Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-28
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 given pie chart illustrates the percentage of how working adults in a specific country spent their time on various activities in 1958 and 2008.
In 1958, 33% of adults spent their time working, 32% people spent their time sleeping. 19% people spent their time with family or going out with friends. 8% of adults spent the time relaxing at home and only 2% people spent their time travelling to work. The people who spent their time working has the highest percentage and those who spent it travelling to work has the lowest percentage.
In 2008, 42% of adults spent their time working, 25% of adults spent their time sleeping, 13% spent the time relaxing at home, adults who spent it playing sports and travelling to work has the same percentage 7. Only 6% of adults spent the time going out with family or friends. Adults who spent the time working has highest percentage and those who spent going out with family or friends has the lowest percentage.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the charts, identifying the highest and lowest categories for both years. However, it lacks a clear overview or summary of the key trends, which is essential for a Band 7 or higher. The description is largely a list of data points rather than a synthesis of the information. While the data is accurate, the lack of a comparative summary means the response does not fully highlight the significant shifts between 1958 and 2008, such as the increase in working hours or the decline in sleep.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into three paragraphs, which is a logical structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite mechanical and repetitive. Phrases like 'spent their time' are used in almost every sentence, making the flow feel stilted. There is a lack of linking words to connect the ideas between the two years or to contrast the data effectively. The progression of information is clear, but the reliance on simple sentence structures limits the overall coherence of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. The student relies heavily on the phrase 'spent their time', which is repeated throughout the text. There is little attempt to use synonyms or more sophisticated vocabulary related to time allocation or trends (e.g., 'allocated', 'devoted', 'proportion', 'fluctuated'). While the meaning is always clear, the limited range of lexical items prevents the response from reaching a higher band score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses mostly simple sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as '19% people spent' (should be '19% of people') and 'has the highest percentage' (subject-verb agreement issues when referring to plural groups). The sentence 'adults who spent it playing sports and travelling to work has the same percentage 7' is grammatically awkward and lacks proper punctuation. While the errors do not impede communication, the lack of complex sentence structures and the persistent grammatical slips limit the score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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