Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-10-29

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 given bar chart showing data of different countries students and their activities on typical weekday.

The comparison is between how students spend their time on activities like studying, sleeping and relaxing in three different countries include UK, Japan and Germany.

Japanese students spend their majority of time (13 hour) on study and giving less time on personal wellbeing activities like sleeping (7 hour) and relaxing (4 hour).

While the european students like German and UK students spend similar time on relaxing. Meanwhile, Uk students spend more than an average hour on study and sleeping 8 and 8.5 hour respectively. German students (9 hours) spend one hour more on studying than UK students (8 hours)

European and UK students have well time management structure than Japanese students. And they were giving minimum 7 hours to each activity. In summary, Japanese students are more dedicated toward studying while the european and Uk students have much more balanced schedules.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the chart’s main contrast: Japanese students devote the most time to studying, while the UK and Germany appear more balanced. Several figures are reported accurately, including Japan’s 13 hours of study and 7 hours of sleep, and the UK’s 8 hours of study and 8.5 hours of sleep. However, coverage is uneven: Germany’s 8 hours of sleep and 7 hours of relaxation are not clearly reported, and the claim that UK and German students give “minimum 7 hours to each activity” is inaccurate because UK relaxation is 7 hours but Germany’s study time is 9. The statement that European students have “better” time management also goes beyond what the chart demonstrates. A fuller overview and more precise comparisons would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable progression from an introduction to country comparisons and a concluding summary. Paragraphing helps separate the Japanese figures from the European comparison, and linking expressions such as “Meanwhile” and “In summary” make the direction of the discussion clear. However, the organisation is not consistently smooth: the opening repeats the task description, and the paragraph beginning “While the european students…” is followed by a fragment-like transition, “Meanwhile, Uk students…”. The final paragraph also combines a broad judgement with a summary rather than developing the chart comparisons. Grouping the figures systematically by activity or by country, and using clearer links between those comparisons, would make the progression more coherent.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing the chart, including “majority of time,” “similar time,” “balanced schedules,” and “dedicated toward studying.” These choices communicate the general comparisons, but some expressions are imprecise or unnatural for an academic report. For example, “personal wellbeing activities” is an interpretation rather than a neutral description of sleeping and relaxing, while “well time management structure” is unclear. “Giving less time” and “spend one hour more on studying than” also show limited control of collocation. Capitalisation is inconsistent in “Uk” and “european.” Aim for precise, neutral terms such as “spend,” “allocate,” and “time devoted to,” and avoid evaluating students’ time management when the chart only presents hours.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

There is some variety in sentence forms, including comparisons and a subordinate clause in “While the european students like German and UK students spend similar time on relaxing.” Most of the intended meaning remains understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. The opening lacks an article and a complete construction: “The given bar chart showing data…” would be clearer as “The bar chart shows…”. In “three different countries include UK, Japan and Germany,” the verb form and article use need correction (“including the UK…”). The sentence beginning “While” is not complete as written, and “Japanese students spend their majority of time” has an awkward possessive structure. Check sentence completeness, articles, and agreement, while retaining the useful range of comparisons.

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

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