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 illustrates the number of participants in five different activities at one social centre in Melbourne, Australia from 2000 to 2020.
Overall, film club was consistently the most popular activity throughout the period while martial arts also remained fairly stable. Table tennis shows the most dramatical rise.
To begin with, film club had around 65 participants in 2000, and this figure slightly fluctuated, dropping to about 60 in 2010, after slightly decreased to reaching around 65 in 2020. In 2000, martial arts recorded around 38 participants, and its figure fluctuating, reaching as same as 2000 period. Apart from this, musical performances started null participants in 2005, still the figure increased dramatically and reaching almost 18 participants.
On the other side, in 2000, amateur dramatics had nearly 28 participants, it increased gradually to 2005. After increasing, this figure sharply deceased and reached at nearly 3 participants. On the other hand, table tennis recorded approximately 18 participants in 2000, after that it increased, reaching 20 participants, which was same as amateur dramatics in 2010. This figure surged and reached at above 50 participants.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers all key features of the graph, including the overall trends and specific data points. You successfully identified the most popular activity and the significant rise in table tennis. However, the description of the data is occasionally imprecise, such as saying 'reaching as same as 2000 period' for martial arts, which is vague. Additionally, the mention of 'null participants' for musical performances is slightly awkward phrasing. To reach a higher band, ensure that all comparisons are clearly articulated and that data points are described with greater precision, avoiding repetitive or unclear phrasing when discussing trends.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Apart from this', and 'On the other side' to guide the reader. However, the flow is occasionally interrupted by awkward transitions and some mechanical use of linking words. For example, 'After increasing, this figure sharply deceased' is a bit repetitive. The referencing is generally clear, but the progression of ideas within the second body paragraph feels slightly disjointed due to the abrupt shift between amateur dramatics and table tennis. Improving the variety of cohesive devices would enhance the flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'consistently', 'fluctuated', 'dramatically', and 'surged'. However, there are some noticeable errors in word choice and collocation that slightly hinder the precision of your report. For instance, 'dramatical rise' should be 'dramatic rise', and 'reaching at nearly 3 participants' is grammatically incorrect (the preposition 'at' is unnecessary here). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, more sophisticated and accurate lexical choices would elevate the response to a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt to use complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses and prepositions. Examples include 'after slightly decreased to reaching', 'its figure fluctuating', and 'reached at above 50'. These errors are persistent throughout the text. While they do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions after verbs like 'reach' or 'increase' will significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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