Example Writing Answers for the ieltshelpnow com Academic Practice Tests 11 15

Example Writing Answers for the ieltshelpnow.com Academic 

Practice Tests 11 - 15

Below you will find example writing answers for all the writing questions in the 

ieltshelpnow.com 

Academic Practice Tests, tests 11 to 15. All of these example reports and essays were written 

by an IELTS examiner in order to give examples of good answers. Please refer to the question 

papers while you are reading these reports and essays so that you understand the questions that 

are being answered. We hope this will give you an insight into how the writing answers should be 

written for IELTS Academic module. We must also point out that there are many ways of answering 

the writing questions with band 9 quality and that we have only produced one example for each 

question.

Academic Writing Practice Test 11

Task 1

The table represents a variety of countries, their monthly disposable income, their monthly 

petrol expenditure and the percentage of the amount of monthly income they spend on 

petrol. The data is based on averages and is likely to originate from a recent piece of 

research.

It is remarkable that the countries with the highest monthly income spend the least on their 

petrol in terms of a percentage of monthly income. For example, Norway has an average 

monthly income of $4329.07 per month, but only 7.40% of this money is spent on petrol. 

Comparing this to a poorer country, such as Eritrea, a clear difference can be noticed. 

Eritrea has the least monthly income with an average of $450.09, but most of it is spent 

on petrol, a total of 61.10%. Holland is fairly moderate and balanced, spending 10% of their 

$2880.98 monthly income on petrol.

The poorer or less developed countries tend to spend a large proportion of their income on 

petrol, whereas the highly developed countries spend only a small proportion of their income 

on petrol. It can be concluded that depending on the country’s status in the world economy 

and on its development, the income and percentage of income spent on petrol is markedly 

influenced.

(202 words)

Task 2

Technology has developed to become a vital part of our daily life and society. Over the 

last few years, technological advancement has increased to such a large extent that many 

people cannot imagine their life without mobile phones, iPods, computers, navigation systems, 

TV’s and other devices. Opinions differ whether this is advantageous regarding humanity’s 

relationships and connections between each other, questioning the status that technology 

now has.

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There are specific aspects when looking at technology that clearly support the fact that it 

can have positive effects on bringing people together. Social networks such as Facebook, 

Twitter and MySpace are good examples of devices that can connect people, no matter what 

their geographical location is. These social tools allow people to exchange messages and 

update others on their lives. Mobile phones are included in this category, as they help to 

communicate in an easy and quick way and can act as tools for information exchange as well. 

It is true that these different examples help to bring people together, as they are all part of 

today’s “virtual community”.

Naturally, there are people opposed to this point of view. They do not have a positive attitude 

concerning the impact of technology on society and are opposed to any greater development 

and inclusion of technological devices in daily life. Some arguments for this opinion might be 

that especially through computers, the old tradition of sitting together and telling stories 

or engaging in discussion on any sort of topic is eliminated. Furthermore, many people 

only communicate with others via social networks or emails, instead of speaking to them 

personally, adding to the impersonal nature that technology encourages.

Both points of view are understandable and both should be taken into account when trying to 

make a change. The amount of technology used everyday should be limited to a certain extent 

and should not expand too much more. It is clearly true that a large part of communication 

between people has become impersonal and that this should be reconsidered by society, as it 

is human nature to interact personally. Technology makes people dependent on it, a fact that 

clearly weakens society.

(358 words)

Academic Writing Practice Test 12

Task 1

The graph compares the rising temperature during the first six months of a year in New York 

and the amount of money spent on bathing suits. The data collected originates from the year 

2012 and is based on averages of different pieces of data.

It is clearly visible that the temperature rises steadily during the summer months, reaching 

its highest point in June at about 65° Fahrenheit. Its lowest point is in February at 30° 

Fahrenheit. The bathing suit sales, in comparison, rise steadily until April and then drop 

abruptly. This seems irrelevant at the first, but tends to make more sense after considering 

the behavior of the people.

In the late winter months, the people plan ahead for the summer months, and this is 

supported by the fact that there is a moderate amount of purchases done. As soon as the 

temperature rises and summer is approaching, the bathing suit sales increase dramatically, as 

everyone wants to get hold of swimming gear possibly before there is a decreased variety of 

items available. Lastly, the bathing suit data drop immensely when the temperature reaches 

its highest point, as people have probably already provided themselves with their bathing 

suits and need no more.

