Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-01

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 chart illustrates the information about the public library known as Little Chalfont.

Overall, the chart shows the age of library member is shown by a pie chart, total loans by category in 2016 shown in table and total number of loans between [redacted phone] shown by bar chart.

In the pie chart, 51 percent of the library members are shown as adults which is the major part, the 22 percent of the space occupied by the childrens, 15 percent by young adults aged 13-17 and remaining, a small part which is 12 percent occupied by the adults 65 and over. On the other hand, the loans taken by the library members are given in table which is categorized in the year 2016 it clearly shows that adults have higher percentage of loans and after that, children's has second number in that and young adults are seen as at the third position.

In the bar chart, it shows that total number of loans between [redacted phone]. As we see there are record number of loan taken out by library members in 2016. Overall it varies in 2007 it starts from above the 15,000 and then it shows a constant fluctuation between these years and goes upto 22,000 in 2016.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response covers all three figures provided in the prompt, which is a positive aspect, but the development of information remains basic. For instance, the overview merely lists the types of charts rather than summarising the main overall trends, such as the general increase in loans or the dominance of specific age groups. While the student attempts to highlight key features, such as '51 percent of the library members are shown as adults' and the peak in 2016 loans, some details are slightly inaccurate or mechanically described, such as stating the table represents the year 2016 while mixing up the ranking of categories. To reach the next level, the overview needs to synthesize the main trends rather than mechanically listing chart formats, and data points should be more carefully selected to illustrate meaningful comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay displays a discernible overall arrangement by dedicating separate paragraphs to different visual elements, starting with an introduction and overview, followed by the pie chart and table, and concluding with the bar chart. However, the progression is sometimes hampered by mechanical or repetitive cohesive devices, such as 'On the other hand' used inappropriately to introduce a table that complements the pie chart rather than contrasting with it. Additionally, referencing is occasionally unclear, as seen in phrases like 'the 22 percent of the space occupied by the childrens'. Paragraphing is present, but internal cohesion within sentences often feels disjointed. To improve, the writer should ensure that cohesive links accurately reflect the logical relationship between ideas and refine the overall flow of information between sentences.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is minimally adequate for the task, allowing the student to communicate basic features of the charts. There are attempts to incorporate appropriate terminology such as 'categories', 'percentage', and 'fluctuation'. However, lexical control is limited, resulting in awkward word choices, incorrect pluralisation, and word-form errors, such as 'the childrens' instead of 'children' and 'loan taken out' instead of 'loans taken out'. Furthermore, repetition of basic verbs like 'shows' and 'is shown' restricts the lexical range. To progress further, the student needs to expand their range of vocabulary, demonstrate greater precision in word choice and collocations, and maintain accuracy when using less common lexical items.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response employs a mix of simple and some attempted complex sentence structures, but control over grammar is inconsistent. There are frequent errors in article usage, subject-verb agreement, and prepositions, such as 'the age of library member is shown', 'occupied by the adults', and 'goes upto'. Clause structures are sometimes clumsy, as demonstrated in 'the chart shows the age of library member is shown by a pie chart', which creates grammatical confusion and repetitive phrasing. Punctuation is basic. To achieve a higher band, the writer must reduce the frequency of grammatical errors and demonstrate better command over complex sentence patterns, ensuring that subordinate clauses and verb agreements are handled accurately.

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

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