Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-06

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 shows the continuous changes in the number of participants for some activities at a social centre of Melbourne Australia, between 2000 and 2020.

Overall, the graph contains the activities like Film club, Martial arts, Amateur dramatics, Table tennis and some Musical performances. The Film club is popular due to its maximum number of participants as compared to musical performances which had fewer participants.

In the year 2000, the participants in musical performances were about 0 and just increased in 2010 to 10. The participants in table tennis sport are from 20 to 55 in 2010 to 2020, but the amateur dramatics participants are decreasing from where it begins, and fell even less than 10.

Meanwhile, the martial arts participants started with between 30-40 and decreased in year 2005 and never increased more than 40 participants. The maximum number of participants was in Film club which is above 60 but less than 70.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the task by identifying main features, but the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you mention the Film club and musical performances, the description of trends is inconsistent. For instance, stating that musical performances were 'about 0' in 2000 is imprecise, and the data reporting for other activities lacks clarity. You have identified the main trends, but the comparison between categories could be more effectively integrated. To improve, ensure that you clearly highlight the most significant differences and trends rather than listing individual data points, which makes the report feel like a collection of facts rather than a cohesive summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the logical progression between sentences is sometimes weak. The use of cohesive devices is limited and occasionally mechanical, such as the repetitive use of 'The participants'. The transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is clear, but the internal flow within the body paragraphs could be improved by using a wider range of linking words to connect the trends and comparisons more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. You rely on basic terms like 'increased' and 'decreased' repeatedly. There are also some awkward phrasings, such as 'the participants in table tennis sport are from 20 to 55', which is not idiomatic. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to data trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a sharp decline', and ensure your collocations are natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally hinder clarity, such as 'the participants in musical performances were about 0 and just increased in 2010 to 10' and 'fell even less than 10'. Punctuation and article usage are also inconsistent. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct preposition usage will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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