IELTSVegaIELTS Writing Task 1 · 2026
Table (multiple categories)
Raw figures across rows and columns. Tests your ability to select. Tables give more data than you should report.
How to answer
- 1Do NOT describe every cell: find the highest, lowest and any striking pattern.
- 2Group rows or columns that behave similarly.
- 3Round and compare rather than reading numbers aloud.
Plan (before you write)
Scan for the biggest and smallest figures overall and the clearest row/column trend.
Structure
- Intro: what the table records.
- Overview: the extremes and main pattern.
- Body 1: the leading figures.
- Body 2: the rest / comparisons.
Useful language
- the highest figure was recorded in/for; at the other end of the scale; broadly similar; a comparable figure
Common mistakes
- Cell-by-cell description with no selection.
- Forgetting the overview because 'there's too much data'.
Sample question & model answer
The table below shows the average monthly expenditure (in USD) on four items by households in three cities. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
The table compares average monthly household spending, in US dollars, on four categories, housing, food, transport and leisure, across three cities: Tokyo, Mumbai and Lagos. Overall, housing was the largest expense in every city, while spending was highest in Tokyo across almost all categories and lowest in Lagos. Households in Tokyo spent by far the most on housing, at around $1,800 per month, roughly three times the figure in Mumbai ($600) and over four times that in Lagos ($420). Food followed a similar pattern, with Tokyo residents spending about $700 against $300 and $250 in the other two cities. Transport and leisure accounted for smaller and more comparable sums. Notably, leisure was the one category where Mumbai ($150) slightly exceeded Lagos ($90), though both remained far below Tokyo's $400.
Why it scores
- Strong selection: extremes and patterns, not every cell.
- Ratios ('three times', 'four times') show comparison range.