Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-08-24

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The graphs below show the percentage of people holding full driving licences in Great Britain by age and sex.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Full car driving licence holders: by sex and age

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The following bar graph illustrates the proportion of driving permit obtained by the British citizens of a various age groups from the year 1975 and 2006.

Overall, males and females in 2006 appeared to obtain a higher number of driver license than that of 1975. Moreover, women faced a dramatic increase in acquirement of driving permit than that of previous years.

In 1975 males who obtained appeared to be in increasing trend peaked at about 80% by the middle aged groups. However, faced a steady downfall after the age past of 60 among their peers. Furthermore, significant numbers of individuals secured permit in 2006 than that of past era. Despite the higher ratio, the data only peaked slightly above 80 and remained same for 2 years then faced a downward trend.

In 1975, ladies gained drastically lower permits than that of 2000s. Moreover, only about 45% of female citizens secured such permit. Despite, the lowest passing rate, the data rate seemed fluctuating like males. However, in 2006, higher number of females passed driving exams and depicted dramatic upward trend who peaked at 80% passing rate and then gradually faced a dow

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the graphs, such as the overall increase in license holders between 1975 and 2006 and the age-related trends. However, the report is incomplete as it ends abruptly mid-sentence. While the key trends are identified, the comparison between age groups and sexes lacks precision in some areas. The data interpretation is generally accurate, but the lack of a conclusion or a fully finished final paragraph prevents a higher score. To improve, ensure you provide a complete summary of all trends and avoid incomplete sentences.

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 sometimes mechanical or repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'that of' and 'moreover'. The progression of ideas is clear in the first half but becomes disjointed towards the end due to the incomplete sentence. Referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when comparing the two years. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring a smooth flow between sentences would enhance the coherence of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks sophistication. There are several instances of awkward word choices, such as 'acquirement of driving permit' instead of 'obtaining a driving licence' and 'ladies' which is too informal for an academic report. The phrase 'passing rate' is used incorrectly, as the graph shows the percentage of license holders, not exam pass rates. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the range of vocabulary is limited, and there are noticeable errors in collocation that occasionally hinder the professional tone of the report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'proportion of driving permit obtained' (should be plural) and 'British citizens of a various age groups' (incorrect article usage). Additionally, there are issues with tense consistency and sentence fragments, such as 'However, faced a steady downfall'. The incomplete final sentence also negatively impacts the overall grammatical accuracy. While the errors do not completely prevent understanding, they are frequent enough to be distracting.

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

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