Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-20

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 8.0)

The line graph illustrates the number of participants engaged in five distinct activities—film club, martial arts, amateur dramatics, table tennis, and musical performances—at a Melbourne social center over a 20-year period from 2000 to 2020. Overall, the film club consistently remained the most popular activity throughout the two decades. While table tennis and musical performances experienced substantial growth in participant numbers, interest in amateur dramatics declined significantly. Martial arts participation remained relatively stable, with only minor fluctuations. In 2000, the film club boasted the highest attendance at roughly 64 participants. This figure dipped slightly to 60 by 2010 before recovering to peak at approximately 66 by 2020, securing its position as the preferred activity. Table tennis, meanwhile, began the period with 16 participants and saw a modest increase to 20 by 2005, where it plateaued until 2010. Following this decade of stagnation, the activity experienced a dramatic surge, with participation more than doubling to roughly 54 individuals by 2020, making it the second most popular choice. Martial arts participation hovered between roughly 32 and 38 people over the 20 years, ultimately finishing in 2020 at 36, identical to its starting figure in 2000. Conversely, amateur dramatics began with 26 participants, peaked slightly at 28 in 2005, and then underwent a sharp, continuous decline, ending the period with a mere 6 attendees. Finally, musical performances had no participants between 2000 and 2005. However, the activity attracted around 12 people in 2010, and this number grew steadily to reach 18 participants by 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response fully addresses all parts of the task by presenting a clear and accurate overview of the main trends shown in the graph. The candidate successfully reports the key features for all five activities over the 20-year span, highlighting the dominance of the film club, the dramatic surge in table tennis, the steep decline in amateur dramatics, the stability of martial arts, and the late introduction of musical performances. Data points are cited accurately to support the descriptions (e.g., noting that the film club peaked at approximately 66 by 2020 and that table tennis rose to roughly 54). Comparisons are made effectively across categories and timeframes, fulfilling all requirements of Task 1 to a high standard.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The report exhibits clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Information and ideas are structured very well, beginning with a clear introductory sentence, followed by a well-crafted overview paragraph that captures the primary trends. Body paragraphs are logically grouped by activity trends, with smooth transitions such as 'Overall', 'Meanwhile', 'Conversely', and 'Finally'. Cohesive devices are used accurately and flexibly without feeling mechanical or obtrusive, and paragraphing is managed appropriately to divide the introduction/overview from the detailed supporting data.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The student demonstrates a wide, flexible, and natural lexical range appropriate for an academic report. Less common vocabulary items and phrases such as 'engaged in', 'boasted the highest attendance', 'plateaued', 'decade of stagnation', and 'underwent a sharp, continuous decline' are employed skillfully. Word choice and collocations are accurate, and spelling is correct throughout, reflecting strong control of vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The writing features a wide variety of complex sentence structures used with a high degree of accuracy. The majority of sentences are error-free, and complex constructions—such as 'While table tennis and musical performances experienced substantial growth in participant numbers, interest in amateur dramatics declined significantly'—are handled with strong grammatical control. Punctuation is accurate, and minor slips are virtually absent.

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