Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-27
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 shows the number of participants in various activities which took part at one social center in Australia, Melbourne from 2000 to 2020.
Overall, the film club activity followed the trend most and accounted for the largest contribution from 65 participants in 2000 to 68 participants in 2020. The table tennis has also risen gradually in the number of participants and saw a substantial increase in participants after 2010 and till 2020. The martial arts participants were less than 40 in 2000, saw a slight increase in 2010.
In 2000, there were five categories in which the highest number of participants was from the film club and it was the most popular activity throughout the period. In the year 2005, the musical performances category made the entry and steadily increased the number of participants from zero to 20 in 2010 and in 2020 its more than amateur dramatics. The table tennis had 18 participants in the starting year but in upcoming years they had a substantial increase in the number of participants and rose to 50. In contrast, the amateur dramatics had a sharp decrease from 2005 to 2020. The martial arts category followed the trend of gradual increase and decrease.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the graph, including the trends for the film club, table tennis, and amateur dramatics. However, the analysis is somewhat inconsistent. For instance, the overview mentions the film club accounted for the largest contribution, but the description of the data is occasionally imprecise, such as stating 'the film club activity followed the trend most', which is vague. While the key features are identified, the comparison between categories could be more analytical. The inclusion of specific data points is generally accurate, but the overall summary lacks a clear, cohesive synthesis of the data trends, which prevents it from reaching a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed. The transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is abrupt, and the use of cohesive devices is occasionally mechanical or repetitive (e.g., 'In 2000', 'In the year 2005'). Some sentences lack clear logical links, such as the sudden mention of 'five categories' in the second paragraph without prior introduction. While the paragraphing is functional, the internal cohesion within paragraphs could be improved to ensure a smoother flow of information.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to describe trends (e.g., 'substantial increase', 'sharp decrease', 'steadily increased'). However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'followed the trend most' is not standard academic English, and 'made the entry' is an awkward way to describe the appearance of a new category. The vocabulary is generally sufficient to convey the intended meaning, but it lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. Spelling is generally accurate throughout the text.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that, while not impeding communication, are noticeable. For instance, 'which took part at one social center' is slightly unnatural; 'which took place at' would be better. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage, such as 'The table tennis has also risen' (should be 'Participation in table tennis has risen') and 'its more than amateur dramatics' (missing apostrophe in 'it's'). Despite these errors, the meaning remains clear, and the sentence structures are varied enough to support the description of the data.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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