Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-07

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 illustrates how students in the UK, Japan and Germany spend a typical weekday on sleeping, studying and relaxing.

Overall, it is evident that Japan is the only country where students spend the most time studying. Students in the UK spend the largest proportion of their day sleeping. In all three countries, students spend the least amount of time relaxing.

In the UK, students spend the largest amount of time on sleeping, accounting for 8.5 hours. This is followed by 8 hours are spent studying. Also, pupils spend 7 hours relaxing.

In Japan, Students spend 13 hours studying, the highest figure among the three countries, while they spend only 4 hours relaxing, the lowest figure shown on the chart. Additionally, Students spend 7 hours sleeping.

In Germany, The greatest amount of time (9 hours) is spent studying, whereas they spend 8 hours sleeping and 7 hours relaxing, respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all key features of the bar chart and makes relevant comparisons between the three countries. You have successfully identified the main trends, such as Japan's high study hours and the UK's focus on sleep. However, the report is quite brief and lacks a more analytical approach to the data. While you have reported the figures accurately, the comparison could be more sophisticated by grouping the countries based on their similarities or highlighting the most significant differences more dynamically. The overview is clear, but the body paragraphs are somewhat list-like, reporting data point by point rather than synthesizing the information to provide a more cohesive summary of the trends.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and separate paragraphs for each country. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. You have used some cohesive devices, such as 'In the UK', 'In Japan', and 'Additionally', to transition between sections. However, the cohesion is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. To reach a higher band, try to use a wider variety of linking words and referencing to connect the sentences more fluidly. For instance, instead of starting every paragraph with 'In [Country]', you could use comparative structures to link the countries' data together more naturally.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to convey the information clearly. You have used appropriate terms like 'proportion', 'accounting for', and 'highest figure'. However, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive. There is a reliance on basic verbs like 'spend' and 'is/are'. To improve, incorporate more varied synonyms and precise collocations related to data reporting. For example, instead of repeating 'spend', you could use 'devote time to', 'allocate', or 'dedicate'. The vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main points, but it lacks the sophistication required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some minor grammatical errors, such as '8 hours are spent studying' (passive voice error) and inconsistent capitalization (e.g., 'Students' in the middle of a sentence). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, ensure subject-verb agreement and consistent punctuation. You should also aim to vary your sentence structures further by using more complex clauses or participial phrases to describe the data, which would demonstrate better control over grammatical range.

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

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