IELTS Writing Task 1 Pie Chart — Band 9 Sample Answer
A two-pie-chart task requires proportion language, an overview that captures both what stayed similar and what changed most, and body paragraphs that embed direct comparisons between the two charts. This page shows a full band 9 response with examiner commentary on every criterion.
What does a band 9 IELTS Task 1 pie chart answer look like?
A band 9 pie chart response covers all segments across both charts, organises description year by year, and embeds direct comparisons ('coal fell from 28% to just 10%, less than half its 2005 figure'). The overview identifies which segment dominated in both years and which changed most dramatically, stated without specific percentages. Proportion language is varied: exact percentages, fractions, and descriptive phrases all appear.
Quick Facts
- Task type
- Academic Writing Task 1
- Chart type
- Two pie charts (comparison)
- Word count
- 178 words
- Predicted band
- 9.0
The chart data
Task 1 Question
The two pie charts below show the distribution of household energy consumption by source in the United Kingdom in 2005 and 2022.
2005
| Gas | 35% |
| Electricity (coal) | 28% |
| Oil | 18% |
| Electricity (nuclear) | 12% |
| Renewables | 7% |
2022
| Gas | 32% |
| Electricity (renewables) | 26% |
| Electricity (coal) | 10% |
| Oil | 18% |
| Electricity (nuclear) | 14% |
Band 9 sample answer — 178 words
Band 9 Sample Answer — 178 words
The two pie charts compare the breakdown of household energy use by source in the UK for the years 2005 and 2022.
Overall, gas remained the dominant source in both years, accounting for roughly a third of household energy consumption across the period. The most significant change was the steep decline in coal-generated electricity and a corresponding rise in renewable energy, which grew from a minor share to become the second-largest source by 2022.
In 2005, gas represented 35% of household energy, followed by coal-generated electricity at 28% and oil at 18%. Nuclear electricity accounted for 12%, while renewables contributed a modest 7%.
By 2022, gas had declined slightly to 32%, retaining its position as the leading source. Renewable electricity, however, surged to 26%, making it the second most significant contributor. Coal, by contrast, fell sharply to just 10%, less than half its 2005 figure. Oil remained unchanged at 18%, while nuclear energy's share increased marginally to 14%.
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Why this answer scores band 9 — examiner breakdown
TA
Task Achievement
- +Overview identifies: gas dominant in both years; most significant change is coal's decline and renewables' rise — accurately summarises the key shift without data
- +All five sources covered in both time points — complete and accurate
- +Language reflects the pie chart format: 'accounted for', 'share', 'contributor' — not 'increased' without a frame of reference
C&C
Coherence & Cohesion
- +Logical organisation: introduction → overview → 2005 breakdown → 2022 breakdown, with direct comparisons made within the final paragraph
- +Time markers anchor each paragraph cleanly: 'In 2005', 'By 2022'
- +'By contrast' flags the coal reversal efficiently — the most important contrast in the data highlighted where it matters most
LR
Lexical Resource
- +Proportion language: 'accounting for roughly a third', 'a modest 7%', 'less than half its 2005 figure' — varied and precise
- +'Surge' for renewables and 'fell sharply' for coal accurately reflect the magnitude of the changes
- +'Minor share' → 'second-largest source' tracks a category's journey without repeating the percentages
GRA
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
- +Participial phrase: 'accounting for roughly a third of household energy consumption' — integrated efficiently
- +Concession: 'gas had declined slightly to 32%, retaining its position as the leading source' — complex structure
- +'Less than half its 2005 figure' uses a comparative noun phrase to embed comparison without repeating numbers
- +Error-free across 178 words
How to structure a band 9 pie chart answer
Introduction
Paraphrase the task — change 'show', 'distribution', 'energy consumption' to synonyms. State both years clearly.
“'The two pie charts compare the breakdown of household energy use by source in the UK for 2005 and 2022.'”
Overview (essential)
Identify: which source was dominant in both years, and what was the most significant change. For two pie charts, always note what stayed similar AND what changed most.
“Gas dominant in both; most striking: coal's steep decline and renewables' rise to second place.”
Body paragraph 1 — first time point
Describe the 2005 breakdown, starting with the largest segment. Move from largest to smallest to give logical structure.
“Gas 35% → coal 28% → oil 18% → nuclear 12% → renewables 7%.”
Body paragraph 2 — second time point with direct comparison
Describe 2022, but embed comparisons with 2005 for each key segment. Use 'by contrast', 'remained unchanged', 'had declined slightly' to link the two charts.
“'Coal, by contrast, fell sharply to just 10%, less than half its 2005 figure.'”
Vocabulary that lifts this answer to band 9
These phrases from the sample answer cover the core of IELTS pie chart vocabulary. Learn the proportion language especially — it is what separates band 7 from band 9 in this task type.
“accounting for roughly a third”
Fractions (a third, a quarter, half) are more natural than exact percentages in overview sentences
“surged to 26%”
'Surged' captures a dramatic rise — appropriate for renewables jumping from 7% to 26%
“fell sharply to just 10%”
'Just' emphasises how low the figure is — 'just 10%' feels smaller than '10%'
“less than half its 2005 figure”
Embeds a comparison without repeating 28% again — more elegant and shows lexical range
“remained unchanged at 18%”
Precise and concise for oil — does not waste words where no change occurred
“minor share”
Describes 7% without repeating the number — useful when the vocabulary needs to vary
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Frequently Asked Questions
For two pie charts, your overview should identify: (1) which segment was largest in both years, (2) which segment changed the most dramatically, and (3) whether the overall pattern shifted or remained similar. Avoid using specific percentages in the overview — save those for the body paragraphs. A well-written overview tells the reader the 'story' of the change before you explain it in detail.
Yes — unlike a bar chart where you might have many bars, pie chart tasks typically have 5–7 segments and you should cover all of them. However, you do not need to give equal weight to each. Group similar segments ('the two electricity sources combined accounted for 40%') and devote more space to the largest segments and the most significant changes.
Use a mix of: exact percentages ('35%'), fractions ('roughly a third', 'approximately a quarter'), and descriptive phrases ('the largest share', 'a minor proportion', 'the dominant source'). Vary between these across your response — never repeat the same format for every segment.
The most common high-scoring approach is year by year: describe 2005 in one paragraph and 2022 in another, embedding comparisons as you go. Segment-by-segment organisation (first gas across both years, then coal across both years) is also possible but harder to write fluently and risks mechanical repetition.
Use past tense for historical data ('gas accounted for 35% in 2005'). When comparing the two years within a sentence, the earlier year typically uses past perfect if you are writing from the perspective of the later year ('by 2022, renewables had grown from 7%'). Most Task 1 pie charts compare two past years, so past simple is the dominant tense.
Related Guides & Resources
IELTS Writing Checker
Paste your Task 1 answer and get a band score + examiner feedback on all 4 criteria in under 60 seconds.
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