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)
The pie chart illustrated that how working adults in a particular country spent their time in different activities between 1958 and 2008.
In the pie chart, it is clear that the majority adults spent their time in working and sleeping in both year 1958 and 2008, however travelling to work represented as a least percentage fallowed year 1958. On the other side the lowest percentage of youngsters went out with friends and family.
In the year 1958, the largest share was accounted for working and sleeping with total 58% of both activities. The one fifth portion was occupied by the went out with friends and family. The 10% of portion was made up by relaxing at home and travelling to work fallowed by 8% and 2%.
In the year 2008, the largest portion also came from working with 42%. The one fourth of the portion was contributed by the sleeping activity. Relaxing at home was accounted for the 13% and 14% of the portion was represented by travelling to work and playing sports.
The smallest portion was made up by going out with friends and family with 6%.
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 the main features and making comparisons between the two years. However, the data reporting is inconsistent and contains inaccuracies. For instance, you state that 'the largest share was accounted for working and sleeping with total 58%' in 1958, but the charts typically show these as separate categories. Furthermore, the description of the data is sometimes confusing, such as mentioning 'youngsters' when the prompt specifies 'working adults'. To improve, ensure you accurately transcribe the data points and focus on clear, objective comparisons rather than interpreting the demographic beyond what is provided.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'fallowed' (likely meant 'followed') and 'on the other side'. The logical progression between sentences is sometimes hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'The 10% of portion was made up by relaxing at home and travelling to work fallowed by 8% and 2%'. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words would help the flow of ideas significantly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic structures like 'the portion was made up by' or 'accounted for'. There are also several word-choice errors, such as using 'illustrated' instead of 'illustrates' and 'fallowed' instead of 'followed'. While the meaning is generally clear, the range of vocabulary is not sufficient to demonstrate the flexibility required for higher bands. You should aim to use more precise reporting verbs and varied nouns to describe the data trends.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'the majority adults' (should be 'the majority of adults'), 'in both year 1958 and 2008' (should be 'years'), and 'the lowest percentage of youngsters went out' (incorrect subject). There is a lack of complex sentence structures, and the control over basic grammar, such as articles and pluralisation, is inconsistent. To reach a higher band, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions and articles.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.