ieltswrites › Question bank IELTS Writing Question Bank: Cambridge Task 1 & Task 2 with Model Answers This question bank covers the Academic Writing tasks from Cambridge IELTS 10 to 21. Each question page breaks down what the task really asks, gives a paragraph-by-paragraph plan, topic vocabulary, common mistakes and an original Band 8+ model answer. You can then write your own answer on a 1:1 copy of the computer-delivered exam screen and get an instant AI band score.
How to practise Start with the question type you find hardest, not with Cambridge 10 Test 1. Plan for 3–5 minutes before you type: the plan sections show what a good plan looks like. Write your answer under exam conditions first, then compare it with the model answer. Task 2 is worth twice as much as Task 1, so practise it at least twice as often. All questions (96 questions) Cambridge IELTS 21 Test 1 Writing Task 1: US Jobs Line Graph Cambridge IELTS 21 · Test 1 · Task 1 · Line graph The line graph shows the number of jobs in four sectors of the US economy (manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare) between 1960 and 2020. Figures are given in millions of jobs at twenty-year intervals: 1960, 1980, 2000 and 2020. Cambridge IELTS 21 Test 1 Writing Task 2: Tall Apartment Blocks Cambridge IELTS 21 · Test 1 · Task 2 · Society · Opinion (agree or disagree) The statement claims that building tall apartment blocks is the best way to provide enough homes in large cities. Candidates must say to what extent they agree or disagree, supporting their position with reasons and examples. Cambridge IELTS 21 Test 2 Writing Task 1: College Café Plans Cambridge IELTS 21 · Test 2 · Task 1 · Map / plan The two plans show the layout of a college café before it was redesigned and how it looks today. Candidates must describe and compare the main changes to the indoor space and the new outdoor area, with no figures involved. Cambridge IELTS 21 Test 2 Writing Task 2: Theatres and Cinemas Cambridge IELTS 21 · Test 2 · Task 2 · Culture & lifestyle · Discuss both views The question presents two views: that theatres and cinemas are no longer important because people can watch all the entertainment they want online, and that they remain important both economically and culturally. Candidates must discuss both views and give their own opinion. Cambridge IELTS 21 Test 3 Writing Task 1: Rain-Shadow Desert Cambridge IELTS 21 · Test 3 · Task 1 · Process diagram The diagram shows how a rain-shadow desert is formed in seven stages, as winds from the sea cross a mountain range and lose their moisture before reaching inland areas. It is a natural process involving the sea, the coast, the windward and leeward sides of the mountains, and a desert that lies thousands of kilometres inland. Cambridge IELTS 21 Test 3 Writing Task 2: Degree Placements Cambridge IELTS 21 · Test 3 · Task 2 · Education · Advantages and disadvantages The statement proposes that every university undergraduate course should include a period of studying abroad or doing a work placement. Candidates must decide whether the advantages of this requirement would outweigh the disadvantages and explain why. Cambridge IELTS 21 Test 4 Writing Task 1: Library Users Survey Cambridge IELTS 21 · Test 4 · Task 1 · Mixed charts The pie chart shows the categories of people who use a university library, as percentages of all users, and the table shows the percentage of users who were very satisfied, fairly satisfied or not satisfied with five aspects of the library. The data comes from a single survey, so there is no change over time. Cambridge IELTS 21 Test 4 Writing Task 2: Play in Primary Schools Cambridge IELTS 21 · Test 4 · Task 2 · Education · Two-part question The question states that some people think primary schools focus too much on formal learning. Candidates must answer two questions: how far they agree with this opinion, and how important they think it is for children to play as well as learn in the primary classroom. Cambridge IELTS 20 Test 1 Writing Task 1: New York Population Cambridge IELTS 20 · Test 1 · Task 1 · Table The three tables show the population of New York City in 1800, 1900 and 2000. The first gives the total for all five districts, while the second and third give the number of residents in Manhattan and in the other four districts combined (Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island), both as raw figures and as a percentage of the city's total population. Cambridge IELTS 20 Test 1 Writing Task 2: Free Clean Water Cambridge IELTS 20 · Test 1 · Task 2 · Government & law · Opinion (agree or disagree) The question states that access to clean water is a basic human right and concludes that every home should therefore receive a water supply free of charge. Candidates must say whether they agree or disagree with this view and support their position with