Academic Task One: Making Comparisons

In the IELTS Writing Academic Task One, it is very important to use comparisons in your description.  This is particularly true when you are asked to describe a pie chart or a table.  You need to use more than the basic comparatives and superlatives.

Here are some examples for this pie chart.

• The percentage for action is similar to the percentage for sci-fi.
• The figure for romance is a little/slightly higher than that for action.
• Romance is the most popular type of film./Drama is the least popular type of film.
• The figure for drama is very different from that for romance.
• The percentage for drama is significantly lower than the percentage for romance.
• The figure for sci-fi is the same as the figure for comedy.
• The number of people liking action is much/far higher than those liking drama.
• The figure for comedy is four times that of drama. (double, three times etc.)
• There is little difference between the figures for comedy and action.
• Not nearly as many people like drama as like romance.

*Notice that you need to use some kind of 'quantity' word here, such as 'figure' or 'percentage'.  You cannot say 'Action is similar to sci-fi.'  You also need to repeat the quantity word in the second part of the sentence or use 'that/those'. 

• The figure for romance is a little higher than that for action.

There is also a page on making comparisons for the Speaking Test.

TASK

Look at the information below.  Make sentences comparing the four men using as many different expressions as you can.

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