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 charts illustrate about 1958 and 2008 regarding a specific nation in which employed adults were engaged in various activities to keep the busy.

Overall,the most of the adult work and sleep instead of going to work or resting at home. Whereas, the a slight number of people showed interest in sports, when introduced in later years.

In terms of working, recorded the highest proportion of adults at one-third in 1958 and 42% in 2008, followed by sleeping, which dropped from 32 % to a quater proportion. Even after the drop it still stands in second place.

Furthermore, giving time to families and friend, stood at 19% and declined by substantial percentage to, just 6%. For traveling to work and relaxing at home it was opposite, as both increases by similar difference of 5%, reaching to 7% and 13% respectively at the end of the period. However in the starting both had least proportion, travelling accounted the lowest figure for both period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the pie charts, such as the increase in working hours and the decline in time spent with family. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial and contains inaccuracies. For instance, you state that sleeping 'dropped from 32% to a quarter proportion' (25%), but the data shows a more nuanced change. Additionally, the claim that sports were 'introduced in later years' is an assumption not supported by the data provided. To reach a higher band, ensure that all comparisons are mathematically accurate and avoid making inferences that are not explicitly present in the diagrams.

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. Phrases like 'Whereas, the a slight number' and 'In terms of working, recorded the highest' lack proper grammatical integration, making the flow feel disjointed. The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when discussing the trends for traveling and relaxing. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring that each sentence logically follows the previous one will significantly enhance the clarity of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but there are frequent errors in word choice and collocation that occasionally impede meaning. For example, 'keep the busy' is grammatically incorrect, and 'a quater proportion' is an awkward phrasing. You also use 'the most of the adult' instead of 'most adults'. While you attempt to use some descriptive language, the lack of precision in your word choices limits your score. Focusing on more natural collocations and ensuring correct word forms will help you achieve a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There is a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but the response contains frequent grammatical errors. Issues include missing articles ('the a slight number'), incorrect verb forms ('both increases by'), and awkward sentence construction ('travelling accounted the lowest figure'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, such as the missing space after the comma in 'Overall,the'. While the meaning is generally understandable, these persistent errors in basic grammar and sentence structure prevent the response from reaching a higher band. You should focus on subject-verb agreement and article usage.

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

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