Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-11-12

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The graph below gives information on the numbers of participants for different activities at one social centre in Melbourne, Australia for the period 2000 to 2020.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

 

 

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The graph below compares the numbers of members for different activities at a particular social centre in Melbourne, Australia between 2000 and 2020.

Overall, it is clear that table tennis had a great shift increasing its number of participants significantly. However, the number of members of amateur dramatics declined throughout the period. On the other hand, there are musical performances which number of memebers increased dramatically. Martial arts and film club fluctuated around the same numbers.

From 2000 to 2010 number of attenders in table tennis rose from over 10 to 20, after that it sharply increased between 2010 and 2020 from 20 to around 50 and 60 attenders. In turn, the

number of attenders of amateur dramatics increased slightly from over 20 to around the same numbers between 2000 and 2005. After that, the number of attenders declined from little less than 30 to less than 10.

Starting from 2005, the number of participants of musical performances increased from 0 to less than 20 in the end of the period. However, the number of martial arts participants fluctuated around 30 and 40, film club members followed the sam trend keeping their number between 60 and 70.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main overall patterns: table tennis rises strongly, amateur dramatics declines, and film club and martial arts remain comparatively stable. The report also includes relevant figures, such as table tennis reaching about 20 by 2010 and amateur dramatics falling to below 10 by 2020. However, some details are imprecise or inaccurate: table tennis ends at about 54, not “50 and 60,” and amateur dramatics rises from 26 to 28 before declining, rather than increasing to “around the same numbers.” The overview could also make the key comparisons clearer, especially that film club remains the largest activity while musical performances rise from zero to 18. Some trends are reported more fully than others, so select and describe the most important features precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview and paragraphs describing the trends. Time markers such as “From 2000 to 2010,” “After that” and “Starting from 2005” help the reader follow the chronology. However, progression is not consistently clear: the first detail paragraph combines table tennis and amateur dramatics, while the final paragraph groups three activities without a clear comparison. Some linking is mechanical or confusing, particularly “In turn” and “However,” where the relationship between the trends is not always evident. The unfinished transition “In turn, the” also interrupts the flow. Organise the details into clearer groups—for example, rising trends together and stable or declining trends together—and use links that express the actual relationship between them.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “fluctuated,” “declined,” “increased significantly” and “participants,” which allows you to describe the main movements. However, some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or repetitive. The graph reports participants, but the response repeatedly uses “attenders” and “members,” which are less suitable here. Phrases such as “had a great shift increasing its number” and “there are musical performances which number of memebers increased dramatically” are awkward, and “memebers” and “sam” contain spelling errors. Use precise trend language and vary it without forcing complex phrasing: for example, say that table tennis “rose sharply” and that musical performances “increased steadily.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mix of simple and more complex sentences, including contrast clauses with “However” and “On the other hand,” and most of the intended meaning can be understood. Some grammatical errors remain, especially in sentence construction and missing articles or subjects. For example, “From 2000 to 2010 number of attenders” needs an article, while “there are musical performances which number of memebers increased” has a faulty clause structure. The phrase “the number of attenders declined from little less than 30” also needs a more accurate grammatical form, such as “declined from just under 30.” Check that each sentence has a clear subject and verb, and use articles consistently. More controlled complex sentences would improve accuracy without sacrificing clarity.

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