Task 1 Academic9 questions

Table questions.

How this type works

A table task gives you data in rows and columns and asks for a summary. The examiner wants you to select the significant figures and group them into clear comparisons rather than listing every cell. Each question below includes the table to describe.

Task 1 · Academic🏙️ Urban LifeTable

The table shows the five most populous urban areas in the world and their annual growth rate in 2020.

Task 1 · Academic🗣️ Society & CultureTable

The table shows the five most spoken languages in the world by number of speakers in 2020.

Task 1 · Academic🚢 GlobalisationTable

The table shows the five largest merchandise exporters in the world and their share of world exports in 2020.

Task 1 · Academic🚲 Urban LifeTable

The table shows the share of daily commutes by mode of transport in three cities in 2020.

Task 1 · Academic🌐 TechnologyTable

The table shows the percentage of households with internet access in four countries in 2010 and 2020.

Task 1 · Academic👥 Society & CultureTable

The table shows population, growth rate and median age in five countries in 2020.

Task 1 · Academic🕒 Work & CareerTable

The table shows average annual hours worked and statutory paid leave in five countries in 2019.

Task 1 · Academic🎬 MediaTable

The table shows the number of feature films produced and box office revenue in five countries in 2019.

Task 1 · Academic✈️ Travel & TourismTable

The table shows international tourist arrivals and tourism receipts in five countries in 2019.

❓ FAQ

About table questions

How often does a Table question appear in IELTS Task 1?
It's one of the recognised Task 1 formats, so it's fair game on test day — but you can't reliably predict which one you'll be given. Treat every format as likely and practise across all of them rather than betting on a single type.
Should I memorise a template for Table questions?
Learn the shape, not a script. A reliable structure for table questions saves planning time, but a memorised answer bolted onto the wrong prompt is penalised. Adapt the structure to the exact question in front of you.
How is a Table answer marked?
Against the four official IELTS Writing criteria — task achievement, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy. Getting the format right mainly protects your task achievement score; the other three come down to your language.
How many Table questions should I practise?
Enough to make the format automatic, then stop drilling it in isolation. Once you can structure a table response without thinking, your time is better spent on the language criteria that actually move your band.