Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-19
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 given line chart provides information about various sports activity held at one social centre in Melbourne, Australia over a period of 21 years.
Overall, the highest participation was observed in Film club activity, whereas, the fewest people enrolled for Musical performances. Participation in martial arts did not undergo any major changes throughout this period. Amateur dramatics & Table tennis had two opposite breakthrough points in the middle of the year.
A large number of participants took part in the Film club around 65 members in 2000 followed by 60 members in 2010 and closed at 68 members in 2020. Enrollment in Martial arts fluctuated between 30 and 40 participants. In Amateur dramatics and Table tennis activities participants had shown strong interest till 2010. Table tennis participation surged to 55 members in 2020. However, Amateur dramatics enrollment fell to 5 members in 2020.
Moreover, the people started to take part in Musical performances from 2005 and number continued increasing till 2020 reaching 20 members.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers all parts of the task well, providing an overview and selecting key features and comparisons. The student correctly identifies the Film club as having the highest participation and Musical performances starting from zero. However, there are minor inaccuracies in the reported figures, such as stating Film club 'closed at 68 members in 2020' (when it was closer to 66) and describing Amateur dramatics and Table tennis as having 'two opposite breakthrough points in the middle of the year' (which is confusing phrasing for a time-series graph spanning 2000 to 2020). Despite these minor flaws, the main trends and contrasts are clearly reported, aligning with the requirements for a Band 6.5 to 7.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into logical paragraphs, beginning with an introduction, followed by a clear overall statement, and then breaking down the data into body paragraphs. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'whereas', 'however', and 'moreover', though some transitions feel slightly mechanical or abrupt. Referencing is generally clear, and paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed body points. Overall arrangement is coherent, supporting a solid Band 6.0 performance.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms such as 'participation', 'enrolment', 'fluctuated', and 'surged'. There are some awkward lexical choices and phrasing, such as 'various sports activity' (some activities like film club or drama are not strictly sports) and 'opposite breakthrough points'. Spelling is generally accurate, but word choice lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands, placing this firmly at Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'Overall, the highest participation was observed in Film club activity, whereas, the fewest people enrolled for Musical performances.' There are some grammatical errors and awkward punctuation, including unnecessary commas and missing articles (e.g., 'in Film club activity' instead of 'in the Film club activity', and 'number continued increasing' instead of 'the number continued increasing'). However, these errors do not impede communication, and the grammatical control is sufficient for a Band 6.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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