Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-24

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 illustrates the information about the calculation of average time spent on the internet by resident of Europe of various age groups.

Overall, it is evident that male has spent much time on internet rather than female irrespective of age group, mainly, the people from 16 to 20 age group are spending much of their time on social media or internet comparing to other age group, but in contrast, age group of 51 plus of age are spending less time.

The male from 11-15 age is on internet with 8 in numbers which is quite higher than female as they are 6 in number, after that, age group between 16 to 20 has maximum number of female and male, which is 18 and 19 in numbers respectively.

The age group of age from 26 to 30 has equal numbers of male and female, who spent their average time on internet, which is 4 in numbers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the data, such as the peak usage in the 16-20 age group and the gender differences. However, the report is incomplete as it fails to mention several age groups (21-25, 31-40, 41-50), which are clearly visible in the data. The summary is therefore selective rather than comprehensive. While the overview is present, the lack of data coverage for the middle age ranges prevents a higher score. To improve, ensure all categories are represented or grouped logically to provide a full picture of the information provided in the table.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat mechanical. The use of cohesive devices is limited and occasionally repetitive (e.g., 'which is... in numbers'). Paragraphing is present, but the transition between the overview and the specific data points could be smoother. The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when discussing the age groups, which makes the flow of information feel slightly disjointed. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring clear logical progression between sentences would enhance the coherence of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There is a heavy reliance on basic phrasing such as 'much time', 'numbers', and 'age group'. The student struggles with accurate collocations, for example, 'resident of Europe' (should be 'residents') and 'male has spent' (should be 'males spend'). There are no attempts at more sophisticated or academic vocabulary that would be expected for a Band 7+ score. To improve, focus on using more precise verbs and nouns related to data description, such as 'expenditure', 'proportion', 'fluctuate', or 'peak'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('male has spent', 'people... are spending'), article usage ('on internet' instead of 'on the internet'), and awkward phrasing ('age group of age from 26 to 30'). While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic grammatical accuracy, particularly pluralisation and article usage, will significantly improve the quality of the writing.

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

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