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 graph illustrates the typical weekend for students in three different countries and how they spend their time in three different categories.

Overall, the Japanese students allocate most of their time for studies which makes them highest among the three nations. While rest of countries student shows a more or less a similar trend.

The students of the UK spend on average 8.5 hours by sleeping which is the highest in the category, the students from Germany depicts slightly lower hours for sleeping by 8 hours, and the Japanese students ranked at lowest by sleeping only four hours. In the category of study the Japanese students peaked at 13 hours, which make them the highest in this category. Meanwhile, the students of Germany spend 9 hours for study, and students from UK are showing marginally lower hours for study at 8 hours. In terms of relaxation the students from UK and Germany levelled off at 7 hours, by contrast the Japanese students tend to spend only 4 hours for relaxation.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have successfully identified the main features of the bar chart and provided relevant comparisons between the three countries. You covered all categories (sleeping, studying, and relaxation) and highlighted the key differences, such as the contrast between Japanese study hours and the other nations. However, the response contains a factual error in the introduction: you refer to the data as a 'weekend' when the prompt clearly specifies a 'weekday'. Additionally, the overview is slightly underdeveloped; while it mentions the Japanese study trend, it could be more comprehensive by briefly noting the overall balance of time across all categories. Overall, the task is addressed well, but accuracy in interpreting the prompt is essential.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, a brief overview, and body paragraphs that group information by category. You use some cohesive devices such as 'meanwhile', 'in terms of', and 'by contrast' to link ideas. However, the progression of ideas is occasionally mechanical. For instance, the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is abrupt. Furthermore, the use of referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the phrase 'rest of countries student', which is grammatically awkward and disrupts the flow of information. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'allocate', 'peaked', and 'marginally'. However, there are several instances of imprecise word choice and collocation errors. For example, 'rest of countries student' is unnatural, and 'levelled off at 7 hours' is used incorrectly, as 'levelled off' usually refers to a trend over time rather than a static value. Additionally, 'ranked at lowest' is slightly awkward. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing. Expanding your vocabulary to include more sophisticated descriptors for data trends would also be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'rest of countries student shows') and article usage (e.g., 'the students of the UK spend on average 8.5 hours by sleeping'). The phrase 'which make them the highest' should be 'which makes them the highest' to agree with the singular clause. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy and subject-verb agreement will significantly improve your writing.

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

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