Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-07

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 graph illustrates the numbers of participants for different activities at one social centre in Melbourne, Australia for the period 2000 to 2020. The different types of activities involved were: film club, martial art, amateur dramatics, table tennis and musical performances.

Starting with film club, number of participants from 2000 to 2020 were reported stable and it were between 60 to 70. For table tennis activity, contribution of members were steady from 2000 to 2010 and then it was drastically surged above 50 till 2020. Again in the martial arts, candidates were balanced between 30 to 40 for the same period.

While on the other hand, before 2005 there were no contributors for musical performances in the centre and from 2005 to 2020 it were hiked a little. Lastly, in amateur dramatics art section after 2005 it fell sharply.

To conclude, the maximum contribution and involvement were in film club activity for the said period. While in martial art and table tennis it was stable over the time. There were less members participated in amateur dramatics and musical performance.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify all five activities and include several relevant trends, such as film club remaining the most popular and amateur dramatics declining. However, the account only partially reports the graph’s main features, and some comparisons are inaccurate or too vague. Table tennis did not remain stable throughout: it rose from about 20 participants in 2010 to 54 in 2020, a major increase. Martial arts fluctuated around 32–38 rather than being simply “balanced,” while musical performances began in 2010, not 2005. The overview also says table tennis was stable and that musical performances had fewer members, which misses the strong rise in table tennis and the distinction between the series. Select the key changes and support them with accurate figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic structure: an introduction, paragraphs describing activities, and a concluding statement. This gives the reader some organisation, and phrases such as “Starting with” and “Lastly” signal movement between points. However, progression is not consistently clear because the activities are discussed in a somewhat list-like way, and the conclusion repeats or contradicts earlier information rather than synthesising the main trends. “While on the other hand” is an awkward, redundant transition, and “Again in the martial arts” does not clearly connect the point to the previous one. Grouping the rising series together and the declining or fluctuating series together would create a clearer comparison and reduce reliance on mechanical sequencing phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “participants,” “film club,” “table tennis,” and “amateur dramatics,” so the subject is generally clear. There is also an attempt to use varied trend language, such as “stable,” “surged,” and “fell sharply.” However, several choices are inaccurate or unnatural for describing a graph: “contribution of members,” “candidates,” “contributors,” and “maximum contribution and involvement” do not mean participant numbers in this context. “Hiked” is also an unsuitable informal choice for a gradual increase. These collocation problems make parts of the report difficult to interpret precisely. Prefer standard data-reporting expressions such as “the number of participants,” “stood at,” “rose,” and “declined,” and use them consistently.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple sentences and longer structures, including a contrast introduced by “While,” but control is inconsistent. Errors in agreement and verb forms occur in several places: “number … were reported stable,” “it were between,” and “it was drastically surged.” The sentence “There were less members participated” also combines structures incorrectly and uses an unsuitable quantifier pattern. Articles and plural forms are sometimes missing or inconsistent, as in “in martial art” and “musical performance.” These errors can make relationships between the data and the trend unclear. Practise accurate patterns such as “The number of participants was stable,” “participation rose sharply,” and “fewer people took part,” then check each sentence for a clear subject and verb.

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