Writing Task 1Suggested: 20 min · At least 150 words
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. Write at least 150 words.
The graph below shows the unemployment rates in the US and Japan between March 1993 and March 1999.
Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below.
Unemployment Rates: US and Japan
Values are approximate readings of the reference chart (percent).
Charts redrawn from the reference diagrams. Numeric labels are estimates, not exact underlying data.
0 / 150 words20:00
Sample Answer (Band 7)
Examiner's comment: This is a good account of the information presented in the graph, although occasionally the organisation of the data is slightly unusual. The writer grasps all the key points, however, and supports these with figures, before providing a summary of the main points. Sentence structures are more than adequate, although the writer has some problems with the use of tenses and prepositions. There are minor examples of unsuitable register (e.g. 'turned out', 'disastrous', and one contracted verb form), but as there are only a few instances of this, the candidate has not been penalised.
According to the results of the labour-force research published recently, the following conclusions can be drawn from it:
In March, 1993, United States had seven percent of their workforce which might not seem disastrous until compared with Japan, where 2.5% were unemployed. However, the unemployment rate in United States began declining slowly since March 1993, and reached 5% mark in the middle of 1996. Japan turned out to be less lucky, as their unemployment rate doubled in three years. From then on, the percentage of unemployed workforce in United States remained roughly the same — about 5% — until March 99, although there were minor falls and rises in the unemployment rate.
As for Japan, the percentage of unemployed fell rapidly by 0.5–0.6% after March 1996, but from summer 1996 and onwards it grew steadily and without any falls to reach 5.0% boundary in March 1999.
The major conclusion that I've drawn using the graph, is that number of unemployed in USA decreased by about 2.0% in the course of six years, while in Japan it actually increased by 2.5% percent. As a result, in March 99, both Japan and US had about 5% of their work force unemployed.
Writing Task 2Suggested: 40 min · At least 250 words
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write at least 250 words.
Present a written argument or case to an educated reader with no specialist knowledge of the following topic:
Improvements in health, education and trade are essential for the development of poorer nations. However, the governments of richer nations should take more responsibility for helping the poorer nations in such areas.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
You should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with examples and relevant evidence.
0 / 250 words40:00
Sample Answer (Band 6)
Examiner's comment: The writer expresses a point of view, but the ideas show little development and the argument does not go anywhere. The writing is well-organised, however, and can be followed with little difficulty. Sentence structures are sufficiently varied, but grammatical and lexical control is quite often faulty (e.g. subject/verb agreement, incorrect use of tenses, mass/count nouns).
In balancing the world economic growth, the underdevelopment of the Third World Nations have been drawn to the attention of the developed countries of the Western. Thus, governmental policies and interference in the agricultural business of the poorer nations were made to secure their dominant source of the economy. Many discussions among economists and politicians also put their focus on the other aspects. That is, to improve the health, education and trade for the developing countries. However, the improvements cannot be made by these countries, but more external assistance and aids should be done.
Because of the shortage of food supply, the people in poorer nations (i.e. Africa) are easily prone to disease, hunger and death. When natural or environmental disasters happen, they are threaten with their lives. Education cannot be well developed as a result of frequent droughts, famines and disease spreading. The other countries, while emphasising on the development of agriculture in the Third World, cannot really give the solution to the cyclical problem which has been existing for a long time. It is time to consider the consequences of all the waste of efforts in trying to help the economic growth of the Third World and to think from the other perspectives. The richer countries have the power to rebuilt the Third World by taking care the essentials – health, education and trade. More aids for providing the medicine, educational needs and materials can be done by the richer countries. The assistance of trade and developing business in the poorer countries also can be of a great help to the poorer nations.
If the richer countries can be more serious about the essential issues of how a nation develops, and well consider the special situations and circumstances those poorer nations are facing, the improvements will be more efficiently made. The governments of developed countries are, in some ways, responsible – though not obliged – for the future of those developing countries.
Self-Check Checklist
Task 1
I wrote at least 150 words
I described both lines (US and Japan) with figures
I noted the crossover / convergence of the two trends
I included an overview of the main trends
I did NOT give my opinion
Task 2
I wrote at least 250 words
I clearly stated my position on the statement
I gave reasons with relevant examples
I linked my argument back to health, education and trade
I finished with a clear conclusion
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