Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-10-12

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 5.5)

The pie chart illustrates that the working adults in a particular nation spend their time between 1958 and 2008.

Overall, it is readily apparent that the percentile of the day spent by working adults on working was highest. Whilst, the travelling to work was least.

The noteworthy features delineate that the percentage of working adults in going out with friends was 19% in year1958. Whereas, the working was 33%. In comparison, the proportion of working adults in relaxing at home and sleeping was 8% and 32% respectively in year 1958.

The chart further collates that the percentage of working adults in playing sports and travelling to work was same 7% in year 2008. While, the going out with family was 6%. In contrast, the proportion of working adults on sleeping and working was 25% and 42% respectively. Additionally, the relaxing at home was 13% in year 2008.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify several relevant figures, including work at 33% and 42%, sleeping at 32% and 25%, and socialising at 19% and 6%. However, the response mainly lists selected values rather than summarising the main changes across the two years. The overview is also inaccurate: work was the largest category in 2008, but sleeping was slightly higher in 1958 (32% versus 33% for work? In fact, work was 33%, so it was marginally the largest); travelling was the smallest in 1958, while going out with friends or family was the smallest in 2008. You omit the important rise in travel and the appearance of sports in 2008, and do not clearly compare the years. The response is also three words below the required minimum. A more accurate overview and fuller comparisons are needed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs for figures from each year. This makes the information reasonably easy to locate. However, progression is limited because the body paragraphs report the years separately rather than grouping the most important increases and decreases for comparison. Linking words such as “Whereas,” “In comparison,” and “In contrast” are used, but some connections are awkward or do not clearly express the relationship between the figures. For example, “Whilst, the travelling to work was least” is not smoothly connected to the preceding overview. Organise the details around comparisons and use linking phrases only where their relationship is clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “proportion,” “percentage,” “noteworthy features,” and “collates,” and the meaning is generally understandable. There are, however, several unnatural or imprecise choices. “Percentile” is not the right term for a share of time, and “the chart further collates” does not describe what a chart does. Phrases such as “working adults in going out with friends” and “the going out with family” are also awkward. Repetition of “percentage” and “proportion” makes the report less flexible. Aim for accurate, natural collocations such as “the share of the day spent” and “the proportion of time devoted to,” while keeping the language clear rather than overly formal.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and more complex sentences, including clauses beginning with “Whilst,” “Whereas,” and “Additionally.” Most of the figures remain understandable, but some grammatical errors and punctuation problems are noticeable. “Whilst, the travelling to work was least” is an incomplete and awkwardly punctuated clause, while “playing sports and travelling to work was same 7%” has problems with agreement and sentence construction. Missing articles and prepositions also affect phrases such as “in year 1958” and “the relaxing at home.” Use complete sentences, check singular and plural agreement, and add articles where needed. More accurate control of these structures would make the comparisons easier to follow.

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

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