Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-30

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 8.0)

The pie charts compare the proportions of a typical day that working adults in a particular country devoted to six different activities in 1958 and 2008.

Overall, work and sleep accounted for the largest shares of adults' time in both years. Over the 50-year period, people spent considerably more time working and relaxing at home, whereas the proportions allocated to sleeping and socialising with friends and family declined substantially.

In 1958, working was the most time-consuming activity, representing 33% of the day, closely followed by sleeping at 32%. Socialising outside the home was also relatively significant, accounting for 19% of daily time. By contrast, only 8% of the day was spent relaxing at home. Playing sports and travelling to work occupied comparatively small proportions, at 6% and 2% respectively.

By 2008, the proportion of time devoted to work had risen markedly to 42%, making it by far the largest category. Meanwhile, sleeping fell by seven percentage points to 25%. Time spent relaxing at home also increased considerably, reaching 13%.

The most dramatic decline was observed in going out with friends and family, which dropped from 19% to only 6%. In contrast, commuting became more time-consuming, rising from just 2% to 7%, while participation in sports increased slightly from 6% to 7%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response is excellent. You have successfully identified and reported the main features of the data, providing a clear overview and supporting your points with accurate data comparisons. You correctly highlighted the significant shifts, such as the increase in work and home relaxation time versus the decline in socialising. The comparison between 1958 and 2008 is consistent and logical throughout. You have fully addressed all parts of the prompt, ensuring that the key trends are highlighted without unnecessary detail, which is exactly what is required for a high-scoring Task 1 response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is very well-structured. Each paragraph has a clear purpose, moving logically from the introduction to the overview, and then into detailed body paragraphs. You have used cohesive devices effectively, such as 'By contrast', 'Meanwhile', and 'In contrast', which help the reader follow the progression of your argument. The paragraphing is logical, separating the general trends from the specific data points. The flow of information is smooth, and there is no repetition or confusion in the way the data is presented.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a strong command of vocabulary, using precise terminology such as 'proportions', 'allocated', 'markedly', and 'dramatic decline'. The language is natural and sophisticated, fitting the academic tone required for this task. There are no noticeable errors in word choice or collocation. You have successfully avoided repetitive phrasing by using a variety of verbs and adverbs to describe the changes in the data, which shows a high level of lexical flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

Your grammar is highly accurate, with a wide range of complex sentence structures used correctly. You have effectively used participial phrases ('representing 33% of the day') and comparative structures ('making it by far the largest category'). Punctuation is used correctly throughout, and there are no errors that impede communication. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the control over tense and subject-verb agreement is consistent. This reflects a high level of grammatical competence.

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

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