Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-10-18

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 compares the percentage of the day spent by working adults on various activities in a particular country in 1958 and 2008. it is clear from the first and second pie charts that adults have more focussed on the working rather than doing lessure time activities in 2008, compare to 1958.

In 1958, adults spent almost similar percentages of the day for working and sleeping which were 33% and 32%. By contrast, adults spent more than 40% of the day for working and only quarter of the day for sleeping in 2008. In 1958, 19% of the day was spent for going out with friends or familiy by adults. However adults spent only 6% of the day for going out with friends or familiy in 2008. There is a 5 % increase of the travelling time for work compare to 1958 in 2008. However It is interesting to see that adults have spent more time of the day for relaxing at home in 2008 (13%) compare to 8% in 1958.

Overall, it can be seen that adults spent more time of the day for working in 2008 compare to other lessure time activities in 2008.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main contrast: working took a larger share of the day in 2008, while sleeping and socialising took less. Several figures are reported accurately, including working and sleeping in 1958, and the changes in socialising and relaxing at home. However, the overview is repetitive and does not capture the full picture: travelling rose from 2% to 7%, and playing sports appears only in 2008 at 7%, but this category is omitted. The statement that adults spent “more than 40%” working is broadly accurate, though giving the exact 42% would be clearer. Develop the overview to summarise the largest increases and decreases, and compare the categories more systematically.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable introduction, a paragraph of comparisons, and a concluding overview, so the information is generally easy to follow. You use contrast markers such as “By contrast” and “However” to connect changes between years. However, the conclusion largely repeats the introduction rather than adding a concise synthesis, and “However” is used several times in close succession. Some comparisons are also presented in a list-like sequence, with limited grouping of related increases and decreases. Organise the body around clear patterns—for example, categories that rose and those that fell—and use referencing and linking phrases more selectively to make progression smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing the charts, including “percentage,” “spent,” “increase,” and “compare,” and the meaning is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several choices or forms are inaccurate: “lessure time activities” is misspelled and imprecise, “familiy” is misspelled, and “more focussed on the working” is an unnatural way to describe a larger share of time spent working. Repeated phrases such as “spent more time of the day” also reduce precision. Use standard chart language and check spelling carefully; terms such as “proportion,” “accounted for,” and “share of the day” would help you describe the data more naturally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and more complex sentences, including comparisons introduced by “By contrast” and “However,” and most of the message remains clear. Some grammatical errors recur, though. The opening needs subject–verb agreement (“charts compare”), and the sentence beginning “it is clear” should start with a capital letter. Comparative structures are also faulty in phrases such as “compare to 1958”; use “compared with 1958” or “than in 1958.” In “There is a 5% increase … compare to 1958 in 2008,” the tense and comparison pattern are awkward. Review agreement, capitalization, and comparative sentence patterns to improve accuracy while retaining your attempts at complex sentences.

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

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