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 graph illustrates information about the number of participants for different activities at one social Centre in Melbourne, Australia between 2000 and 2020.
Overall, Film club remained the most popular activity over the period, while amateur dramatics experienced a decline. In addition, martial arts fluctuated throughout the period.
First of all, film club showed the highest number of participants that was 62. After that, it experienced a slight decline and then experienced a slight rise in 2020. In contrast, amateur dramatics stood at 26 in 2000. After a short rise it decreased dramatically and reached almost 5 in 2020.
Regrading, martial arts fluctuated over the period of time. However, table tennis stood at 18 in 2000 then, grew in 2005 and remain stable at 20 till 2010. After that, it saored and reached 50 in 2020. Musical performances remained 0 until 2005. Then, it rose in 2010,2015, and 2020 to 10, 15, and 16 respectively.
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 all five activities. You successfully identified the most popular activity (Film club) and the declining one (amateur dramatics). However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical, listing figures rather than synthesizing information. For instance, the description of musical performances is a simple list of numbers. To reach a higher band, you should focus on grouping data more effectively and highlighting significant trends or contrasts, such as the dramatic shift in popularity between amateur dramatics and table tennis over the twenty-year period. The overview is present but could be more analytical.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'In contrast', and 'However' to link sentences. However, some transitions feel slightly forced or repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'After that' and 'Then'. The referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved by using more varied cohesive markers to show the relationship between the data points more fluidly. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, overview, and body details.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'fluctuated', 'declined', and 'soared'. There are some minor errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'Regrading' (likely a typo for 'Regarding') and 'saored' (soared). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band. To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' and ensure that collocations are used accurately to describe statistical trends.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'film club showed the highest number of participants that was 62' (awkward phrasing) and 'Musical performances remained 0' (should be 'at zero'). Punctuation errors, such as the missing space after the comma in '2010,2015', also occur. The control of grammar is generally good enough that communication is not impeded, but there is a lack of error-free complex sentences that would be expected at a higher level.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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