Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-08
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 pie chart illustrate how working adults in a particular country spent their time over a period of 50 years between 1958 to 2008
Overall, during the years there has been a significant increase in the time spend on work and there has been a drastic decline in sleeping and time spend going with friends and family, moreover time spend on travelling to work and relaxing at home at has increased.
In terms of time spent on working has drastically increased from 33% in 1958 to 42% in 2008 which covers the majority of the time spent by adults, moreover adults have spending more time relaxing at home which has increased from 8% in 1958 to 13% in 2008 and furthermore time spend on travelling to work has also seen a drastic increase from 2% in 1958 to 7% in 2008.
In contrast, there has been a decline in sleeping which has worsen during the years as in 1958 sleeping was at 32% in 1958 has decreased to 25% in 2008, and more over going out with family and friends has plummeted from 19% in 1958 to 6% in 2008 , but playing sports has declined but ot in an alarming rate it remained relatively stable throughout the years from 1958 to 2008.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers all key features of the data and provides a clear overview. You successfully identified the main trends, such as the increase in work and travel time versus the decrease in sleep and social activities. However, the report could be improved by ensuring the data is presented more accurately; for instance, you mention 'time spend going with friends and family' in the overview, but the chart labels this as 'going out with friends/family'. Additionally, the overview is slightly repetitive in its phrasing. To reach a higher band, ensure that all comparisons are precise and that the overview synthesizes the trends rather than just listing them.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. You use cohesive devices like 'In terms of', 'In contrast', and 'moreover' to link your points. However, some of these transitions are used mechanically or repetitively, such as the frequent use of 'moreover' and 'furthermore' within the same sentence structure. The referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be smoother. Improving the variety of your linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus would enhance the overall coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'drastic decline', 'plummeted', and 'relatively stable'. However, there are several instances of word-form errors and awkward collocations, such as 'time spend' instead of 'time spent' and 'worsen during the years' which is not the most natural way to describe a statistical decrease. There are also minor spelling or typographical errors like 'ot' instead of 'not'. To improve, focus on using vocabulary that is more precise for describing data trends and ensure you are using the correct grammatical forms of words.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt to use complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses and subject-verb agreement, such as 'The pie chart illustrate' (should be 'illustrates') and 'adults have spending' (should be 'adults have been spending'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some run-on sentences and missing commas. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to lower the score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage will significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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