Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-23
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 pie charts below show how working adults in a particular country spent their time in 1958 and 2008. The comparison covers many points, such as going out with friends or family, playing sports, working, relaxing at home, sleeping, and travelling to work.
Overall, working in both years has the highest percentage, while playing sports has the lowest percentage, at 7% in 2008. Whereas in 1958, travelling to work has the lowest percentage, which is exactly 2%.
7% is the percentage of people playing sports in both years, in 1958 and 2008. The percentage of days spent with friends and family had significantly increased in 2008; it changed from 19% in 1958 to 6% in 2008.
Relaxing at home and sleeping did not have an enormous change between 1958 and 2008. In 1958, the percentage of the day spent by working adults sleeping was 32%, but in 2008 it was 25%, which indicated a slight decrease. Relaxing at home had slight raised from 8% in 1958 to 13% in 2008.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main features of the charts, but there are significant inaccuracies in data interpretation. For example, you state that time spent with friends and family increased from 19% to 6%, which is a mathematical contradiction. Additionally, you claim playing sports remained at 7% in both years, whereas the prompt implies a comparison of changing trends. While you identify the highest and lowest categories, the analysis lacks precision and contains factual errors regarding the data provided. To improve, ensure that your descriptions of trends (increases/decreases) are supported by accurate calculations and that you avoid contradictory statements.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the logical progression is hindered by the factual errors mentioned above. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall,' 'Whereas,' and 'In 1958,' but the transition between ideas is sometimes mechanical. The referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when discussing the shifts in percentages. To reach a higher band, focus on ensuring that each paragraph has a clear central topic and that the logical flow between sentences is not disrupted by contradictory information.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to describe the charts with basic terms like 'percentage,' 'increase,' and 'decrease.' However, there is a lack of variety and precision. Phrases like 'had slight raised' are grammatically incorrect and demonstrate a limited grasp of collocation. You rely on repetitive phrasing to describe the data. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to trends, such as 'fluctuated,' 'remained stable,' or 'witnessed a marginal rise,' and ensure that your word forms are used correctly in context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity, such as 'Relaxing at home had slight raised' and 'the percentage of the day spent by working adults sleeping was 32%.' These errors in verb tense and passive voice construction are noticeable. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of past tense when describing historical data.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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