Lesson 3: Table Chart
Step 1 – Analyse the question
The tables below give the distribution of world population in 1950 and 2000,
with an estimate of the situation in 2050.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and
make comparisons where relevant.
You must do 3 things:
➢ Select the main features.
➢ Write about the main features.
➢ Compare the main features.
All three tasks refer to the ‘main features’ of the graphic. You do not have to write
about everything. Just pick out 2 or 3 key features and you’ll have plenty to write
about.
Step 2 – Identify the Main Features
Here are some useful questions to ask?
● What are the units of measurements?
● What are the time periods?
● What can you learn from the title and any labels?
● What is the most obvious trend?
● Are there any notable similarities?
The key to understanding it is to use the clues given in the title, the row and
column headings and the units of measurement.
For example, the title of the table tells us that it shows changes in world population
from 1950 to projected levels in 2050.
The world is divided into regions (Africa, Asia, etc.) and data is given for three
specific years – 1950, 2000 and projected data for 2050. This is a clue that we will
need to use past, present and futures tenses in our essay.
Don’t look at the numbers in detail at this stage. Instead, focus on general trends.
What are the most notable changes in data between 1950 and projected figures for
2050?
There are a number of different features we could select from this IELTS table chart.
Here are the three that I’ve chosen:
✓ Main feature 1: The only region where the percentage is expected to
increase by 2050 is Africa.
✓ Main feature 2: Europe is expected to have the greatest drop in percentage
contribution by 2050.
✓ Main feature 3: The only region showing a fluctuation in percentage
contribution over the whole time period is Asia.
Step 3 – Write an Introduction
Question:The tables below give the distribution of world population in 1950
and 2000, with an estimate of the situation in 2050.
Introduction (Paragraph 1):
The table compares changes in worldwide population distribution between the
six key regions from 1950 to 2000, with predictions for the year 2050.
Step 4 – Write an Overview (Paragraph 2)
✓ Main feature 1: The only region where the percentage is expected to
increase by 2050 is Africa.
✓ Main feature 2: Europe is expected to have the greatest drop in percentage
contribution by 2050.
✓ Main feature 3: The only region showing a fluctuation in percentage
contribution over the whole time period is Asia.
For example:
Overview (Paragraph 2):
The only region where the percentage contribution is expected to increase by
2050 is Africa, while Europe is expected to have the greatest drop in
proportion over the same time span. The sole continent showing a fluctuation
in percentage contribution over the hundred year period is Asia.
Step 5 – Write the 1st Detail Paragraph
Main feature 1: The only region where the percentage is expected to increase by
2050 is Africa.
Main feature 2: Europe is expected to have the greatest drop in percentage
contribution by 2050.
Paragraph 3:
From a relatively small percentage contribution of 9% in 1950, the people of
Africa are forecast to make up a fifth of the total world population by 2050. This
is almost a reversal of the situation for Europe which stood at 22% in 1950 and
is expected to continue its steady decline to reach just 7% in 2050.
Step 6 – Write the 2nd Detail Paragraph
Main feature 3: The only region showing a fluctuation in percentage contribution
over the whole time period is Asia.
Paragraph 4:
Another notable trend can be seen in the data for Asia which is the only region
to show an increase in proportion contribution over the first fifty years but the
prediction of a decline, albeit small, looking forward to 2050. The remaining
regions, North America, Latin America and Oceania each make up less than
10% of the total world population and show only minor fluctuations in
contribution over the whole time period.
Finished IELTS Table Chart Essay
Let`s practice
Model answer