reasons and examples. Cambridge IELTS 20 Test 2 Writing Task 1: Beechwood Farm Maps Cambridge IELTS 20 · Test 2 · Task 1 · Map / plan The two plans show Beechwood Farm in 1950 and the same site today. The farm lies between a main road in the north-west and a river that curves around its western and southern edges, and the maps show how the buildings, tracks and land use have changed. There are no figures, so the task is to describe and compare the changes. Cambridge IELTS 20 Test 2 Writing Task 2: Long School Holidays Cambridge IELTS 20 · Test 2 · Task 2 · Education · Two-part question The question notes that primary and secondary schools in many countries close for two months or more over the summer. Candidates must answer two direct questions: what the value of long school holidays is, and what arguments can be made in favour of shorter school holidays. Cambridge IELTS 20 Test 3 Writing Task 1: Little Chalfont Library Cambridge IELTS 20 · Test 3 · Task 1 · Mixed charts The three visuals give information about the public library in Little Chalfont. A pie chart shows the age groups of library members in 2016 as percentages, a table shows the percentage of total loans in each category in 2016, and a bar chart shows the total number of loans each year from 2007 to 2016. Cambridge IELTS 20 Test 3 Writing Task 2: Flying Less Cambridge IELTS 20 · Test 3 · Task 2 · Environment · Advantages and disadvantages The question describes a trend in which some people are flying less often each year or have given up flying completely. Candidates must decide whether the environmental benefits of this development outweigh its disadvantages for individuals and businesses, giving reasons and examples. Cambridge IELTS 20 Test 4 Writing Task 1: Bamboo Fabric Process Cambridge IELTS 20 · Test 4 · Task 1 · Process diagram The diagram shows the process by which fabric is manufactured from bamboo. It consists of nine stages, from planting bamboo in spring and harvesting it in autumn to crushing, filtering and softening the fibres, spinning them into yarn, weaving the yarn into fabric and finally making clothing. Cambridge IELTS 20 Test 4 Writing Task 2: Global Fashion Trends Cambridge IELTS 20 · Test 4 · Task 2 · Culture & lifestyle · Two-part question The question states that many aspects of how people dress today are shaped by global fashion trends. Candidates must answer two questions: how global fashion has become such a strong influence on people's lives, and whether they think this is a positive or negative development. Cambridge IELTS 19 Test 1 Writing Task 1: Social Centre Graph Cambridge IELTS 19 · Test 1 · Task 1 · Line graph The line graph shows how many people took part in five activities (film club, martial arts, amateur dramatics, table tennis and musical performances) at one social centre in Melbourne, Australia, between 2000 and 2020. Figures are numbers of participants, given at five-year intervals. Cambridge IELTS 19 Test 1 Writing Task 2: Competition or Teamwork Cambridge IELTS 19 · Test 1 · Task 2 · Society · Discuss both views The question presents two views: that competition at work, at school and in daily life is a good thing, and that people should cooperate more instead of competing with each other. Candidates must discuss both views and give their own opinion. Cambridge IELTS 19 Test 2 Writing Task 1: Porth Harbour Maps Cambridge IELTS 19 · Test 2 · Task 1 · Map / plan The two maps compare the layout of Porth Harbour in 2000 with its layout today. They show the main road, car parks, toilet facilities, the marina, the fishing boat area, the ferry dock, the lifeboat station, the beaches and the building on the eastern headland. Cambridge IELTS 19 Test 2 Writing Task 2: Shorter Working Week Cambridge IELTS 19 · Test 2 · Task 2 · Society · Opinion (agree or disagree) The statement says that the working week should be shorter and that workers should have a longer weekend. Candidates must say whether they agree or disagree and support their position with reasons and examples. Cambridge IELTS 19 Test 3 Writing Task 1: Ethanol Biofuel Process Cambridge IELTS 19 · Test 3 · Task 1 · Process diagram The diagram shows how ethanol, a biofuel, is produced from plants and how it is used. It is a cycle: plants grow using energy from sunlight and carbon dioxide, are harvested and processed into ethanol, and the carbon dioxide released when vehicles burn the fuel returns to help new plants grow. Cambridge IELTS 19 Test 3 Writing Task 2: Saving Money Cambridge IELTS 19 · Test 3 · Task 2 · Society · Opinion (agree or disagree) The statement says that it is important for everyone, including young people, to save money for their future. Candidates must say to what extent they agree or disagree and support their view with reasons and examples. Cambridge IELTS 19 Test 4 Writing Task 1: Dance Classes Charts Cambridge