Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-04
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
The charts below give information about a public library in a town called Little Chalfont.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
This figure illustrates the information about a public library. Here it shows the age of library members, total loans by category and total number of loans. In 2016, library members consisted of children (22), young adults (13-17) and adults (18-64 and above). In this pie chart, adults are more prevalent.
In the category chart of the year 2016, the percentage of children's fiction and adult fiction are similar which is 38%. Adult non-fiction is up to 13%, Children non-fiction 6%, Young adults 2% and Children's DVDs have the lowest percentage of 1%.
In the report of year 2007, the number of people were 15,000 which extended to 20,000 in 2016. Loan takers in 2008, 2009 and 2010, 2012 were consecutively the same. In 2008 to 2009 it was 19,000 people and in the year 2010 and 2012 it was 21,000. This chart summarises the information on a library called Little Chalfont.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main features of the charts, but the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you identify the age groups and loan categories, the comparison between the years is disjointed. The description of the loan trends is confusing; for instance, stating that loan takers in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2012 were 'consecutively the same' contradicts the data provided in the chart, which shows clear fluctuations. To improve, ensure you accurately interpret the data points and provide a more cohesive overview of the trends rather than listing isolated figures.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes mechanical. The use of cohesive devices is limited; for example, the transition between the pie chart analysis and the line graph analysis is abrupt. More varied linking words (e.g., 'In contrast', 'Furthermore', 'Consequently') would help connect your observations more fluidly. Additionally, some sentences feel like isolated data points rather than a cohesive report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely on basic terms like 'shows', 'consisted of', and 'percentage'. Using more sophisticated vocabulary related to data reporting—such as 'accounted for', 'represented', 'fluctuated', or 'witnessed a significant increase'—would elevate your score. There are no major spelling errors, but the word choice is often repetitive, which limits the ability to demonstrate a wider lexical range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are recurring grammatical issues. For example, 'the number of people were 15,000' should be 'the number of people was 15,000' (subject-verb agreement). Additionally, 'Loan takers in 2008, 2009 and 2010, 2012 were consecutively the same' is grammatically awkward and unclear. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and clearer sentence construction.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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