3.5. Pie Charts & Combinations

Overview

Pie charts are one of the most common visual formats in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1. Unlike line graphs or bar charts, which typically show change over time, pie charts show proportions — how a whole is divided into parts. This lesson covers the language you need to describe those proportions accurately, how to handle single and multiple pie charts, and how to approach combination charts (where two different visual types appear together).

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Section 1: What Pie Charts Show

A pie chart represents a total (100%) divided into segments. Each segment shows the proportion or percentage that a particular category contributes to the whole.

Key characteristics

<!-- [DIAGRAM: A simple pie chart divided into segments of different sizes. Each segment is labelled with a category name and a percentage. All percentages add up to 100%. A note below reads: "Every pie chart = 100% of something. Your job is to describe how that 100% is divided."] -->

Common mistake: Treating a pie chart like a bar chart and writing about "increases" and "decreases." A single pie chart has no time dimension — there is nothing increasing or decreasing. Describe the proportions as they are.

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Section 2: Language for Describing Proportions

The single biggest challenge with pie charts is variety. You need multiple ways to express the same idea — that one category is bigger or smaller than another. The tables below give you everything you need.

2.1 Verbs for Proportions

These verbs all mean roughly the same thing: "X was [some percentage] of the total." Using different ones throughout your response shows lexical range.

Grammar note: All of these verbs are followed directly by a number, fraction, or noun phrase — not by "of" in the passive. Write "Europeans accounted for 62%" — not "62% was accounted for by Europeans" (which is technically correct but awkward and wordy).

2.2 Describing Relative Size

2.3 Making Comparisons

2.4 Using Fractions

Fractions are essential for pie chart descriptions. They add variety and show the examiner you can paraphrase percentages in different ways.

Tip: Pair fractions with hedging words like "nearly," "just under," "approximately," "roughly," and "close to." These signal that you are approximating, which is appropriate when the exact percentage doesn't divide neatly into a fraction. Writing "exactly two thirds" when the figure is 62% would be inaccurate; writing "nearly two thirds" is both accurate and natural.

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Section 3: Worked Example — Immigrant Labour Force in Australia (1991)

The Data

<!-- [PIE CHART: Title: "Immigrant labour force in Australia by region/country of birth, 1991." Segments: Europe 62%, Asia 17%, New Zealand 9%, North Africa & Middle East 4%, Americas 3%, Other 5%. The European segment dominates, taking up roughly two thirds of the chart. Asia is the second largest. The remaining segments are small.] -->

Gap-Fill Exercise

Read the sample description below. Each numbered gap has been removed. Fill in the correct word or phrase, then check your answers.

The chart shows the different nationalities that made up the immigrant work force in Australia in [1: ______]. It is clear that there were [2: ______] main groups: Europeans, Asians and New Zealanders. Only a relatively small number of workers were from other regions.

The [3: ______] of foreign workers came from Europe. In fact, nearly [4: ______] of all immigrant workers were of European origin. The [5: ______] group were Asians. They represented just under [6: ______] of the immigrant labour force. New Zealanders, who made up almost [7: ______] of the foreign workforce, were [8: ______] group.

The number of workers from other nationalities was much [9: ______]. Workers from North Africa and the Middle East, for example, were only [10: ______] per cent of the whole foreign labour force. The [11: ______] nationality group were Americans, representing only [12: ______] per cent.

<details> <summary><strong>Answers</strong></summary> </details>

Analysis: What Makes This a Good Description?

Read the completed description again and notice these techniques:

Structure used in this example:

• Paragraph 1 (Overview): What the chart shows + the main pattern (three/four dominant groups, others small)
• Paragraph 2 (Detail — large groups): Europe, Asia, New Zealand — described from largest to smallest
• Paragraph 3 (Detail — small groups): North Africa/Middle East, Americas — the remaining smaller categories

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Section 4: Static vs Dynamic Pie Charts

Not all pie chart questions are the same. The critical distinction is between static (one chart) and dynamic (two or more charts showing different time periods).

Single Pie Chart = Static

A single pie chart captures one moment in time. There is no "before and after," no trend, and no change.

Tense: Use the past simple if the data is from the past (which it almost always is).

Multiple Pie Charts = Dynamic

When a question presents two or more pie charts showing the same categories at different points in time, it becomes a dynamic task. Now you can — and should — describe changes between the time periods.

