IELTS Writing Task 1 – Bar Chart: Contribution of Agriculture, Industry and Services to India’s GDP (1960–2000)

The bar chart details the constituent elements of India’s GDP divided into the agriculture, industry, and service sectors from 1960 to 2000. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that services became by far the dominant field over the time surveyed, overtaking agriculture, which declined considerably. Industry increased but displayed a far less extreme trend, ending the period above agriculture.

In 1960, agriculture represented the overwhelming majority of India’s total GDP at near 63%, noticeably higher than industry and services at around 18% each. Over the next two decades, agriculture declined by 10% each year to fall to 45% in 1980 while there were reciprocal rises for industry and services, with both reaching just under 30% by the same year.

From 1980, agriculture continued a consistent decline that terminated at 25% in 2000. The trends for the remaining sectors then diverged with industry plateauing and remaining relatively stable around 23%. In contrast, the contribution of services to overall GDP more than doubled with near 20% surges over the ensuing decades to finish at 63%, a figure identical to the data point for agriculture 40 years prior.

Analysis

1. The bar chart details the constituent elements of India’s GDP divided into the agriculture, industry, and service sectors from 1960 to 2000. 2. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that services became by far the dominant field over the time surveyed, overtaking agriculture, which declined considerably. 3. Industry increased but displayed a far less extreme trend, ending the period above agriculture.

1. Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
2. Write a clear overview summarising the differences and the overall trend.
3. This one is a little complex so it needs a second sentence for the overview.

1. In 1960, agriculture represented the overwhelming majority of India’s total GDP at near 63%, noticeably higher than industry and services at around 18% each. 2. Over the next two decades, agriculture declined by 10% each year to fall to 45% in 1980 while there were reciprocal rises for industry and services, with both reaching just under 30% by the same year.

1. Begin writing about the data for the first categories.
2. Compare between each sentence.

1. From 1980, agriculture continued a consistent decline that terminated at 25% in 2000. 2. The trends for the remaining sectors then diverged with industry plateauing and remaining relatively stable around 23%. 3. In contrast, the contribution of services to overall GDP more than doubled with near 20% surges over the ensuing decades to finish at 63%, a figure identical to the data point for agriculture 40 years prior.

1. Write about the final other parts of the graph – include everything!
2. The paragraphs should be about equal length.
3. Include all the data.