Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-11-03

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 percentages of time that working adults in particular country spent on six different daily activities in 1958 and 2008.

Overall, working was the most time taking activity in both the years.In contrast, travelling to work was the less time taking activity in 1958 and was slightly more in 2008.Whereas,sleeping,relaxing at home and going out with freinds or family were the moderate time taking activities in both the years.

In 1958, working was the most time spending activity making out 33% of the day.Going out with freinds or family and sleeping accounted for 19% and 32% respectively. Relaxing at home and travelling to work were the least time taking activities at 8% and 2% respectively.

However,in 2008,working had risen significantly to 42% but relaxing at home rose slightly to 13%.Sleeping dropped slightly to 25%.The time that was spent in travelling increased slightly to 7%.The time in Going out with freinds or family

decreased badly to 6% as compared with 1958.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the two years and report several key figures accurately, including working rising from 33% to 42%, sleeping falling from 32% to 25%, and socialising dropping from 19% to 6%. The overview also recognises that work takes the largest share in both years. However, it does not clearly summarise the main overall changes: work increased, while going out fell sharply, and the other categories changed to varying degrees. The claim that travelling was “slightly more” in 2008 is vague, and describing several activities as moderate does not distinguish their different patterns. You also omit playing sports, which appears only in 2008 at 7%. Select and compare the most significant changes more clearly, and make the overview more informative.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview and separate paragraphs for the two years. This gives the reader a basic route through the information, and the figures are generally grouped by year. However, progression is weakened by awkward or inaccurate links, such as “In contrast” and “Whereas” in the overview, where the relationships between the points are not clear. “However” at the start of the 2008 paragraph also suggests a contrast that is not fully established. Some sentences list figures without linking them to the main comparisons, and the final line break interrupts the last point. Use simpler, more precise transitions and organise the body around changes between years as well as individual-year figures.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing charts, including “accounted for,” “increased,” “dropped” and “decreased,” so the main information remains understandable. However, the range is limited and several repeated phrases are unnatural or imprecise, particularly “time taking activity,” “time spending activity” and “moderate time taking activities.” “Decreased badly” is also an unsuitable collocation for a chart description; “fell sharply” would be more natural. There are spelling errors in “freinds,” and “making out” does not express the intended proportion. Aim for accurate, conventional language such as “share of the day,” “accounted for” and “rose/fell,” while varying these expressions without forcing unfamiliar wording.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt some complex structures, including “Whereas…” and the contrast in “working had risen significantly to 42% but relaxing at home rose slightly to 13%.” Most of the figures can still be understood, but sentence control is inconsistent. The overview contains a fragment beginning “Whereas,” and several sentences run together because spaces after full stops are missing, for example “years.In contrast” and “However,in 2008,working.” There are also problems with articles and phrasing in “in particular country” and “in both the years.” Use complete sentences, check punctuation and spacing, and practise a small range of accurate comparison structures, such as “while” clauses and “compared with” phrases.

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

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