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It can be concluded that the graph shows a situation, which is authentic, linked to reality and 

informative regarding the behavior of people.

(225 words)

Task 2

Globalization is a very controversial issue, and there are multiple viewpoints in today’s 

society. As it is difficult to discuss all different aspects of the broad term globalization, a 

general overview regarding the different viewpoints must suffice.

There are various benefits connected to globalization which support it, including a wider 

perception of the world, a greater interaction of businesses and increasing intercultural 

behavior and views. Furthermore, the world’s economy is influenced by the international 

investment possible, politics are impacted and technology has a wider audience and capability 

to develop. These different factors support the positive aspects of globalization, which help 

to build an intercultural, more tolerant and more involved society regarding world issues. A 

greater sense of safety can be felt through the support of other countries, as well as an 

interest for the development and characteristics of other cultures.

Drawbacks need to be considered too, particularly regarding the fact that everyone is 

involved in globalization and does not necessarily support it. Especially cultural identity is at 

risk due to the open-mindedness and welcoming of new cultures. This is a critical point for 

people who support customs and traditions. In addition to this, pressure develops on people 

with international jobs, as competition is high and travel increases, which does not benefit 

relationships and family life. Lastly, it is argued that globalization contributes to social 

degeneration, which is mainly influenced through technological development and the fact that 

it is possible to connect with everyone everywhere.

In conclusion, globalization should be restricted to the extent that it does not damage 

cultural identity, traditions, relationships and social interactions. However, the positive 

aspects of globalization should be considered and exploited, so that it can be beneficial to 

today’s society and economy. Performing this might be challenging, but it should serve as an 

aim when trying to influence globalization.

(304 words) 

Academic Writing Practice Test 13

Task 1

The bar chart compares the average salaries of people in different cities in the UK. The time 

span in which the figures are obtained is not mentioned; however, it is likely that the graph 

means to represent the average salary for one year. In addition to the names of the cities 

the data is derived from, the number of people sampled in the survey is indicated as well.

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London, being the capital of Great Britain and having the largest sampled population with 

a number of 50.951, has the greatest average income of £33,634. In comparison to this, 

Manchester, which has fewer inhabitants and a sampled population of 4,643, only has an 

average salary of £25,909. Cambridge, which has the smallest sampled population with 

2.180 shows an average salary of £29,854, which is on a similar level when compared to 

Manchester.

Other UK cities, such as Glasgow, Bristol, Birmingham and Edinburgh are also mentioned with 

average salaries given as £26,150, £27,828, £25,531 and £27,592 respectively. The sample 

sizes for these cities range from 2553 to 3113.

It can be concluded that a significant factor affecting UK average salary seems to 

be geographical location. The southern UK cities have the highest average salaries 

when compared to more northern locations. The exception is Edinburgh, but it must be 

remembered that Edinburgh, with the second highest average salary, is the capital city of 

Scotland. As London, the capital of the UK, has the highest average salary, it can also be 

concluded that this political factor is very significant.

(304 words)

Task 2

It is due to the technological development today that the production of more machines is 

common. These machines need power to operate, which in turn is mostly derived from oil or 

similar fossil fuels. With the knowledge that oil will eventually run out and also that use of 

fossil fuels create associated pollution, many people support the fact that research on finding 

more alternatives for oil should increase.

Firstly, it should be considered to create a completely new source of power, which might 

preferably derive from recycled products or renewable resources. This would significantly 

slow down the waste production of any sort of resource, it would help to economize and 

furthermore raise public awareness of the importance of recycling and the significance of 

power sources. Possible fuel sources could include hydroelectric, solar, tidal and wind energy. 

Even the modern exploitation of nuclear power should be considered, as nuclear technology is 

much safer nowadays. A final advantage to creating or finding a new power source will be to 

secure society’s technological development for the next years.

Research for more oil resources around the world should not be halted completely, 

but definitely restricted, as focusing only on one source of power might prove to be 

disadvantageous in the future. However, it is not known whether society will actually find 

large amounts of oil and it will take time to change the dependence of the whole of today’s 

society on oil, so it should be considered as important to pursue more oil exploration, as well 

as newer energy resources.

