Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-28

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 8.5)

**The line graph illustrates the number of participants in five different activities at a social centre in Melbourne, Australia, between 2000 and 2020.**

Overall, the film club remained the most popular activity throughout the period, with relatively stable participation. Table tennis experienced the most significant growth, particularly after 2010, while amateur dramatics showed a clear downward trend. Martial arts stayed fairly consistent, and musical performances, which began later, increased steadily but remained the least popular by the end of the period.

In 2000, the film club had by far the highest number of participants, at just over 60. This figure fluctuated slightly over the two decades but stayed between approximately 60 and 65, ending at around 66 in 2020. Martial arts started at about 36 participants and remained relatively stable, hovering between 32 and 37 throughout the period, finishing at roughly 36.

Table tennis began with around 16 participants in 2000 and rose modestly to about 20 by 2010. After that, it increased sharply, reaching approximately 35 in 2015 and over 50 by 2020, making it the second most popular activity. In contrast, amateur dramatics started at around 26 participants, peaked slightly near 28 in 2005, and then declined steadily to about 20 in 2010, 12 in 2015, and only around 6 by 2020.

Musical performances had no participants in 2000 or 2005. From 2010 onwards, numbers rose gradually from about 12 to roughly 16 in 2015 and nearly 18 in 2020, though they remained the lowest of the five activities by the end of the period.

In summary, while the film club maintained its dominant position with stable numbers, table tennis saw strong growth to become a major activity, martial arts held steady, and amateur dramatics declined markedly as musical performances emerged and grew modestly.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.5

The student has fully addressed all parts of the task by selecting, reporting, and comparing the main features of the visual data. The overview effectively summarises the primary trends across the five activities, such as the film club's dominance and table tennis's significant growth. Key data points are accurately cited throughout the response, including starting and ending figures like the film club beginning at just over 60 and ending around 66, and table tennis rising from about 16 to over 50. All trends, including the decline of amateur dramatics and the emergence of musical performances, are supported with accurate data from the chart, demonstrating an exceptionally strong understanding of Task Achievement requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 8.5

The response is logically organised with a clear progression throughout. Information is grouped effectively by activity and time period, ensuring that comparisons are easy to follow. Paragraphing is used skillfully, with a clear introduction, an overarching overview paragraph, detailed body paragraphs addressing specific categories, and a concise concluding summary. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Overall', and 'From 2010 onwards' are used naturally and flexibly without being mechanical, resulting in smooth transitions between ideas and sentences.

Lexical Resource: Band 8.5

The student demonstrates a wide, flexible, and natural lexical range appropriate for an Academic Task 1 response. Vocabulary is used with precision to describe trends and figures, employing phrases such as 'relatively stable participation', 'significant growth', 'clear downward trend', and 'hovering between'. Less common lexical items and collocations are used skillfully throughout the text, and there are no noticeable errors in word choice, spelling, or word formation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 8.5

The writing exhibits a wide range of complex grammatical structures used with full flexibility and accuracy. The student employs varied sentence patterns, including subordinate clauses, participial phrases, and comparative structures ('while the film club maintained its dominant position...'). Punctuation is accurate, and the text is virtually error-free, containing only rare minor slips that never impede communication. Grammatical control is sustained at a very high level from beginning to end.

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