Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-09

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The bar chart below shows the percentage of Australian men and women in different age groups who did regular physical activity in 2010.

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 proportion of Australian males and females of different age groups who performed regular physical activities in 2010.

Overall, women of all age groups are more physically active than that of men, except for the 15-24 years old age category. Whereas in age group of 65 years and over, almost similar percentage of population of both genders involved in routine physical tasks.

At first glance, it is evident that the highest percentage of men who did regular physical activities was recorded by the youngest age group of 15 to 24 years that was 52.8 %. While, the figure of physically active men decreased gradually by almost 10% in 25 to 34 years age group and continued to a low of 39.5 % in the age category of 35-44 years. However, the pattern of men showed a steady increase, mens of 45-54 years

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, ending abruptly mid-sentence. While the introduction and overview are clear, the incomplete nature of the report means that the task is not fully addressed. Key data points are selected, but the analysis is cut off before the trends for all age groups can be described or compared effectively. To improve, you must ensure the entire response is completed and that all data trends are fully reported to provide a comprehensive summary of the chart.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response shows a logical attempt at organization, starting with an introduction, an overview, and then moving into specific details. However, the abrupt ending significantly disrupts the flow and coherence of the text. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Whereas', and 'At first glance' are used appropriately to guide the reader, but the lack of a completed structure prevents the essay from achieving a higher score. Ensure that your paragraphs are balanced and that you complete your sentences to maintain a logical progression of ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportion', 'recorded', and 'gradually'. There are some minor errors, such as 'mens' instead of 'men' and 'involved in' which should be 'were involved in'. The vocabulary is generally sufficient to convey the intended meaning, but it lacks the precision and variety required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more varied reporting verbs and avoiding repetitive phrasing when describing trends in the data.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'women... are more physically active than that of men' (a comparison error) and 'mens of 45-54 years' (incorrect pluralization). Additionally, the sentence fragment at the end of the text negatively impacts the overall grammatical accuracy. While the errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that all sentences are complete and grammatically sound.

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

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