Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-10-03

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 given pie charts compare ratio of the day spent by working individuals on several activities in 1958 and 2008.

Overall, it is evident that woking activities remained siginificantly higher in both time span, with sleeping remaining at the second in this scenerio. Most substantial change is the outing with family and friends which show a big dip in 2008 as compared to 1958.

In 1958, working activity was highest with 33% while travelling for work was minimum with only 2 % young individuals involved in this activity. In addition to that sleeping and going for a trip with relatives and friends were at second and third respectively.

In 2008. the main picture changes significantly although, some areas retain their percantage same, as in 1958. Although, working increases upto 42%, while sleeping decreases by 7%. The most significant change was the decrease in family time in 2008 as compared to 1958. travelling for work and people relaxing at home also show gradual increase in 2008.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses the main features of the task, presenting an overview and some key comparisons between 1958 and 2008. However, certain parts are underdeveloped or inaccurately reported. For instance, the student states that in 1958 'travelling for work was minimum with only 2 % young individuals involved', introducing unsupported demographic details ("young individuals") and misinterpreting the category as people rather than time spent. Similarly, the mention of playing sports in 2008 is entirely omitted from the text, meaning not all main data points are covered equally. To reach a higher level, the writer should ensure all major data trends are included without introducing outside assumptions, and maintain factual precision when reporting percentages and categories.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The text demonstrates a basic overall progression, starting with an introduction and attempting an overview before moving into body paragraphs. However, paragraphing is somewhat disorganized, with a very brief opening overview sentence followed immediately by a body paragraph that mixes summary points. Cohesive devices are used, but they are sometimes mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'In addition to that' and 'In 2008. the main picture changes significantly although, some areas retain their percantage same'. Referencing and logical connectors need to be smoother and more accurate. To improve, the writer should structure the response with a distinct introduction, a clear overview paragraph, and well-segregated body paragraphs supported by flexible cohesive links.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is minimally adequate for the task, allowing the student to communicate basic comparisons using words like "highest", "minimum", and "decrease". However, there are notable spelling errors ("woking", "siginificantly", "scenerio", "percantage") and awkward word choices or collocations, such as "going for a trip with relatives and friends" to describe socializing. Attempts to use less common vocabulary are hindered by these inaccuracies. To progress further, the student needs to expand their range of functional task-1 vocabulary (such as verbs of change and proportion descriptors) and eliminate basic spelling mistakes through careful proofreading.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writing demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as the opening relative clause and comparative structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors and punctuation issues throughout the text, including missing articles ("compare ratio"), incorrect prepositions ("higher in both time span"), punctuation errors (a stray full stop in "In 2008. the"), and tense inconsistencies. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur regularly. To achieve a higher band, the writer must exercise better control over complex sentence structures, articles, prepositions, and punctuation marks to ensure a greater proportion of error-free sentences.

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

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