IELTS 19 · Test 4 · Task 1 · Mixed charts The pie chart shows the percentage of dance classes attended by young people in an Australian town at four types of location. The bar chart shows the number of students in ballet, tap and modern dance classes, divided into two age groups: under 11 and 11-16. Both charts describe the current situation. Cambridge IELTS 19 Test 4 Writing Task 2: Imported Food Cambridge IELTS 19 · Test 4 · Task 2 · Culture & lifestyle · Opinion (agree or disagree) The question states that in many countries consumers can now buy food produced all over the world in their local supermarket. Candidates must decide whether this is a positive or negative development and support their opinion. Cambridge IELTS 18 Test 1 Writing Task 1: City Population Graph Cambridge IELTS 18 · Test 1 · Task 1 · Line graph The line graph shows the percentage of the population living in cities in four Asian countries (the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia) from 1970 to 2020, with predictions for 2030 and 2040. Figures are given as a percentage of each country's total population at ten-year intervals. Cambridge IELTS 18 Test 1 Writing Task 2: Aim of Science Cambridge IELTS 18 · Test 1 · Task 2 · Technology · Opinion (agree or disagree) The question states that the most important aim of science should be to improve people's lives. Candidates must say to what extent they agree or disagree with this statement and support their position with reasons and examples. Cambridge IELTS 18 Test 2 Writing Task 1: US Household Income Cambridge IELTS 18 · Test 2 · Task 1 · Bar chart The bar chart shows the number of households in the United States, in millions, in five annual income brackets (from less than $25,000 to $100,000 or more) in 2007, 2011 and 2015. The data allows comparisons both between income groups and over time. Cambridge IELTS 18 Test 2 Writing Task 2: University Subjects Cambridge IELTS 18 · Test 2 · Task 2 · Education · Discuss both views The question describes two views about university study: some students want to learn other subjects as well as their main subjects, while others think it is more important to concentrate fully on gaining a qualification. Candidates must discuss both views and give their own opinion. Cambridge IELTS 18 Test 3 Writing Task 1: Library Floor Plans Cambridge IELTS 18 · Test 3 · Task 1 · Map / plan The two plans show the layout of the Central Library 20 years ago and its layout today. Both buildings have a single entrance at the front and a central corridor with rooms on either side, so the task is to compare how the use of each area has changed. Cambridge IELTS 18 Test 3 Writing Task 2: Rural Migration Cambridge IELTS 18 · Test 3 · Task 2 · Society · Opinion (agree or disagree) The question states that in many countries rural people are moving to cities, so the population of the countryside is falling. Candidates must decide whether this is a positive or a negative development and support their view with reasons and examples. Cambridge IELTS 18 Test 4 Writing Task 1: Metal Prices Graph Cambridge IELTS 18 · Test 4 · Task 1 · Line graph The line graph shows the average monthly percentage change in the prices of copper, nickel and zinc during 2014, with each figure measured against the price in the previous month. Values above zero mean the price rose that month and values below zero mean it fell. Cambridge IELTS 18 Test 4 Writing Task 2: Ageing Population Cambridge IELTS 18 · Test 4 · Task 2 · Government & law · Advantages and disadvantages The question notes that people in many countries are living longer than ever. Some say an ageing population creates problems for governments, while others see benefits in having more elderly people, and candidates must decide to what extent the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Cambridge IELTS 17 Test 1 Writing Task 1: Norbiton Maps Cambridge IELTS 17 · Test 1 · Task 1 · Map / plan The two maps show an industrial area in the town of Norbiton as it is now and how the site is planned to be developed in the future. The task is to compare the present layout, which is made up of factories and a small road network, with the proposed residential area and its new roads and facilities. Cambridge IELTS 17 Test 1 Writing Task 2: Taking Risks Cambridge IELTS 17 · Test 1 · Task 2 · Society · Advantages and disadvantages The question states that it is important for people to take risks in both their professional and personal lives. Candidates must decide whether the advantages of taking risks outweigh the disadvantages, and support that judgement with reasons and examples. Cambridge IELTS 17 Test 2 Writing Task 1: Police Budget Cambridge IELTS 17 · Test 2 · Task 1 · Mixed charts A table and two pie charts give information about the police budget in one area of Britain in 2017 and 2018. The table shows