Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-29
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 4.5)
The data presents how working elder in a particular region used up their time in 1958 to 2008.The highest proportion of time adults spend on working in 2008 to 1958.
In 1958 the elders 33 percent of time spent on working and 32 percent on sleeping. 19 percent of time used up going out with friends or family. Spent on relaxing at home is 8 percent. The lowest proportion of time spent on travelling to work.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 4.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.5 |
| Overall | 4.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the ability to fully address the task. The summary is incomplete, lacking a clear overview of the trends and failing to provide a comprehensive comparison between the two years. While some data points are mentioned, the analysis is fragmented and lacks the depth required for an Academic Task 1 response. To improve, you must ensure you cover all parts of the prompt, provide a clear overview, and extend your writing to meet the length requirement by including more detailed comparisons and data reporting.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0
The response lacks a logical structure. There is no clear paragraphing, and the sentences are disjointed, making it difficult to follow the progression of information. Cohesive devices are largely absent, and the transition between the introduction and the body of the report is abrupt. To improve, you should organize your response into clear paragraphs: an introduction, an overview of the main trends, and two body paragraphs detailing specific data points. Using linking words such as 'whereas', 'in contrast', or 'subsequently' would help connect your ideas more effectively.
Lexical Resource — Band 4.5
The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'used up their time' and 'proportion of time spent' are used repeatedly, which restricts the range of your writing. There are also inaccuracies in word choice, such as using 'elder' to refer to 'working adults'. To achieve a higher band, you should aim to use a wider variety of synonyms and more precise terminology related to data description, such as 'allocated', 'devoted', or 'accounted for'. Expanding your vocabulary will allow you to express the data more fluently and accurately.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'adults spend on working') and sentence structure (e.g., 'The lowest proportion of time spent on travelling to work' is a sentence fragment). The range of structures is very limited, consisting mostly of simple sentences. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and ensuring your sentences have a clear subject and verb. Incorporating a mix of complex sentence structures, such as using relative clauses or subordinating conjunctions, will also help demonstrate a wider grammatical range.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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