Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-09
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 line graph depicts the number of individuals, who participated in different activities at a social centre in Melbourne, Australia between 2000 and 2020.
Overall, the film club had the highest number of participants throughout the period as against the amateur dramatics, whom the participants reduced with time.
To being with, in 2000, film club had above 60 individuals playing it, then they reduced until 2010 (60 peoples), thereafter, its participants increased gradually throughout the remaining years to above 60 individuals in 2020. As for medical practitioners, between [redacted phone], its members were negligible, until 2010, when it gained members of just above 10, and subsequently increased throughout the remaining years to just below 20 in 2020.
Furthermore, amateur dramatics and table tennis had similar pattern between 2000 to 2005, where they increased from considerably under 30 and below 20 to just under 30 and 20 respectively in 2005. Then, members of amateur dramatics drastically decreased throughout the next fifteen years to below 10, while participants of table tennis remained the same until 2010, when it experienced a significant increase to above 50 in 2020. Martial dramatics fluctuated throughout the period between 30 and 40 members.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all key features of the graph, including the overall trends and specific data points. However, there are some inaccuracies in reporting the data, such as describing 'medical practitioners' (which is not a category in the graph) and misinterpreting 'martial arts' as 'martial dramatics'. The overview is present but could be more clearly defined. While the main features are selected, the misidentification of categories significantly impacts the accuracy of the report. To improve, ensure that the labels on the graph are read precisely and that the overview highlights the most significant trends rather than just listing details.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'To begin with', and 'Furthermore' are used to link ideas. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes hindered by awkward phrasing and unclear referencing, such as 'whom the participants reduced with time'. The use of cohesive devices is occasionally mechanical, and the logical flow between sentences could be smoother. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer back to their antecedents would enhance the coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, but there are several instances of inappropriate word choice and inaccuracies. For example, 'playing it' is not suitable for describing participation in a club, and 'peoples' is grammatically incorrect. The misnaming of the categories (e.g., 'medical practitioners' instead of the actual labels) indicates a lack of precision. While the student attempts to use descriptive language like 'gradually', 'drastically', and 'fluctuated', the overall control is limited by these persistent errors. Expanding the range of topic-specific vocabulary and focusing on accurate collocations would lead to a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'To being with', 'whom the participants reduced', and 'its members were negligible'. Subject-verb agreement and preposition usage are also inconsistent. While the meaning is generally clear, these errors occur throughout the text and occasionally cause the reader to pause. To reach a higher band, the student should focus on mastering basic sentence construction and reducing errors in tense and word order, while also attempting more complex structures with greater accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.