IELTS Writing - Task 1 - Table (Consumer Durables in Britain)

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The table below shows the consumer durables (telephone, refrigerator, etc...) owned in Britain from 1972 to 1983.

Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below.

You should write at least 150 words.

Consumer durables	1972	1974	1976	1978	1979	1981	1982	1983
Percentage of households with:
central heating	39	43	48	52	55	59	60	64
television	93	95	96	96	97	97	97	98
video								18
vacuum cleaner	87	89	92	92	93	94	95
refrigerator	73	81	88	91	92	93	93	94
washing machine	66	68	71	75	74	78	79	80
dishwasher				3	3	4	4	5
telephone	42	50	54	60	67	75	76	77

Model answer:

The data in the chart indicates a steady rise in the number of British households that own various consumer durables from 1972 to 1983. The most significant increase was seen in telephone ownership, going from 42% to 77% in that period. Central heating was the next in line with a rise from 37% to 64% of households having it. The possession of refrigerators increased by 21%, while the ownership of washing machines saw a 14% rise. Vacuum cleaners, televisions and dishwashers experienced a growth of 8%, 5% and 2% respectively. In 1983, the year of its inception, 18% of households had a video recorder.

These statistics showcase the profound social changes that took place during this period. The proportion of British homes with central heating went up from a third to two-thirds and the number of homes with a telephone rose from less than half to over three-quarters. These changes, along with the significant increase in ownership of washing machines and refrigerators, reflect the improvement in living standards and the trend towards a lifestyle centered on comfort and convenience.