IELTS Writing Task 1: overview, highest and lowest

Look again at the chart below, and think about what you would write in your 'overview' paragraph. Choose two main or general points.

Here's a tip:
I normally suggest that you look for something very general, like an overall trend, for the overview. However, if you're stuck, it's ok to choose the highest and lowest. In this case, I would choose the highest and lowest figures for recycling (i.e. Austria and Greece).

Here's a 2-sentence overview using the tip above:
It is noticeable that Austria is the most environmentally friendly country, in the sense that it recycles the largest percentage of waste. By contrast, Greece stands out as the country that recycles the least and puts the highest proportion of its waste into landfill.

Note:
I'll say a bit more about choosing the highest and lowest in Sunday's lesson.

Comments

[Jasbir]

Thanks for your ideas.

[Erika]

Dear Mr Simon

How to apply previous comments of sjm to this recycling bar chart?

To achieve a 7 in Task Achievement, the overview must be 'clear' and present 'the main trends'. Most overviews do not do this. Just naming the highest and lowest figures is not considered a level 7 overview.
The highest and lowest are key features, because you are isolating particular numbers and highlighting them. A 'trend' is a more general comment. You can usually identify a trend because it includes a whole time period, or groups categories together

[jk]

i agree with you @Erika trend is the most important to describe in this task.

[Simon]

Excellent comment Erika. I'll write another lesson to address your question this weekend.

[Tom]

Dear Simon,

I think the 2 main points are following:

1- we can see the most is pink area (nearly half of the chart)so landfill is the most popular to do waste management in EU. the highest percentage be long to Greece.
2-Recycled/composted are the green way to do with waste and the highest percentage be long to Australia.

[sujit]

It is prominent that among all others given countries Austria is the most environmentally friendly country, in a sense that it recycles the largest percentage of wage. By contrast, Greece stands out as the country that recyles the least and puts the higest proportion of its landfil into waste.

[sjm]

Erika

Yes, I wrote that, and it's a common problem.

I think Simon's overview generally avoids this issue, but I'll let him post about it before I comment further.

[Thang Bui]

Hi simon,
It is noticeable that Austria is the most environmentally friendly country.

Is it ok to say that when it seems to be too personal and the idea that the information environmentally friendly isn't said in the chart.