9. IELTS Writing task 1. Percentage of women going into higher education.

The chart gives information on the percentage of women going into higher education in five countries for the years 1980 and 2015. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Model answer by Lifestyle Training Centre

The bar chart illustrates the percentage of female students who pursued higher education abroad in five countries—namely the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, South Korea, and France—during the years 1980 and 2015.

Overall, it is evident that the proportion of women studying overseas increased in all countries except Australia, which remained constant. South Korea consistently had the lowest share of female international students, whereas Australia and the USA recorded the highest figures by 2015.

In 1980, approximately 35% of female students chose to study in the UK, and around 38% did so in the USA. These figures rose markedly by 2015, reaching roughly 55% and 58%, respectively. Similarly, France experienced a moderate rise from 50% in 1980 to about 54% in 2015.

South Korea, despite having the lowest proportion in both years, saw a twofold increase—from just 15% in 1980 to 30% in 2015—indicating a growing interest in overseas education among Korean women. Notably, Australia remained the most consistent, with an identical percentage of 58% in both years, making it one of the top destinations for female international students throughout the period.

📘 Vocabulary List with Short Meanings

Word / Phrase	Meaning
Illustrates	Shows or explains something clearly
Pursued	Followed or engaged in (studies, career, etc.)
Higher education	Education after high school, such as university
Abroad	In or to a foreign country
Namely	Specifically; used to introduce exact items
Evident	Clear or obvious
Proportion	A part or percentage of a whole
Consistently	Happening regularly or in the same way over time
Share	The portion or percentage of something
Recorded	Noted or measured officially
Markedly	Clearly or noticeably
Moderate rise	A medium or limited increase
Notably	Especially or importantly
Twofold	Twice as much or double
Indicating	Showing or suggesting something
Growing interest	Increasing curiosity or enthusiasm
Overseas education	Studying in a foreign country
Identical	Exactly the same
Throughout the period	During the entire time span being discussed
Top destinations	Most popular or preferred places to go

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