Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-10-14

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)

This pie charts comparing working hours spent by adult on various activities from 1958 to 2008 in a particular country.

Overall, both had highest percentage in working categorie, at the same side sleeping comparatively matching. and other categories are up and down with percentages.

Firstly, in 1958, adult spent their time on working, In contrast, sleeping is almost matched as 32%. and outdoor activities are 19% make it thrid largest figure, while travling to work is only 2%, followed by playing sport is 7% and relaxing at home is 8%.

By 2008, working is the highest figure with 42% adult spent on it. and sleeping is 25%, making it second, conversely, relaxing at home to a peak off at 13%. Moreover, categories such as play sport, outdoor activities and traveling are approximately matched as 7% or 6%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main pattern that work takes the largest share in 2008 and sleeping is also a major activity, and you include several relevant figures. However, the overview is unclear and does not accurately summarise the key changes: work rises from 33% to 42%, while sleeping falls from 32% to 25%, and going out drops sharply from 19% to 6%. There are also factual problems: playing sports is not shown in 1958, and the 1958 working figure is not clearly reported. The comparison that categories are “approximately matched” in 2008 is imprecise. The response is 13 words below the required minimum, and the limited development leaves parts of the task only partially addressed. Include a clear overview and compare the most important changes accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs for the two years. This helps the reader follow the broad time sequence. However, progression within sentences is sometimes difficult to follow, particularly in the overview: “both had highest percentage in working categorie, at the same side sleeping comparatively matching.” Linking phrases such as “Firstly,” “In contrast,” and “Moreover” are attempted, but some do not express the relationship clearly or are used mechanically. The 1958 paragraph also combines several figures without a clear comparison, while the final sentence groups different activities together. Use complete, clearly ordered comparisons and connect each figure to the relevant year and trend.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant chart vocabulary, including “percentage,” “highest figure,” “second,” and “making it,” which helps communicate basic comparisons. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or unclear, such as “working hours spent” when the chart shows percentages of the day, “outdoor activities” for going out with friends or family, and “to a peak off” for an increase. Spelling errors including “thrid” and “travling” also reduce accuracy. These issues sometimes make the intended meaning harder to interpret. Aim for precise activity labels from the chart and practise common reporting phrases such as “accounted for,” “rose to,” and “fell to.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt some longer sentences and use comparison structures, for example “By 2008, working is the highest figure with 42% adult spent on it.” However, sentence control is inconsistent, and errors in articles, agreement, verb forms, and punctuation occur throughout. The opening, “This pie charts comparing…,” lacks a finite verb and has incorrect agreement; “adult spent their time” also has an agreement problem. Several sentences begin with lowercase “and,” and the sentence fragments and comma splices make relationships unclear. Most structures are simple, with complex attempts often becoming faulty. Practise accurate past-tense reporting and build comparisons in complete sentences, checking subject–verb agreement and sentence boundaries.

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

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