Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-18

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)

Task 1

The two pie charts illustrate the proportion of adults that had workholic cultural in a particular nation spent their time from 1958 to 2008.

Overall, it is crystal clear majority of adults spent time maximum time on working and sleeping in both years. While, least time spent on travelling to work as compared to rest of other activities.

At first glance, it can be seen that in 1958 working adults spent time on working and sleeping is 33%, 32% respectively. Secondly, proportion of adults that spent time in home 8% only which was quich highest than adults that travelling to work. Thirdly, adults that get time for going out with friends/ family about 19% in 1958.

Moving further, in 2008 adults utilised almost same time on the activities like playing sport and travelling to work around of 7%. Moreover, there was a negligible difference was witnessed in going out with friends and family only 1%. However maximum time spent on working 42% than sleeping spent only 25%. Adults that relaxing at home was 13% in 2008.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the pie charts, but the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you identify the key trends, such as the dominance of working and sleeping, the comparison between the two years is inconsistent. For instance, you mention the percentages for 1958 but fail to provide a clear, comparative overview of how these figures shifted by 2008. The introduction is slightly inaccurate, as the charts do not suggest a 'workaholic culture' but rather a distribution of time. To improve, ensure you highlight the most significant changes, such as the increase in working hours, rather than listing data points in isolation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. Phrases like 'At first glance' and 'Secondly' are used, but the logical flow between sentences is frequently interrupted by grammatical errors. Referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult to track which year or activity is being discussed. To improve, focus on using transition words that show contrast or addition more naturally, such as 'In contrast,' 'Conversely,' or 'Furthermore,' and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary range is limited and occasionally inappropriate for an academic report. Phrases like 'workholic cultural' and 'quich highest' are non-standard and impede clarity. You rely on basic verbs like 'spent' and 'get' repeatedly. While you attempt to use some descriptive language, the word choice is often imprecise, such as 'utilised almost same time' instead of 'spent a similar amount of time.' To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more precise vocabulary related to data description, such as 'accounted for,' 'fluctuated,' 'remained stable,' or 'a significant increase.'

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally hinder understanding. Issues include incorrect verb tenses ('spent time... is 33%'), missing articles, and awkward sentence structures ('there was a negligible difference was witnessed'). The sentence construction is often simplistic, and there is a lack of complex structures. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions. Practice combining simple sentences into complex ones using relative clauses or subordinating conjunctions to demonstrate a wider range of grammatical control.

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

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