Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-08-24

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 working, leisure and sports, and household activities in 2009.

Overall, women aged 75 and over spent the most time on leisure and sports, whereas those aged 20–54 devoted considerably more time to work. Household activities generally accounted for more hours as women became older. In terms of education, women without a high-school diploma spent the most time working, while those with a bachelor’s degree or higher recorded the lowest figure for leisure activities.

Among the age groups, women aged 20–24 spent 22.1 hours per week on work, rising to approximately 27 hours among those aged 25–54. This figure then fell markedly, reaching just 1.3 hours for women aged 75 and over. By contrast, leisure time was highest among the oldest group, at 51.7 hours, compared with only 28.6 hours for women aged 25–34. Household activities showed a gradual upward trend with age, increasing from 5 hours among teenagers to 21.1 hours for those aged 65–74.

Regarding educational attainment, women without a high-school diploma spent the greatest amount of time working, at 43.1 hours per week. This was substantially higher than the figures for high-school graduates (38.9 hours) and women with a bachelor’s degree or higher (28.6 hours). Leisure time ranged from 20 hours for the least-educated group to 28.6 hours among the most highly educated, while household activities varied between 10.7 and 18.6 hours.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

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 most significant trends such as the inverse relationship between age and work hours, and the impact of education on primary activities. You have supported your points with accurate data from the chart, such as the 22.1 hours for the 20-24 age group and the 43.1 hours for those without a high-school diploma. All parts of the prompt are addressed comprehensively, and the information is logically selected to provide a clear summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a distinct focus: the introduction, the overview, the age-based analysis, and the education-based analysis. You use cohesive devices effectively, such as 'By contrast', 'Regarding', and 'This figure then fell markedly', which help the reader follow the comparison easily. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the transition between the two main body paragraphs is smooth. The information is presented in a way that is easy to follow, and the use of referencing is precise throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You demonstrate a wide and flexible range of vocabulary, which is used with precision. Phrases such as 'educational attainment', 'devoted considerably more time', 'recorded the lowest figure', and 'varied between' show a high level of control. You avoid repetition by using synonyms and varied structures to describe the data. The vocabulary is natural and appropriate for an academic report. There are no errors in word choice or collocation, and the language used is sophisticated enough to convey the information clearly and effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The response displays a wide range of grammatical structures, including complex sentences and accurate use of comparative and superlative forms. Your control over punctuation and sentence structure is excellent, with the majority of sentences being error-free. You successfully use participial phrases and subordinating conjunctions to link ideas, such as 'rising to approximately 27 hours among those aged 25–54'. There are no noticeable grammatical errors, and the accuracy is consistent throughout the entire piece, reflecting a high level of proficiency.

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