Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-26
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 chart illustrate the information about working adults on five sectors and countries spent time between 1958 and 2008.
Overall, the proportion adults working in increase overall this period. where as sleeping decrease and going out with friends and families decrease. In contrast relaxing at home increase over the period.
In 1958, working counted 33% followed by sleeping at 32%, going out with families and friends made up 19%, while Relaxing at home working counted for 8%, others interest or playing sports counted for 6%, Traveling to working at least common activity just 2%.
In 2008, working accounted for 42%, Followed by sleeping at 25%, Relaxing at home made up 13%, while traveling to work accounted for 6% and 7 %. Moreover, working was the highest figure, accounted for 42%, by contrast, sleeping decrease to 25% percent. Travelling to work increased to 8%, where going out with friends and family dropped to just 6% respectively.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the pie charts and makes relevant comparisons. However, the overview is slightly confusing due to grammatical errors, such as stating that 'the proportion adults working in increase overall'. While the key trends are identified, the data presentation is sometimes inaccurate or contradictory (e.g., mentioning '6% and 7%' for 2008 without clear labels). The response would benefit from a more precise summary of the data and a clearer distinction between the two years. The information is generally relevant, but the lack of clarity in reporting figures limits the score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For example, the transition 'where as' is used incorrectly, and the phrase 'by contrast' is used in a way that does not effectively link the ideas. The progression of information is sometimes disjointed, particularly in the final paragraph where the data points are listed in a confusing manner. Improved use of linking words and better paragraph structure would enhance the flow of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The range of vocabulary is limited and repetitive. The student relies on basic verbs like 'increase', 'decrease', and 'counted'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'others interest' instead of 'other interests' and 'Traveling to working' instead of 'traveling to work'. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the basic meaning, it lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band score. To improve, the student should focus on using more varied synonyms for trends and more accurate terminology for describing data.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are consistent issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'The Pie chart illustrate', 'proportion adults... increase'), missing articles, and incorrect word forms (e.g., 'sleeping decrease'). The sentence structures are mostly simple, and attempts at more complex sentences often result in errors. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of commas and capitalisation. A focus on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would significantly improve the clarity of the writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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