Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-23

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)

This table illustrates the average time in hours spent on the internet by people living in Europe.

Firstly, late teens dedicated their most time on the internet. In the case of male it is 19 hours and if we talk about female it is 18 hours. Secondly, there are two main groups that devoted almost the same time on internet. The first one would be early teens because they allocated about 8 and 6 hours in case of both genders. And second would be young adults because they remain invested on the internet for 7 and 5 hours.

Thirdly, the point we are going to pick up would be least spending hours. The people who spend less time on internet are mostly from old generation. And people in their late 20s and middle-aged adults spend almost the same time on internet which is about 4 hours.

Lastly, the people who devoted the minimal time to the online world would be senior citizens which is about 2 or 3 hours.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the data, but the presentation is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear overview. While you have identified the highest and lowest age groups, the summary lacks a cohesive synthesis of the trends. The data reporting is generally accurate, but the lack of a clear 'overview' paragraph (a requirement for Band 6 and above) limits the score. Additionally, the grouping of data is slightly repetitive, and the comparison between genders could be more fluidly integrated rather than listed as separate points. To improve, ensure you include a distinct summary sentence that highlights the most significant trend across all age groups.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay uses basic cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'Lastly' to structure the response. While this creates a logical flow, the progression feels somewhat mechanical and repetitive. Paragraphing is present, but the internal structure of the paragraphs is quite simplistic. The referencing is generally clear, but the transition between ideas could be more sophisticated. To reach a higher band, try to vary your linking words and use more complex cohesive devices to connect your observations, rather than relying on a list-like structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. Phrases like 'dedicated their most time', 'remained invested on', and 'the point we are going to pick up' are either unnatural or slightly inaccurate in this context. You rely on basic verbs like 'spend' and 'devoted' repeatedly. To improve, incorporate more precise academic vocabulary related to data description, such as 'allocate', 'account for', 'predominant', or 'marginal'. Expanding your range of collocations will help you move beyond a basic level of expression.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and word order. For example, 'dedicated their most time' should be 'spent the most time', and 'in the case of male' should be 'in the case of males'. There are also issues with article usage and prepositional phrases (e.g., 'on internet' should be 'on the internet'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent use of articles.

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

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