Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-09-01
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)
This chart shows the information of the people that how they spent their day in 1958 and 2008.T
The overall view of this chart summarize that mostly people spent their time in working and then for sleeping both years in 1958 and 2008.
Let take its view one by one.
First in 1958, the chart shows that people spent most of their time in working and after that in other activities and the percentage of the day is 33 percentage and for sleeping they spent almost same as for working which is 32 %. While the time they spent with their family and friends is 19 % which is at third level in 1958. And the time they spent by relaxing at home is 8 % and the time is almost negligible which is 2%.
On the other hand, if we see the average of people in 2008 the average of people who works in a day is 42 % which is at its highest peak. And the second one in this chart is the % of sleeping that is 25 5 of whole day.
And the third one is relaxing percentage which is 13 % of the day. And for travelling, playing, and going out with family and friends us almost same which is 7, 7 and 6 % respectively.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the task by identifying key trends in the pie charts. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial and lacks a clear, cohesive overview. While you mention that working and sleeping are the primary activities, the comparison between the two years could be more analytical. For instance, you note the increase in working hours from 1958 to 2008, but you fail to highlight the significant shift in other categories, such as the decrease in time spent with family and friends. To improve, ensure you group data logically rather than listing percentages individually, and focus on the most significant changes rather than reporting every single figure.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is divided into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs is abrupt, and the use of cohesive devices is mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'And the third one', 'And for travelling'). The referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the two time periods. To achieve a higher band, use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that guides the reader through the data comparison.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic phrasing such as 'spent their time' and 'the chart shows'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'at its highest peak' and 'at third level', which are not natural in an academic context. While the meaning is generally clear, the range of vocabulary is insufficient to demonstrate the flexibility required for higher bands. You should aim to incorporate more precise terminology related to data description, such as 'accounted for', 'witnessed a rise', or 'remained stable'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow of reading. There are issues with sentence structure, such as 'Let take its view one by one' and 'the average of people who works'. Subject-verb agreement is inconsistent, and there are errors in punctuation and phrasing (e.g., '25 5 of whole day'). While you attempt some complex structures, they are often inaccurate. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring correct subject-verb agreement, and proofreading for minor slips that detract from the overall quality of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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