Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-09-10

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 time allocated to different activities on a weekday by students from the UK, Japan and Germany.

In the UK, the highest amount of time is allocated to sleeping, while in Japan and Germany, most time on weekdays is spent studying.

In the UK, time is distributed among the activities more evenly compared with the other countries. 8.5 hours are spent sleeping, followed by 8 hours studying, while only 7 hours are allocated to rest. In Japan a significantly higher amount of time, up to 13 hours is allocated to studying while only 7 hours for sleep and merely 4 hours for relaxation. Germany follows a schedule where time spent on sleeping is 8 hours, on studying is nine hours and for resting is 7 hours on schooldays.

The UK seems to follow a more sustainable schedule while Japanese students admittedly have more demanding weekdays.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the bar chart, including comparisons between the three countries. However, the report is slightly under the 150-word minimum, which impacts the overall task completion. While the key data points are identified, the analysis lacks a more detailed synthesis of the data. For instance, the conclusion regarding 'sustainable schedules' is subjective and not strictly supported by the data provided. To reach a higher band, ensure all data is presented objectively and the word count requirement is met to allow for a more comprehensive overview of the trends.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a brief concluding sentence. Cohesive devices such as 'In the UK', 'while', and 'followed by' are used to link ideas. However, the progression between sentences is sometimes mechanical. The transition between the description of the UK and the other countries could be smoother. Paragraphing is used appropriately, but the overall structure would benefit from a more balanced distribution of information to ensure a clearer flow of ideas throughout the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally appropriate for the task, with terms like 'allocated', 'distributed', and 'demanding' used correctly. However, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'amount of time' are used multiple times. To improve, you should incorporate a wider variety of synonyms and more precise collocations related to data reporting, such as 'devoted to', 'accounted for', or 'a significant proportion'. The current range is sufficient for the task but lacks the flexibility and sophistication required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some minor punctuation errors, such as the missing comma after 'In Japan' and 'In the UK'. While the grammar is generally accurate and does not impede communication, the range of structures is somewhat restricted. Most sentences follow a similar pattern. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate a greater variety of complex grammatical structures, such as relative clauses or passive voice constructions, while maintaining the current level of accuracy.

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

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