Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-22
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)
There are two figures, first one is pie chart which shows the location of dance classes and the second figure is a graph which shows types of dance classes by their age group.
Firstly, pie chart illustrates the percentage of location of dance classes. It shows that mostly young people attend their dance classes in private studios which is 48%. While 24% young people attend their dance classes in school halls after school and 10% people attend their classes in college-based studios. The rest 18% people attend their classes in community halls or other places.
Secondly, the graph shows that there are three types of dance classes. It gives information about number of students that attend any kind of dance class by age group. In Ballet, mostly students are below 11 year old while in modern classes mostly students are above 11 year old. Furthermore, in Tap number students below 11 and above 11 is nearly equal.
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 response covers all parts of the task by reporting the main features of both the pie chart and the bar graph. The student successfully identifies the most popular location for dance classes (private studios at 48%) and provides accurate figures for the other locations. For the second chart, the student correctly highlights that ballet is most popular among children under 11, modern dance is favored by those aged 11-16, and tap dancing is nearly equally split between the two age groups. However, the overview is missing, and the student relies on a somewhat mechanical breakdown ("Firstly... Secondly...") rather than fully integrating the information or providing a concluding summary. Overall, the data is reported accurately, but the lack of a proper overview prevents the response from reaching Band 7.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response has a coherent overall arrangement and is divided into logical paragraphs that separate the two charts. The student uses basic sequencing expressions such as "first one is", "Firstly", and "Secondly" to guide the reader through the text. However, referencing and cohesive ties are at times mechanical or slightly awkward, such as "There are two figures, first one is pie chart which shows..." where articles are missing. Paragraphing is present and appropriate for separating the visual stimuli, but the overall progression lacks sophisticated cohesive devices and smooth transitions.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the student to convey basic statistical information such as "percentage", "mostly young people", and "nearly equal". However, there is a limited range of less common vocabulary, and minor lexical and grammatical word choice errors appear, such as omitting necessary articles ("first one is pie chart" instead of "the first one is a pie chart") and awkward phrasing like "number students below 11 and above 11". The vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main points, but lacks the flexibility and precision required for a higher band score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as relative clauses ("which shows the location of dance classes"). While some sentences are accurate, there are recurring grammatical errors throughout the text, particularly missing articles ("first one is pie chart", "in Ballet, mostly students") and minor prepositions issues ("attend their dance classes in school halls"). Despite these errors, communication is not impeded, and the reader can easily follow the intended meaning. The control of grammar is consistent with Band 6 descriptors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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