Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-14
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 illustrates the information on the numbers of participants for different activities at one social centre in Melbourne, Australia for the period 2000 to 2020.
Overall, Film club with the highest number of participants throughout the period. The participants of martial arts and table tennis fluctuates in between the timeline. Moreover, Amateur dramatics and musical performances participants trend faced rapid decline and rose respectively.
Firstly, members of film club throughout timeline remained same with almost 65 participants. Martial arts with 35 candidates at 2000 with slight rose and fall in between years and remained at 35 candidates till 2020. Moreover, table tennis with 15 competitors in 2000, rose rapidly after 2010 and jumps to 50 participants in 2020.
In addition, Amateur dramatics with 25 members till 2005, faced sharp decline in timeline with 5 participants in 2020. Further, musical performances with lowest number of participates in 2005, got higher in 2010 with 10 members and rose up to 20 candidates by 2020.
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 trends for each activity. However, the overview is slightly underdeveloped and contains some inaccuracies, such as stating the Film club remained at 65 participants throughout the entire period, whereas the graph shows fluctuations. The description of the data is generally clear, but some figures are imprecise (e.g., 'almost 65'). To reach a higher band, ensure that the overview highlights the most significant trends—such as the Film club's dominance and the contrasting trajectories of Amateur dramatics and Table tennis—more accurately and concisely.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Moreover', 'Firstly', and 'In addition' are used to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel forced. The referencing is generally clear, but the progression of ideas within the body paragraphs could be smoother. For example, the transition between the description of the Film club and Martial arts is a bit abrupt. Improving the variety of cohesive devices and ensuring they are used more naturally would enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to describe trends (e.g., 'fluctuates', 'rapid decline', 'rose'). However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'participants trend faced rapid decline' and 'candidates' used to refer to club members. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise terminology for describing trends, such as 'experienced a sharp decrease' instead of 'faced rapid decline', and ensure that nouns are used correctly in context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'Film club with the highest number', 'participants... fluctuates') and preposition usage (e.g., 'in between the timeline'). Some sentences are fragmented or lack necessary articles. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on consistent verb tense usage and ensuring that every sentence has a clear subject and verb will help improve the accuracy of the writing.
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.