where the money came from, in millions of pounds, and the pie charts show what percentage of the budget was spent on salaries, technology, and buildings and transport. Cambridge IELTS 17 Test 2 Writing Task 2: Children's Smartphones Cambridge IELTS 17 · Test 2 · Task 2 · Technology · Two-part question The question notes that some children spend hours every day on their smartphones. Candidates must answer two questions: explain why this happens, and say whether they think it is a positive or a negative development. Cambridge IELTS 17 Test 3 Writing Task 1: Family Spending Chart Cambridge IELTS 17 · Test 3 · Task 1 · Bar chart The bar chart shows the average percentage of weekly income that families in one country spent on eight categories in 1968 and 2018: food, housing, fuel and power, clothing and footwear, household goods, personal goods, transport and leisure. All figures are percentages of weekly income. Cambridge IELTS 17 Test 3 Writing Task 2: Professionals Abroad Cambridge IELTS 17 · Test 3 · Task 2 · Society · Discuss both views The question presents two views about professionals such as doctors and engineers: one that they should be required to work in the country where they trained, and one that they should be free to work abroad if they wish. Candidates must discuss both views and give their own opinion. Cambridge IELTS 17 Test 4 Writing Task 1: Shop Closures Graph Cambridge IELTS 17 · Test 4 · Task 1 · Line graph The line graph shows the number of shops that closed and the number of new shops that opened in one country each year between 2011 and 2018. The figures are given as numbers of shops, on a scale from 0 to 9,000. Cambridge IELTS 17 Test 4 Writing Task 2: Alternative Medicine Cambridge IELTS 17 · Test 4 · Task 2 · Culture & lifestyle · Opinion (agree or disagree) The question states that a growing number of people with health problems are trying alternative medicines and treatments instead of visiting their usual doctor. Candidates must say whether they think this is a positive or a negative development and support their view. Cambridge IELTS 16 Test 1 Writing Task 1: Household Appliances Cambridge IELTS 16 · Test 1 · Task 1 · Mixed charts Two line graphs cover one country from 1920 to 2019. The first shows the percentage of households owning a washing machine, a refrigerator and a vacuum cleaner; the second shows the number of hours of housework (washing clothes, preparing meals and cleaning) done per household each week, at roughly twenty-year intervals. Cambridge IELTS 16 Test 1 Writing Task 2: History of Your House Cambridge IELTS 16 · Test 1 · Task 2 · Society · Two-part question The question says that in some countries more and more people want to find out about the history of the house or building they live in. Candidates must answer two questions: why this interest is growing, and how people can research the history of their home. Cambridge IELTS 16 Test 2 Writing Task 1: Sugar Cane Process Cambridge IELTS 16 · Test 2 · Task 1 · Process diagram The diagram shows how sugar is produced from sugar cane in seven numbered stages, from growing the cane, which takes 12 to 18 months, to drying and cooling the finished sugar. It combines an agricultural phase with a manufacturing phase that uses a crusher, a limestone filter, an evaporator and a centrifuge. Cambridge IELTS 16 Test 2 Writing Task 2: New Products in Adverts Cambridge IELTS 16 · Test 2 · Task 2 · Culture & lifestyle · Two-part question The question notes that businesses today usually stress in their advertising that their products are new in some way. Candidates must answer two questions: why companies do this, and whether this is a positive or negative development in their opinion. Cambridge IELTS 16 Test 3 Writing Task 1: Airport Redevelopment Cambridge IELTS 16 · Test 3 · Task 1 · Map / plan Two plans show Southwest Airport as it is now and as it will look after redevelopment next year. They compare the terminal building, divided into a departures side and an arrivals side, and the pier of gates, together with the facilities in each area. Cambridge IELTS 16 Test 3 Writing Task 2: Tax on Sugary Products Cambridge IELTS 16 · Test 3 · Task 2 · Government & law · Opinion (agree or disagree) The question states that many manufactured foods and drinks contain high levels of sugar, which causes many health problems, and suggests that sugary products should be made more expensive to encourage people to consume less sugar. Candidates must say whether they agree or disagree with raising prices in this way. Cambridge IELTS 16 Test 4 Writing Task 1: Recycling Bottles Cambridge IELTS 16 · Test 4 · Task 1 · Process diagram The diagram shows how plastic bottles are recycled in nine numbered stages, from being put into a recycling bin and collected by truck to being turned into raw material and made into new products. The