Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The line graph illustrates the number of participants for multiple activities at one social centre in Australia between 2000 to 2020.

Overall, the number of participants in table tennis and musical performance increased steadily, while film club, martial arst and armature dramatics decreased dramatically over the period.

At the beginning, the table tennis increased steadily from about seventeen in 2000 to approximately fifty five in 2020. There was no change from 2000 to 2005, but the number of participants in musical performance increased steadily over one and a half decades from zero in 2005 to approximately eighteen in 2020. There were fluctuated in martial arts over the two decades from approximately thirty seven in 2000 to thirty eight in 2020.

Similarly, the number of participants in film club decreased dramatically over one decade from approximately sixty five in 2000 to sixty in 2010. After 2010, it increased steadily over one decade from approximately sixty to sixty nine in 2020. Furthermore, the number of participants in amateur dramatics gradually increased half decade from about twenty seven in 2000 to approximately twenty nine in 2005, and dramatically decreased over one and a half decades from about twenty nine in 2005 to approximately eight in 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by reporting the main features and making relevant comparisons across the given period. An overview is provided, noting the overall upward trends for table tennis and musical performances alongside the general downward trajectory for categories like the film club and amateur dramatics. However, the overview contains some inaccuracies regarding the film club, which actually increased overall rather than decreased dramatically. Furthermore, some of the specific data points reported in the body paragraphs contain misinterpretations of the visual data, such as stating that film club decreased from 2000 to 2010 when it remained relatively stable, and misreading the 2020 figure for amateur dramatics. Despite these inaccuracies in data reporting, the overall structure of a Task 1 response is present. This performance aligns best with Band 5.5 to 6.0 descriptors, specifically meeting Band 6 for addressing all parts of the task with relevant ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response exhibits a coherent overall arrangement with a clear division into an introduction, an overview, and supporting body paragraphs. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different categories of activities. Cohesive devices are employed to link ideas, such as 'Overall', 'At the beginning', and 'Similarly', though some transitions are used mechanically or awkwardly, such as 'There were fluctuated'. Referencing and logical progression are generally maintained throughout the text, allowing the reader to follow the comparison of trends over the twenty-year period. However, occasional awkward phrasing in transitions prevents the cohesion from feeling entirely natural. This level of organisation and logical sequencing fits the Band 6 descriptors well.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms related to graphical trends such as 'increased steadily', 'decreased dramatically', and 'approximately'. However, there are notable spelling errors and inaccurate word choices throughout the text, including 'martial arst' for martial arts, 'armature' for amateur, and the grammatical misuse 'There were fluctuated'. Less common vocabulary is attempted but frequently marred by inaccuracy, such as 'half decade' used incorrectly as a time marker. While communication is not severely impeded, these repeated errors and spelling mistakes restrict the score to Band 5.5, rounding down to a 5.0 for consistent lexical inaccuracies.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, utilising time clauses and comparative framing. However, grammatical control is inconsistent. There are several noticeable errors, including tense and preposition issues such as 'between 2000 to 2020' instead of 'between 2000 and 2020', structural errors like 'the table tennis increased steadily' (referring to the activity rather than the participants), and faulty passives/verbs such as 'There were fluctuated'. Punctuation is generally acceptable, but grammatical errors frequently recur within complex constructions. This performance sits comfortably within the Band 5 descriptors, as attempts at complex structures are often faulty and generate frequent errors.

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