Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-15

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 percentage of Australian male and female in different age groups who did regular physical activity in 2010.

Overall, the age group of both male and female age group of 65 and over were the percentage of 46.7 and 47.1 which were very minor difference. The female age group of 45 to 54 were the highest figure among other age groups. In male age group 15 to 24 figured 52.8 which were the highest among other age groups.

In 2010, male age group 35 to 44 were the lowest figure of 39.5 and female group of 55 to 64 figured 53 which were the second highest percentage among females' other age groups. It was noticed that the age groups of females except 15 to 24, were the higher figure than males. The only age group of male 15 to 24 were higher figure than female. Age group 24 to 34 male had the figured 42.2 and female had 48.9.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the bar chart, identifying the highest and lowest points for both genders. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, cohesive overview of the trends. While the data is presented, the comparison between age groups could be more analytical rather than just listing figures. The report addresses the prompt, but the lack of a clear summary of the overall trend (e.g., the general increase or decrease in activity with age) limits the score. The data points are generally accurate, but the presentation of the comparison between genders is slightly repetitive and could be more effectively synthesised.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into three paragraphs, which is appropriate for a short report. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is limited and occasionally repetitive (e.g., 'the age group of...'). Referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the second paragraph where the flow between the highest and lowest figures feels abrupt. While the paragraphing is functional, the internal cohesion within paragraphs lacks the flexibility required for a higher band. The logical flow is present but relies on simple, repetitive structures rather than sophisticated linking words.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. The student relies heavily on the word 'figure' and 'age group' throughout the text. There is little attempt to use less common lexical items or synonyms to describe the data (e.g., 'proportion', 'percentage', 'participation rate', 'trend'). While the meaning is clear and communication is not impeded, the lack of variety in word choice prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Spelling is accurate, but the overall lexical control is limited to a narrow, repetitive range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. For example, 'the age group of both male and female age group of 65 and over were the percentage of 46.7' is syntactically awkward and confusing. There are issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage (e.g., 'male age group 35 to 44 were the lowest figure'). While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors is noticeable. The student attempts complex structures, but they are often faulty, which limits the score in this criterion.

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

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