One last important factor is that nature itself should not be damaged through this kind 

of research, whether it is for the research for oil or any other type of power source. 

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Especially the offshore industry can be very damaging to marine life and it imposes a risk on 

intoxicating animals and plants living in the sea. Therefore, research should be cautious and 

focused on being aware of nature.

In conclusion, more research should be done on alternatives to oil, but this does not mean 

that new oil resources should be be continued to be searched for. Hopefully in the future, 

society will be able to avoid its reliance on polluting fossil fuels and find its energy from 

cleaner renewable resources.

(377 words)

Academic Writing Practice Test 14

Task 1

Pie Chart A represents the Total World Energy Combustion in the year 2011, whereas Pie 

Chart B shows the Total World Electricity Generation for the same year. Data is expressed 

in percentages. The pie charts are both divided up into different sections, such as “Coal”, 

“Nuclear”, “Gas”, “Oil”, “Hydro”, “Combustible Renewables and Waste” and “Other”. “Other” 

is defined differently in both pie charts and “Combustible Renewables and Waste” is not 

present in Pie Chart B.

It is clear from looking at the first Pie Chart A that oil, coal and gas are responsible for the 

largest areas of energy consumption, with values of 34.3 %, 25.15 and  20.9% respectively. 

The remaining quarter is composed of “Others”, “Hydro”, “Nuclear” and “Combustible 

Renewables and Waste”. It can be deduced that the main energy consumption sources of the 

World focuses on the fossil fuels of coal, oil and gas.

Pie Chart B, in contrast, is set up a little differently. A third of the graph is taken up by 

coal (at 39.8%), which shows that a third of world electricity generation is powered by it. 

This contrasts with Pie Chart A, where oil is the largest energy source overall for world 

consumption. Two further differences are also seen with hydro and oil. Hydro use in Pie 

Chart B is pretty negligible (2.2%), whereas 16.1% is shown in Pie Chart B. Oil is significant 

in Pie Chart A, but in B only 6.7% is indicated. Nuclear is also more significant in Pie Chart B. 

The two pie charts are similar though in terms of gas usage, as Pie Chart B shows a value of 

19.6%. and Pie Chart A a value of 20.9%.

The pie charts represent the current situation very logically and also show which materials 

we are in need of, as they cannot be easily reproduced in laboratories. Also, they allow 

people to deduce what energy sources are the most popular in the world and how these 

are surprisingly different when looking at electricity consumption (Pie Chart B) and energy 

consumption overall (Pie Chart A).

(343 words)

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Task 2

That medial care should be paid by the government is a commonly spread view, which often 

causes conflicts with health insurances and doctors and may even result in political tension 

through people criticizing the government. It is true that, depending on the disease and the 

medicine needed, medical care can indeed be very costly for some individuals.

A common argument for free medical care to be provided by the government is that it will 

save the lives of many people. It is due to the fact that some people are not able to pay that 

they cannot afford a specific type of medicine or operation and die of the consequences. 

This would be prevented through the introduction of free medical care. Many people believe 

that in today’s modern and civilized society, people should not have to die just because they 

personally do not have the means to pay for it. 

Some of the drawbacks of a free, national health care system need to be considered too. 

Many people fear that there will be a dramatic drop in quality in the health products. 

Through the fact that it is free, companies will not invest in creating vital products, which 

were purchased by rich customers before, but which would be available to everyone under 

free health care. Furthermore, the accessibility of many products might prove to be a 

problem. Waiting lists might develop and it might be impossible for some people to receive 

their needed medication on time.

In conclusion, in today’s modern society, there should be a right for people not to have to 

die over a lack of money. A national health care should be introduced, but maybe it should 

not cover all types of products. This would result in a basic provision of health products for 

everyone, but would not provide specific products for free, which would have to be purchased 

by the consumer independently. It is true that this would not completely eliminate the 

problem of some people not being able to afford some products, but the majority would be 

able to access the medical care they need, as it is never possible to cover the need of all 

people. In addition, this would not stop access to private health care, so people would still be 

able to access private services if they so wished.

