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 pie charts illustrate information about the percentage of the day spent time by working adults on several activities between 1958 and 2008.

Overall, it is clear that the proportion of working had the largest category in both years. While, travelling to work activity was lowest figure in 1958.

It can be seen from pie charts that percentage of the day spent by working adults on work was around 33% in 1958, then it gradually rose to approximately 42% in 2008. While, the share of sleeping was nearly 32% in 1958, and it slightly decreased by 7% in 2008. Meanwhile, the ratio of going out with friends or family were about 19% in the year 1958. After that is dramatically dropped to about 6% in 2008.

In contrast, the proportion of the day spent by working adults on travelling to work time increased from 2% in 1958 to 7% in 2008. similarly, share of relaxing at home was 8% in 1958, and it marginally grew to 13% in 2008. playing sports accounted for 75 in 2008.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main pattern that working took the largest share in both years and report several relevant changes, including work rising from 33% to 42% and socialising falling from 19% to 6%. However, the overview is incomplete: it does not summarise the broader shifts, such as the decline in sleeping and the increases in commuting and relaxing at home. Some details are inaccurate or unclear: sleeping fell by 7 percentage points, not “by 7%,” and “playing sports accounted for 75” should be 7% in 2008. The statement that commuting was the lowest category in 1958 is correct, but the response does not clearly compare the full range of activities. Select the key changes accurately and give a more complete overview.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview and two detail paragraphs. It also groups some comparisons, such as work and sleeping, followed by commuting and relaxing. However, progression is weakened by repeated or awkward linking: “While” begins a sentence fragment after the overview and again in the first detail paragraph, while “In contrast” does not introduce a clear contrast between the figures that follow. “Similarly” is also capitalised incorrectly after a full stop. The final sports figure feels added without integration. Use complete sentences and organise the details into clear groups—for example, activities that increased and those that decreased—so the comparisons develop more smoothly.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of chart-related vocabulary, including “proportion,” “share,” “accounted for” and “decreased,” and the reader can generally understand the comparisons. However, several expressions are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “percentage of the day spent time,” “the proportion of working had the largest category,” and “travelling to work time.” “Marginally grew” is not a good fit for an increase from 8% to 13%, and “75” makes the sports figure unclear. Repetition of “percentage,” “proportion” and “share” also limits precision. Choose straightforward, natural collocations such as “the proportion of time spent working” and use exact percentage-point language when describing changes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including clauses beginning with “While” and “After that,” but control is inconsistent. For example, “While, travelling to work activity was lowest figure” is not a complete, well-formed sentence, and “the ratio of going out with friends or family were” has subject–verb disagreement. The phrase “After that is dramatically dropped” also has an incorrect verb construction, while missing articles appear in “was lowest figure.” These errors sometimes make relationships between figures harder to follow. Practise forming complete comparison sentences, checking subject–verb agreement and articles, and using consistent past-tense forms. More accurate control of these patterns would make your range of sentence structures clearer.

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

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