Writing

Task 1 — Table

Group and compare values in a table.

FREQUENCY · CAMBRIDGE 10–20 (RECENT 17–20 HIGHLIGHTED)

1 total appearances · 0 in books 17–20.

TIME BUDGET

20 min for Task 1: 3 min plan, 14 min write, 3 min check

Example — what it looks like

TRY IT

Tables hide their answer in selection — you must group, not list.

Table excerpt: 2020 internet users (% of population): Iceland 99, Sweden 98, France 89, India 50, Nigeria 35.

Which sentence groups the data well?

A — 'Iceland was 99%, Sweden was 98%, France was 89%, India was 50% and Nigeria was 35%.'B — 'High-income European nations dominated, with Iceland and Sweden both above 98%, while emerging economies such as India and Nigeria trailed at 50% and 35% respectively.'C — 'The table is about internet.'D — 'Some countries had a lot of internet.'

Tactics

Tables are dense, so selection is crucial. Use 4 paragraphs: Introduction, Overview, Body 1, Body 2. Opening templates: 'The table presents data on...' / 'The table compares figures for [X] across [categories] in [time frame].' Read both rows and columns carefully and identify what each represents. Highlight (mentally or on the question paper) the highest and lowest values in each row/column and any clear patterns.

The overview should NOT list numbers; instead capture 2 main features such as 'the country with the highest figure overall,' 'the category that consistently dominated,' or 'the most striking change between years.' Template: 'Overall, [X] recorded the highest figures across all categories, while [Y] showed the most significant growth.' Group data by row (e.g., per country) or by column (per category)—choose whichever makes comparison clearer. Body 1 typically handles the largest/most prominent group, Body 2 the contrasting or secondary group. Use a mix of comparative structures: 'X was significantly higher than Y,' 'twice as many as,' 'a third less than,' 'the figure for X exceeded that of Y by 20 units.' Approximation language: 'just over,' 'almost,' 'slightly more than,' 'roughly equivalent to.' Sequence transitions: 'In terms of [category]...,' 'With regard to [country]...,' 'Turning to...,' 'In contrast.' Cite specific figures only for the most important comparisons—do not regurgitate the table. When describing a table tracking change over time, integrate trend vocabulary (rose, declined, remained stable) along with raw numbers.

Always include units (%, kg, million USD). Verify tenses against the time frame—past simple for historical, present for general/current statements. Avoid the temptation to mention every cell; aim for 170–190 words with strategic data selection. No conclusion required.

How it's scored

Task Achievement: examiner expects strategic selection of key data rather than exhaustive listing, an overview without numbers, and accurate figures where cited. Failing to identify the most significant features lowers Task Achievement. Coherence & Cohesion: clear grouping (by row or column) and consistent organization across body paragraphs. Linking words must signal comparisons ('whereas,' 'in contrast,' 'similarly'). Lexical Resource: comparative and superlative vocabulary, proportion phrases, and topic-specific terms (figures, totals, rankings) demonstrate range. Grammatical Range & Accuracy: accurate comparatives ('higher than,' 'as high as'), correct prepositions for figures, and varied sentence forms (relative clauses, complex sentences) are rewarded.