Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-10-17

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 information about the average student participation in various daily activities on the working days in the UK, japan and germany.

Overall, the students in japan represented the highest studying rates in weekdays whereas relaxing rates was at the lowest in japanese students. By contrast, sleeping rates made up the higher rates in the UK.

The students in the UK showed the higher participation in sleeping at 8.5, followed by Germany and Japan, at 8 and 7 respectively. On the other hand, the UK made up only 8 points in studying while japan's students recorded the highest partcipation, at 13. Furthermore, japan stude

The UK and Germany represented the equal rate of participation in relaxing, at 7. Conversely, japan showed the least participation in relaxing on weekdays.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main contrasts accurately: Japan has the highest study figure (13 hours) and the lowest relaxation figure (4), while the UK records the most sleep (8.5). You also compare the UK and Germany’s equal relaxation figures. However, the overview is not fully precise: “sleeping rates made up the higher rates in the UK” is unclear, and the German study figure (9) is not reported. The final sentence, “Furthermore, japan stude”, is unfinished, leaving a comparison incomplete. The response also falls 19 words short of the required minimum, which limits how fully you can select and explain the chart’s key features. Develop the overview and complete the comparisons to make the summary more comprehensive.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview and detail comparisons, and phrases such as “Overall” and “On the other hand” help signal relationships. However, progression is disrupted by the unfinished sentence “Furthermore, japan stude” and the blank line that follows it. Some linking is mechanical or imprecise: “By contrast” introduces the UK’s sleep figure without clearly setting up the comparison, while “On the other hand” does not establish a strong contrast between the UK and Japan’s study figures. Group the figures into complete, logically connected comparisons and use linking expressions only where the relationship is clear. A complete final paragraph would also make the organisation feel more controlled.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant chart vocabulary, including “illustrates,” “highest,” “lowest,” and “participation,” and the reader can generally understand which activities and countries you mean. However, several phrases are unnatural or imprecise for describing figures: “student participation” suggests involvement rather than hours, and “made up only 8 points” is not a natural way to report the study value. “Sleeping rates” and “relaxing rates” are also awkward labels for the chart’s categories. There are spelling and capitalisation slips, including “japan,” “germany,” and “partcipation,” which reduce accuracy. Prefer direct, consistent terms such as “hours spent sleeping,” “study time,” and “relaxation,” and check country names and spelling before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of sentence forms, including a comparative overview and longer sentences with “whereas” and “while.” Most of the intended meaning remains understandable, but some errors affect accuracy. In “relaxing rates was at the lowest,” the plural subject requires “were,” and “the students in Japan represented the highest studying rates” has an awkward grammatical relationship between the subject and the measure. The fragment “Furthermore, japan stude” is incomplete and leaves the sentence without a finished clause. There are also inconsistent capital letters and punctuation around the unfinished section. Aim for complete sentences with a clear subject and measure—for example, “Japanese students spent the most time studying”—and check agreement and sentence completion.

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