Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-10-13

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 5.5)

The pie chart illustrate the proportion of how working adults in a various country spent their time in 1958 and 2008.

Overall, it is clear that sleeping accounted for the largest percentage of the total in 1958, despite expriencing a slight decreased. Conversely, working saw a significant growth over the given period, while playing sports remained relatively stable.

In 1958, sleeping represented the largest proportion with 32%. By 2008 this number had decreased to 25%. Similary going out with friends and family made up 19% of the total in 1958, before failling marginally to 6% a decade later.

By contrast, the working category saw a significant increase by 2008. In 1958 it accounted to 33% and by 2008 it rose with 42%. Similary travelling to work also exprienced a increased, in 1958 it only consituted by 2% and by 2008 it made up to 7%. Also relaxing at home rose by 2008 with share of 13% comapare in the 1958 with 8%. However, playing sports remained stable throughtout the given period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify several important patterns accurately: sleeping falls from 32% to 25%, working rises from 33% to 42%, and travel to work increases from 2% to 7%. The overview also recognises the contrast between declining sleep and growing work. However, it contains a factual and interpretive problem: playing sports appears only in 2008, at 7%, so it cannot have “remained relatively stable” across the period. The comparison of going out with friends and family is relevant, but “a decade later” is inaccurate because the charts are 50 years apart. Include the 2008 sports figure as a new category and make the overview cover the main changes more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a clear basic structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs of comparisons. Grouping the declines separately from the increases helps the reader follow the main information. However, progression is weakened by repeated linking words, especially “Similarly,” and by the repeated “By 2008” construction. Some connections are also unclear: the overview says sports remained stable, while the chart shows no 1958 figure for this category. Improve cohesion by grouping related changes more deliberately, varying transitions, and using clear references to the two years. A more focused overview would also make the organisation feel more purposeful.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “accounted for,” “represented,” “proportion,” and “significant increase,” so the main comparisons are generally understandable. However, several word-choice, collocation, and spelling problems reduce precision: “a various country,” “failling marginally,” “accounted to,” and “rose with 42%” are not natural or accurate expressions. “Stable” is also unsuitable for sports because the category is absent from the 1958 data. Aim for precise reporting phrases such as “accounted for 33%,” “rose to 42%,” and “fell sharply to 6%,” and check spelling carefully. This would make the vocabulary more controlled and appropriate to chart description.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a contrast with “despite” and a time sequence using “before.” Most sentences communicate the intended comparisons, but some grammatical errors remain. For example, “The pie chart illustrate” has subject–verb disagreement, while “a increased” uses the wrong article and form. The phrase “in a various country” also shows problems with article and determiner use, and “it accounted to 33%” has an incorrect grammatical pattern. Review agreement, articles, and verb patterns, and proofread sentence boundaries and spacing. More accurate control of these structures would make the comparisons easier to read.

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

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