Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-11-11

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The table gives information about the average hours spent on the Internet by European people of different age groups.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The given table provides the data on how much individuals of various age groups in Europe devote their average time on the internet.

Overall, both the individuals between 16-20 spend more time on the internet than any other category. However, the people who are 51 or more spend less time on the internet.

Males spend eight hours, while female spend 6 hours in the age group of 11-15. Similarly, both the males and females between 16-20, spend more time on internet than any other category where the avegrage hours of males are 19, while females have 18.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main peak accurately: the 16–20 group records the highest figures for both males and females, and the 51+ group has the lowest. You also report the 11–15 and 16–20 figures correctly. However, the response covers only part of the table: it omits the four age groups from 21–25 to 51+, so the comparisons and overall pattern are underdeveloped. The overview also says that people aged 51+ spend less time, but does not explain the broader decline after the 16–20 peak. The response is 97 words, below the required 150. Include the missing age-group figures and compare how male and female usage changes across the full age range.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic, sensible structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph giving figures for two age groups. The sequence from the general pattern to specific data is easy to follow, and “Overall” and “Similarly” help signal relationships. However, the progression stops before the remaining age groups are discussed, leaving the report incomplete and limiting its development. The repeated focus on the 16–20 group also makes the information feel less balanced. To improve, organise the details into a fuller comparison—for example, describe the peak and younger group first, then summarise the lower figures among older groups. Use linking phrases to show contrasts between male and female values as well as changes by age.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing the table, including “age groups,” “spend more time,” and “average hours,” and the meaning is generally clear. However, some phrasing is awkward or repetitive: “devote their average time on the internet” is not a natural collocation, and “spend more time on internet” would be more idiomatic with an article. The response also relies repeatedly on “spend more time” rather than using a wider range of precise reporting language. There is a spelling error in “avegrage.” Aim for concise, conventional Task 1 expressions such as “spend time online,” “record,” and “the figure for,” while checking spelling and avoiding repeated wording.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You produce several understandable simple sentences and attempt a more complex comparison with “where,” so the basic relationships between the figures can be followed. However, grammatical control is uneven. In “both the individuals between 16-20 spend,” the plural subject does not fit naturally with “both the individuals”; “both males and females aged 16–20 spend” would be clearer. The sentence beginning “Similarly, both the males and females…” also has an unnecessary comma between the subject and verb, and “the average hours of males are 19” uses an awkward grammatical construction. There is little variety in sentence patterns. Practise accurate comparisons using structures such as “males recorded 19 hours, compared with 18 for females,” and check agreement, articles, and punctuation.

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

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