(387 words)

Academic Writing Practice Test 15

Task 1

The map shows the geographical composition of the town of Oakwood. Three suggestions 

are given for the location of a new supermarket, as well as lines representing streets and 

polygonal shapes representing housing estates.

The town of Oakwood is relatively small in size and is composed of the typical elements 

that make up a small town. Baker Avenue takes its place as the main road, which connects 

the different parts of Oakwood. These include the Oakwood Town Centre, which is equally 

distant from the three living areas that exist: St. James Housing Estate, Rosedale Housing 

Estate and Valley Housing Estate. The estates vary in size, the population ranging from 3000 

to 6000. Furthermore, the river Don flows alongside the main road, leading to two bridges to 

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be located in the town. One bridge can be found on Baker Avenue, the main road, the other is 

located on Pleasant road, which is a minor road at the border of the town of Oakwood.

From the three different locations chosen for a potential supermarket, location B could be 

the most suitable. There is an almost equal distance to all three housing estates and the 

supermarket would be close to the Town Centre, decreasing the time needed to walk there. 

Possible disadvantages of location B could be the difficulty of providing space for parking in 

a town centre location and the problem of exacerbating traffic problems in the centre of the 

town.

In terms of parking and traffic, the only location that would address these issues would be 

location C, which seems to be in the outskirts of the town, although this would require people 

in Oakwood’s housing estates to travel further. Location A could create the same problems as 

location B, but would require further travelling from the St. James Housing Estate.

In conclusion, the most significant factors for the location of a new supermarket in Oakwood 

seem to be that of parking and traffic. An exploration would need to be made of these factors 

before choosing what seem to be the two best possible locations, B or C.

(347 words)

Task 2

Technological advancement in today’s society has not only resulted in the production of 

computers and other similar technology, but it has also resulted in a wider range of fast and 

efficient transport, such as airplanes. These allow people to travel great distances in a little 

amount of time. There exist controversial views regarding this increasing amount of airplane 

use that has especially developed in the last decade.

Air travel has increased a lot recently due to a number of factors. One is the rise of the 

budget airline and the ensuing competition with the established airlines, leading to the latter 

to drop their prices. This has allowed air travel to be accessible to more people than before. 

In addition to this, advances in technology have created planes that are more economic to run, 

which has also allowed prices to drop. Finally, there is a greater expectancy of people today 

regarding their travel possibilities that would have been unthinkable a generation ago.

There are obvious benefits when considering the issue. More jobs are available and more 

companies are built up through the presence of airports and the need for airplanes. This 

creates more salaries, and in turn more taxes. Also, international relations can develop 

through being able to travel anywhere, as personal connections are often important when 

building up a relationship. Furthermore, cultural understanding is widened, as well as our 

perception of the world. Being able to visit places that are far away from home help people 

to understand the size and composition of the planet. The economy and businesses are also 

supported through air travel, which allows people all over the world to consult each other 

and come to agreements. Lastly, air travel can also just serve to spend a vacation abroad, 

enhancing cultural experience and knowledge about other customs and traditions.

Some people argue that air travel also causes some drawbacks, which should be taken into 

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account. An example might be air pollution, which is created through the increased fuel use 

of airplanes. As well as this, the need for oil as a fuel source increases through the use of 

airplanes and other transport forms, and this places pressure on the planet’s resources. 

Another issue is safety, as this on a plane can never be 100% assured and many people agree 

that airplanes can be a hotspot for terrorists. Furthermore, it is believed that cultures and 

traditions become too intermingled and diluted through the constant exchange of information 

and visitors in different places. Cultures’ languages might soon be lost or influenced. One final 

factor is that family life and relationships are at risk, as jobs requiring a lot of traveling 

around might interfere with these things.

In conclusion, the amount of air travel today is due to a variety of factors and it is an issue 

that inspires a lot of controversy and the views of people on both sides are correct. It is, 

however, impossible to imagine society turning its back on air travel and the disadvantages 

are just something that society will have to live with. Educating people about the dangers 

of too much air travel would be the key thing to do and this will help, as, in the end, how air 

travel is used or abused will depend on each individual and how he or she takes advantage of 

its availability.

(556 words)

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