Sources of Electricity Generation in Two Countries · Pie Charts
A complete IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 question with a model answer of 218 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 two pie charts below show the sources of electricity generation in Denmark and Poland in 2024. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words. [Chart Data] Denmark: Wind: 48% Solar: 12% Bioenergy: 18% Natural Gas: 9% Coal: 4% Nuclear: 0% Other: 9% Poland: Coal: 56% Natural Gas: 11% Wind: 14% Solar: 8% Bioenergy: 5% Nuclear: 0% Other: 6%
How to approach it
- 01Paraphrase the chart description in the opening line without lifting wording directly
- 02Open with an overview that captures the renewable-vs-coal contrast AND the shared absence of nuclear
- 03Group similar categories (renewables vs fossil fuels) rather than listing every slice in order
- 04Use a range of comparison phrases: 'more than thirteen times', 'only around a quarter', 'a much smaller role'
- 05Include specific percentages to support each major claim
- 06Comment on what is shared as well as what is different — neither country uses nuclear
Model answer
218 words in 4 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 two pie charts compare the electricity generation mix of Denmark and Poland in 2024, broken down into seven source categories.
Overall, the energy profiles of the two countries are strikingly different. Denmark relied predominantly on renewable sources, with wind alone supplying almost half of its electricity, whereas Poland remained heavily dependent on coal. Neither country produced any nuclear power.
In Denmark, renewables collectively accounted for the vast majority of the mix. Wind led at 48 per cent — almost half of all generation — followed by bioenergy at 18 per cent and solar at 12 per cent. Fossil fuels played a much smaller role: natural gas contributed just 9 per cent and coal only 4 per cent, with a further 9 per cent coming from other sources.
Poland presented a markedly different picture. Coal dominated the mix at 56 per cent, more than thirteen times Denmark's coal share, while natural gas provided a further 11 per cent. Renewable sources together supplied only around a quarter of Polish electricity, with wind at 14 per cent, solar at 8 per cent, and bioenergy at just 5 per cent. The 'other' category accounted for the remaining 6 per cent. As a result, where Denmark's mix was dominated by clean sources, Poland's continued to be shaped by fossil fuel — and coal in particular.
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.
10.5 more than the median answer for this task type
6 words at the shortest, 30 at the longest
the same as the median answer for this task type
carry a subordinate or relative clause
Sentence rhythm
Sentences average 18.2 words and vary by 8.3 words either side of that, running from 6 words to 30. 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. 2 of the 12 sentences here carry a subordinate or relative clause.
The cohesive devices it uses
5 in total, spread across 4 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.
whereas, while
as a result
in particular
overall
Vocabulary and repetition
Ignoring grammar words, 64 per cent of the content words in this answer are distinct, and 47 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 5 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
Identify and compare the main features of both charts with a clear overview and meaningful comparison.
Coherence & Cohesion
Group sources by category with clear paragraphing and effective linking between the two countries.
Lexical Resource
Use varied vocabulary for proportions, energy sources, and comparison.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Use accurate comparative and superlative structures alongside passive constructions where helpful.
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