IELTS Writing Actual Test with Sample Answers in Sydney, Australia (December)

IELTS Writing often causes anxiety among candidates preparing for the exam. One of the best ways to overcome this is by familiarizing yourself with the actual IELTS writing actual test with sample answers. Practicing with real questions will not only help you understand the types of prompts and required response styles but also guide you through the IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 marking criteria and Task 2 evaluation criteria.

So, in this blog, we present updated IELTS Writing actual test questions like ‘bar chart shows active participation rates’ and ‘International travel has many advantages’ from recent exams, along with Band 8+ sample answers to guide you on how to structure your writing and impress the examiner. 

Academic IELTS Writing Task 1 - Bar Chart Shows Active Participation Rates

IELTS Writing Task 1 for the Academic type asks you to write 150-word paragraphs based on the given visuals, like bar graphs, line graphs, pie charts, process diagrams, etc. Below is the question for the bar chart that shows active participation rates with the sample answer, which you can use as a practice test.

Question for Bar Chart Shows Active Participation Rates

Band 8.0+ Sample Answer for IELTS Writing Task 1 - Bar Chart Shows Active Participation Rates

The given bar chart illustrates the percentage of Canadians actively participating in the ten most popular sports in 1998 and 2005. It is obvious that Golf and Ice hockey were the most common sports in Canada, and the participation rates of most sports declined during the period shown.

As can be seen from the graph, in 1998, Golf was the sport that had the highest participation rate with about 22%, followed by Ice hockey with approximately 18%. However, in 2005, these figures fell to just over 20% and about 17.5%, respectively. In 1998, the percentage of Canadians taking part in Baseball was 17%, which is the third biggest, but this rate dropped significantly by some 10% in 2005.

In addition, in 2005, the proportion of people frequently joining in Tennis, Cycling, Downhill/alpine skiing, Volleyball, Basketball was around 8%, and there were slight decreases of 1 to 2 % in the participation rates of these sports in 2005. Similarly, the figure for swimming also went down from 13% to just over 10%. Finally, soccer was the only sport that witnessed a slight increase from about 9% to 10%.

Academic IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic - International Travel Has Many Advantages

In IELTS Writing Task 2, the examiner will be giving you a topic, and it may be based on anything, you can give your opinion if they ask you to. First, you need to understand the topic given properly and write an essay of about 250 words. Below are the sample topics as well as the sample answers that you can use as an IELTS Writing practice test.

Question for International Travel Has Many Advantages

Band 8.0+ Sample Answer for IELTS Writing Task 2 - International Travel Has Many Advantages

Traveling abroad certainly exerts several positive influences on tourists as well as the host country. Although there are still drawbacks of international travel, I think its values are more significant.

On the one hand, the downsides of welcoming foreign visitors are varied. Regarding tourists themselves, travel expenses in famous tourist destinations, Venice for example, are expensive, and there are many complicated and tedious prerequisite procedures such as visa application or plane ticket reservation. As for the countries that play host to international tourists, the rise in costs of living may lay much pressure on local people and be a detriment to domestic travel. This is because the growth in the number of tourists from abroad would encourage the costs of hotel rooms and other services to increase. People in the neighborhood and domestic visitors would suffer in comparison.

On the other hand, I suppose the benefits of international travel would eclipse those analyzed disadvantages. First, travelers can have a number of fascinating experiences of exotic cuisine and culture, and they get to see places they have not seen before. A typical example of this is when tourists from other countries come to Vietnam, they would have the opportunity to use chopsticks, enjoy traditional meals and go sightseeing in the countryside. Second, the increased number of foreign people coming to visit another country would evidently enhance tourism industries, contributing greatly to the wealth of that country. If tourists enjoy their trips, they will recommend the destination to their friends or perhaps they will come back in the future.

In conclusion, it appears to me that the merits of international tourism are more notable than its drawbacks.

Band 7 Sample Answer for IELTS Writing Task 2 - International Travel Has Many Advantages

As international travel becomes cheaper, more and more people travel and more countries open their doors to increasing numbers of tourists. Some people are of the opinion that international travel does more harm than good whilst others are in favor of the opposite view. From my viewpoint, I prefer the latter opinion for the following reasons.

First and foremost, it is an undeniable fact that international travel goes hand in hand with economic growth since it not only creates millions of jobs but also elevates the tourist industry as well. The most prime example is most countries which have outstanding tourist attractions often has its economic status increased 10% in a few years in comparison with countries which don’t have ones since international travel brings about huge gross profit for travel agencies. Moreover, international travel recruits a huge amount of employees every year and often ensures a high income which results in a decrease in the unemployment rate. In other words, international travel has a great contribution to the economic growth in various aspects. Another reason why I advocate international tourism is that travelers can take advantage of it by acknowledging not only diverse cultures but potential business contracts as well. As a matter of fact, tourists have inevitably witnessed and later obtained general knowledge from history to customs by experiencing cultural cross in their visits. For example, in Japan, thumbing up stands for excellent performance whilst in Indonesia, it doesn’t. Moreover, international travel also aids businessmen to reach their full potentials. For instance, an adequate fishing trade circulation may catch the eye of a French businessman who is looking for one on his vacation in Japan. Therefore, it seems reasonable that travelers benefit a lot from international travel.

Some of my opponents claim that international travel has its shortcomings since it may have a negative influence not only on the environment but on society as well. This has some merits on the surface; however, it should be borne in mind that the government has taken strict international travel regulations into practice recently which leads to the fact that rarely can international tourists either violate the law or commit social vices. As a result, international travel has its advantages outweigh its disadvantages.

In conclusion, international travel stimulates economic development and benefits travelers in various ways. Therefore, the economy and travel experience cannot be upgraded unless international travel is encouraged to become a trend in the future.

To conclude, practicing with actual IELTS writing test questions and sample answers is one of the smartest ways to boost your confidence and performance in the exam. Understanding what the examiners expect, being aware of the common question patterns, and learning how to structure and express your ideas effectively can significantly improve your IELTS band score.

Keep in mind that high-scoring answers are not just about using fancy vocabulary but about writing with clarity, cohesion, and accuracy. So, take up the recent IELTS Writing topics with answers regularly, get feedback, and review band 8+ responses like the ones shared above to stay ahead in your IELTS journey.

Useful Links:

• 21+ Tips On How to Improve Your IELTS Writing Band Score
• Recent IELTS Writing Actual Test & Model Answers
• IELTS Writing Answer Sheet
• IELTS Writing Task 1 Connectors
• How to Improve Your Vocabulary Score in IELTS Writing and Speaking?
• How Your IELTS Writing Band Score is Calculated?