Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-08-15

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The bar chart below shows the average number of hours that women in various age groups and women with varying levels of education spend on primary activities each week.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Average hours per week women spent in selected primary activities, by age and educational attainment, 2009

Student answer (Band 8.5)

The bar chart compares the average number of hours per week that women in different age groups and with different levels of educational attainment spent on three types of primary activities in 2009: working and work-related activities, leisure and sports, and household activities.

Overall, women spent considerably more time on leisure and sports as they became older, while the amount of time devoted to work generally increased during early and middle adulthood before declining sharply in later life. In terms of education, women with less than a high school diploma spent the most time on work, whereas those with a bachelor's degree or higher had the highest figure for household activities among the more highly educated groups.

Looking first at age, women aged 15–19 spent an average of 36.8 hours per week on leisure and sports, compared with only 6.9 hours on work and 6.0 hours on household activities. The amount of time spent working rose substantially among women aged 20–24, reaching 22.1 hours, and peaked at around 27 hours among those aged 25–54. During the same period, leisure time generally fell, reaching a low of 27.4 hours for the 35–44 age group. Household activities, meanwhile, increased steadily from 6.0 hours among teenagers to 18.3 hours among women aged 55–64.

Among older women, work-related time declined considerably, falling from 20.9 hours for those aged 55–64 to just 1.3 hours among women aged 75 and over. By contrast, leisure and sports increased to 44.0 hours for the 65–74 group and reached a high of 51.7 hours among those aged 75 and over. Household activities also remained relatively high, at 21.1 and 19.6 hours respectively.

With regard to educational attainment, women with less than a high school diploma spent the most time working, at 43.1 hours per week, while they devoted only 10.7 hours to leisure and sports. Among high school graduates, the figures were 16.7 hours for work and 38.9 hours for leisure. Women with some college or an associate degree spent 23.3 hours working and 33.4 hours on leisure. Finally, those with a bachelor's degree or higher spent 27.4 hours working, 28.6 hours on leisure and 15.2 hours on household activities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response is excellent. You have successfully identified and reported the main features of the bar chart, including clear comparisons between age groups and educational levels. The overview is well-crafted, highlighting the key trends such as the inverse relationship between age and work, and the increase in leisure time. You have supported your points with accurate data from the chart, such as the peak work hours for the 25–54 age group and the specific figures for educational attainment. All parts of the prompt are addressed comprehensively, and the information is logically selected to provide a clear summary of the data provided.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. You have used a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'In terms of', 'Looking first at', 'By contrast', and 'With regard to', which guide the reader smoothly through the different sections of the data. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the analysis of age groups from the analysis of educational attainment. The information is presented in a way that is easy to follow, and the relationship between the different categories is clearly established throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You demonstrate a wide and sophisticated range of vocabulary, which is used with natural control. Phrases like 'educational attainment', 'devoted to', 'peaked at', and 'remained relatively high' are used accurately and in the correct context. There is a good use of less common lexical items that enhance the precision of your report. The vocabulary is varied and contributes to the overall clarity and professional tone of the writing. There are no noticeable errors in word choice or collocation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The response exhibits a wide range of grammatical structures, including complex sentences and varied clause types, used with high accuracy. Your control over tense and subject-verb agreement is consistent throughout the report. Punctuation is used correctly to manage the flow of information. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the few minor slips that might occur are rare and do not impede communication in any way. The grammatical complexity is appropriate for an academic task of this nature.

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