Age for Certain Rights and Responsibilities
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task
The figure shows the results of a survey of 1000 adolescents in five different countries. The participants were asked at what age they believed certain rights and responsibilities should be granted to young people.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
Get your personalised IELTS Essay Feedback from a former examiner
Download IELTS eBooks, get everything you need to achieve a high band score
Sample Answer 1
The bar chart illustrates the findings from a survey conducted among 1,000 adolescents across five countries – the USA, UK, Mexico, Japan, and Egypt. The survey participants provided their opinions on at what age certain rights and responsibilities should be granted, specifically in the areas of marriage, voting, and criminal responsibility.
Overall, there is considerable variation in the perspectives across countries, with noticeable differences regarding the appropriate ages for marriage, voting, and legal responsibility for crimes. Japan and the UK tend to suggest higher ages for marriage and voting compared to the other countries, while criminal responsibility age shows the widest range of opinions.
In terms of marriage, Japan and the UK agree that the minimum age for marriage should be 20 years, while respondents in the USA believe it should be 18. Mexico and Egypt, in contrast, express a preference for a lower marriage age of around 16 years. Similarly, significant differences appear in voting eligibility: participants from Japan again indicate a preference for 20 years, whereas American and Egyptian adolescents align at 18 years. Conversely, adolescents from the UK and Mexico believe voting rights should begin at the younger age of 16 years.
The survey also reveals substantial divergence in opinions regarding the age at which individuals should bear criminal responsibility. The USA stands out by suggesting that adolescents could be held accountable as early as 12 years old, while Japanese participants set the age at 18 years. Mexico, Egypt, and the UK propose a moderately higher threshold, with 14 years considered the appropriate age to assume criminal responsibility.
Download IELTS eBooks, get everything you need to achieve a high band score
Sample Answer 2
The bar chart presents the findings from a survey of 1,000 teenagers across five nations—USA, UK, Mexico, Japan, and Egypt—highlighting their views on at what age certain rights and responsibilities should be granted, specifically concerning marriage, voting, and criminal responsibility.
Broadly, the results display notable differences among these countries, with Japan and the UK favoring higher ages for marriage and voting compared to the others. In contrast, the USA stands out with the lowest suggested age for criminal responsibility. Overall, the survey indicates varying cultural attitudes across these five countries about when young people should assume particular rights and responsibilities.
In terms of marriage, Japanese and British teenagers agree that marriage should be postponed until the age of 20, while American respondents suggest 18 years. On the other hand, adolescents in Mexico and Egypt advocate for an earlier marriage age, placing it at 16. When it comes to voting, Japanese teenagers also favor 20 years as the appropriate age, while respondents from the USA and Egypt believe it should begin at 18. Meanwhile, British and Mexican participants prefer a younger voting age of 16 years.
Regarding criminal responsibility, the USA suggests that young people should be legally accountable as early as 12 years old, the lowest among the surveyed countries. Japanese respondents, however, set the threshold at 18 years. The remaining three countries—Mexico, Egypt, and the UK—propose 14 years as the minimum age for holding individuals criminally responsible.
Sample Answer 3
The bar chart presents the results of a survey conducted among 1,000 adolescents from five countries—USA, UK, Mexico, Japan, and Egypt—highlighting their opinions on at what age certain rights and responsibilities should be granted, specifically in relation to marriage, voting, and criminal responsibility.
The most noticeable differences in the responses concern the preferred ages for marriage, with Japan and the UK suggesting later ages than other nations. The survey also shows varying views on when voting rights should be provided, with the highest suggested age coming from Japan. Opinions about the appropriate age for criminal responsibility differ widely, with the USA standing out for proposing the youngest age, while Japan sets the threshold at the highest point.
In detail, Japanese and British adolescents recommend that marriage should not be allowed before the age of 20, while in the USA, this right is believed to be appropriate at 18 years. Meanwhile, participants from Egypt and Mexico express that 16 years is a suitable age for marriage. Regarding voting, Japanese respondents again favor 20 years, whereas American and Egyptian teenagers suggest 18 years. In contrast, British and Mexican participants argue that voting rights should start earlier, at 16 years.
As for criminal responsibility, the survey reveals the most significant divergence. American participants propose that individuals should face legal accountability from the age of 12, the earliest among the five countries. On the other hand, Japan sets the bar at 18 years. Meanwhile, the UK, Mexico, and Egypt all suggest that criminal responsibility should begin at the age of 14.
Sample Answer 4
The bar chart outlines the findings of a survey conducted among 1,000 adolescents from five countries—USA, UK, Mexico, Japan, and Egypt—regarding their opinions on at what age certain rights and responsibilities should be granted, particularly in the areas of marriage, voting, and criminal responsibility.
Overall, the survey reveals considerable variation among these countries in terms of the appropriate ages for marriage and voting, with Japan and the UK tending to support later ages. Additionally, the survey highlights a significant difference of opinion on the age for criminal responsibility, where the USA stands out with the lowest suggested threshold.
In terms of marriage, both Japanese and British adolescents suggest that marriage should not be allowed before 20 years of age, whereas in the USA, participants believe 18 years is suitable. Meanwhile, Egyptian and Mexican respondents advocate for a lower age, stating that marriage can take place from the age of 16. For voting, Japanese teenagers again set the bar high at 20 years, while Americans and Egyptians align at 18 years. However, British and Mexican participants propose an earlier voting age of 16 years.
As for criminal responsibility, the responses differ markedly. American adolescents suggest that individuals should be held legally accountable from as young as 12 years old. In contrast, Japanese respondents believe criminal responsibility should begin at 18 years. The UK, Egypt, and Mexico express a more moderate view, agreeing that 14 years is the appropriate age.
Get your personalised IELTS Essay Feedback from a former examiner
Download IELTS eBooks, get everything you need to achieve a high band score