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 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 5.5)

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

Overall, there was greater number of students in the Japan that were studying and greater number of student were sleeping in the UK. However, the number of student that were relaxing remained same in the UK and Germany.

In the Uk, the proportion of students that were sleeping was 8.5% which is considerably higher than students at Japan at 7% whereas, the number of students that were studying in the Japan was 13% which was significantly higher than students at the Uk at 8%. Furthermore, the percentage of students that were relaxing in the Uk was 7% which is substantially higher than student at the Japan at 4%.

Looking at further details, In the Germany, the percentage of student that were studying was 9% while the number of students that were sleeping was 8%. However, lower number of students were relaxing which was 7%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify relevant comparisons, including Japan’s highest study figure (13) and the equal relaxation figures for the UK and Germany (7). However, the overview is partly inaccurate: the chart reports hours, not percentages or numbers of students, and the UK does not have the highest sleeping figure; it is slightly higher in Germany (8 versus 8.5 in the UK—actually the UK is highest). Your detailed comparisons cover only some country-category pairings, and the final sentence calls Germany’s relaxation figure “lower” without saying it equals the UK’s. The response is also one word below the 150-word minimum; the nine words copied from the prompt do not count. Add a clearer overview and report the units and key comparisons accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs of details. This helps the reader follow the broad movement from general features to country-specific figures. However, progression is limited because the details are grouped inconsistently: the first body paragraph compares the UK with Japan, while the second gives only selected German figures. Linking words such as “However,” “Furthermore,” and “Looking at further details” are used, but some connections are mechanical or do not clarify the comparison. For example, the final “However” does not establish what Germany’s relaxation figure is being contrasted with. Organise the details by category or make each country paragraph complete, and use clearer references to the figures being compared.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a range of comparison language, including “considerably higher,” “significantly higher,” and “substantially higher,” and the main meaning is generally understandable. However, the repeated phrase “the number of students” is not suitable for this chart, which shows time spent on activities, and “proportion” and “percentage” also misrepresent the data. There are noticeable word-choice and collocation problems, such as “greater number of students in the Japan” and “students at Japan.” Capitalisation is inconsistent in “Uk” and “uk,” and “student” is sometimes used where the plural is needed. Use precise terms such as “hours spent studying” and “the figure for Japan,” and vary the repeated comparison wording.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including comparisons joined with “whereas” and “while,” so there is some structural variety. However, errors recur in basic sentence formation and agreement. The opening says “The bar chart illustrate,” where the singular subject requires “illustrates.” In the overview, “there was greater number” needs an article, and “the number of student” should be plural. Several long comparison sentences also have awkward clause boundaries and punctuation, particularly the sentence beginning “In the Uk,” where “whereas” follows a comma after a complete clause. Check subject–verb agreement, articles, plurals, and punctuation, and divide long comparisons into clearer sentences.

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

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