Population Pyramid · Spain 1990 vs 2020
A complete IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 question with a model answer of 208 words, plus a breakdown of the sentence structures, cohesive devices and vocabulary that answer uses. Write your own version first, then compare.
Written by Manish Sharma · CELTA and DELTA qualified · 8 years teaching IELTS
Score my answer to this questionThe question
You have 20 minutes. Write at least 150 words.
The population pyramid below shows the age distribution of the population of Spain in 1990 and 2020, broken down by age group and gender. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words. [Chart Data — share of total population, percent] Age group | 1990 Male | 1990 Female | 2020 Male | 2020 Female 0–14 | 11.0 | 10.6 | 7.6 | 7.2 15–29 | 12.9 | 12.6 | 8.0 | 7.7 30–44 | 9.5 | 9.6 | 11.4 | 11.0 45–59 | 7.8 | 8.3 | 10.7 | 10.9 60–74 | 5.4 | 6.6 | 7.8 | 8.7 75+ | 2.4 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 5.0
How to approach it
- 01Use percentage points or proportions rather than copying every cell of the table
- 02Group ages into 'young', 'working-age', and 'older' rather than listing each bracket
- 03Highlight the gender imbalance in older age groups in both years
- 04Use comparative phrases like 'almost double', 'fell from X to Y'
- 05Include an overview paragraph identifying the ageing trend
- 06Reference the underlying demographic forces (falling birth rates, longer life expectancy) only briefly
Model answer
208 words in 5 paragraphs. Read it after you have written your own, not before: the point of a model answer is to show you what you missed, and you cannot miss anything you have not attempted.
The population pyramid compares the age and gender distribution of Spain's population in 1990 and 2020, with each figure expressed as a percentage of the total population.
Overall, Spain's population has clearly aged over the three decades, with the younger age groups shrinking considerably and the proportion of middle-aged and elderly residents growing. Women continued to outnumber men in the older brackets in both years.
In 1990, the country had a relatively youthful structure. Children aged 0–14 made up around 21.6 percent of the population, and 15- to 29-year-olds accounted for a further 25.5 percent. Together, these two groups represented almost half of all Spaniards. The figures for older groups were notably smaller, with those over 75 forming barely 5.7 percent of the population.
By 2020, this picture had shifted markedly. The share of children fell to roughly 14.8 percent, and young adults dropped to 15.7 percent. In contrast, those aged 30–59 expanded to around 44 percent of the population, while the proportion of people aged 60 and above rose to about 25.5 percent. The 75-plus group nearly doubled, from 5.7 to 9 percent.
The shift reflects a typical pattern in mature European economies: falling birth rates and rising life expectancy producing a steadily older society.
What this answer actually does
Measured from the text above, and compared against the other 38 answers of the same type in this library. These are counts, not band scores: they describe what the writing does, which is the part you can copy.
0.5 more than the median answer for this task type
7 words at the shortest, 28 at the longest
2 fewer than the median answer for this task type
carry a subordinate or relative clause
Sentence rhythm
Sentences average 17.3 words and vary by 7.3 words either side of that, running from 7 words to 28. Variation is the point. Grammatical Range and Accuracy rewards a mix of simple and complex sentences, and an answer where every sentence is the same length reads as flat no matter how correct it is. 1 of the 12 sentences here carry a subordinate or relative clause.
The cohesive devices it uses
3 in total, spread across 2 different functions. Range matters more than count: an answer that opens every paragraph with a sequencer signals its structure but never signals a relationship between ideas, and Coherence and Cohesion is marked on both.
in contrast, while
overall
Vocabulary and repetition
Ignoring grammar words, 79 per cent of the content words in this answer are distinct, and 68 per cent appear exactly once. Lexical Resource is where repetition costs the most marks, and the usual cause is not a small vocabulary but reaching for the same noun every time the topic is named.
The longest run of words copied straight from the question is 4 words. Examiners discount wording lifted from the question, so a short run here is the right outcome: the answer restates the topic in its own words rather than borrowing the question's.
What you are marked on
All four criteria carry equal weight, and your Writing band is their average rounded to the nearest half band.
Task Achievement
Cover the key shifts across age groups and gender for both years, include an overview, and make meaningful comparisons.
Coherence & Cohesion
Organise the response by age cluster or by year with clear paragraphs and linking devices.
Lexical Resource
Use a range of demographic vocabulary and proportional language with accurate collocations.
Grammar
Demonstrate accurate use of past tenses, comparatives, and complex sentences contrasting the two years.
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Paste your own attempt at this question and get a band for each criterion, with the exact sentences costing you marks.
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