Sales Percentage of Book Types from 1972 to 2012
IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 - Bar Charts
IELTS Writing Task 1 Question
The charts below show the percentage of five kinds of books sold by a bookseller between 1972 and 2012. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main points and make comparisons where relevant.
Common Questions for the Chart
1. Graph Type: Bar Charts
2. Title: Sales Percentage of Book Types from 1972 to 2012
3.What are the units of measurement?: Percentage
4.Who: The bookseller and book-buying public
5.What does the chart depict?: The percentage of five kinds of books sold over four decades
6. When: Data for the years 1972, 1992, and 2012
7. Where: Not specified, but presumably in a general market context
8. Topic: Trends in book sales over time
Comparison Showing and Trends
Comparison 1: Initial Sales (1972)
Details –: In 1972, adult fiction, children’s fiction, and biographies each represented 20% of sales, while travel books had the lowest share at 15%. Other books held the highest share at 25%.
Comparison 2: Changes by 1992
Details –: By 1992, adult fiction sales increased to 25%, marking a 5% rise. Children’s fiction and travel books also saw increases of 2% and 3%, respectively. However, biographies and other books experienced a decline, each dropping by 5%.
Comparison 3: Trends by 2012
Details -: By 2012, adult fiction sales almost doubled to 45%, while children’s fiction remained stable at 25%. Together, these two genres accounted for nearly three-quarters of total sales. In contrast, the other categories collectively fell to just over 25% of sales.
Sample Answer
The provided charts illustrate the sales percentages of five types of books sold by a bookseller over four decades, specifically from 1972 to 2012.
In 1972, the sales figures for adult fiction, children’s fiction, and biographies were identical at 20% each, while travel books accounted for the smallest share at 15%. Other books held the largest share at 25%.
By 1992, adult fiction had risen to 25%, an increase of 5%. Sales of children’s fiction and travel books also grew, rising by 2% and 3%, respectively. However, sales for biographies and other books dropped by 5% each during this period.
The trends continued into 2012, where adult fiction sales surged to 45%, nearly doubling its previous share. Children’s fiction maintained a steady 25%, leading to a combined total of just under three-quarters of all sales for these two genres. Conversely, sales for biographies, travel books, and other miscellaneous categories sharply declined, contributing to just over a quarter of total sales.
Overall, the data indicates a growing preference for fiction books, while biographies, travel, and other genres lost their appeal throughout the four decades.
Top 27 Vocabularies
| Vocabulary | Meaning | Synonyms | Examples | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constituted | To be a part of or form something | Composed, Formed | In 1972, biographies constituted 20% of sales. | Verb |
| Markedly | To a significant extent, noticeably | Significantly, Noticeably | The sale of biographies fell markedly. | Adverb |
| Dominated | To have control or power over | Controlled, Ruled | Fiction dominated the market in 2012. | Verb |
| Declined | To decrease in quantity, quality, or strength | Diminished, Decreased | Sales of other categories declined over the years. | Verb |
| Appeal | The quality of being attractive or interesting | Attractiveness, Charm | The appeal of travel books diminished significantly. | Noun |
| Illustrate | To make something clear or visible | Depict, Demonstrate | The charts illustrate the sales percentages of books. | Verb |
| Percentage | A fraction or ratio expressed as part of 100 | Proportion, Fraction | Adult fiction sales accounted for a high percentage in 2012. | Noun |
| Identical | Exactly the same | Similar, Equal | Sales figures for biographies and children’s fiction were identical in 1972. | Adjective |
| Accounted for | Made up or represented a part of something | Represented, Comprised | Travel books accounted for the smallest share at 15%. | Phrase |
| Share | A portion or part of a whole | Proportion, Segment | Travel books held the smallest share in 1972. | Noun |
| Surged | Increased suddenly and powerfully | Rose, Soared | Adult fiction sales surged to 45% in 2012. | Verb |
| Steady | Stable or consistent over time | Constant, Fixed | Children’s fiction sales remained steady at 25% in 2012. | Adjective |
| Combined | Put together into one group | Unified, Merged | Adult and children’s fiction made up a combined total of nearly three-quarters. | Adjective |
| Miscellaneous | Comprising different types or categories | Diverse, Varied | Sales for miscellaneous books declined over time. | Adjective |
| Trends | General directions or patterns of change | Movements, Tendencies | The trends indicate a growing preference for fiction books. | Noun |
| Preference | A greater liking for one option over others | Liking, Favoritism | The data shows a growing preference for fiction genres. | Noun |
| Category | A group or type of something | Group, Classification | Other books fall under the miscellaneous category. | Noun |
| Grew | Increased or expanded in size or quantity | Expanded, Increased | Sales of children’s fiction grew slightly by 1992. | Verb |
| Dropped | Fell to a lower level or amount | Declined, Reduced | Biography sales dropped significantly after 1972. | Verb |
| Maintained | Kept at the same level or condition | Preserved, Retained | Children’s fiction maintained a steady share over four decades. | Verb |
| Sharp | Sudden and significant | Abrupt, Noticeable | There was a sharp decline in the sales of other books. | Adjective |
| Indicates | Points out or shows | Suggests, Demonstrates | The data indicates a growing focus on fiction genres. | Verb |
| Proportions | The relative sizes of parts compared to the whole | Ratios, Percentages | The proportions of travel books were minimal throughout. | Noun |
| Highlighted | Emphasized or drew attention to | Stressed, Underlined | The charts highlighted shifts in genre preferences. | Verb |
| Dominance | The state of being most important or powerful | Supremacy, Control | Adult fiction’s dominance was evident in 2012. | Noun |
| Shift | A change or movement in direction or focus | Change, Transition | The shift toward fiction books was significant. | Noun/Verb |
| Evident | Clearly seen or understood | Obvious, Apparent | The preference for fiction became evident over the years. | Adjective |
| Underwent | Experienced or went through | Endured, Experienced | Book sales underwent significant changes during this period. | Verb |
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