You have approximately 20 minutes to complete this task.
The table below shows the change in the percentages of people playing seven different sports in a European country from 1999 to 2009.
Provide an overview of the information by identifying and describing the key details, and include comparisons where appropriate.
Your report should comprise a minimum of 150 words.
| Sport | 1999 | 2004 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennis | 25% | 30% | 33% |
| Swimming | 32% | 34% | 34% |
| Football | 57% | 52% | 48% |
| Golf | 8% | 13% | 17% |
| Volleyball | 17% | 20% | 18% |
| Basketball | 26% | 25% | 24% |
| Yoga | 10% | 10% | 13% |
✍️ Band 8 Sample Answer (Task 1)
The table illustrates the proportion of people participating in seven different sports in a European country in the years 1999, 2004, and 2009.
Overall, football consistently remained the most popular sport throughout the period, although its participation rate declined. In contrast, golf and tennis witnessed steady increases, while basketball showed a gradual fall. Swimming and volleyball fluctuated slightly but remained relatively stable, and yoga experienced modest growth.
In 1999, football accounted for 57% of participants, far higher than any other sport. However, this figure dropped to 48% by 2009. Conversely, tennis rose from 25% to 33% during the same period, and golf almost doubled from 8% to 17%. Basketball participation declined slightly from 26% in 1999 to 24% in 2009.
Meanwhile, swimming increased marginally from 32% to 34%, with a peak of 34% in 2004. Volleyball showed a similar pattern, rising from 17% to 20% before returning to 18%. Finally, yoga remained the least popular activity, though it grew from 10% to 13% by 2009.
In summary, while traditional team sports such as football and basketball lost some ground, individual sports including tennis, golf, and yoga gained popularity over the ten-year period.
Word count: 190
🔑 Highlight Vocabulary
- Gained popularity /ɡeɪnd ˌpɑːpjəˈlærəti/ – became more liked or more widely chosen
- Consistently /kənˈsɪstəntli/ – in a steady and regular way
- Participation rate /pɑːrˌtɪsɪˈpeɪʃn reɪt/ – the percentage of people involved in an activity
- Witnessed /ˈwɪtnəst/ – experienced or saw (a change or trend)
- Declined /dɪˈklaɪnd/ – decreased or went down
- Marginally /ˈmɑːrdʒɪnəli/ – slightly or by a small amount
- Fluctuated /ˈflʌktʃueɪtɪd/ – rose and fell irregularly
- Least popular /liːst ˈpɒpjələr/ – the one with the fewest participants
