Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-09-08

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 8.5)

The pie charts compare how working adults in a particular country allocated their time to six daily activities in 1958 and 2008.

Overall, working and sleeping occupied the largest proportions of the day in both years. Over the 50-year period, adults spent considerably more time working, travelling to work, relaxing at home, and playing sports, while the time devoted to sleeping and socialising with friends and family declined markedly.

In 1958, working accounted for the largest share of the day at 33%, closely followed by sleeping at 32%. Going out with friends and family represented a significant 19%, whereas relaxing at home made up only 8%. Adults spent just 2% of their day travelling to work, while playing sports occupied the remaining 6%.

By 2008, the proportion of time spent working had risen substantially to 42%, making it by far the dominant activity. Time spent sleeping fell to 25%, a decrease of seven percentage points. Similarly, going out with friends and family dropped sharply from 19% to 6%. In contrast, relaxing at home increased from 8% to 13%, while travelling to work more than tripled, rising from 2% to 7%. Finally, playing sports experienced a slight increase, reaching 7% in 2008.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response is excellent and fully addresses all parts of the task. You have provided a clear overview that highlights the most significant trends, such as the increase in working time and the decrease in sleeping and socialising. The data is accurately selected and reported, with effective comparisons made between the two years. The use of specific figures, such as the rise in working time from 33% to 42% and the decline in socialising from 19% to 6%, demonstrates a strong grasp of the information presented in the charts. The response is well-structured and covers all categories effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The response is logically organised, with a clear progression of ideas from the introduction to the overview and the detailed body paragraphs. Each paragraph has a clear focus, and the transition between the 1958 data and the 2008 data is smooth. You have used a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'In contrast', 'Similarly', and 'By 2008', which help the reader follow the comparison easily. The paragraphing is skilful and appropriate for this type of task, ensuring that the information is presented in a coherent and easy-to-read manner.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.5

You have used a wide and precise range of vocabulary throughout the response. Phrases such as 'allocated their time', 'occupied the largest proportions', 'declined markedly', and 'rose substantially' are used accurately and naturally. The use of 'percentage points' to describe the change in sleeping time is a sophisticated touch that demonstrates a high level of lexical control. There are no errors in word choice or collocation, and the vocabulary is well-suited to the academic nature of the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The response displays a wide range of grammatical structures with full flexibility and accuracy. You have successfully used complex sentences, such as 'Going out with friends and family represented a significant 19%, whereas relaxing at home made up only 8%'. The punctuation is accurate throughout, and there are no grammatical errors. The control over verb tenses and comparative structures is excellent, making the text very easy to follow and professional in tone.

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

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