Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-01

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 chart illustrates the percentage of two genders men and women in different age groups doing physical activity in the year 2010

Overall, the Age group in men that participates in a physical activity the highest was found to be 45-54.On the other hand a common observation found was that both men and women over the age of 65 consisted of a similar percentage when it came to regularity of exercise.

47.7% of the Young women in the age between 15-24 occupied themselves in regular physical acitivity while the ratio of men was higher by 5.1% in the same category.We find an increment in the percentage of women who participate in physical activity between 25- 64 which is then followed by a decrease at 47.1%

Men on the other hand, as compared to women have a very low percentage when it comes to participating in physical acitivity between the age of 25-64 and not much changes post 65.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

The response addresses the task only partially, presenting some key information from the chart while overlooking significant trends and details. For instance, the statement that the peak for men is between 45 and 54 is inaccurate, as the highest male participation is actually in the 15-24 age group at 52.8%. Similarly, the overview contains a confusing claim regarding male age groups. While the student attempts to make comparisons between genders, the data reporting contains inaccuracies, such as misinterpreting the trajectory for women and failing to provide a clear, comprehensive summary of the main features. To reach a higher level, the response must accurately report the data points, avoid factual errors about the highest and lowest points, and provide a clearer overview of the overall trends shown in the chart.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is some organisation evident in the writing, and the text is divided into paragraphs, but there is a lack of clear overall progression. Cohesive devices are sometimes inadequate or mechanical; for example, 'On the other hand' is overused, and referencing is occasionally unclear, such as how the second paragraph introduces ideas about men and women without smooth transitional logic. The sequencing of information feels somewhat disjointed, jumping between age groups and genders without a clear analytical structure. To improve, the student should ensure that ideas are logically sequenced with a clearer progression from the overview into detailed body paragraphs, using a wider variety of cohesive devices more naturally.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate to convey basic ideas about the data. The student makes noticeable errors in word choice and phrasing, such as writing 'occupied themselves in regular physical acitivity' instead of 'engaged in regular physical activity' or 'participated in regular exercise'. There are also spelling errors like 'acitivity', and unnatural phrasing such as 'two genders men and women'. While the vocabulary attempts to discuss percentages and age groups, these errors and the repetitive use of basic terms mean the range remains restricted. To achieve a higher band score, the writer needs to incorporate a wider range of precise vocabulary and collocation suitable for describing statistical data, while eliminating spelling mistakes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates a limited range of structures, relying mostly on simple sentences with occasional attempts at complex forms that are often faulty or poorly punctuated. There are noticeable punctuation errors, such as missing full stops at the end of sentences (e.g., after 'year 2010' and '5.1% in the same category') and a lack of commas in introductory phrases. Furthermore, grammatical patterns involving prepositions are sometimes awkward, such as 'in the age between 15-24'. Frequent minor errors in punctuation and sentence boundaries occur throughout the response, though they do not completely obscure the meaning. To progress, the writer should use a wider variety of complex sentence structures with greater accuracy and pay closer attention to punctuation and sentence boundaries.

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