The table shows the monthly expenditure of an Australian family in 1991 and 2001.

 The table shows the monthly expenditure of an Australian family in 1991 and 2001.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Sample answer 1

Given is a table providing the amount of money which was spent per month by an average Australian family in two separate years 1991 and 2001. The amounts are measured in Australian dollars per month.

Overall, it can be seen that the category of other goods and services was the most money-consuming one in both years, while clothing was the category on which the smallest amount of money was spent. In addition, it is worth mentioning that in all categories except clothing and transport the expenditure rate increased over the period being considered.

Starting with the highest-spending categories, spending on unidentified non-essential goods and services rose from 250 to 270 Australian dollars per month (referred to as ADM). Food followed as the second most expensive category, with expenditures of 155 and 160 ADM in the respective years.

In terms of the least costly categories, clothing showed the lowest expenditure in both years, decreasing by one third in 2001 (from 30 to 20 ADM). Transportation required more than double the amount, but it significantly dropped to 70 and 45 ADM by the end of the studied period. Moreover, the spendings on both housing and electricity and water increased in the second year (from 95 to 100 for the former and 75 to 120 ADM for the latter) with electricity and water consumption cost overtaking that of housing.

Sample answer 2:

The table illustrates the monthly expenses of an Australian family in 1991 and 2001, expressed in Australian dollars (AUD).

Overall, the highest spending was observed in the category of other goods and services in both years, while clothing had the lowest expenditure. With the exception of clothing and transport, expenses increased across all categories over the given period.

Clothing costs were the lowest in the table, amounting to 30 AUD per month in 1991. This figure decreased significantly by 10 AUD over the course of a decade. Similarly, transportation expenses stood at 70 AUD in the initial year and experienced a substantial reduction of 25 AUD after ten years.

In 1991, electricity and water expenses were 5 AUD higher than transportation, while in 2001, they decreased by 35 AUD compared to the previous year.

Housing and food expenditures remained relatively stable, with a slight increase of 5 AUD for both categories in 2001.

The most substantial portion of the monthly budget was allocated to other goods and services, amounting to a quarter of a thousand AUD in 1991. This expense increased by 20 AUD in the following decade.

Sample answer 3:

The chart illustrates the monthly expenses of an Australian family in 1991 and 2001, measured in Australian dollars. Overall, the family's total expenditure increased in 2001, with higher spending observed in most categories except for clothing and transportation.

In 1991, the family spent 155 dollars on food and 95 dollars on housing, both of which experienced a modest increase of five dollars in 2001. Utilities, including water and electricity, accounted for an expenditure of 75 dollars, which significantly rose to 120 dollars in 2001. The highest spending was allocated to non-essential goods and services in both years, initially at 250 dollars and increasing to 270 dollars in 2001.

Clothing and transportation were the two categories that saw a decrease in expenses in 2001. Clothing expenditure declined from 30 dollars in 1991 to 20 dollars in 2001, while transportation spending decreased from 70 dollars to 45 dollars during the same period.

Sample answer 4:

The table chart illustrates the estimated monthly budget of a single family recorded in 1991 and 2001.

In overview, the family's household expenses were lower in 1991 compared to 2001, except for transportation costs, which were higher in the first year than in 2001. Upon initial inspection, the Australian family in this study had a total monthly spending of 675 Australian dollars in 1991. The expenditures, ranked from highest to lowest, were as follows: Other goods and services at $250, Food at $155 (more than half of the latter), housing costs at $95, electricity and water at $75, transportation costs at $70, and clothing at $30.

In contrast, the family's expenses in 2001 increased across various needs. They spent more on food, housing, clothing, and other non-essential goods and services, with increases ranging from $5 to $20 compared to the previous period. Additionally, their electricity and water bills nearly doubled compared to 1991. However, their expenditure on transportation decreased from $70 to $45 in the final year. Overall, their total expenditure in 2001 amounted to $715.

Sample answer 5:

The provided table presents data on the monthly spending of an Australian household in two separate years, 1991 and 2001.

Overall, Australian families in 1991 had higher monthly expenditures compared to 2001. With the exception of transportation costs, all categories experienced an increase in spending, with other goods and services being the highest expenditure in both years.

In more detail, Australian families spent more on essential goods and services in 2001, with a total of 675 Australian dollars per month, which was 40 dollars less than in 1991. Notably, other goods and services accounted for the highest expenses in both years, with 250 dollars in 1991 and an increased amount of 270 dollars in 2001.

Among the different expenditures, electricity and water saw the largest increase of 45 dollars per month. Other goods and services also experienced a rise from 250 to 270 dollars. On the other hand, clothing expenses increased by 10 dollars, while food and housing had a minimal increase of 5 dollars per month over the 10-year period. Transportation expenses, in contrast, decreased by a quarter.