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 Melbourne, Australia between 2000 and 2020.
Overall, the number of participants in table tennis and musical performance increased steadily, while the number of participants in film club, martial arts and amateur dramatics decreased dramatically over the period.
In 2000, the number of participants in table tennis increased steadily from about 17 in 2000 to approximately 55 in 2020. Moreover, 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 about 18 in 2020. Furthermore, there were fluctuations in martial arts over the two decades from approximately 37 in 2000 to 38 in 2020.
In contrast, the number of participants in the film club decreased dramatically from approximately 65 in 2000 to 60 in 2010. After 2010, it increased steadily 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 | 6.0 |
| 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 selecting key features and comparisons. However, there are some inaccuracies in reporting the trends in the body paragraphs. For instance, the student states that the film club 'decreased dramatically from approximately 65 in 2000 to 60 in 2010. After 2010, it increased steadily from approximately 60 to 69 in 2020', whereas the graph actually shows a relatively stable pattern between 60 and 66 throughout the period. Similarly, claiming that musical performances 'increased steadily over one and a half decades from 0 in 2005' misses the start in 2010, and stating that table tennis 'increased steadily from about 17 in 2000' is slightly imprecise for 16. Despite these misreadings of the data, the main features are generally addressed.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response has a clear overall arrangement with a logical introduction and overview. Paragraphing is used appropriately to group related categories, such as grouping rising and falling trends. Cohesive devices are employed to connect ideas, though some transitional phrases are used mechanically or introduce slight contradictions, such as using 'In 2000, the number of participants in table tennis increased steadily from about 17 in 2000 to approximately 55 in 2020' which awkwardly crams a multi-decade trend into a single initial year reference. Referencing and progression are generally clear, but smoother integration of cohesive markers would improve readability.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, attempting less common lexical items such as 'dramatically', 'fluctuations', and 'steadily'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocations, and certain trends are mischaracterised using strong adjectives like 'decreased dramatically' when the change is minor. Repetition of words such as 'participants', 'increased steadily', and 'approximately' is noticeable throughout the text. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate, allowing communication to proceed without hindrance.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating clauses of time and contrast (e.g., 'while the number of participants in film club... decreased dramatically'). There are some instances of awkward phrasing and minor grammatical slips, such as 'increased steadily over one and a half decades from 0 in 2005 to about 18 in 2020' (where the graph shows 0 in 2000 and 2005, and data begins at 2010). Punctuation is generally controlled, and although errors exist in prepositions and time markers, they do not impede overall communication.
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