Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-01

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 graph compares the proportion of different age groups of Australian males and females doing regular physical exercise in 2010.

Overall, it is clear that women were generally more active than male , while in the youngest age group more male participants. In the oldest age group both genders participants equally.

In 15 to 24 age group, the proportion of males stood at 52.8%, compared to 47.7% for females. In 25 to 34 age group, these figures recorded 42.2% and 48.9% respectively. Meanwhile, proportion of women rose to 52.5% in 35 to 44 age group ,53.3% in 45 to 54 age group, and 53 in 55 to 64 age group. In contrast, the proportion of male was 39.5% in 35 to 44 age group, 43.1% in 45 to 54 age group, and 45.1% in 55 to 64 age group. in the oldest age group yh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which negatively impacts the score. While you have identified the main features and provided data, the summary is incomplete; the final sentence is cut off mid-thought ('in the oldest age group yh'), and you failed to provide the data for the final age group (65+). To improve, ensure you cover all categories presented in the chart and provide a complete, well-rounded summary. The overview is present but lacks sufficient detail to fully satisfy the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the flow is hindered by the incomplete final sentence. You use some cohesive devices like 'Meanwhile' and 'In contrast' to link ideas, which is positive. However, the progression of information feels somewhat mechanical. To reach a higher band, ensure that your paragraphs are fully developed and that you use a wider range of cohesive devices to connect your sentences more naturally. The abrupt ending significantly disrupts the overall coherence of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportion', 'regular physical exercise', and 'respectively'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and form, such as 'more male participants' (should be 'more male participants exercised') and 'both genders participants equally' (should be 'both genders participated equally'). The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the precision and variety required for higher bands. Focus on using more varied reporting verbs and nouns to describe trends.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('in 15 to 24 age group'), incorrect pluralization ('more male participants'), and awkward phrasing ('these figures recorded 42.2%'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing around commas. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the score. You should focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles when describing data.

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

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