Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-14

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 given chart depicts the proportion of spending hours on three major activities by the learners of different nations.

Overall, it can be observed from the given chart that the maximum percentage of students spends time on studying in Japan however, it is vice versa in case of relaxing.

In detail, about 8.5%learners spend their time on sleeping and 8% of them are active for studying. However, 7% from them spend weekday for relaxation in UK. Like wise in Japan 7% students use their weekdays for sleeping while on the other hand13%teenagers are serious for their study, only few from them via 4% spend their weekends to relax.

Further, In Germany sleeping hours are spend by 8% of learners whereas, 9% of students focus on their education . The spending hours for relaxation during weekend by the 7% of learners which are as similar to the UK.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which negatively impacts the score. While you have attempted to report on the data, the analysis is incomplete and lacks a clear overview of the most significant trends. You have focused on listing individual data points rather than synthesising the information to make meaningful comparisons. For instance, you mention specific percentages for each country but fail to highlight the overall hierarchy or the most striking differences between the three nations. To improve, ensure you provide a clear summary of the main features and ensure the response meets the length requirement to allow for full development of your ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical progression is hindered by awkward phrasing and a lack of cohesive devices. While you use some linking words like 'Overall' and 'In detail', the transitions between sentences are often mechanical or confusing. For example, the phrase 'Like wise in Japan' is used incorrectly to introduce a contrast rather than a similarity. Additionally, the referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the three countries. Improving the use of cohesive devices and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus would significantly enhance the flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive. You rely on basic terms such as 'spending hours' and 'learners' throughout the text. There are also instances of inaccurate word choice, such as 'vice versa' which does not correctly describe the relationship between studying and relaxing in the context provided. Furthermore, the phrasing 'teenagers are serious for their study' is unnatural. To achieve a higher band score, you should aim to use a wider range of vocabulary, including more precise verbs and nouns related to data description, such as 'allocate', 'proportion', or 'significant disparity', and ensure that collocations are used correctly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the clarity of your message. Issues include incorrect preposition usage ('spend their time on sleeping'), awkward sentence structures ('The spending hours for relaxation during weekend by the 7% of learners which are as similar to the UK'), and missing articles. While you attempt some complex structures, they are often faulty or contain punctuation errors, such as the missing space in '8.5%learners' and '13%teenagers'. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, subject-verb agreement, and the correct use of articles and prepositions before attempting more complex grammatical forms.

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

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