Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-11
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 charts in the image show how working adults in a particular country spent their time in 1958 and 2008. First pie chart show the data about 1958, where young people spent 33% of their time in working. Second highest time spending is sleeping which is almost 33%. Adults spent 19% when going out with family or friends. 8% time spent for realxing at home and last point is 2% which people spent on traveling to work.
In second pie chart working time spent is almost 42% which is the highest number. Sleeping time is less than first chart which is 25%. Relaxing at home time increased upto 13%. Playing sports time is 7%. Traveling to work is also increased which 7%. Time spent on going out with family and friends decreased to 6% only.
In both years working time was the highest time spending. In 1958 lowest time spending was traveling to work which was 2%. In 2008 lowest time spending was going out with family and friends.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the charts, but the analysis is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear overview. While you identify the highest and lowest categories, the comparison between the two years is limited. For example, you mention that working time was the highest in both years, but you do not synthesize the data effectively to highlight the most significant trends, such as the shift in lifestyle balance. The description of the data is accurate, but it reads more like a list of individual figures rather than a cohesive summary. To improve, ensure you group related information and provide a clear, analytical overview of the most striking changes between 1958 and 2008.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into three paragraphs, which is a logical structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and repetitive. You rely heavily on simple sentence structures and lack transition words to connect ideas between sentences and paragraphs. For instance, the transition between the description of the first chart and the second is abrupt. To reach a higher band, you should use a wider variety of linking words and phrases (e.g., 'In contrast,' 'Conversely,' 'Furthermore,' 'As a result') to improve the flow and demonstrate a more sophisticated logical progression of ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. You frequently use the phrases 'time spent' and 'highest number,' which limits the range of your expression. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'time spending' instead of 'time spent' or 'time allocation.' To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms and descriptive verbs to report the data. For example, instead of repeating 'increased' or 'decreased,' you could use 'rose significantly,' 'witnessed a decline,' or 'experienced a notable shift.' Expanding your vocabulary will help you convey the information with more precision and style.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex sentences, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include missing articles ('in working' should be 'at work'), incorrect verb forms ('First pie chart show' should be 'The first pie chart shows'), and awkward phrasing ('which is the highest number'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence structure is often repetitive. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles. Additionally, try to incorporate more complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses or participial phrases, while ensuring they are grammatically accurate to demonstrate better control over your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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