Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-13

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 two-pie chart illustrate the proportion of time spent of adults on various activities between 1958 and 2008. Overall, working occupied the largest time slot. Travelling to work, relaxing at home and playing sports showed more shared by 2008. Moreover, going out with friends/family, and sleeping decreased over fifty-year period.

In 1958, working had the highest share of 33% in day spent which rose significantly to 42% by 2008. Playing sports, travelling to work, and relaxing at home had values 5%, 2%, and 8% initially. It showed an upward trend and reached 7%, 7% and 13% by 2008.

In opposite to, some activities proportion declined with time. Adult slept 32% and going out with friends/family 19% in 1958, which decreased to 25% and 6% because of more work load by 2008.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the development of the task. While you have identified the main trends, the analysis is somewhat superficial. You have successfully highlighted the key changes, such as the increase in working hours and the decrease in sleeping time. However, the report lacks a more detailed comparison of the data points. To improve, ensure you provide a more comprehensive overview and include more specific data comparisons to fully satisfy the requirements of an Academic Task 1 response. The under-length nature of the essay prevents a higher score as the information is not sufficiently extended.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You have used some cohesive devices, such as 'Overall', 'In 1958', and 'In opposite to', to signal transitions between ideas. However, the use of 'In opposite to' is grammatically incorrect and awkward. The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that referencing is more precise. Paragraphing is present, but the internal cohesion within the paragraphs is somewhat mechanical.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. You rely on simple verbs like 'showed', 'had', and 'decreased'. While these are accurate, they do not demonstrate the range required for higher bands. There are also some issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'time slot' and 'more shared by 2008'. To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary related to trends and data reporting, such as 'fluctuated', 'accounted for', or 'witnessed a significant rise'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. For example, 'The two-pie chart illustrate' (subject-verb agreement error), 'spent of adults' (incorrect preposition), and 'In opposite to, some activities proportion declined' (incorrect phrasing). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the frequency of errors in basic grammar prevents a higher score. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and ensuring that your sentence structures are grammatically sound.

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

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