Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-02

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 chart illustrates the number of participants for different activities in Melbourne, Australia between 2000 to 2020.

Overall, it is clear that film club increased over the period, while amateur dramatics decreased. The

number of participants in Film club was higher than others, whereas musical performances showed the opposite trend.

First of all, in 2000, the number of participants in film club stood at approximately 62. It then gradually

decreased to 60 in 2010. Between 2010 and 2020, there was a significant

rise, with the figure reaching 65. Martial arts fluctuated over the period of time.

Body Paragraph 2

Regarding Table tennis, the figure stood at 15 in 2000, which was slightly lower than amateur dramatics.

However, the number of participants increased rapidly and reached at 52 in 2020.

After that, musical performances experienced a slight rise, from 0 to 15 in 2020. Amateur dramatics stood at 25 in 2000 and experienced a fast decline in 2020 and showed 5 participants, which was lower than others.

AI examiner evaluation

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 key features, such as the growth in film club and table tennis, and the decline in amateur dramatics. However, the analysis of the data is slightly inaccurate in places; for example, you stated the film club figure decreased to 60 in 2010, but the graph shows it remained relatively stable or slightly increased. Additionally, the inclusion of 'Body Paragraph 2' as a heading is unnecessary and detracts from the formal presentation. To improve, ensure data points are read precisely and avoid structural labels.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'However' and 'Regarding', to link your points. However, the flow is occasionally mechanical, and the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs could be smoother. The use of 'First of all' is slightly informal for an academic report. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that the relationship between sentences is more naturally connected without relying on repetitive structures.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'fluctuated', 'significant rise', and 'experienced a fast decline'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'reached at 52' (should be 'reached 52') and 'showed 5 participants' (a more natural phrasing would be 'stood at 5'). The vocabulary is generally sufficient to convey meaning, but it lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. Expanding your repertoire of reporting verbs and adverbs would enhance the quality of your descriptions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this level. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'between 2000 to 2020' (should be 'between 2000 and 2020') and 'reached at 52'. While these errors are present, they do not impede communication. To improve, pay closer attention to preposition usage and ensure consistent tense usage when describing past data. Increasing the variety of complex sentence structures, such as using relative clauses or participial phrases, would help demonstrate better control and range.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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