Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-19

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 8.5)

The two pie charts compare how working adults in a certain country allocated their daily time to six activities in 1958 and 2008.

Overall, working occupied the largest proportion of the day in both years and became even more dominant in 2008. By contrast, sleeping and socialising took up smaller shares of time in 2008 than in 1958, while relaxing at home, travelling to work and playing sports all increased slightly.

In 1958, adults spent 33% of their day working, followed closely by sleeping at 32%. Going out with friends or family accounted for 19%, whereas relaxing at home represented only 8%. Travelling to work took up a minimal 2%, and the remaining 6% was devoted to playing sports.

Exactly fifty years later, the proportion of time spent working had risen markedly to 42%, an increase of 9 percentage points. Sleeping fell to 25%, and social activities declined sharply to just 6%. Relaxing at home almost doubled from 8% to 13%. Commuting time also increased considerably, from 2% to 8%, while participation in sports edged up slightly from 6% to 7%.

In summary, adults in 2008 devoted more time to work and home-based leisure activities, whereas they spent less time sleeping and socialising than adults did in 1958.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response is excellent. You have successfully identified and reported the main features of the data, providing a clear overview and supporting your points with accurate data comparisons. You correctly identified the shift in work-life balance, specifically noting the increase in working hours and the decline in socialising. The comparison between 1958 and 2008 is handled well, with clear references to the percentage point changes. All parts of the prompt are fully addressed, and the information is well-selected to highlight the most significant trends without becoming bogged down in unnecessary detail.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The response is logically organised with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a distinct focus: the introduction, the overall trend, the 1958 data, the 2008 data, and a summary. You use cohesive devices effectively, such as 'By contrast', 'whereas', and 'Exactly fifty years later', which help the reader follow the comparison smoothly. The paragraphing is logical and contributes to the overall clarity of the report. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words; the flow is natural and professional.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You demonstrate a wide and flexible range of vocabulary, which is used with precision. Phrases like 'allocated their daily time', 'became even more dominant', 'risen markedly', and 'edged up slightly' show a sophisticated control of language. The use of 'percentage points' is accurate and demonstrates a good grasp of statistical terminology. The vocabulary is consistently appropriate for an academic report, and there are no noticeable errors in word choice or collocation. The range is sufficient to convey complex comparisons with ease.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The response displays a wide range of grammatical structures, including complex sentences and varied clause types. The majority of sentences are error-free, and the control over punctuation and tense usage is excellent. For instance, the use of the past simple to describe the 1958 data and the shift to the past perfect ('had risen') when discussing the 2008 data is grammatically precise. There are no significant errors that impede communication, and the writing is fluent and accurate throughout.

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

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