Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-09-01

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 the preferred activities of students of different countries like British, Germany and Japan during weekdays.

Overall, the bar chart represents that the students in Japan and Germany spend their most of time on studies then sleeping and relaxing respectively. However pupils in UK spend their most time on sleeping , studying and relaxing respectively.

First of all students of Japan spend their time on studying is almost 13 hours but in Germany and British 9 and 8 hours respectively. But in case of Japan pupils spend less time on relaxing which is about 4 hours. As compare to Japan, Germany and UK students spending time on relaxing is 7 hours. Furthermore, in UK students spend their most time on sleeping but in case of Germany students spend their less time on sleeping which is almost 8 hours. Students in Japan spend their time on sleeping is 7 hours.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the bar chart, identifying key trends for the three countries. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you mention the time spent on activities, the comparisons are occasionally confusing, such as the statement that UK students spend their 'most time on sleeping' when the data likely shows a different priority. The overview is present but lacks a clear, concise summary of the most significant differences. To improve, ensure that the data points cited are accurate and that the comparison between the three groups is more clearly structured to highlight the most striking contrasts rather than listing figures for each country individually.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'First of all', 'Furthermore', 'in case of'). The progression of ideas is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'As compare to Japan, Germany and UK students spending time on relaxing is 7 hours', which makes the relationship between the data points difficult to follow. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence flows logically from the previous one would significantly enhance the coherence of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. There are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'students of different countries like British, Germany and Japan' (should be 'British, German and Japanese') and 'spend their less time'. The range of vocabulary is limited, relying heavily on basic verbs like 'spend' and 'is'. To achieve a higher score, you should aim to use more varied reporting verbs and precise terminology related to data description, such as 'allocate', 'devote', or 'account for'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include incorrect subject-verb agreement ('students of Japan spend their time on studying is'), missing articles, and awkward sentence construction ('the bar chart represents that the students...'). While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction, correct preposition use, and ensuring that clauses are joined correctly will help improve your accuracy.

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

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