Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-10
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 5.0)
The pie charts illustrate the change in working adults' spending time choices in a selected country in two different periods: 1958 and 2008. Overall, working adults in 2008 spent more time purchasing their work and chose to be at home rather than going out than those in 1958.
According to the 1958 charts, time for working and sleeping took up nearly one-third of the day, which were 33% and 32%, respectively.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response is significantly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which severely impacts the task achievement score. Because the response is only 71 words, it fails to provide a comprehensive summary of the data, missing key comparisons and trends across the two time periods. The overview provided is too brief, and the body paragraph only touches upon two categories from 1958 without addressing the 2008 data or the necessary comparisons between the two years. To improve, you must ensure you cover all parts of the prompt, including a clear overview and detailed supporting points for all categories shown in the charts.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is too short to demonstrate a full range of cohesive devices or effective paragraphing. While there is a basic attempt at an introduction and a transition into the body, the lack of development makes it difficult to assess the logical progression of ideas. The use of 'Overall' is a good start for an overview, but the text ends abruptly before any meaningful structure can be established. To improve, focus on grouping data logically and using linking words to connect your observations, ensuring each paragraph has a clear purpose.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is generally accurate but limited in range. Phrases like 'spending time choices' are slightly unnatural; 'time allocation' or 'how time was spent' would be more appropriate. The use of 'purchasing their work' is unclear and likely a misuse of vocabulary, as it does not accurately describe the activity of working. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise terminology related to data description, such as 'accounted for,' 'constituted,' or 'fluctuated,' and avoid awkward phrasing that obscures your meaning.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The grammar is generally clear, but the range of structures is limited. You have used a mix of simple and complex sentences, such as 'time for working and sleeping took up nearly one-third of the day, which were 33% and 32%, respectively.' However, there is a subject-verb agreement error in the phrase 'which were 33% and 32%', as it should refer back to the singular 'time'. To improve, practice using a wider variety of complex sentence structures and ensure your subject-verb agreement is consistent throughout your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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