# comparative-sentences-practice-for-ielts-writing-task-1

- **Original Source:** `comparative-sentences-practice-for-ielts-writing-task-1.pdf`
- **Category:** `writing`
- **Original Format:** `.pdf`

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IELTS buddy
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Language of Comparison for IELTS Academic Task 1 
Teachers Notes 
Aims: 
•Improve ﬂexibility with the language of comparison that is used for 
IELTS writing task 1 in graphs, tables and pie charts
Instructions: 
1.Get the students into pairs or groups and give them the handout.
2.Explain to the students that there is one thing wrong with the 
comparison made in each sentence.
3.Emphasise that the errors are not grammar errors but mistakes with 
using the wrong language of comparison e.g. ‘more than’ is used 
when it should be ‘less than’.
4.Once completed, put some pairs / groups together and get them to 
discuss their answers and work out why there may be diﬀerences in 
what they chose.
5.Go through the answers.
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IELTS buddy
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Practicing Language of Comparison for Graphs and Tables 
In some of the sentences below, the comparison made is wrong. Find the 
errors and correct them. 
1. The percentage of consumer spending on food, drinks and tobacco was 
significantly lower in Turkey (32.14%) and Ireland (29%) than the other three 
countries. 
2. The country with the highest number of national consumption on leisure and 
education was Turkey, at 4.35%.  
3. The Swedes spent approximately twice as much on food, drinks and tobacco, as 
they did on clothing and footwear.  
4. The percentage of consumer spending on clothing and footwear in Ireland, Spain 
and Turkey was different.  
5. The proportion of money spent on leisure and education in Spain stood at just 
over 2%.  
6. The country with the lowest percentage of national consumer expenditure on 
food, drinks and tobacco, and clothing and footwear, was Sweden, at 5.40% and 
15.77% respectively.  
7. Italy had the second lowest percentage of consumer spending on food, drinks 
and tobacco, at 16.36%, but the highest percentage of spending on clothing and 
footwear, at approximately 9%. 
www.ieltsbuddy.com – Free Online IELTS Advice


IELTS buddy
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Answers 
1. Consumer spending on food, drinks and tobacco was significantly higher 
in Turkey (32.14%) and Ireland (29%) than the other three countries.. 
2. The country with the highest proportion / percentage of national 
consumption on leisure and education was Turkey, at 4.35%.  
3. The Swedes spent approximately three times as much on food, drinks and 
tobacco, as they did on clothing and footwear.  
4. The percentage of consumer spending on clothing and footwear in Ireland, 
Spain and Turkey was similar. 
5. The proportion of money spent on leisure and education in Spain stood at 
just under / below 2%. 
6. The country with the lowest percentage of national consumer expenditure 
on food, drinks and tobacco, and clothing and footwear, was Sweden, at 
15.77% and 5.40% respectively**.  
7. Italy had the second lowest percentage of consumer spending on food, 
drinks and tobacco, at 16.36%, but the highest percentage of spending on 
clothing and footwear, at exactly (or just delete ‘approximately) 9%.  
**’respectively’ is used to show that something is in the order already 
mentioned. It is used when enumerating two or more items or facts 
that refer back to a previous statement. So the percentages must be 
the same order as the items they refer to i.e. food, drinks and 
tobacco (15.77%), and then clothing and footwear (5.40%). 
www.ieltsbuddy.com – Free Online IELTS Advice