Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-07

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 illustrate age of library members and total loans by category and total number of loans from 2007 to 2016.

Looking at first, in 2016, the highest number of adult 18-64 was library members, accounted 51%, while this figure for young adult 13-17 and adults 65 and over was 15% and 12% respectively. By comparison, the figure for children was lowest that was 12%.

During 2016,Total loans for Children were recorded 38%, 6% , and 1% for fiction, non-fiction, and DVDs respectively. However, this percentage for adult fiction, non-fiction, and audio books was 38%, 13%, 2% respectively. Moreover, Only 2% of young adult took loans in 2016.

Furthermore, the number of loans stood at above 15000 in 2007 which was increased gradually and reached at over 20000 in 2011. In contrast, It experienced a minor decline under 20000in 2013 then it rose gradually up to over 20000 in 2016.

Overall, it is clear that adults 18-64 was highest number of library member while least number of young adult took loa

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all three charts provided, identifying key features such as the age distribution of members, loan categories, and the trend in total loans. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear overview or synthesis of the data. While the main features are reported, the comparison between categories is occasionally confusing, particularly in the second paragraph where the percentages for different loan types are listed without sufficient context or clear comparative language. The conclusion is incomplete, cutting off mid-sentence, which impacts the overall development of the response.

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 repetitive or slightly unnatural, such as the frequent use of 'in 2016' or 'the figure for'. The transition between the description of the charts and the trend analysis is abrupt. The referencing is sometimes unclear, and the final sentence is incomplete, which disrupts the logical flow of the conclusion. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would enhance the coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe the data points clearly. However, there is a lack of variety in reporting verbs and comparative structures. Phrases like 'accounted 51%' (should be 'accounted for 51%') and 'the figure for children was lowest that was 12%' show limited control over collocation and complex sentence structures. The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, but it does not demonstrate the flexibility or precision required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'adults 18-64 was highest number' (subject-verb agreement), 'Only 2% of young adult took loans' (pluralisation error), and 'reached at over 20000' (preposition error). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the placement of commas and the incomplete final sentence. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band.

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

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