Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-30
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, the table and the bar chart provide data about the age of members in 2016, the total loans by each category, and the total number of loans between 2007 and 2016 in a public library in Little Chalfont.
Overall, adults accounted for the largest proportion of library users, while older people made up the smallest share. In terms of loans, children's fiction and adult fiction were the most popular categories, whereas children's DVDs were the least borrowed. The total number of loans fluctuated throughout the period.
Users from 18 to 64 considered 51% of the members in 2016, which is the biggest proportion among the users, followed by 22% for children and 15% for young adults between 13 and 17. the least share by 12% for people that are 65 and over. In the same year, in terms of loans, children's fiction and adult fiction accounted for 38%, followed by 13% for adult non-fiction. Furthermore, then by 2% for adult audiobooks and young adults. the least proportion by 1% for children's DVDs.
The total number of loans in 2007 stood slightly more than 15,000 and then increased to around 18,000, where it remained stable in 2009. Rose over 20,000 and then back to less than 20,000 in 2013.
Exceeded 20,000 in 2014 and kept rising until around 22,000 in 2016.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The response covers all parts of the visual data well, successfully reporting the main features of the membership ages, loan categories, and the 10-year trend. A clear overview is provided in the second paragraph, capturing the most prominent trends. Key details are selected accurately, such as noting that adults aged 18-64 formed the largest share (51%) and that children's and adult fiction led the loan categories. However, there are some minor numerical inaccuracies, such as stating that the total number of loans in 2007 stood 'slightly more than 15,000' (when it was closer to 15,700) and minor misinterpretations of percentages, such as writing 'considered 51% of the members' instead of 'constituted'. Overall, the task is addressed well with clear comparisons.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized into four paragraphs, starting with a clear introduction, followed by an overview, body paragraphs detailing the 2016 data, and finally the 10-year trend. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different chart components. However, cohesion is occasionally faulty or mechanical. For instance, the transition 'Furthermore, then by 2% for adult audiobooks and young adults' is awkward and structurally incomplete. Additionally, the final paragraph consists of fragmented sentences rather than a smoothly connected description of the timeline. Referencing and cohesive devices are generally present but lack the flexibility and precision required for higher bands.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, attempting less-common phrases such as 'accounted for the largest proportion', 'fluctuated throughout the period', and 'remained stable'. However, there are noticeable lexical inaccuracies and awkward collocations. For example, using 'considered 51% of the members' instead of 'comprised' or 'accounted for' is incorrect. Furthermore, some phrasing is repetitive or slightly unnatural, such as 'the least share by 12%' and 'the least proportion by 1%'. Spelling is generally accurate, but word choice errors prevent the response from achieving a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms. The writer attempts various structures, such as relative clauses ('people that are 65 and over') and participial phrases, but control is inconsistent. There are several grammatical errors and fragment issues, particularly in the final paragraph where clauses like 'Rose over 20,000 and then back to less than 20,000 in 2013' and 'Exceeded 20,000 in 2014' lack subjects and finite verbs. Punctuation and sentence boundaries are occasionally mishandled, such as missing articles ('the least share by 12%'). Nevertheless, meaning is generally clear despite these errors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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