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WRITING TASK 1 #Global and regional adult literacy rates

April 20, 2020 IELTS Research

WRITING TASK 1 #Global and regional adult literacy rates

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The table shows the estimated global and regional adult literacy rates in 2016.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

	Total	Male	Female
World	86	90	83
Europe and North America	99	99	99
Eastern and South-Eastern Asia	96	97	94
Latin America and the Caribbean	94	94	93
North Africa and Western Asia	81	86	74
Southern Asia	72	80	63
Sub-Sahara Africa	65	72	57

Data source: Unesco Institute for Statistics

Sample Answer

The table compares literacy rates for men and women in Europe and different regions of America, Asia and Africa in the year 2106. The world’s average literacy figures for both the genders are also included.

Overall, what stands out from the table is that there were clear regional differences in the number of literate people. Europe and North America observed the highest literacy rates while the figures were considerably lower in both Southern Asia and Sub-Sahara Africa.

Looking at the details, 86% of the world’s population was able to read and write in 2016, but males outnumbered females (90% versus 83%). Regionally, Europe and North America topped the list with 99% literacy for both men and women. Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean were at the second and third positions respectively. Their literacy rates were 96% and 94%. Notably, the figures for both men and women were almost the same in these regions.

In the other listed regions, there were significant differences in literacy rates for both the genders. In Sub-Sahara Africa only 57% females were able to read and write, whereas the figure for Western Asian women was 17% higher. Gender disparity was prevalent in Southern Asia as well. (203 Words.)

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