Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-10-17

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 compares the day spent by the working adults in proportion of a particular country on various activites in 1985 and 2008.

Overall, adults spent their day working are more and were always dominant. whereas adults spended less time in tavelling to work compared to other four activities.

The working activity covered 33% in 1958 of the chart and dominated even in 2008 with 42%. The time spent on sleeping accounted for 32% in 1958 however it decreased to 25% in 2008. Whereas those who relaxed at home shared 8% in 1958 which increased to 13% in 2008.

Futhermore, the activity of hanging out with friends and family covered 19% approximatily in 1985 which decreased considerably of 6% in 2008. The travelling activites shared 2% and now it covers 7%. Similary, the time spent on sports was 7% in 1985 and it remained the same even in 2008.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main pattern that working took the largest share in both years, and you report several accurate comparisons: work rose from 33% to 42%, sleep fell from 32% to 25%, and relaxing at home increased from 8% to 13%. However, the opening gives 1985 instead of 1958, and the overview’s claim that travel took less time than the other four activities is unclear and does not capture the key changes. The account of socialising is broadly accurate, but the sports statement is incorrect: sports appears only in 2008, at 7%, not in both years. A clearer overview and more careful checking of the chart’s categories would make the response more complete and precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction and overview to two paragraphs of comparisons. This helps the reader follow the main categories, and linking expressions such as “Overall” and “Furthermore” signal stages in the report. However, progression is weakened by the overview’s unclear comparison and by the final paragraph grouping socialising, travel and sport without a clear organising principle. Some links are awkward or incomplete, such as “whereas” beginning a sentence after a full stop, and “however” joining contrasting information without suitable punctuation. Organise the details more deliberately—for example, compare increases together and decreases together—and use linking devices accurately rather than relying on them to create structure.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing charts, including “accounted for,” “decreased considerably” and “covered,” and the reader can generally understand the intended comparisons. However, several word choices and collocations are unnatural or imprecise, such as “the day spent … in proportion,” “working activity,” and “the activity of hanging out.” Spelling errors, including “activites,” “Futhermore,” “approximatily” and “Similary,” also reduce accuracy. Some repetition of “activity” and “time spent” limits the range. Aim for standard chart language such as “share of the day,” “the proportion spent working,” and “socialising,” and check spelling carefully before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including contrasts with “however” and “whereas,” and most of the data remains understandable. However, errors in sentence construction and verb forms are evident in phrases such as “adults spent their day working are more” and “adults spended less time.” The sentence beginning “whereas adults…” is not properly connected to the preceding sentence, while “it remained the same” lacks a clear grammatical reference and describes the chart inaccurately. There are also problems with articles and prepositions in the opening phrase, “in proportion of a particular country.” Practise forming complete comparison sentences with consistent past-tense verbs and clear subjects; use punctuation to connect contrasting clauses correctly.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.