Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-27

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 bar line illustrates the numbers of participants for various activities at social centres in Melbourne, Australia between 2000 and 2020.

Overall, amateur dramatics and musical performers were at lower rates throughout the period. The amateur dramatics commenced with about 28 and in 2005, it reached 29 participants but after it gradually declined to 8. While musical participants started from zero in 2005. But both of it crossed the line in about 2014 and as the musical performers slightly increased to 17 in 2020.

The higher participation rates were for film club and table tennis. Table tennis participants were start from 18 in 2000. By contrast, it starts gradually moving upward and reached to 40 in 2015, while it hits the line above to the 50 in 2020. Meanwhile, the film club remained same throughout the period as it continues from 62 in 2000, and smaller decreased then again become to 64 participants in 2020.

The martial arts commenced from 36 participants and remain same throughout the period as in between 2000 and 2020. Its rates smaller declined in 2005 but then increased.

In the conclusion, the film club highlighted a significant maintenance of participants. As it remained same from 2000 to 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The student covers all parts of the task by selecting and reporting the main features and trends of the various activities shown in the line graph. An overview is attempted, noting the lower rates for some activities and higher rates for others, though the wording is somewhat imprecise ('amateur dramatics and musical performers were at lower rates'). The main features are identified, such as the stability of the film club and the significant upward trend for table tennis. However, there are some inaccuracies in reading specific data points, such as stating that amateur dramatics declined to 8 (whereas it finished near 6) and mentioning musical participants started from zero in 2005 rather than 2000. Despite these minor data inaccuracies, the overall trends and comparisons are adequately addressed, satisfying the requirements for a Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response is arranged into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, body paragraphs dealing with different activity groupings, and a brief conclusion. Cohesive devices are used to connect ideas, such as 'Overall', 'While', 'By contrast', and 'Meanwhile'. However, referencing and cohesion are sometimes faulty or mechanical, as seen in awkward transitions like 'While musical participants started from zero in 2005. But both of it crossed the line...', which results in fragmented sentences and unclear pronoun reference. Paragraphing is present and generally groups related ideas together, but the internal logical flow within paragraphs is occasionally disrupted by grammatical and structural awkwardness. This places the response firmly in the Band 6 category for cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student attempts a range of vocabulary suitable for describing graphical data, including terms such as 'participants', 'gradually declined', 'participation rates', and 'upward'. However, there are numerous lexical and collocational errors throughout the text, such as 'bar line' instead of 'line graph', 'musical performers were at lower rates' (activities cannot be performers), 'smaller decreased' instead of 'slight decrease', and 'become to' instead of 'return to'. Less common lexical items are attempted but frequently used inaccurately. Spelling is generally acceptable, but word choice inaccuracies occasionally strain the reader's understanding, reflecting the characteristics of Band 5.5 to 6.0, best represented by a 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but grammatical accuracy is weak. There are frequent errors in verb tense, voice, and word forms, such as 'Table tennis participants were start from 18', 'it starts gradually moving', 'the film club remained same', and 'smaller declined'. Sentence structures are often marred by fragments or incorrect conjunction usage, such as starting a sentence with 'While' and following it immediately with a separate sentence starting with 'But'. While these errors do not completely obscure the message, they occur with high frequency and impede smooth communication at times. The control over grammar is characteristic of a Band 5.0.

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