Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-27
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 demonstrates the comparison of activities on which time had been spent by adults in a particular country in 1958 and 2008 year.
Overall, most of the time spent on working and sleeping in both years. Whereas travelling to work and playing sports covered least percentage. Going out with friends/family recorded a decline in 2008, compared with 1958. While relaxing at home increased.
Time devoted for working remains highest with regards to increased from 33 percent to 42 percent respectively. Likewise relaxing at home inclined to 13 percent compared with 8 percent in 1958. Furthermore travelling to work slightly climbed to 7 percent from 2 percent, still holds lowest percentage.
Playing sports remained stable throughout the years by adults.
On the other hand, Sleeping followed a downward trend from 32 percent in 1958 to
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, as it is only 136 words long. Furthermore, the response is incomplete, ending abruptly mid-sentence ('to'). While you have identified some main features, such as the increase in working time and the decrease in sleeping time, the analysis is underdeveloped. You have not fully reported all the data points, and the incomplete nature of the final sentence prevents a full summary of the information. To improve, ensure you complete all sentences and provide a more comprehensive overview of the data, including all categories shown in the charts, to ensure the task is fully addressed.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into short paragraphs, which is a good start. However, the logical flow is disrupted by the incomplete ending. You use some cohesive devices like 'Overall', 'Whereas', and 'Furthermore', but the transition between ideas is sometimes mechanical. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'with regards to increased from 33 percent', which is grammatically awkward and hinders the flow of information. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, complete structure that guides the reader through the data logically.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. You rely on basic verbs like 'remained', 'increased', and 'climbed'. Phrases such as 'time devoted for working' and 'inclined to 13 percent' are slightly unnatural in this context. There is also a lack of sophisticated vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'plummeted', or 'remained constant'. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and a broader range of synonyms to describe the changes in the data, ensuring that your word choices are contextually appropriate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains several grammatical errors that affect clarity. For example, 'time had been spent by adults in a particular country in 1958 and 2008 year' is clunky and contains redundant phrasing. There are also issues with preposition usage and sentence structure, such as 'with regards to increased from 33 percent'. The incomplete sentence at the end is a significant grammatical failure. While you attempt some complex structures, they are often inaccurate. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions. Ensure that every sentence is complete and grammatically sound before moving to the next point.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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