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 two pie charts illustrate how adults who have jobs from a specific country exploited their time in 1958 compared to 2008.

Overall, the portion of each activity in 1958 changed in 2008 .However, working time had the highest portion in people's times in 1958 and still preserved it first place in 2008 whereas other activities like sleeping decreased in proportion.

In 1958, people allocated 33% of their time in working and it's the highest portion in all the activities. Followed by sleeping with 32% ratio showing a high equilibration between sleeping and working .Then, people allocated 19% of their time to go out with their family or friends which is already a high portion . Followed withh respesctively 6% and 2% for sports and travelling to work.

On the other hand, working time preserved its first place in 2008 with a sligh increase by 9 % .Followed with 25% ratio to sleeping showing a dropping by 7% . However travelling to work increased in 2008 to 7% same proportion that is reserved to playing sports .And finally Going out with family or friends dropped drastically to 6% in the same mentioned year showing that people diminished the time they spend with their beloved ones.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the charts and makes relevant comparisons. You successfully identified the primary trends, such as the dominance of working time and the decrease in time spent going out. However, the analysis is slightly hampered by inaccurate data reporting. For instance, you state that working time increased by 9% in 2008, but the charts show an increase from 33% to 42%, which is a 9 percentage point increase, but the phrasing 'slight increase' is contradictory for such a significant change. Additionally, some data points are slightly imprecise. To improve, ensure that your data interpretation is strictly accurate and that your descriptions of trends (e.g., 'slight' vs 'significant') align with the actual numerical changes.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In 1958', and 'On the other hand' to guide the reader. However, the flow is occasionally disrupted by mechanical errors in punctuation and spacing, such as the space before the period in '2008 .However,' and the lack of proper sentence boundaries in the second paragraph. The use of referencing is sometimes repetitive, and the transition between ideas could be smoother. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring correct punctuation would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'allocated', 'proportion', and 'diminished'. However, there are some awkward word choices, such as 'exploited their time' (which carries a negative connotation) and 'high equilibration', which is not the correct term for describing balanced data. There are also minor spelling errors like 'Followed withh respesctively'. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding words that do not fit the context of time management. Expanding your range of synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' would also be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with prepositions ('time in working', 'ratio to sleeping') and article usage. You also have issues with sentence fragments and run-on sentences, such as 'Followed by sleeping with 32% ratio showing a high equilibration between sleeping and working'. These errors are noticeable but do not completely impede communication. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of participial phrases to connect ideas more accurately within your sentences.

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

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