process is a cycle, because the end products can be used and recycled again. Cambridge IELTS 16 Test 4 Writing Task 2: Driverless Vehicles Cambridge IELTS 16 · Test 4 · Task 2 · Technology · Advantages and disadvantages The question predicts that in the future all cars, buses and trucks will be driverless, so the only people inside will be passengers. Candidates must weigh the advantages and disadvantages of this and say whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Cambridge IELTS 15 Test 1 Writing Task 1: Coffee and Tea Chart Cambridge IELTS 15 · Test 1 · Task 1 · Bar chart The bar chart shows the results of a survey of coffee and tea habits in five Australian cities: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Hobart. For each city it gives the percentage of people who bought fresh coffee, bought instant coffee, or went to a cafe for coffee or tea in the previous four weeks. Cambridge IELTS 15 Test 1 Writing Task 2: Home Ownership Cambridge IELTS 15 · Test 1 · Task 2 · Society · Two-part question The question states that in some countries people consider owning a home, rather than renting one, to be very important. Candidates must answer two questions: why this might be the case, and whether they think this is a positive or negative situation. Cambridge IELTS 15 Test 2 Writing Task 1: Caribbean Tourists Cambridge IELTS 15 · Test 2 · Task 1 · Line graph The line graph shows the number of tourists who visited a Caribbean island each year from 2010 to 2017, in millions. It separates visitors staying on cruise ships from visitors staying on the island and also gives the total. Cambridge IELTS 15 Test 2 Writing Task 2: The Future of Print Cambridge IELTS 15 · Test 2 · Task 2 · Technology · Opinion (agree or disagree) The statement claims that in the future nobody will buy printed books or newspapers, because people will be able to read everything they want online for free. Candidates must say to what extent they agree or disagree with this prediction. Cambridge IELTS 15 Test 3 Writing Task 1: Instant Noodles Process Cambridge IELTS 15 · Test 3 · Task 1 · Process diagram The diagram shows how instant noodles are manufactured in a factory in eight numbered stages. The process begins with flour being delivered and stored in silos and ends with cups of noodles being labelled and sealed. Cambridge IELTS 15 Test 3 Writing Task 2: Advertising Views Cambridge IELTS 15 · Test 3 · Task 2 · Culture & lifestyle · Discuss both views The question presents two views about advertising: that it is extremely successful at persuading people to buy things, and that it is now so common that people no longer pay attention to it. Candidates must discuss both views and give their own opinion. Cambridge IELTS 15 Test 4 Writing Task 1: Anthropology Graduates Cambridge IELTS 15 · Test 4 · Task 1 · Mixed charts The pie chart shows what Anthropology graduates from one university did after finishing their undergraduate degree, in percentages. The table shows the salaries of graduates working as anthropologists after five years, broken down into freelance consultants, the government sector and private companies, across four salary bands from $25,000 to over $100,000. Cambridge IELTS 15 Test 4 Writing Task 2: Achieve Anything Cambridge IELTS 15 · Test 4 · Task 2 · Culture & lifestyle · Advantages and disadvantages The question says that in some cultures children are often told that they can achieve anything if they try hard enough. Candidates must discuss the advantages and disadvantages of giving children this message. Cambridge IELTS 14 Test 1 Writing Task 1: Nutrients in US Meals Cambridge IELTS 14 · Test 1 · Task 1 · Pie chart Three pie charts show the average percentages of sodium, saturated fat and added sugar that people in the USA consume at breakfast, lunch, dinner and in snacks. Each chart divides 100% of one nutrient between the four eating occasions, so the figures are shares of intake, not amounts. Cambridge IELTS 14 Test 1 Writing Task 2: Bad Situations Cambridge IELTS 14 · Test 1 · Task 2 · Society · Discuss both views The question presents two views on how people should respond to a bad situation, such as an unsatisfactory job or a shortage of money: some believe it is best to accept it, while others argue it is better to try to improve it. Candidates must discuss both views and give their own opinion. Cambridge IELTS 14 Test 2 Writing Task 1: Export Earnings Cambridge IELTS 14 · Test 2 · Task 1 · Mixed charts The bar chart shows the value of one country's exports in five product categories in 2015 and 2016, measured in billions of US dollars. The table gives the percentage change in the value of each category between 2015 and 2016. Cambridge IELTS 14 Test 2 Writing Task 2: Loss of Species Cambridge IELTS 14 · Test 2 · Task 2 · Environment · Discuss both views The question presents two