Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-20

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 following pie chart indicates how working adults in a specific nation spend their duration in 1958 and 2008.

Overall, the chats illustrates the percentage of the day spent by working adults on a different activities in both countries. Working by adults was 42% and sleeping is just 25% in year 2008, but in year 1958 working was 33% and sleeping pecentage was 32%. There was a certain variation and addition in tear 2008.

In year 1958, working by adults was just 33%, which was gradually greater in 1958 as compared to others. Going out with friends or family percentage was 19%, travelling to work 2%, sleeping 32%, and relaxing at home 8% only.

In year 2008, working by adults are 42%, which is greater in year 2008 as compared to other activities. Going with friends or family percentage was 6%, travelling to work 7%, sleeping 25%, relaxing at home 13% and one thing add are playing sport percentage was only 7% which are not reliable in year 1958.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the charts, identifying the key trends such as the increase in working hours and the decrease in sleeping time. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical, relying heavily on listing percentages rather than synthesizing the data to make meaningful comparisons. The overview is weak; it contains factual errors (e.g., claiming the data is from 'both countries' when the prompt specifies 'a particular country') and lacks a clear summary of the most significant changes. While the main features are reported, the lack of analytical depth and the inclusion of inaccurate information limit the score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is repetitive and sometimes awkward, such as the frequent use of 'in year 1958' and 'in year 2008' to start sentences. The progression of ideas is somewhat disjointed, particularly in the final paragraph where the mention of 'one thing add' is poorly integrated into the flow of the text. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and the logical flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. The student relies on basic phrasing like 'working by adults' and 'percentage was'. There are noticeable errors in word choice, such as 'chats' instead of 'charts', 'duration' instead of 'time', and 'tear' instead of 'year'. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to demonstrate the flexibility required for higher bands. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of precision and the recurring errors in basic terminology prevent a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response uses a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but these are frequently marred by grammatical errors. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('working by adults are 42%'), incorrect tense usage, and awkward phrasing ('which was gradually greater'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the frequency of errors in basic sentence construction is high. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur throughout the text and demonstrate a lack of control over complex structures.

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

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