IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Housing Tenure Pie Charts

The question

How to approach this pie chart question

Pie charts show proportions of a whole. With two pies, the task is to describe how the shares changed or differ.

1. Say what the whole is and what the percentages measure.
2. Overview: the biggest share and the main shift between charts.
3. Compare the largest slices first, then the smallest.
4. Use fractions and percentages (just over a third, roughly 20%).

How to plan this answer

Structure

1. Overview: one sentence stating that owner-occupation fell and private renting doubled between 2005 and 2015.
2. Body 1: owner-occupied homes, both with a mortgage and outright, which together fell from 65 per cent to 50 per cent.
3. Body 2: private renting, which rose from 15 to 30 per cent and drew level with owners with a mortgage in 2015.
4. Body 3: social housing and other tenure, which fell and rose respectively, with the 2005 and 2015 figures for each.

Key features to spot

• Owner-occupied with a mortgage fell from 40 per cent in 2005 to 30 per cent in 2015, a drop of ten percentage points.
• Owner-occupied outright fell from 25 to 20 per cent, so combined owner-occupation dropped from 65 to 50 per cent.
• Private rented accommodation rose from 15 to 30 per cent, doubling its share.
• In 2015 private renting drew level with owners with a mortgage, both at 30 per cent, making it joint-largest.
• Social housing fell from 15 to 10 per cent, while the Other category doubled from 5 to 10 per cent.
• In 2005 private rented and social housing were tied at 15 per cent each, so the 2015 change is a clear shift towards renting.

Useful vocabulary

• owner-occupied: The owner-occupied share fell by fifteen points over the decade.
• to double: The private rented share doubled between 2005 and 2015.
• to draw level with: Private renting drew level with mortgage-holders at 30 per cent.
• a decline of: There was a decline of ten percentage points among mortgage-holders.
• a combined share of: Owner-occupiers held a combined share of 65 per cent in 2005.
• to make up: Owner-occupiers outright made up 20 per cent of homes in 2015.
• the largest category: Private renting became joint-largest category by 2015.
• a notable shift: The most notable shift was towards private renting.
• to account for: Social housing accounted for 10 per cent of tenures in 2015.
• to remain unchanged: The share of social housing remained unchanged at 15 per cent in 2005.

Common mistakes

• Describing the pies as numbers of homes, when the chart shows proportions of tenure.
• Merging the two owner-occupied categories without saying so, or leaving one out.
• Saying that private renting became 'the largest' category on its own, when it tied with mortgage-holders.
• Ignoring the Other category altogether, which doubled and should be mentioned briefly.
• Giving reasons for the shift, such as affordability, which the pies do not show.

Examiner tip: Use a combined-share comparison to show the shift from ownership to renting, quoting the figures from both pies and noting the tie in 2015.