views: some people say the loss of particular species of plants and animals is the main environmental problem of our time, while others say there are more important environmental problems. Candidates must discuss both views and give their own opinion. Cambridge IELTS 14 Test 3 Writing Task 1: Hydroelectric Power Cambridge IELTS 14 · Test 3 · Task 1 · Process diagram The diagram shows how a hydroelectric power station generates electricity. It contrasts how the system works during the day, when water flows downhill to drive the turbines, and at night, when the same turbines pump water back up to a high-level reservoir. Cambridge IELTS 14 Test 3 Writing Task 2: Music and Unity Cambridge IELTS 14 · Test 3 · Task 2 · Culture & lifestyle · Opinion (agree or disagree) The question states that music is a good way of bringing people of different cultures and ages together. Candidates must say to what extent they agree or disagree with this opinion and support their position with reasons and examples. Cambridge IELTS 14 Test 4 Writing Task 1: Grange Park Plans Cambridge IELTS 14 · Test 4 · Task 1 · Map / plan The two plans show Grange Park, which lies between Arnold Avenue to the north and Eldon Street to the south, when it first opened in 1920 and as it is today. Candidates must describe and compare the main changes to the park's layout and facilities. Cambridge IELTS 14 Test 4 Writing Task 2: Self-Employment Cambridge IELTS 14 · Test 4 · Task 2 · Society · Two-part question The question notes that many people now choose to be self-employed rather than work for a company or organisation. Candidates must answer two questions: why this might be the case, and what the disadvantages of being self-employed could be. Cambridge IELTS 13 Test 1 Writing Task 1: Hospital Road Maps Cambridge IELTS 13 · Test 1 · Task 1 · Map / plan The two maps show road access to a city hospital in 2007 and in 2010. They show the Ring Road around the hospital, Hospital Road linking it to City Road, and the changes made to bus services, parking and junctions over the three-year period. Cambridge IELTS 13 Test 1 Writing Task 2: Foreign Language Cambridge IELTS 13 · Test 1 · Task 2 · Society · Opinion (agree or disagree) The statement claims that living in a country where you have to speak a foreign language can cause serious social problems as well as practical ones. Candidates must say to what extent they agree or disagree and support their view with reasons and examples. Cambridge IELTS 13 Test 2 Writing Task 1: Owning vs Renting Cambridge IELTS 13 · Test 2 · Task 1 · Bar chart The bar chart shows the percentage of households in England and Wales living in owned accommodation and in rented accommodation at nine points between 1918 and 2011. Figures are given as a percentage of all households. Cambridge IELTS 13 Test 2 Writing Task 2: Too Many Choices Cambridge IELTS 13 · Test 2 · Task 2 · Culture & lifestyle · Opinion (agree or disagree) The question presents the belief that people today have too many choices. Candidates must say to what extent they agree or disagree with this view and support their position with reasons and examples. Cambridge IELTS 13 Test 3 Writing Task 1: Electricity Bar Chart Cambridge IELTS 13 · Test 3 · Task 1 · Bar chart The bar chart shows how much electricity the ten leading countries produced and consumed in 2014. Figures are given in billion kilowatt hours (kWh), and the countries are ranked from China in first place to the Republic of Korea in tenth. Cambridge IELTS 13 Test 3 Writing Task 2: History vs Science Cambridge IELTS 13 · Test 3 · Task 2 · Education · Discuss both views The question presents two views: that History is one of the most important school subjects, and that in today's world subjects like Science and Technology matter more. Candidates must discuss both views and give their own opinion. Cambridge IELTS 13 Test 4 Writing Task 1: Sports Centre Plans Cambridge IELTS 13 · Test 4 · Task 1 · Map / plan The two plans show the layout of a university sports centre at present and how it will look after a planned redevelopment. The second plan is a future proposal, so the changes must be described with future forms. Cambridge IELTS 13 Test 4 Writing Task 2: World Hunger Cambridge IELTS 13 · Test 4 · Task 2 · Society · Problem and solution The question states that, despite advances in agriculture, many people around the world still go hungry. Candidates must explain why this is the case and suggest what can be done to solve the problem. Cambridge IELTS 12 Test 1 Writing Task 1: Physical Activity Chart Cambridge IELTS 12 · Test 1 · Task 1 · Bar chart The bar chart compares the percentage of Australian men and women who did regular physical activity in 2010, across six age groups from 15 to 24 up to 65 and over. All figures are percentages of each sex within each age group, and there is