Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-10-14

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 chart displays comparative data on how students from three different countries spend their times on weekends, measured by hours.

Overall, it can be seen that students utilize their maximum times by studying in both Japan and Germany, but the UK being the sole exception. Moreover, they spend less time in terms of relaxation.

Looking at the chart in more detail, it is clear that student of the UK sleep for around 8.5 hours on their typical weekdays, compared with 7 hours for Japan and only 8 for Germany. In terms of studying, UK's students pass their time by studing approximately 8 hours. Japanese students, however, utilize their most of the time on studing that accounts for nearly 13 hours, while the data for students of Germany is 9.

Turning to the remaining data it is noticeable that the students of these three countries spend less time by relaxing. Students of the UK keep average time for relaxing with an amount of 7 hours. Similarly, Germany's students also relax for 7 hours on their weekends, matching the data of UK student. Regarding the account of Japanese students, they spend 4 hours in the term of relaxation.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You report the main categories and most figures accurately, including the high study figure for Japan (13 hours) and the matching relaxation figures for the UK and Germany (7 hours each). However, the response only partly fulfils the task because it repeatedly describes the chart as covering weekends, whereas the prompt specifies a typical weekday. The overview also says students spend the most time studying in both Japan and Germany, but Germany’s 9 hours of study is higher than its 8 hours of sleep, while the UK’s largest figure is sleeping, not studying. These inaccuracies weaken the summary of the main features. Make the time period consistent and compare each country’s highest and lowest activities precisely in the overview.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs covering the figures. Phrases such as “Looking at the chart in more detail” and “Turning to the remaining data” help signal the shift between sections. However, progression is not always clear because the overview’s claim about study time conflicts with the later figures, and the final paragraph repeats the UK–Germany comparison rather than developing a broader comparison. Some linking phrases, including “Regarding the account of Japanese students,” sound awkward and do not connect ideas smoothly. Grouping the comparisons more consistently—for example, highest and lowest activities by country—would make the organisation clearer and reduce repetition.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “comparative data,” “accounts for,” and “matching,” and the reader can generally understand the intended comparisons. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural: “spend their times,” “utilize their maximum times,” and “spend less time by relaxing.” The repeated use of “utilize” and “pass their time” also makes the description less direct. There is a spelling error in “studing,” repeated twice, and “in the term of relaxation” is not an appropriate expression. Aim for precise chart language such as “spend,” “record,” and “the figure for,” and check spelling and collocations during revision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, using structures such as “compared with” and “while,” and most of the figures remain understandable. However, errors in sentence construction and agreement recur. In “students utilize their maximum times by studying … but the UK being the sole exception,” the contrast is not grammatically complete; “the UK is the sole exception” would form a full clause. “Student of the UK sleep” also has a number/article problem, while “Japanese students … utilize their most of the time” has an incorrect determiner structure. These issues, alongside awkwardly formed comparison sentences, limit accuracy. Practise building complete clauses and checking subject–verb agreement, articles, and determiner use.

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

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