Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-03

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 displays information about the routine activities of weekdays in hours for students in three different countries in terms of three categories: sleeping, studying, and relaxing.

Overall, it can be seen that Japanese students spend most of the hours doing study work, which is the highest of the three countries, while very few prefer to relax. Equal time was spent by both the UK and German students while relaxing.

In the United Kingdom, students spend 8.5 hours, while 8 hours are spent studying, whereas only 7 hours are spent relaxing, which is less time than studying. However, looking at Japanese students, they spent only 7 hours while sleeping, which is 1.5 hours less compared to UK students. 13 hours are spent while studying, which is greater than in the other two countries. The least number of hours are spent while relaxing, only 4 hour a week.

Nevertheless, referencing German students. They spent 8 hours while sleeping, more than the Japanese. While 9 hours are spent while studying, it is higher than in the UK but lower than in Japan. Whereas 7 weekdays are spent in relax mode, which is equalized with the UK but more compared with Japanese students.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have successfully identified the main features of the bar chart and provided relevant comparisons between the three countries. You covered all three categories (sleeping, studying, and relaxing) and highlighted the key differences, such as Japanese students spending the most time studying and the least time relaxing. However, the report contains a factual error: you stated that Japanese students spend '4 hour a week' relaxing, whereas the chart refers to a 'typical weekday'. Additionally, the overview is slightly underdeveloped. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are interpreted accurately within the context of the prompt and provide a more comprehensive summary of the trends rather than just listing figures.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is logically organized into paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs for the data. You use some cohesive devices such as 'however', 'nevertheless', and 'whereas' to connect ideas. However, some transitions are mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'Nevertheless, referencing German students.' The use of 'whereas' is sometimes repetitive, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear focus, avoiding fragmented sentences that disrupt the logical progression of your analysis.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information, using terms like 'routine activities', 'categories', and 'compared to'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'doing study work' (better: 'studying') and 'equalized with' (better: 'the same as' or 'comparable to'). You also use 'relax mode', which is informal for an academic report. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary and ensure that your collocations are natural. Avoid informal phrasing and focus on using words that accurately describe data trends.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as '4 hour a week' (should be '4 hours a day') and '7 weekdays are spent in relax mode' (should be '7 hours are spent relaxing'). There are also issues with verb tense consistency, such as switching between 'spend' and 'spent' when describing the same data. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage when reporting data.

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

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