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 and 2020.
Overall, the number of participants in table tennis and musical performance increased steadily, while film club, martial arts and amateur dramatics decreased dramatically over the period.
At the beginning, the number of participants in table tennis increased steadily from about 17 in 2000 to approximately 55 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 0 in 2005 to approximately 18 in 2020. There were fluctuations in martial arts over the two decades from approximately 37 in 2000 to 38 in 2020.
Similarly, the number of participants in film club decreased dramatically over one decade from approximately 65 in 2000 to sixty in 2010. After 2010, it increased steadily over one decade from approximately 60 to 69 in 2020. Furthermore, the number of participants in amateur dramatics gradually increased over half a decade from about 27 in 2000 to approximately 29 in 2005, and dramatically decreased over one and a half decades from about 29 in 2005 to approximately 8 in 2020.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The student covers all parts of the task well, providing an overview and reporting the main trends and data points for all activities. However, there are some noticeable inaccuracies in data interpretation. For example, the student states that the film club 'decreased dramatically... to sixty in 2010', whereas it went from 64 to 60, which is a minor decline rather than dramatic. Similarly, musical performances started at 0 in 2000, but the student states they started in 2005. Furthermore, the overall summary contains factual errors regarding the trends: amateur dramatics and film club saw mixed trends rather than uniform decreases, and musical performances started increasing in 2010 rather than over the whole period. Despite these data reading errors, the main features are highlighted, earning a solid Band 6.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is logically arranged into a clear introduction, an overview paragraph, and two body paragraphs detailing specific trends. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, such as 'Overall', 'At the beginning', 'Similarly', and 'Furthermore'. However, paragraphing could be structured more logically, as grouping activities by their overall trajectories (increasing versus decreasing) would improve cohesion. Additionally, some referencing and transitions feel slightly mechanical. Progression is clear overall, but the minor inaccuracies in data reporting disrupt the flow of logical comparison. This places the response comfortably in the Band 6 descriptor range for cohesion and organization.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for the task, including phrases like 'illustrates the number of participants', 'increased steadily', 'decreased dramatically', and 'fluctuations'. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice and inaccurate reporting of vocabulary linked to data, such as describing a minor drop from 64 to 60 as 'decreased dramatically'. There are also occasional awkward collocations and repetitiveness in sentence structures regarding vocabulary. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate, preventing any misunderstanding. The lexical range is sufficient for the task but lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and time markers effectively (e.g., 'The line graph illustrates the number of participants for multiple activities at one social centre in Australia between 2000 and 2020'). There is good control over basic grammatical structures, and punctuation is generally handled well. While there are some minor awkward phrasings, grammatical errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. The control over simple sentences is strong, and attempts at complex structures are mostly accurate, aligning well with the Band 6 descriptors for grammatical range and accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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