Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-23
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 charts display the information about location and kinds of dance classes currently ongoing in a town of Australia.
Overall, private studios are very popular among young people and hold significant proportion. School halls rank second while kids under eleven interested in ballet dance class, similarly modern dance is very common in young adults.
Private studios by far the most common location for dance classes accounted for 48%, while school halls provide dance classes after-school ranks second holds 24% of the total proportion. Community halls and other places represent 18%, college-based studios contributed 10%.
As far as dance classes concerned, the ballet dance class by far the most famous among children, with 600 kids under 11, while in young adults from 11 to 16 this number drops significantly around 300 students. Tap dance class more or less famous equally around 400 kids of each category.
Modern dance class very common in 11 to 16 age group accounted for 500 students while there are 300 students under 11 interested in modern dance class.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The response covers all parts of the task by reporting information on both the location of dance classes and the types by age group. The student selects key features, noting that private studios are the most popular location (48%) and highlighting trends such as ballet being dominant among children under 11 (600 students) while modern dance is more common for 11–16 year olds (500 students). An overview is provided in the second paragraph, although it contains some grammatical clumsiness. Comparisons are made appropriately between categories, such as noting the drop in ballet students among the older age group and the similar numbers for tap dancing. The data points cited align correctly with the reference material. Overall, the task is addressed adequately, placing it at a Band 6.5 level.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The text is logically organised with a clear introduction, an overview paragraph, a body paragraph dedicated to locations, and two body paragraphs covering the types of dance classes by age. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different aspects of the visual data. Cohesive devices are generally present, though some transitions are basic or mechanical, such as 'As far as dance classes concerned' and 'Modern dance class very common'. Reference pronouns and linking phrases help to maintain a readable flow throughout the essay, though the progression could be smoother. This level of organisation aligns well with the descriptors for a Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, successfully using terms such as 'proportion', 'significant', 'category', and 'contributed'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and missing prepositions, such as 'display the information about location and kinds' and 'tap dance class more or less famous equally'. Attempts at less common vocabulary occasionally result in collocation errors or unnatural phrasing, like 'kids under eleven interested in ballet dance class'. Despite these minor inaccuracies, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning clearly, satisfying the criteria for Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but control over grammar and punctuation is inconsistent. There are several noticeable grammatical errors, particularly missing verbs and articles, such as 'Private studios by far the most common location... accounted for 48%' (missing 'were') and 'Modern dance class very common' (missing 'is'). Other clauses lack necessary prepositions or auxiliary verbs, which slightly disrupts the reading flow. While communication is not impeded, the frequent presence of basic grammatical slips prevents the writing from achieving a higher score, placing it firmly at Band 5.5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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