Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-03

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 5.5)

The given pie chart illustrates percentage of the day spent by working adults. The years under observations are 1958 and 2008. The data calibrated in percentage. It is a clear and coherent representation.

Overall, in terms of working adults, the data for sleeping and working was highest ,but after a decade working took the lead.

To begins with, in 1958 the top seat was notched by working with 33%. Followed by, sleeping and going out with friend or family with 32% and 19%.

But after a decade, former figure inclined by 9% ,while latter one decline with 25% and 6%.

Getting into further detail, the data for relaxing at home was more than that of travelling to work with 8% and 2%. After 10 years, both figure increased by 5% . At the end playing sports were approximately constant in both years with 7%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which negatively impacts the task achievement score. While you have identified some key features, the analysis is hampered by significant inaccuracies in data interpretation. For example, you state that 'after a decade working took the lead,' but the charts cover a 50-year span (1958 to 2008), not a decade. Furthermore, the description of the trends is confusing; you mention 'former figure inclined by 9%' and 'latter one decline,' which is difficult to follow and mathematically imprecise based on the provided data. To improve, ensure you accurately calculate the time period and provide a clearer, more logical summary of the main trends.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or misused, such as 'To begins with' (grammatically incorrect) and 'Followed by,' which is used as a sentence fragment. The transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is abrupt. While there is an attempt to group information, the lack of clear referencing—such as using 'former' and 'latter' without clear antecedents—makes the text difficult to follow. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words will help create a smoother flow between ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is somewhat limited and occasionally inappropriate for an academic report. Phrases like 'top seat was notched by' are overly informal and unnatural in this context. There are also issues with word choice, such as 'data calibrated in percentage' and 'inclined' (when referring to a statistical increase). While the meaning is generally conveyed, the lack of precision and the reliance on basic descriptors limit the score. You should focus on using more precise academic vocabulary, such as 'accounted for,' 'experienced a rise,' or 'remained stable,' to describe the data more effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the response that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'illustrates percentage' (missing article), 'To begins with' (incorrect verb form), and 'both figure increased' (subject-verb agreement error). The sentence structures are relatively simple, and there is a lack of complex sentence forms. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma placement. To reach a higher band, you need to demonstrate better control over basic grammar, such as articles and pluralisation, and attempt to incorporate a wider variety of complex sentence structures with greater accuracy.

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