Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-09
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 the percentage of day spent by working adults on various activities. The years under observation are 1958 and 2008. It is a clear and coherent representation.
Overall, in terms of adults on various activities, the top seat was notched by working in both years. the data for playing sports approximately same in the given time span.
To begins with , in 1958, the for working was at highest with 33%. Followed by, sleeping and going out with friends\family with 32% and 19%. however after 5 decades the former figure incline with 42% and latter one remain declined with 25% and 6%.
Getting into further details , the data for playing sports remain approximately same with 7% in given time span. Moreover, the data for relaxing at home(8%) was more than that of traveling to work (2%) in 1958. Whereas after fifty years the both figure inclined with 13% and 7%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the charts and makes relevant comparisons between 1958 and 2008. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial and contains inaccuracies. For instance, the statement that 'the data for playing sports remain approximately same' is imprecise, and the description of the trends for sleeping and going out is confusingly phrased. While the key features are identified, the lack of precision in reporting the data and the somewhat disjointed presentation of the trends prevent this from reaching a higher band. The overview is present but could be more clearly articulated to highlight the most significant changes over the fifty-year period.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical flow is frequently interrupted by awkward phrasing and mechanical transitions. Phrases like 'To begins with' and 'Getting into further details' are used, but the internal structure of the sentences often lacks cohesion. The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when discussing the trends for 'former' and 'latter' figures, which makes the comparison difficult to follow. While there is an attempt to use cohesive devices, they are often used incorrectly or in a way that makes the progression of ideas feel disjointed rather than smooth.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The range of vocabulary is limited and often repetitive. There are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'top seat was notched by', 'the former figure incline', and 'latter one remain declined'. These errors occasionally impede the clarity of the message. The student relies on basic vocabulary to describe trends, and the lack of variety in reporting verbs (e.g., 'inclined', 'declined') limits the sophistication of the response. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise academic vocabulary to describe statistical changes.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('the data... remain'), incorrect verb forms ('To begins with'), and missing articles or prepositions ('the for working was at highest'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary spaces before commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction is noticeable and detracts from the overall quality of the writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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