Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-22
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 gives information on the number of participants for different activities at one social centre in Melbourne, Australia over the period from 2000 to 2020.
Overall, in 2020, the number of participants in the film club was very high compared to the other activities. Furthermore, in 2020, the number of participants in table tennis was also very high.
In 2000, the number of participants in the film club was approximately 63, but by 2010, it had increased to 66. Furthermore, the number of participants in table tennis increased significantly, from 16 in 2000 to 53 in 2020. However, participation in musical performances increased gradually each year, rising from 0 participants in 2005 to 18 participants in 2020.
In 2000, participation in amateur dramatics stood at around 27 before decreasing to 20 in 2010. However, it then increased significantly to approximately 53 in 2020. Furthermore, participation in martial arts remained constant from 2000 to 2020, at roughly 38 participants.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The student attempts to cover the main trends in the graph, such as the popularity of the film club and the growth in table tennis. However, there are significant factual inaccuracies when compared to the visual data. For instance, the student states that the film club participation in 2010 was 66, whereas the graph shows it at around 60. More critically, the text claims that amateur dramatics increased significantly to approximately 53 in 2020, while the graph clearly shows a sharp decline to around 6 participants by 2020. Furthermore, martial arts is described as remaining constant at roughly 38, while it fluctuates and sits at 36 in 2020. These frequent data misreadings mean the response falls short of fully presenting an accurate overview, limiting the task achievement score to Band 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into clear paragraphs, starting with an introduction followed by an overview and body paragraphs. Basic cohesive devices are used, such as 'Furthermore' and 'However', although these transitions are sometimes overused or deployed mechanically at the start of consecutive sentences. The logical progression is somewhat disrupted by factual errors in the data description, making it difficult for the reader to follow the intended comparisons smoothly. Nevertheless, the structural layout is clear enough to provide an adequate overall arrangement, earning a Band 6.0 for coherence and cohesion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range suitable for describing statistical data, using terms such as 'participants', 'activity', 'increased significantly', and 'remained constant'. However, there are issues with precision due to the inaccurate reporting of data points. Less common lexical items are attempted, but the overall range remains somewhat repetitive ('number of participants' is repeated frequently). Spelling and word formation are generally accurate, and vocabulary does not impede basic understanding, supporting a Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating clauses of time and contrast (e.g., 'while it had increased to...', 'before decreasing to...'). There are several grammatical structures that demonstrate control, but errors do occur, particularly in verb tense usage and prepositional phrases when linking data to years. While these errors do not severely impede overall communication, they prevent the text from achieving a higher band. The grammar is fairly typical of a Band 6.0 performance.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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