Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-18
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 displays information regarding the numbers of participants for distinct extra curricular activities at one social centre in Melbourne, Australia for a time period of 20 years.
Overall, the number of participants in film club dominated the number of people in all other activities. Table tennis displayed a decline in participants over the years while martial arts participants remained a constant number in the same time period.
Firstly, film club recorded the highest number of participants in all years, starting from around 65 in 2000 and remained consistent till 2020. Table tennis recorded the most dramatic increase, starting from just under 20 people in 2000 which consistently incresed to about 20 in 2010 and finished with around 55 people in 2020. musical performances recorded the lowest increase starting from about zero participants in 2005 and acquiring around 20 people in 2020.
In contrast, the number of people interested in martial arts remained constant despite some fluctuations remaining about 35 in 2020. Amateur dramatics experienced a downward trend in people participating. started with a modest number of just below 30 people which declined to around 20 in 2010 and further fell to a low of just be
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 main features of the graph, selecting and reporting key trends such as the dominance of the film club and the dramatic increase in table tennis participation. However, there are some minor factual inaccuracies in the overview and body paragraphs; for instance, the student states that table tennis 'consistently increased to about 20 in 2010', whereas the graph shows it stayed at 20 between 2005 and 2010. Furthermore, the text cuts off abruptly at the end ('just be'), meaning the final trend for amateur dramatics is incomplete. Despite these minor lapses, an overall clear picture of the data is presented.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is arranged logically with an introduction, an overview, and separate body paragraphs addressing different activities. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader through the data, such as 'Overall', 'Firstly', and 'In contrast'. However, referencing and paragraph flow are occasionally impacted by mechanical transitions and the abrupt truncation of the final sentence. Paragraphing is present and generally appropriate, but the lack of a complete concluding sentence affects the overall coherence and structural wholeness of the essay.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, with appropriate phrases like 'distinct extra curricular activities', 'dramatic increase', and 'downward trend'. The student attempts some less common vocabulary, though there are minor spelling slips such as 'incresed'. Word choice is generally clear, but occasional inaccuracies occur, such as describing musical performances as recording 'the lowest increase' when it actually experienced growth from zero. The lexical range is sufficient to convey the main points clearly.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating relative clauses and participial phrases (e.g., 'starting from just under 20 people in 2000'). There are some grammatical errors and awkward phrasings, such as missing subjects or verbs in truncated clauses (e.g., 'started with a modest number'). Punctuation and sentence boundaries are generally maintained until the unfinished final sentence, but the frequency of minor structural slips keeps the grammar within the Band 6 descriptor range.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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