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 graph illustrates the changes in the number of people participating in five different activities at one social center in Melbourne, Australia over the period 2000 to 2020.
Overall, the number of participants in different activities increased over the time period except for amateur dramatics, there are almost 25 participants in the period 2000 and declined over the period 2020 at 5 participants, while in table tennis participants are less than amateur dramatics in the period 2000 but saw a steady rise from the period 2010 and finished around 55 participants at the period 2020.
Moreover, participants in film club activity remained the same during the period 2000 to 2020 and in the martial arts activity participants had fluctuations but in the end remained the same around 38 participants in this activity . However, there were no participants in musical performances over the period 2000 and onwards but later increased in the period 2005 until 2020 at almost 20 participants.
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 all five activities mentioned in the graph and provides a clear overview. However, the reporting of data is sometimes imprecise. For example, stating that participants in the film club 'remained the same' is a slight misinterpretation of a line that shows minor variations, and the description of the musical performances starting at '0' in 2000 is accurate, but the overall analysis lacks a more sophisticated synthesis of the trends. The response identifies the main features, but the lack of clear comparative language (e.g., 'surpassed', 'peaked at') limits the depth of the analysis. To improve, ensure that data points are cited more accurately and that the relationships between the different trends are highlighted more effectively.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into two paragraphs, which is a bit thin for a task of this nature; a separate overview paragraph would have improved the structure. The use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical, relying on basic connectors like 'Moreover', 'However', and 'while'. There are also issues with sentence structure, such as the run-on sentence in the second paragraph ('...except for amateur dramatics, there are almost 25 participants...'), which disrupts the flow of information. To reach a higher band, you should work on using a wider range of cohesive devices and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus, perhaps separating the overview from the detailed data description.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the reader to understand the trends described. However, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'in the period' are used repeatedly, which makes the writing feel less natural. There are also some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'at the period 2020' instead of 'in 2020'. To improve, try to incorporate more varied verbs to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'stabilised', or 'experienced a sharp decline', and avoid repeating the same prepositional phrases throughout the response.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. For instance, the sentence 'there are almost 25 participants in the period 2000 and declined over the period 2020 at 5 participants' suffers from tense inconsistency and awkward phrasing. Additionally, there are issues with punctuation and sentence boundaries, such as the lack of a full stop before 'However'. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevents a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage would be highly beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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