Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-11

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 6.5)

The bar graph illustrates the percentage of Australian males and females of different age groups performing physical exercise in 2010.

Overall, middle age Australian women perform more physical activity than middle age men, whereas young men are more active than young female. Both elderly age groups have shown similar results.

Physical exercise in women from 25 to 34 years old has gradually increased at about 48.9% to 53.3% in 45 to 54 years old, and then remained relatively same till 53% in 55 to 64 years old. In contrast, Australian men have shown decrease in figures at around 42.2% in 25 to 34 years old to 39.5% in 35 to 44 years old. It then increased to approximately 45.1% in 55 to 64 years old.

Figures seen in young females (15 to 24 years) have dropped to 47.7%, while in young males it significantly increased to approximately 52.8%. In elderly age group (65 and over), figures in women and men are almost same about 47.1% and 46.7% respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully identified the main features of the bar chart and provided relevant comparisons between genders and age groups. The overview clearly highlights the key trends, such as the higher activity levels in middle-aged women compared to men. However, the description of the data is occasionally confusing. For example, stating that female activity 'increased at about 48.9% to 53.3%' is slightly inaccurate as the data represents specific age brackets rather than a continuous progression over time. To improve, ensure you clearly distinguish between the age categories and avoid implying a chronological increase where none exists. Overall, the response covers all parts of the task well.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized into clear paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs focusing on specific age groups. You use cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'whereas', and 'while' to link ideas effectively. However, the progression within the third paragraph is slightly mechanical, and some referencing is a bit repetitive. The transition between the general overview and the specific data points is smooth, and the paragraphing is appropriate for an Academic Task 1 response. Further improvement could be achieved by varying the linking phrases to make the flow more natural.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. Phrases like 'remained relatively same' and 'figures seen in' are functional, though 'remained relatively same' is grammatically imprecise. You use some topic-specific vocabulary such as 'percentage', 'age groups', and 'physical activity'. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing. For instance, instead of saying 'figures seen in', you could use 'the proportion of' or 'participation rates among'. The vocabulary is adequate for the task, but lacks the sophistication required for a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are some noticeable grammatical errors, such as 'remained relatively same' (should be 'remained relatively the same') and 'young female' (should be 'young females' for plural consistency). Additionally, 'figures in women and men are almost same' lacks the necessary articles. While these errors are present, they do not impede the reader's understanding of the data. To improve, focus on article usage and ensuring subject-verb agreement, particularly when discussing plural groups.

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

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