Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-17

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 chart illustrates the proportion of Australian men and women in typical age groups doing regular physical activity in 2010.

Overall, the highest percentage was achieved by women compared with men. Men in the early age marked high percentage who did regular exercise, while the lowest was observed in mid 30s. Women have noticeably started increasing their percentage from the initial age.

Between the ages of 15 and 54, the ratio of men to women performing exercise was inverse. In other words, the men doing workouts in the age group between 15 and 24 was 52.8 outnumbered the women, but in the next age group, the women dominated the men. The lowest figure of doing exercise was seen in men whereas highest proportion was among women.

Consequently, the highest share for women was seen in the 53- 59 age group, which was 53.3, whereas the lowest proportion for men was 39.5 for the age group 35 to 44. However, the percentage of physical exercise for older people of both genders above age 65 was similar.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The student covers most parts of the task by reporting key data points, such as the peak for men aged 15-24 at 52.8 and the peak for women in the 45-54 age group at 53.3. An overview is attempted in the second paragraph, noting the general trends. However, there are some data inaccuracies and misreadings in the body paragraphs. For example, the student states that the highest share for women was in the 53-59 age group, which is factually incorrect as the chart uses '55 to 64' and '45 to 54' (where the peak of 53.3 actually occurs). Furthermore, the statement that participation for men aged 15 to 24 'was 52.8 outnumbered the women' is grammatically awkward and confusing. The response addresses the task adequately but lacks precision in reporting data.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into four paragraphs, following a logical layout with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs discussing specific age groups. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall', 'In other words', and 'However', though some transitions feel forced or awkward, like 'Consequently' used to introduce a comparison. Paragraphing is generally appropriate, but the progression of ideas within paragraphs can be disjointed, particularly in the second paragraph where sentences feel disconnected and fail to provide a coherent summary.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, incorporating terms like 'proportion', 'ratio', 'dominated', and 'participation' (implied). However, there are notable lexical inaccuracies and awkward collocations, such as 'Men in the early age marked high percentage', 'ratio of men to women performing exercise was inverse', and inventing age brackets like '53-59'. Spelling is generally correct, but word choices often lack precision and natural flow.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the student attempts complex forms, many sentences contain grammatical errors or awkward phrasing that detracts from clarity, such as 'the men doing workouts in the age group between 15 and 24 was 52.8 outnumbered the women'. Punctuation is generally acceptable, but frequent grammatical inaccuracies in clause structure and subject-verb agreement prevent the response from achieving a higher band.

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

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