Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-28
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)
The charts below give information about a public library in a Town called little Chalfont 2016 and also show loan trends from2007 to 2016. Overall, adults age 18 to 64 formed the largest group of library members, and fiction books were the most borrowed categories. The total number of loans increase steadily over the 10 years period. Looking at the age of members in 2026, 51% were adults aged 18 to 64 making them the dominant group. Children made up 22% while young adults aged 13 to 17 the seniors 65 + accounted for 15 to 12% respectively. Thus, adults and children together represented almost three quarters of all members. Regarding book loans by category in 2016 both children fictions and adults fiction were the most popular each at 38% and adults non fiction was next with 13%. In contrast, children non fiction and media related loan and were far less common.
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
You have successfully identified the main features of the charts, such as the dominant age group and the most popular book categories. However, the response is incomplete. You mention that the total number of loans increased steadily over the 10-year period in your introduction, but you fail to provide any data or analysis regarding this trend in the body paragraphs. Furthermore, there is a significant error in your data interpretation: you refer to the year 2026, whereas the chart clearly indicates 2016. To reach a higher band, ensure that all trends mentioned in the overview are supported by specific data points in the body and that you carefully transcribe dates and figures from the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Looking at', and 'In contrast'. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by mechanical phrasing and some awkward transitions. For instance, the sentence 'Children made up 22% while young adults aged 13 to 17 the seniors 65 + accounted for 15 to 12% respectively' lacks necessary conjunctions or punctuation to make the comparison clear. While the paragraphing is appropriate for a short report, the internal cohesion within the second paragraph needs more refinement to ensure the reader can follow the comparisons effortlessly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'dominant group', 'represented', and 'respectively'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'children fictions' (should be 'children's fiction') and 'media related loan and were' (which is grammatically confusing). The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the precision and variety required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more sophisticated academic collocations and ensure that pluralisation and possessive forms are used correctly when describing categories.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity, such as the missing verb in 'the seniors 65 + accounted for 15 to 12% respectively' and the incorrect tense usage in 'total number of loans increase' (should be 'increased'). Additionally, there are issues with punctuation and capitalization, such as 'Town' and 'little Chalfont'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage will significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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