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 the beginning, and fell even less than 10.
Meanwhile, the martial arts participants started with between 30-40 and decreased in year the 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
| 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 the main features of the graph, but the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you identify the Film club as the most popular and mention the trends for other activities, the description lacks precision. For example, stating that musical performances were 'about 0' is imprecise, and the description of the martial arts trend is slightly confusing. To reach a higher band, ensure that you provide more accurate data points and clearly distinguish between the trends (e.g., upward vs. downward) for all categories. The overview is present but could be more effectively synthesised to highlight the most significant differences between the activities over the two-decade period.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat mechanical. You use some cohesive devices like 'Meanwhile' and 'In the year 2000', but the transition between sentences can feel abrupt. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as when you refer to 'the participants in table tennis sport are from 20 to 55 in 2010 to 2020'. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear focus would enhance the logical flow of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to describe the trends, but it is somewhat repetitive and basic. Phrases like 'continuous changes' and 'maximum number of participants' are functional but lack the sophistication expected at higher bands. You attempt to use some topic-specific vocabulary, but there are instances where word choice is slightly unnatural, such as 'table tennis sport' instead of simply 'table tennis'. To improve, try to incorporate a wider range of synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' and use more precise collocations to describe statistical data.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally hinder clarity. For instance, 'the graph contains the activities like' is awkward, and 'fell even less than 10' is grammatically incorrect. There are also issues with article usage and preposition placement, such as 'in year the 2005'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles will significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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