Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-28
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 compares the number of people participated in five different activities at a social centre in Melbourne, Australia over a period of 2 decades.
Overall, it is clear that film club was the most famous activity among the participants whereas initially, the musical performances were not much papular but rose with the passage of time. Conversely, Amateur dramatics was the only performance that showed the most dramatic fall.
In 2000, the number of people participating in film club was 63 which increased to 68. Participations in martial arts almost remained steady but took a fall in 2005. Amateur dramatics experienced a sudden downfall from 29 to only 8 people.
The most exponential growth was seen in the number of people interested in table tennis. From 2000 to 2010 there was very little increase of just 3 people whereas from 2010 to 2020, the number climbed up to 55. Musical performances also gained popularity gradually.
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 parts of the task and provides a clear overview of the main trends. You successfully identified the most popular activity (film club) and the most significant decline (amateur dramatics). However, the data reporting is inconsistent. For instance, you mention the film club increased from 63 to 68, but you do not specify the timeframe for this change. Furthermore, the description of martial arts is vague, and the data for musical performances is missing entirely, which limits the completeness of your analysis. To improve, ensure that every trend mentioned is supported by specific data points from the graph and that you consistently provide the start and end years for all comparisons.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs focusing on specific trends. There is a clear progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical. Phrases like 'Conversely' and 'The most exponential growth' are used, but the transition between sentences within paragraphs could be smoother. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear; for example, in the second paragraph, you mention 'participations' without clearly linking them to the specific activities mentioned in the prompt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring clear pronoun referencing would enhance the flow of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'dramatic fall', 'exponential growth', and 'gained popularity'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'most famous' is not the best fit for a graph about participation; 'most popular' or 'highest participation' would be more appropriate. You also used 'papular' (a spelling error) and 'participated' instead of 'participating' in the opening sentence. While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on precise academic vocabulary and checking for spelling will help improve your score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'the number of people participated' (should be 'participating') and 'initially, the musical performances were not much papular' (should be 'not very popular'). Additionally, there are minor issues with article usage and tense consistency. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors indicates a need for more careful proofreading. To reach a higher band, aim for more error-free sentences and ensure that complex structures, such as relative clauses or passive voice, are used with greater accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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