Example: Two pie charts showing household energy use in 2000 and 2020.

Tenses:

Strategy for two pie charts:

1. Overview: State the most significant change(s) between the two periods.
2. Detail paragraph 1: Describe the first chart OR describe the categories that increased.
3. Detail paragraph 2: Describe the second chart OR describe the categories that decreased.
4. Cross-reference: Always compare the two charts — do not describe them in complete isolation.

"Percentage points" vs "percent": If heating was 45% in 2000 and 35% in 2020, it fell by 10 percentage points (not "10%"). A 10% decrease of 45% would be 40.5%. This distinction matters for accuracy.

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Section 5: Combination Charts

What Are Combination Charts?

Some IELTS Task 1 questions present two different types of visual together. Common combinations include:

Strategy for Combination Charts

The key challenge is deciding how to organise your response when there are two visuals.

Recommended structure:

Paragraph 1 (Overview):
  Summarise the main patterns across BOTH visuals.
  What are the most striking features? What do they have in common?

Paragraph 2 (Detail — Visual 1):
  Describe the key data from the first visual.
  Use specific figures.

Paragraph 3 (Detail — Visual 2):
  Describe the key data from the second visual.
  Cross-reference with Visual 1 where relevant.

Cross-Referencing: The Key to a High Score

The examiner wants to see that you can connect the two visuals, not just describe them separately. Look for:

Common mistake with combination charts: Describing Visual 1 completely, then describing Visual 2 completely, with no connection between them. This produces two mini-essays rather than one coherent response. Always link the visuals in at least one or two sentences.

Useful Linking Phrases for Combination Charts

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Section 6: Practice

Practice Task: Write a Complete Pie Chart Response

Task: The pie chart below shows the main reasons why agricultural land becomes less productive. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

<!-- [PIE CHART: Title: "Causes of worldwide land degradation." Segments: Over-grazing 35%, Deforestation 30%, Over-cultivation 28%, Other 7%. The three main causes are roughly similar in size, together accounting for 93% of all land degradation.] -->

Before you write, plan:

1. What is the overview? (What are the main patterns?)
2. How will you organise the details? (Largest to smallest? Grouped by similarity?)
3. What proportion language will you use? (Mix percentages, fractions, and comparison phrases.)

Aim for 150-180 words. Spend no more than 20 minutes.

<details> <summary><strong>Sample response</strong></summary>

The pie chart illustrates the primary causes of land degradation worldwide.

Overall, it is clear that there were three main causes of land becoming less productive, each responsible for roughly a third of the total. Together, these three factors accounted for the vast majority of all degradation, while other causes played a minor role.

Over-grazing was the single largest cause, making up 35% of all land degradation. Deforestation was almost as significant, representing 30% — just under a third. Over-cultivation constituted a further 28%, meaning it was only slightly less damaging than deforestation. Notably, all three main causes were closely grouped, with only 7 percentage points separating the largest from the smallest of the three.

The remaining 7% of land degradation was attributed to other factors. This was a comparatively small proportion, suggesting that agricultural practices — grazing, clearing forests, and farming — were overwhelmingly responsible for the decline in land productivity.

What makes this effective:

• The overview immediately identifies the key pattern (three roughly equal causes).
• Proportion language is varied: "making up," "representing," "constituted," "attributed to."
• Percentages and fractions are both used: "35%," "just under a third."
• A comparison is made: "only 7 percentage points separating the largest from the smallest."
• No unnecessary speculation about causes or solutions.

</details>

After writing, self-assess using this checklist:

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Key Takeaways

• Pie charts show proportions of a whole — your language should focus on percentages, fractions, and relative size, not trends or changes.
• Use a variety of verbs: accounted for, made up, represented, constituted, comprised — never repeat the same one three times.
• Mix percentages with fractions: "62%" becomes "nearly two thirds"; "17%" becomes "just under a fifth." This paraphrasing shows the examiner you have strong lexical range.
• Organise from largest to smallest — this is the clearest and most logical structure for pie chart descriptions.
• A single pie chart is static (past simple, no trend language). Two pie charts at different times are dynamic (describe the changes between them).
• For combination charts, describe each visual but always cross-reference between them — the examiner rewards responses that connect the data.
• Always include an overview stating the main pattern before diving into specific figures. For pie charts, this usually means identifying the dominant category and the overall distribution.