Source: Adapted from free practice material published by IELTS buddy. Reformatted here; the original lesson pages are worth visiting.
One full Academic Writing paper: 60 minutes, both tasks, no pausing.
Task 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The charts below show the percentage of food budget the average family spent on restaurant meals in different years. The graph shows the number of meals eaten in fast food restaurants and sit-down restaurants.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
The charts weren't reproduced in the source PDF. The figures below are a dataset written to match the prompt so the task is still practisable. They are not the original numbers.
Chart 1 — share of the family food budget spent on restaurant meals
| Year | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of food budget | 20% | 25% | 35% | 45% |
Chart 2 — meals eaten out per person per year
| Year | Fast food restaurants | Sit-down restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 10 | 20 |
| 1980 | 22 | 22 |
| 1990 | 32 | 18 |
| 2000 | 40 | 15 |
Two visuals, one report. Don't write two separate mini-reports. The overview should say something true of both: eating out grew overall, and fast food overtook sit-down dining part way through the period.
Task 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Many of today's most urgent problems can only be solved through international cooperation.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge.
Write at least 250 words.