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Secondary and Higher Education by Region in 2000

The first chart below shows the percentages of school-aged girls and boys who were at secondary school in four regions of the world in 2000. The second chart shows the percentages of college-aged men and women in higher education in the same year.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

2 sample answers, estimated Band 5.5–8.0. Your turn?

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From essays on this question

Key features: Secondary and Higher Education by Region in 2000

WhyThis is aBar chart — it asks you to compare the most important categories.

SoWe split the points intoOverview(the biggest differences or patterns)andKey features(figures and comparisons worth reporting).

Overview

3 points

Key features

7 points

Same question · Different responses

Sample responses and feedback

Response 01

Must fixSuggested

Answer · 228 words · 1 paragraph · 20 comments

Score details

Response 01
Estimated band5.5/ 9

Overall assessment

The response covers both charts and identifies the main regional contrast between Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa. It also recognises several gender patterns and gives some relevant figures. However, the overview is vague, the language repeatedly confuses regions or people with participation rates, and frequent agreement errors reduce precision. Europe’s male higher-education rate is reported as 55% rather than about 60%. The final under-25% statement needs clearer regional scope, although the preceding sentence suggests that Europe is excluded.

TA

Task Achievement

The response covers both charts and identifies the highest and lowest regions, but the overview remains vague and the middle regions lack supporting figures. Europe’s male higher-education rate is reported as 55% rather than about 60%; the final under-25% comparison also needs a clearer regional reference.

6.0
CC

Coherence and Cohesion

The response follows an introduction, overview and separate discussions of the two charts, with line breaks marking these stages. However, links between statements are often mechanical, and repeated general statements about high or low numbers add little development. The final sentence also leaves the scope of its percentage comparison unclear.

6.0
LR

Lexical Resource

Vocabulary conveys the main comparisons but is limited and repetitive, especially numbers, places, and high or low. Expressions such as “women is bigger” and “even lesser” are imprecise or unnatural for participation rates, while “Europe is the best” introduces an unsupported judgement about quality.

5.0
GRA

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

Sentence forms are mostly simple and errors are frequent, particularly persistent subject-verb agreement mistakes such as the charts is showing, both genders is, and boys is about 30%, though meaning generally remains understandable.

5.0

What to work on next

Check plural subjects and verb forms, then replace vague references to numbers or people with participation rates. Make the overview identify the regional extremes and gender pattern, and support the body comparisons with selected chart figures.

From essays on this question

Useful vocabulary: Secondary and Higher Education by Region in 2000

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Task 1 Academic question loaded.
Part 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. Write at least 150 words.

Words: 020:00 starts on first word