You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The pie charts below describe average household expenditures by major categories in Japan and Malaysia in 2010.
Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown in the diagram.
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
Model Answer 1
The pie charts compare household expenditures by major categories in Japan and Malaysia in 2010, illustrating how each country allocated their spending across five areas: housing, transport, food, healthcare, and other goods and services.
It is evident that the largest portions of household budgets were directed towards housing, food, and other goods and services in both countries, while transport and healthcare accounted for relatively smaller shares. Notably, Japan spent more on transportation and other goods and services, whereas Malaysia prioritized housing as its primary expense.
In Japan, the most significant share of household expenditures was allocated to other goods and services, which accounted for 29% of the total spending. Food expenses were also substantial, taking up nearly a quarter of the budget at 24%. Housing followed closely with 21% of the total household expenditure. Transportation formed another major expense, comprising 20%, while healthcare was the least significant, consuming just 6%.
In Malaysia, housing dominated household expenditures by major categories, absorbing 34% of the total budget, the highest share across both countries. Food was also a major expense, representing 27% of the spending. Other goods and services accounted for 26%, followed by transport, which made up only 10% of the total. Healthcare was allocated the smallest share of the household budget, contributing just 3% to Malaysia’s overall expenditures. This reveals how spending priorities differed between Japan and Malaysia in 2010.
Download IELTS eBooks, get everything you need to achieve a high band score
Model Answer 2
The pie charts illustrate the breakdown of household expenditures by major categories in Japan and Malaysia in 2010, highlighting how residents in both countries allocated their budgets across five areas: housing, transport, food, healthcare, and other goods and services.
Overall, housing, food, and other goods and services represented the primary spending areas in both nations, while transport and healthcare constituted smaller shares of the total expenditures. However, there were notable differences in spending patterns, with Japan allocating more towards transportation, while Malaysia prioritized housing as its largest expense.
In Japan, the highest proportion of household expenditures was directed towards other goods and services, which made up nearly a third of the total budget. Food took the second largest share at just under a quarter of the total, followed closely by housing, which accounted for a significant 21% of the budget. Transportation also featured prominently, constituting one-fifth of total expenses, whereas healthcare remained the smallest category, absorbing only a minor 6%.
Conversely, Malaysia’s largest expense was housing, which represented 34% of the household budget. Food followed as the second major category, taking up 27%, slightly higher than in Japan. Other goods and services accounted for 26%, making it another substantial area of spending. However, Malaysia spent far less on transport compared to Japan, with only 10% of the budget allocated to this category. Healthcare expenditures were also minimal, comprising just 3% of Malaysia’s household expenditures by major categories.
Model Answer 3
The pie charts illustrate the household expenditures by major categories in Japan and Malaysia in 2010, covering five sectors: housing, transport, food, healthcare, and other goods and services.
Overall, it is evident that both countries allocated the highest proportions of their household budgets to housing, food, and other goods and services. Meanwhile, transport and healthcare received comparatively less attention in both nations, with distinct variations between the two countries in the amount spent on each category.
In Japan, the largest share of household expenditure was on other goods and services, accounting for 29% of the total spending. Food followed closely behind, with 24% of the budget allocated to this category. Housing expenses came next, constituting 21% of Japanese household spending, while transport absorbed 20%. Finally, healthcare represented only 6% of Japan’s total household budget, indicating that this category was given the least financial priority.
Malaysia, in contrast, devoted the largest proportion of its household budget to housing, which made up 34% of the total. Other goods and services were the second-highest expense, comprising 26% of total expenditures. Food accounted for 27% of household spending, placing it as the third largest category. Transport and healthcare were relatively smaller areas of spending, with transport at 10% and healthcare at 3%, reflecting a lower financial priority for these categories compared to Japan.
Model Answer 4
The pie charts illustrate the breakdown of household expenditures by major categories in Japan and Malaysia in 2010, comparing the proportion of spending across five categories: housing, transport, food, healthcare, and other goods and services.
At a glance, it is clear that housing, food, and other goods and services were the dominant categories of expenditure in both countries, while transport and healthcare received relatively smaller portions of the total budget. Notably, Japan prioritized spending on other goods and services, whereas Malaysia’s largest expenditure was directed towards housing.
In Japan, nearly a third of the household budget was allocated to other goods and services, making it the most significant area of spending. Food followed closely, accounting for a substantial portion of the expenditures. Housing came next, representing a considerable share of spending, while transportation also commanded a notable amount. However, healthcare received only a small fraction of the total budget, reflecting its relatively low importance in the spending pattern.
Malaysia, on the other hand, allocated the largest share of its household expenditures to housing, surpassing any other category. Food constituted another prominent expense, taking a significant portion of the overall budget. Spending on other goods and services was also substantial, though slightly lower compared to Japan. Transport accounted for a smaller share in Malaysia’s household budget, and healthcare expenditure was the least significant category among the five. This variation highlights the differing priorities in household expenditures by major categories in Japan and Malaysia.
Get your personalised IELTS Essay Feedback from a former examiner
Download IELTS eBooks, get everything you need to achieve a high band score