Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-05

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 male and female in numerous age group who did daily physical activity in 2010.

Overall, it is evident that all categories showed fluctuated trend, although men recorded the highest and lowest proportion in aged 15 to 24 and 35 to 44. In addition, women experienced the lagfest and least figure in aged 45 to 54 and 64 and above.

Looking first at the 15 to 24 age group, the percentage of Australian men and women regular physical activity stood at 52.8% and 47.7%, respectively. This figure then decreased for male to 42.2% and increased for female to 48.9% in the 25 to 34 age group. Furthermore, aged 35 to 44, the proportion for fame considerably fell from 42.2% to 39.5% and women experienced slightly increased from 48.9% to 52.5%.

By contrast, aged 45 to 54, male initially stood at 43.1%, followed by 45.1% in aged 54 to 64 and before raising to 46.7% in the 65 and above age group. In contrast, female stood at 43.1%, it then grew to 45.1% and raising to 46.7% by the end of the period.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion6.0
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have successfully identified the main features of the chart and made relevant comparisons between the age groups. You covered all parts of the task, including the gender differences across the age categories. However, there are some inaccuracies in your data reporting. For instance, you mention that men recorded the lowest proportion in the 35 to 44 age group, but the data shows the lowest point for men is actually in the 35-44 category, while your description of the 45-54 and 65+ age groups contains confusing or inaccurate data points compared to the provided chart. Ensure that your data transcription is precise to avoid misrepresenting the information.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organised into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear overall progression. You use cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'Looking first at', and 'By contrast' to guide the reader. However, the referencing is occasionally unclear, and some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the internal flow within the final paragraph is hindered by repetitive phrasing and some awkward sentence structures. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that the relationship between sentences is always explicit and natural.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, such as 'proportion', 'fluctuated', and 'considerably'. However, there are several instances of word-choice errors and non-standard collocations, such as 'lagfest' (which is not a standard English term) and 'fame' (likely a typo for 'men'). Additionally, the phrase 'raising to' is used incorrectly in the final paragraph. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they do limit the precision of your writing. Expanding your vocabulary to include more precise reporting verbs and nouns would help elevate your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include 'Australian male and female in numerous age group' (should be plural 'groups'), 'women experienced the lagfest and least figure' (incorrect phrasing), and 'women experienced slightly increased' (should be 'a slight increase'). There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage. While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and correct verb forms.

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

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