Band 9.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 9.0 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-07-27

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The pie charts below show how working adults in a particular country spent their time in 1958 and 2008.

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

* Note: these aren’t the original diagrams given in the test, they were recreated for the purpose of demonstration.

Student answer (Band 9.0)

The pie charts compare how working adults in a particular country allocated their time to six daily activities in 1958 and 2008.

Overall, working and sleeping occupied the largest proportions of the day in both years. Over the 50-year period, adults spent considerably more time working, travelling to work, relaxing at home, and playing sports, while the time devoted to sleeping and socialising with friends and family declined markedly.

In 1958, working accounted for the largest share of the day at 33%, closely followed by sleeping at 32%. Going out with friends and family represented a significant 19%, whereas relaxing at home made up only 8%. Adults spent just 2% of their day travelling to work, while playing sports occupied the remaining 6%.

By 2008, the proportion of time spent working had risen substantially to 42%, making it by far the dominant activity. Time spent sleeping fell to 25%, a decrease of seven percentage points. Similarly, going out with friends and family dropped sharply from 19% to 6%. In contrast, relaxing at home increased from 8% to 13%, while travelling to work more than tripled, rising from 2% to 7%. Finally, playing sports experienced a slight increase, reaching 7% in 2008.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 9.0

The response is excellent. You have successfully identified and reported the main features of the data, providing a clear overview and supporting it with specific, accurate data points. You have made relevant comparisons between the two years, such as noting the rise in working hours and the decline in time spent socialising. The information is well-selected, and the summary is logically structured, meeting all requirements of the task. There are no omissions, and the data is presented clearly, allowing the reader to easily grasp the trends over the 50-year period.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The response is very well-organised. Each paragraph has a clear purpose, moving logically from an introduction to an overview, followed by two detailed body paragraphs. You have used cohesive devices effectively, such as 'In contrast', 'Similarly', and 'By 2008', which help the reader follow the progression of ideas without difficulty. The paragraphing is logical and contributes to the overall clarity of the report. The flow of information is smooth, and the relationship between the data points is clearly articulated throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.5

You have demonstrated a strong command of vocabulary, using a range of precise terms to describe trends, such as 'allocated', 'occupied', 'declined markedly', 'rose substantially', and 'tripled'. The language is natural and appropriate for an academic report. There is no evidence of repetitive vocabulary, and the word choices are accurate and sophisticated. You have successfully used less common items to convey meaning with precision, which is a hallmark of a high-scoring response. The terminology used to describe the data is consistently accurate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 9.0

The grammar is highly accurate throughout the response. You have used a variety of sentence structures, including complex sentences, with great control. Punctuation is used correctly, and there are no errors that impede communication. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the few structures used are handled with confidence. The use of participial phrases and comparative structures demonstrates a high level of grammatical competence. Overall, the writing is fluent and demonstrates a sophisticated grasp of English grammar suitable for this task.

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