Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-09-12

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 6.0)

The two pie charts illustrate how working adults in a particular country allocated their time to various activities in 1958 and 2008.

Working accounted for larger proportion for adults' time in both years. The proportion of time spent sleeping decreased from 32% in 1958 to 25% in 2008. The proportion of time spent relaxing at home increased from 8% to 13%.

There were also notable changes in the remaining activities. The proportion of time spent going out with friends and family fell significantly, from 19% in 1958 to just 6% in 2008. Travelling for work in 1958 and in 2008 was 2% and 7% respectively. Surprisingly, The proportion of time spent playing sports remained unchanged at 7% in both years.

Overall, working accounted for the largest proportion of the day in both years and increased considerably by 2008. In contrast, the proportions of time spent sleeping and going out with friends and family declined, while relaxing at home and travelling to work became more common.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student has successfully addressed all parts of the task by providing a clear summary of the two pie charts illustrating time allocation in 1958 and 2008. The main features are appropriately identified, such as the dominant role of working and the significant changes in sleeping and going out. Meaningful comparisons are made between the two years, for example noting that time spent relaxing at home increased from 8% to 13% while going out with friends fell. However, a specific numerical figure for the proportion of working in either year is missing from the body paragraphs, which prevents the response from fully developing all data points. Nonetheless, the overview accurately captures the major trends, fulfilling the core requirements of Task Achievement at a Band 6.5 to 7.0 level.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is organized in a logical sequence, featuring a clear introduction, well-defined body paragraphs focusing on different activities, and a concise concluding overview. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well to guide the reader through the data, such as 'In contrast' and 'There were also notable changes'. Paragraphing is handled appropriately, with each paragraph serving a distinct function in grouping the information. While referencing and progression are generally clear, the cohesion occasionally feels a bit formulaic or mechanical, preventing it from reaching the higher band. Overall, the arrangement is coherent and easy to follow throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for discussing statistical data and time allocation, utilizing terms such as 'proportion', 'allocated', 'fluctuated', and 'considerably'. Less common vocabulary is attempted with some success, such as 'notable changes' and 'significantly'. However, there are minor lexical gaps, most notably the missing noun in the sentence 'Working accounted for larger proportion for adults' time', where an article is omitted and the collocation is slightly imprecise. Spelling and word choice are generally accurate and do not impede communication, placing the response solidly in the Band 6.0 to 6.5 range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over past tense structures and comparative phrases such as 'decreased from 32% in 1958 to 25% in 2008'. Grammatical accuracy is reasonably high, with many error-free sentences. However, there is a noticeable grammatical error in the second paragraph: 'Working accounted for larger proportion for adults' time', which misses an article before 'larger proportion' and uses an inaccurate preposition. Despite this and a capitalized 'The' mid-sentence in the third paragraph, punctuation is generally sound and the errors do not impede communication, supporting a solid Band 6.5 score.

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

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