Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-09-16

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 illustrates the proportion of the various activities done to utlilize time in the specific nation between 1958 and 2008 in percentage.

Overall, in the year 1958 and 2008, working was the top most time spending job. The least preferred activity was travelling to jobs in the 1958, whereas in the year 2008, going out with friends or family occupied the spot.

To begin with, working was contributed about approximately one-thrid in the year 1958, that was changed to about just over two-fifths. Firstly, relaxing at home was allocated just below one-tenth, but after that significant increase to about 13%.The next activity was sleeping, which had about 6% dipped in 2008. Moreover, became about a quarter.

Furthermore, travelling to work had a growth of about 5% from 2% to 7% in 1958 and 2008 respectively. In the year 1958, going out with friends and family contributed about just below one-fifth, but in the year 2008, it dropped to only 6%. The most steady activity was plkaying sports about 7% throughout the period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student covers all parts of the task well by reporting the main features of the two pie charts and making relevant comparisons between 1958 and 2008. The overview successfully highlights the dominant activities, such as working being the top time-consuming activity in both years. Key data points are accurately reported, such as working rising from 33% to 42% and travelling to work increasing from 2% to 7%. However, there are minor inaccuracies in some details, such as stating sleeping had a '6% dipped in 2008' when it dropped from 32% to 25% (a 7% drop), and an inaccurate claim that playing sports was the 'most steady activity' at 7% throughout the period (sports was absent in 1958 and stood at 7% in 2008). Overall, the response addresses the prompt effectively, earning a Band 6.5.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into clear paragraphs, starting with an introduction, followed by an overview, and subsequent body paragraphs that break down the data logically. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Furthermore', and 'respectively' are used to structure the writing, although some transitions feel slightly mechanical or forced. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different categories of information. Referencing is generally clear, though occasional awkward phrasing, such as 'the next activity was sleeping, which had about 6% dipped in 2008. Moreover, became about a quarter,' disrupts the flow and progression of ideas. These minor organizational and linking flaws place the response firmly in the Band 6 category.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, attempting to use less common phrasing such as 'proportion', 'allocated', and 'steady activity'. However, there are notable word choice and collocation errors throughout the response. Examples include 'utlilize time' (utilize time), 'top most time spending job' (most time-consuming activity), 'working was contributed about' (working accounted for), and 'plkaying sports' (playing sports, alongside a typo). Furthermore, repetitive use of basic structures and imprecise terms restricts the lexical score. While communication is not impeded, the frequent lexical inaccuracies prevent the response from achieving a higher band, making Band 5.0 the most appropriate descriptor.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating relative clauses ('which had about 6% dipped') and comparative structures. However, grammatical accuracy is weak, with frequent errors in voice, preposition use, and verb forms. Examples of structural errors include 'working was contributed about approximately one-thrid', 'that was changed to about just over two-fifths', and 'travelling to jobs in the 1958'. These errors often result in ungrammatical passive constructions and awkward phrasing. Although the meaning remains largely intelligible, the high frequency of grammatical slips and lack of error-free complex sentences indicate a clear Band 5 level of control.

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

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