Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The pie charts depict the ways of spending time by working grown-ups in two particular years, separated by five decades.

Overall, despite a large decline, spending time doing work was the most significant throughout the recorded period. Likewise, time spent hanging out with friends and family saw a considerable reduction. Playing sports emerged as a new activity, whereas the other activities underwent relatively less changes in participation.

Adults with jobs, in 1958, spent the highest proportion of their time doing work. Five decades later, the activity remained the most popular, amassing 42% of the jobholders. Spending time outside with the nearest ones decreased by a large margin, from 19% in 1958 to only 6% in 2008. The figures for sleeping declined by 7% to around a quarter of the adults.

The time expended on the way to work increased by 5% in 2008. Spending time playing sports took up a proportion, from null in 1958 to 7% after fifty years.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all key features of the pie charts and makes relevant comparisons between 1958 and 2008. The overview is clear and highlights the most significant trends, such as the dominance of work and the emergence of sports. However, the analysis is somewhat brief. For instance, while you mention the decline in time spent with friends and family, you could have provided more specific data points or compared the relative changes more deeply to reach a higher band. The report is accurate, but the development of the main features could be more detailed to fully satisfy the requirements of a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group information by activity and trend. Cohesive devices such as 'Likewise', 'whereas', and 'in contrast' are used effectively to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the supporting details. The progression of ideas is clear, though the transition between the final two paragraphs could be slightly smoother to enhance the overall flow. Overall, the structure is coherent and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information clearly. Phrases like 'amassing 42%', 'underwent relatively less changes', and 'expended on the way to work' show an attempt to use varied language. However, there are some slightly unnatural collocations, such as 'ways of spending time by working grown-ups' and 'nearest ones' (which is informal). Using more precise academic terminology would improve the score. The vocabulary is adequate for the task, but lacks the flexibility and precision required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are clear and error-free, which ensures that communication is not impeded. There are some minor grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'underwent relatively less changes' (should be 'fewer changes') and 'from null in 1958' (which is not standard usage). While you show control over basic grammar, the range of complex structures is somewhat limited. Increasing the variety of subordinate clauses and ensuring consistent accuracy in comparative structures would help elevate your score.

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

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