Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-16

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 7.0)

The pie chart compares the proportion of time allocated by employed individuals on distinct tasks: going out with family/ friends, travelling to work, working, sleeping, and relaxing at home, in 1958 and 2008.

Overall, the working, and travelling hours of adults increased over the period as well as the time they spent relaxing at home, while the average time spent sleeping, and going out with family and friends reduced. The time for playing sports remained almost unchanged.

In 1958, working individuals spent most of their time at work, at 33% and they allocated the lowest time of their day to travel to their work, only 2%. However, in 2008, working hours rose to 42%, and the travelling time also went up by 5%. Nevertheless, people's relaxing time increased from 8% in 1958 to 13% in 2008.

Conversely, sleeping, which consumed the highest time of the day after work, at 32% decreased by 7% in 2008. Similarly, the average time working adults spent on going out with family and friends reduced from 19% in 1958 to just 6% in 2008.

Sports, on the other hand, remained almost unchanged, at 7%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response effectively identifies the main trends and makes relevant comparisons between the two years. You have successfully highlighted the most significant changes, such as the increase in working hours and the decrease in time spent with family. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the data. However, to reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are accurate; for instance, you mentioned that travelling time rose by 5%, but the data shows an increase from 2% to 7%, which is a 5 percentage point increase, but phrasing it as 'rose by 5%' can be ambiguous. Overall, the task is well-addressed with a clear focus on the key features.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that group information effectively. The use of cohesive devices such as 'Conversely', 'Similarly', and 'In 1958' helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed analysis. The flow is generally smooth, although some transitions could be slightly more sophisticated to improve the overall cohesion. The referencing is clear, and the information is presented in a way that is easy to follow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the trends, such as 'proportion', 'allocated', 'consumed', and 'remained almost unchanged'. The vocabulary is generally accurate and appropriate for the task. There are no significant spelling errors, and the word choice is precise enough to convey the intended meaning. To improve further, try to incorporate more varied collocations or less common lexical items to describe the data, such as 'a significant shift' or 'a marginal fluctuation', rather than relying on simpler phrases. Overall, the lexical range is adequate for the task requirements.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response demonstrates a good control of grammatical structures. You have used a mix of simple and complex sentences effectively, such as 'Although... while...'. There are very few grammatical errors, and the punctuation is generally correct. The sentence structure is varied, which helps maintain the reader's interest. While the grammar is strong, ensure that subject-verb agreement and preposition usage remain consistent. For example, 'the lowest time of their day to travel to their work' is slightly awkward; 'the least amount of time on commuting' would be more natural. Overall, the accuracy is high, with only minor slips.

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

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