Supermarket Food and Goods Purchases in European Countries

The charts below show the percentages of food and goods bought in supermarkets in European countries in 1998 and 2008.

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

From essays on this question

Key features: Supermarket Food and Goods Purchases in European Countries

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

2 points

Key features

6 points

Same question · Different responses

Sample responses and feedback

Response 01

Must fixSuggested

Answer · 159 words · 1 paragraph · 13 comments

Score details

Response 01
Estimated band6.0/ 9

Overall assessment

The response attempts a clear structure with an overview and comparisons across both years. Its main limitation is the interpretation of the charts: it describes income or expenditure instead of supermarket purchase shares, invents national identities, and misreports several figures. The overview also incorrectly says goods percentages are higher everywhere. Language errors sometimes distract, but generally do not prevent understanding; the observation that both categories increase in every country is valid.

TA

Task Achievement

An overview and comparisons are present, but the response invents country names, describes income or expenditure rather than supermarket purchase shares, and misreports key figures. Its claim that goods percentages are higher in every country in both years is also contradicted by the charts.

5.0
CC

Coherence and Cohesion

Information is arranged in a logical sequence with linking devices such as 'Overall', 'In contrast', and 'However', though progression within body paragraphs is somewhat mechanical.

6.0
LR

Lexical Resource

There is adequate lexical range for describing data, but inconsistent capitalisation, awkward phrases such as 'edibles items', and repeated wording show only adequate control of vocabulary.

6.0
GRA

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

Simple and complex structures generally communicate the comparisons clearly. Control is weakened by the missing preposition in “provide us information”, unnecessary capitals within sentences, and the incorrect modifier “edibles items”. Historical tense choices could also be more consistent.

6.0

What to work on next

State that the charts measure the shares of food and goods bought in supermarkets, use the numbered country labels, and check the overview comparisons and supporting figures against the bars.

From essays on this question

Useful vocabulary: Supermarket Food and Goods Purchases in European Countries

From essays on this question

Sentence patterns: Supermarket Food and Goods Purchases in European Countries

Practise this question

Write your response

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