only one year, so the task is about comparisons rather than change over time. Cambridge IELTS 12 Test 1 Writing Task 2: Sharing Information Cambridge IELTS 12 · Test 1 · Task 2 · Technology · Discuss both views The question presents two views: that as much information as possible should be shared in scientific research, business and the academic world, and that some information is too important or valuable to be shared freely. Candidates must discuss both views and give their own opinion. Cambridge IELTS 12 Test 2 Writing Task 1: Islip Town Centre Maps Cambridge IELTS 12 · Test 2 · Task 1 · Map / plan The two maps show the centre of a small town called Islip as it is now and as it will look after a planned redevelopment. Because the second map shows plans, the changes must be described with future or passive forms such as will be built or is to be replaced. Cambridge IELTS 12 Test 2 Writing Task 2: Young Population Cambridge IELTS 12 · Test 2 · Task 2 · Society · Advantages and disadvantages The question describes countries whose populations contain a relatively large number of young adults compared with older people. Candidates must decide whether the advantages of this situation outweigh the disadvantages and support their answer with reasons and examples. Cambridge IELTS 12 Test 3 Writing Task 1: US Fast Food Bar Chart Cambridge IELTS 12 · Test 3 · Task 1 · Bar chart The bar chart shows how frequently people in the USA ate at fast food restaurants in 2003, 2006 and 2013. Respondents are divided into six frequency categories, from every day to never, and the figures are percentages of people in each year. Cambridge IELTS 12 Test 3 Writing Task 2: High-Speed Rail Cambridge IELTS 12 · Test 3 · Task 2 · Society · Discuss both views The question presents two views on transport spending: that large sums should be spent on new railway lines for very fast trains between cities, and that the money should instead be used to improve existing public transport. Candidates must discuss both views and give their own opinion. Cambridge IELTS 12 Test 4 Writing Task 1: Geothermal Power Plant Cambridge IELTS 12 · Test 4 · Task 1 · Process diagram The diagram shows how a geothermal power plant uses heat from underground hot rocks to generate electricity. It is a man-made process with five numbered stages, from cold water being pumped 4.5 km underground to electricity being produced by a generator and carried away by pylons. Cambridge IELTS 12 Test 4 Writing Task 2: Children's Choices Cambridge IELTS 12 · Test 4 · Task 2 · Society · Discuss both views The question presents two views: that letting children make their own choices about everyday matters such as food, clothes and entertainment will create a society of self-centred individuals, and that it is important for children to make decisions about matters that affect them. Candidates must discuss both views and give their own opinion. Cambridge IELTS 11 Test 1 Writing Task 1: Water Use Pie Charts Cambridge IELTS 11 · Test 1 · Task 1 · Pie chart The six pie charts show the percentage of water used for industrial, agricultural and domestic purposes in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Central Asia and South East Asia. All figures are percentages of each region's total water use, and no time period is given, so the comparison is between regions rather than over time. Cambridge IELTS 11 Test 1 Writing Task 2: Railways vs Roads Cambridge IELTS 11 · Test 1 · Task 2 · Government & law · Opinion (agree or disagree) The statement claims that governments should spend money on railways rather than roads. Candidates must say to what extent they agree or disagree with this view on transport spending and support their position with reasons and examples. Cambridge IELTS 11 Test 2 Writing Task 1: Languages Pie Charts Cambridge IELTS 11 · Test 2 · Task 1 · Pie chart The two pie charts show the proportions of British students at one university in England who could speak languages other than English in 2000 and 2010. Students are divided into six groups: no other language, French only, German only, Spanish only, another language, and two other languages, with all figures given as percentages. Cambridge IELTS 11 Test 2 Writing Task 2: Recycling Laws Cambridge IELTS 11 · Test 2 · Task 2 · Environment · Opinion (agree or disagree) Some people claim that too little household waste is recycled and that making recycling a legal requirement is the only way to increase it. Candidates must say to what extent they think laws are needed to make people recycle more of their waste. Cambridge IELTS 11 Test 3 Writing Task 1: CO2 Emissions Graph Cambridge IELTS 11 · Test 3 · Task 1 · Line graph The line graph shows average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per person in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal between 1967 and 2007. Emissions