Writing Task 1 You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The pie charts below show the share of Oscar winners by film genre for 2003 and 2008. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. 2003: Thriller 45%, Documentary 8%, Romance 6%, Science Fiction 7%, Action 17%, Comedy 5%, Horror 12% 2008: Thriller 35%, Documentary 10%, Romance 7%, Science Fiction 12%, Action 25%, Comedy 5%, Horror 6%
Sample Essay with Corrections
Expert Feedback
The essay effectively summarizes the main features of the pie charts and makes relevant comparisons between the years 2003 and 2008, which is a key strength. The structure is generally clear, with an introduction, body paragraphs, and an overview. However, there were critical areas for improvement, including the need for clearer transitions and more varied vocabulary to avoid repetition. Structural changes included correcting grammatical errors, improving clarity, and enhancing cohesion with better linking phrases. Further improvements could involve incorporating more varied vocabulary and ensuring all data points are accurately represented, such as total percentages for each year. The tone used is appropriate for an academic task, maintaining a formal and informative style.
Detailed Scores
What this means:
The essay is generally coherent, with a logical progression of ideas. However, some sentences could be better linked to improve flow. For instance, using more cohesive devices like 'in contrast' or 'similarly' would enhance the connections between comparisons. Additionally, the phrase 'at same time' should be 'at the same time' for better clarity.
How to improve:
- Use a clear paragraph structure
- Connect ideas with appropriate linking words
- Maintain logical progression
- Use referencing effectively
What this means:
The writing demonstrates a reasonable range of grammatical structures, but there are several grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('the largest slice of Academy Award winners was Thrillers film' should be 'Thriller films') and awkward constructions ('it's percentage halving' should be 'its percentage halving'). These errors affect clarity and accuracy.
How to improve:
- Use complex sentence structures
- Maintain grammatical accuracy
- Use a variety of sentence patterns
- Check for common grammar errors
What this means:
The vocabulary used is appropriate for the task, but there are instances of repetition (e.g., 'share' and 'percentage'). More varied vocabulary could enhance the writing. Additionally, there are some spelling errors, such as 'infomation' instead of 'information' and 'Documentarys' instead of 'Documentaries', which detract from the overall quality.
How to improve:
- Use a wider range of vocabulary
- Demonstrate awareness of collocations
- Avoid word repetition
- Use more sophisticated vocabulary accurately
What this means:
The response summarizes the main features of the pie charts and makes relevant comparisons between the years 2003 and 2008. However, it could be improved by providing a clearer overview at the beginning and ensuring all data points are accurately represented. For example, mentioning the total percentages for each year would enhance clarity.
How to improve:
- Address all parts of the task fully
- Support ideas with specific examples
- Develop each point thoroughly
- Stay relevant to the topic
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