Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-21

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 8.5)

The bar chart illustrates how students in the UK, Japan, and Germany typically divided their time between sleeping, studying, and relaxing on a weekday.

Overall, Japanese students dedicated far more time to studying than their counterparts in the other two countries, while UK students prioritised sleep above all else. Germany stood out for having the most evenly balanced schedule across the three activities.

Looking at the UK first, students slept for 8.5 hours, the highest figure for that category among the three countries. This was followed by 8 hours spent studying, while the remaining 7 hours were devoted to relaxing.

In Japan, the pattern was quite different, with studying dominating the schedule at 13 hours — the highest figure on the chart. By contrast, only 4 hours were spent relaxing, the lowest amount recorded for any activity in any country, and 7 hours were allocated to sleep.

German students, meanwhile, showed the most balanced approach of the three. They spent 8 hours sleeping, 9 hours studying, and 7 hours relaxing, with only a 2-hour gap between the highest and lowest figures, compared to a 9-hour gap in Japan.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response is excellent. You have successfully identified and reported the main features of the bar chart, providing a clear overview and supporting your points with accurate data from all three countries. You have also made relevant comparisons, such as noting the '9-hour gap' in Japan versus the more balanced approach in Germany. The information is well-selected and fully addresses the prompt requirements. There are no omissions, and the data is presented in a logical, analytical manner that highlights the key differences and similarities between the student groups effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. You use an effective introduction, a concise overview, and separate body paragraphs for each country, which makes the information easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'while', 'by contrast', 'meanwhile', and 'the remaining' are used naturally and accurately to link sentences and ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed analysis, and the flow of information is smooth throughout the text. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You demonstrate a wide and precise range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic task. Phrases like 'dedicated far more time', 'prioritised sleep above all else', and 'the most evenly balanced schedule' show a high level of control. You use topic-specific vocabulary accurately, such as 'counterparts', 'allocated', and 'dominating the schedule'. The language is natural and sophisticated, with no errors in word choice or collocation. You successfully avoid repetition by using varied synonyms and structures to describe the data points.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The response exhibits a wide range of complex structures used with high accuracy. You effectively employ subordinate clauses, comparative structures, and varied sentence beginnings. For example, the sentence 'By contrast, only 4 hours were spent relaxing, the lowest amount recorded for any activity in any country, and 7 hours were allocated to sleep' is grammatically complex and perfectly punctuated. There are no grammatical errors, and the control over tense and subject-verb agreement is consistent throughout. The writing is error-free and demonstrates full flexibility.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.