Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-06

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 compares how grown-ups in some nations utilize time in years 1958 and 2008.

Overall, it is evident that what stands out the most in given data is that adults prefer working in both years whereas they spent very much less time with their family.

In 1958 adults spent 33% of their time in working meanwhile in 2008 it just got up to 42% as their workload increased. Although in 1958 only 8% of the time they spent relaxing at home. On the other hand, in 2008 13% of the time they were at house. Furthermore in 1958 they were sleeping 32% of the time while this got decreased significantly to 25% in 2008.

Similarly in 1958 they only spent 2% of time o travelling for work but it went up to 7% in 2008.

Additionally, now they were playing sport 7% of time which was absent in 1958. Though the time they spent with their family got less in 2008 which was very high in 1958.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response provides a general overview and covers the main features of the data. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For instance, you mention that time spent with family 'was very high in 1958' but fail to provide the specific percentage (19%) to support this comparison. Additionally, the description of the 2008 data is slightly inaccurate regarding the 'playing sport' category, as you state it was 'absent in 1958' without noting the specific percentage for 2008 (8%). To achieve a higher band, ensure all key data points are explicitly stated and comparisons are more precise.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In 1958', 'On the other hand', and 'Furthermore'. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the logical progression could be smoother. For example, the transition between the sleeping data and the travelling data feels abrupt. Using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus would improve the overall coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely on basic phrasing such as 'got up to', 'got decreased', and 'spent time'. There is some repetition of 'time' and 'spent'. To improve, try to incorporate more academic collocations and synonyms. For example, instead of 'got up to', use 'increased to' or 'rose to'. Instead of 'grown-ups', use 'adults' or 'the working population'. Expanding your range of descriptive verbs and nouns will help you convey the data more effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'in given data' (missing article), 'at house' (should be 'at home'), and 'they were playing sport 7% of time' (missing article). Additionally, the phrasing 'meanwhile in 2008 it just got up to 42%' is awkward. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are noticeable. Focusing on subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and article placement will significantly enhance the accuracy of your writing.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.