Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-18

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 compares the routine of students like sleeping, studying and relaxing on the weekdays of three different countries.

Overall, it is evident that the students of Japan spend greater time in studying whereas the least in relaxing. Although, Germany recorded the second highest rate of students prefer to study and UK saw a gradual decline in numbers in three different categories of routine.

In UK, majority of students prefer to sleep whereas studying accounted for 8 students and 7 in relaxing. In Japan 13 students prefer to study where not even the half prefer to relax and 7 prefer to sleep.

Germany had the fluctuation in numbers of their weekday routines , the highest was for studying which was 9 and the least was for relaxing which was only 7 and around 8 of students prefer to sleep.

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 identified the main features of the chart, the analysis is somewhat superficial. You have attempted to compare the three countries, but the data reporting is inconsistent and lacks precision. For example, you mention '8 students' and '7 in relaxing' without clarifying if these figures represent hours or another unit, which is a critical omission. To improve, ensure you provide a clear overview and support all statements with accurate data from the chart while meeting the length requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the logical flow is hindered by awkward phrasing and a lack of cohesive devices. Transitions between sentences are often abrupt, and the connection between the overview and the body paragraphs is weak. For instance, the phrase 'Although, Germany recorded...' is used incorrectly as a cohesive device. To improve, use a wider range of linking words such as 'in contrast', 'furthermore', or 'conversely' to connect your ideas more fluidly and ensure that each paragraph has a clear focus.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. You rely on basic verbs like 'prefer' and 'saw', and there are issues with word choice, such as 'rate of students prefer to study' and 'the fluctuation in numbers of their weekday routines'. These phrases sound unnatural. To improve, focus on using more academic collocations and precise terminology related to data description, such as 'proportion', 'allocate time to', or 'exhibit a trend'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'students of Japan spend greater time in studying' (should be 'more time studying') and 'not even the half prefer to relax'. Additionally, there are issues with article usage and prepositional phrases. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of comparative structures. Proofreading for basic errors in sentence construction will help you achieve a higher score.

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

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