Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-11-05

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The bar chart shows the typical weekday for students in three different countries.

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

Student answer (Band 4.5)

The bar chart gives and compare the information about typical weekday for students in three different countries.

Overall, there are three types of activities discussed in this bar chart of three countries : UK, Japan and Germany. The proportion of studying in Japan was at the highest figure in the chart. Activity of relaxation was the lower figure in the chart.

The proportion of sleeping activity in UK was 8.5%. The percentage of studying was 8%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

You identify the chart’s three countries and activities, and correctly note that studying in Japan is the highest figure. However, the response is far too brief to summarise the main features: it gives only two figures, omitting most comparisons, including Japan’s 13 hours of study and the relaxation figures. The statement that relaxation was the lowest activity is broadly supported, but it needs figures and comparisons to make the overview informative. You also describe the values as percentages, although the chart presents hours. The response contains 68 words, so it does not meet the 150-word minimum; 8 words copied from the task prompt were not counted. Add a fuller overview and select key figures across all three countries.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

The response has a basic structure: an opening sentence, an overview beginning with “Overall,” and a short detail paragraph. This gives the reader some sense of the intended organisation. However, the progression is limited because the final paragraph stops after two UK figures and does not develop the comparisons introduced in the overview. The overview also combines several points in one sentence without clearly distinguishing the general pattern from specific data. To improve, organise the report into a clear introduction, overview, and one or two detail paragraphs grouped by activity or country. Use linking phrases such as “By contrast” to make comparisons explicit, and ensure each paragraph advances the summary.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant chart vocabulary such as “proportion,” “figure,” “studying,” and “relaxation,” so the topic is generally clear. However, the range is limited and some choices are inaccurate or awkward. “The bar chart gives and compare” does not express the chart’s purpose naturally, while “Activity of relaxation was the lower figure” is an unclear collocation. Repeating “proportion” and “figure” also makes the description less precise; moreover, “percentage” is unsuitable when the chart reports hours. Use concise reporting language and vary terms for the data, while choosing vocabulary that matches the unit shown. For example, describe students’ time spent on each activity rather than a proportion or percentage.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response includes simple sentence forms and attempts a longer overview sentence, and the main message can usually be understood. However, grammatical control is uneven. In “The bar chart gives and compare,” the verbs do not agree in form, and “typical weekday for students” needs an article or possessive construction. The phrase “The proportion of studying in Japan was at the highest figure” is also structurally awkward, while the colon after “countries” is not used smoothly in the sentence. Most sentences follow a basic pattern, with little variety in clauses. Practise accurate subject–verb agreement, articles, and comparative sentence structures, such as “Japan recorded the highest number of hours for studying.”

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

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