Band 9: You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The diagram below gives information about the number of parcels delivered by two major mail services companies from 1920 to 2000. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

The line graph illustrates the number of parcels delivered by two major mail services, Federal Express (FedEx) and TNT, between 1920 and 2000.

Overall, FedEx showed significant fluctuations over the period, while TNT experienced a steady upward trend and eventually surpassed FedEx by the end of the period.

In 1920, FedEx delivered around 15,000 parcels, which was significantly higher than TNT, at approximately 5,000. FedEx’s figures increased steadily to a peak of about 24,000 in 1940. However, this was followed by a sharp decline to around 12,000 in 1950, after which the number remained relatively stable until 1960.

In contrast, TNT showed gradual growth throughout the first half of the period, rising from about 5,000 in 1920 to around 11,000 in 1960. After a slight dip in 1970, the number of parcels delivered by TNT increased dramatically, reaching approximately 22,000 in 1990 and peaking at around 25,000 in 2000. Meanwhile, FedEx recovered slowly after 1960, ending the period at about 18,000 parcels.