are measured in metric tonnes and given at ten-year intervals. Cambridge IELTS 11 Test 3 Writing Task 2: Learning Languages Cambridge IELTS 11 · Test 3 · Task 2 · Education · Discuss both views Some people say the only reason to learn a foreign language is to travel to or work in another country, while others believe there are other reasons too. Candidates must discuss both views and give their own opinion. Cambridge IELTS 11 Test 4 Writing Task 1: Museum Table and Pies Cambridge IELTS 11 · Test 4 · Task 1 · Mixed charts The table shows the total number of visitors to Ashdown Museum in the year before and the year after it was refurbished. Two pie charts show the results of visitor satisfaction surveys in the same two years, divided into very satisfied, satisfied, dissatisfied, very dissatisfied and no response, with figures given as percentages. Cambridge IELTS 11 Test 4 Writing Task 2: Economic Progress Cambridge IELTS 11 · Test 4 · Task 2 · Government & law · Discuss both views Many governments believe economic progress is their most important goal, while some people think other types of progress are equally important for a country. Candidates must discuss both views and give their own opinion. Cambridge IELTS 10 Test 1 Writing Task 1: Household Energy Use Cambridge IELTS 10 · Test 1 · Task 1 · Pie chart The two pie charts show how energy is used in an average Australian household and the greenhouse gas emissions that result from each type of use. Both charts divide the total into six categories (heating, water heating, other appliances, refrigeration, lighting and cooling) and give each as a percentage; no year is shown. Cambridge IELTS 10 Test 1 Writing Task 2: Punishing Children Cambridge IELTS 10 · Test 1 · Task 2 · Society · Opinion (agree or disagree) The question states that children should learn the difference between right and wrong at an early age and that punishment is necessary to help them do so. Candidates must say to what extent they agree or disagree, and also answer a second question: what kinds of punishment parents and teachers should be allowed to use to teach good behaviour. Cambridge IELTS 10 Test 2 Writing Task 1: Fairtrade Sales Tables Cambridge IELTS 10 · Test 2 · Task 1 · Table The two tables show sales of Fairtrade-labelled coffee and bananas in the UK, Switzerland, Denmark, Belgium and Sweden in 1999 and 2004. All figures are in millions of euros, and a note explains that Fairtrade products are those for which farmers in developing countries have been paid an officially agreed fair price. Cambridge IELTS 10 Test 2 Writing Task 2: University Subjects Cambridge IELTS 10 · Test 2 · Task 2 · Education · Discuss both views The question presents two views about university education: that students should be free to study whatever they like, and that they should only be allowed to study subjects that will be useful in the future, such as science and technology. Candidates must discuss both views and give their own opinion. Cambridge IELTS 10 Test 3 Writing Task 1: UK Graduates Bar Charts Cambridge IELTS 10 · Test 3 · Task 1 · Bar chart The two bar charts show what UK graduates and postgraduates who did not go into full-time work did after leaving college in 2008. Each chart gives the number of students in four destinations: part-time work, voluntary work, further study and unemployment. The graduate chart has a scale up to 30,000, while the postgraduate chart goes up to only 3,000. Cambridge IELTS 10 Test 3 Writing Task 2: Global Products Cambridge IELTS 10 · Test 3 · Task 2 · Culture & lifestyle · Opinion (agree or disagree) The question states that countries are becoming more and more similar because people can buy the same products anywhere in the world. Candidates must decide whether this is a positive or a negative development and support their view with reasons and examples. Cambridge IELTS 10 Test 4 Writing Task 1: Salmon Life Cycle Cambridge IELTS 10 · Test 4 · Task 1 · Process diagram The diagram shows the life cycle of the salmon, a species of large fish, as a circular process with three habitats: the slow-moving upper river, the fast-flowing lower river and the open sea. It gives the approximate time spent in each place and the size of the fish at three stages: fry (3-8cm), smolt (12-15cm) and adult salmon (70-76cm). Cambridge IELTS 10 Test 4 Writing Task 2: Museum Admission Fees Cambridge IELTS 10 · Test 4 · Task 2 · Culture & lifestyle · Advantages and disadvantages The question notes that many museums charge for admission while others are free. Candidates must decide whether the advantages of charging people to enter museums outweigh the disadvantages, and support their answer with reasons and examples. Exam questions © Cambridge University Press & Assessment, reproduced for study and commentary. 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