Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-01

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The charts below give information on the location and types of dance classes young people in a town in Australia are currently attending.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The pie chart demonstrates information on the location and types of dance classes youth in a town in Australia is currently attending.

Moreover, there are mainly four locations where dance classes are held. The locations consist of community halls, school halls, college studios and private studios. To add, approximately 49 per cent area of the location is covered by private studios. However, the other half is occupied by the school and community halls, with college studios covering the lowest percentage of 10 across all locations. Secondly, there are three types of dance classes, known as ballet, tap and modern. Approximately 600 students, under 11, train using the ballet dance class, followed by the other two. In contrast, a majority of students above 11, nearly 500, take the Modern dance classes. Therefore, the tap dance class has roughly equal number of students. between [redacted phone].

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main features of both charts, identifying the key locations and the distribution of dance classes by age group. However, the response falls short of the 150-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts the score. While the data is generally accurate, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For example, the comparison between age groups could be more detailed, and the overall summary lacks a clear 'overview' paragraph that synthesises the main trends. To improve, ensure you meet the word count and provide a more comprehensive summary of the data trends rather than just listing figures.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organised into two paragraphs, which is a logical approach for this task. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'Moreover', 'To add', 'Secondly', 'In contrast'). The flow between sentences is occasionally disjointed, particularly in the second paragraph where the transition between the age groups and the tap dance class feels abrupt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would help to improve the overall flow and logical progression of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe the charts clearly. There is some attempt to use specific terminology related to the data (e.g., 'percentage', 'occupied', 'majority'). However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are minor issues with word choice, such as '49 per cent area of the location', which is slightly unnatural. To reach a higher band, the student should aim to use a wider range of vocabulary to describe trends and proportions, such as 'account for', 'constitute', or 'a significant proportion'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'youth... is currently attending' (subject-verb agreement) and 'roughly equal number of students. between 400-460' (incorrect punctuation and sentence fragment). The use of articles and prepositions is occasionally inconsistent. To improve, the student should focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed correctly without punctuation errors that impede readability.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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