Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-06

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 table chart illustrates information on the average hours spent European peoples on internet by different age groups.

Overall, it is clear that both gender in 16-20 age group spend most hours online on the internet. While, the age group over 51+ spend lowest hours on the internet. Additionally, the difference between highest and lowest figure has significant.

Looking at the details, highest internet using in the younger age groups, specifically those aged 16-20, with males spending 19 hours on the internet, while females spend 1 hour less. The second-highest internet uses are in 11-15 aged, where males spend 8 hours and females 6, slightly more than those 21-25 aged, where males spend 7 hours and females 5 hours respectively.

For the remaining age groups, uses internet hardly females in the 26-30 and 31-50 spend 4 hours, in contrast, males spend 4 hours and 31-50 spend 1 hour less. The 51+ age groups figures shows the lowest, males spend 2 hours and females spend 1 hour more.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the data, such as the high usage in the 16-20 age group and the lower usage in the 51+ group. However, the reporting of data is inconsistent and occasionally inaccurate. For instance, the description of the 26-30 and 31-50 age groups is confusing and grammatically unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the specific figures. While the overview is present, the lack of precision in reporting the data points prevents the response from reaching a higher band. To improve, ensure that every comparison is clearly linked to the specific data provided in the table.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader navigate the information. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or misused. For example, the phrase 'While, the age group over 51+ spend lowest hours' is grammatically awkward and does not function well as a cohesive link. Additionally, the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is abrupt. The progression of ideas is sometimes hindered by unclear referencing, such as in the final paragraph where the comparison between age groups becomes difficult to track. More varied and accurate linking words are needed to improve the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for a higher score. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'highest internet using' instead of 'highest internet usage' and 'the difference between highest and lowest figure has significant' instead of 'is significant'. The repetition of 'spend' and 'internet' throughout the text limits the lexical variety. To improve, focus on using more precise nouns and adjectives to describe trends and data points, and ensure that word forms are used correctly in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'both gender... spend', 'the 51+ age groups figures shows'), missing articles, and incorrect preposition usage. The sentence 'For the remaining age groups, uses internet hardly females...' is syntactically broken and difficult to interpret. While the meaning is generally discernible, the high frequency of grammatical errors prevents the response from achieving a higher score. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would be highly beneficial.

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

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