The question
The pie charts below show how land was used in one region in 1970 and 2020.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
1970
2020
- Farmland
- Forest
- Wetland
- Urban areas
- Grassland
| Category | 1970 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Farmland | 48% | 44% |
| Forest | 30% | 22% |
| Wetland | 10% | 4% |
| Urban areas | 7% | 23% |
| Grassland | 5% | 7% |
Key features to report
- Overview: farmland was the largest category in both years; urban areas expanded dramatically while forest and wetland shrank.
- Urban land more than tripled from 7% to 23%, overtaking forest to become the second largest category.
- Forest fell from 30% to 22% of the region.
- Wetland dropped from 10% to 4%, the sharpest relative decline.
- Farmland decreased slightly (48% to 44%), while grassland rose slightly (5% to 7%).
Model answer
175 words · written by Abroadway to show band 9 features (not an official IELTS sample)
The two pie charts compare the ways in which land in one region was used in 1970 and 2020, expressed as percentages of the total area.
Overall, farmland occupied the largest share of the region in both years. The most striking change over the fifty-year period was the rapid expansion of urban areas, which came largely at the expense of forest and wetland.
In 1970, almost half of the region (48%) was farmland, while forest covered a further 30%. Wetland made up 10% of the total area, whereas urban areas and grassland accounted for only 7% and 5% respectively.
By 2020, the proportion of urban land had more than tripled to 23%, making it the second largest category and overtaking forest, which had shrunk to 22%. Wetland suffered the most severe decline in relative terms, falling from 10% to just 4%, less than half of its original share. Farmland also contracted slightly to 44%, although it still covered the largest area. Grassland was the only other category to grow, edging up from 5% to 7%.
Useful language
- farmland
- forest
- wetland
- urban areas
- tripled
- expansion
- shrunk
- proportion
- overall
Step-by-step method in the free lesson Pie charts and proportions.
Write your own report and get a band estimate
Free, no account needed. Aim for 20 minutes and at least 150 words.