycled annually remained relatively at just over 6%. It then slightly over the next 15 years to 10.1% in 1985.
On the other hand, the amount of garbage being recycled during the same period, from 5.6 million tons in 1960 to 16.7 million tons in 1985. Following this increase, the amount of waste material being recycled has risen between 1985 and 2011 when it at 86.9 million tons.
Similarly, the recycling rate continued to grow from 1985 to 1995, and then at a slower rate over the next 15 years until it a peak of 34.7% in 2011. However, this figure is still disappointing to the total amount of waste being recycled each year.
(150 words)