Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-31

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 pie chart illustrates the information about library members and bar chart provides data about total number of loans in little chalfont library over the period 2007 to 2016.

Overall, vast majority of members are adults whereas adults 65 and over accounted for least in the library, while total number of loans are higher in 2016.

Children's fiction reached at 38% and adult fiction also listed for this category. Whereas children non fiction, young adults, adults audio books stood at below 10, while children's DVDs are accounted for least in category at 1% in 2016.

On the other side, total number of loans between 2007 to 2016, 2007 represents almost 16000 numbers and these figures experienced a further increasements and shown 18000 in 2018 whereas some fluctuation occour to reaching 21000 in 2011, while also the number decreases again in 2013 at 19000, after these fluctuations the number stood at 23000 in 2016 which is the highest all over the period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of both charts, but the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you identify the highest and lowest categories in the pie chart, the description of the bar chart is cluttered with too many specific data points, which obscures the overall trends. The 'Overview' paragraph is present but lacks a clear synthesis of the most significant trends, such as the general upward trajectory of loans despite fluctuations. To improve, focus on grouping data logically and highlighting the most important comparisons rather than listing every figure, which can make the report feel like a data dump rather than a summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'On the other side' to transition between the two charts. Some sentences are run-on or lack clear logical connectors, making the progression of ideas feel a bit disjointed. For instance, the transition between the pie chart data and the bar chart data could be smoother. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus would enhance the overall flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision. You use basic terms like 'accounted for' and 'listed', and there are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'increasements' (which is not standard English) and 'occour' (spelling error). The repetition of 'number' and 'category' limits the sophistication of the writing. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more varied vocabulary related to data trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a marginal decline', and ensure that you use nouns and verbs correctly in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There is a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but the accuracy is inconsistent. You frequently struggle with subject-verb agreement and tense consistency, such as 'total number of loans are higher' and 'some fluctuation occour'. There are also issues with punctuation and sentence fragments, such as 'Children's fiction reached at 38%'. The use of articles is occasionally missing or incorrect. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic grammatical errors and ensure that your verb tenses align with the time period described (past tense for 2007–2016).

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

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