Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-09-13

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 data presents how the working population of adults of a particular country spend their time on various activities in the years 1958 and 2008.

Overall, in 1958, working adults spent most of their time in work-related activities, sleeping and going out with their friends or family whereas, in 2008, there was a dramatic increase in the amount of time the working population worked which caused a decline in the amount of time they slept and went out with family or friends.

In 1958, the adults who were working spent 35% of their day being busy with work and 32% sleeping. Travelling to work and relaxing at home combined to only 10% of their entire day and the remaining 19% was utilized to hangout with friends or family.

However, in 2008, there was a significant growth in the amount of time these adults spent working which took up 42% of their entire day. This caused a decline in the amount of time the working population got to sleep in comparison to 1958. Playing sports and relaxing at home combined to a total of 20% and the remaining time was utilized for travelling to their workplace or going out with friends or family.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response successfully covers all parts of the prompt by presenting an overview and reporting the main features of the two pie charts from 1958 and 2008. In the overview, the student correctly identifies the general shift towards work-related activities and the corresponding decrease in sleep and leisure. Key data points are selected and contrasted appropriately, such as work increasing from 35% to 42% and sleep dropping from 32%. However, there are minor inaccuracies in reporting some of the categories, such as mentioning playing sports in 2008 when the charts show other categories, and some data points are grouped in a slightly imprecise manner. Nevertheless, the response fulfills the requirements of Task 1 effectively with a clear comparative overview and relevant data selection, matching Band 6.5 descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into four paragraphs, beginning with an introduction, moving to a clear overall summary, and then diving into body paragraphs detailing the specific years. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well to guide the reader through the data, employing transition words like 'Overall', 'However', and 'In 1958'. Paragraphing is logical, with a clear separation between the general trends and the detailed numerical breakdown. Referencing is mostly clear, though some transitional phrasing between sentences can feel slightly mechanical. Overall progression is maintained throughout the response, corresponding well to a Band 7.0 level.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing statistical data, using terms such as 'working population', 'dramatic increase', 'decline', and 'significant growth'. There are occasional awkward word choices or slightly imprecise collocations, such as 'traveling to work and relaxing at home combined to only 10%', where 'accounted for' would be more natural than 'combined to'. Spelling is accurate, and while the vocabulary is not particularly advanced or sophisticated, it successfully conveys the information without impeding communication. This performance aligns comfortably with the Band 6.0 descriptor.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including relative clauses and subordinate clauses (e.g., 'the adults who were working spent 35%...'). Control over grammar is generally good, and many sentences are error-free. There are minor grammatical slips, such as 'combined to a total of 20%' instead of 'accounted for a total of 20%' or 'combined to total 20%', but these errors do not impede communication. Punctuation is handled reasonably well throughout the text. The balance of structures and overall accuracy support 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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