Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-08-23

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The graph below shows the perceived danger and actual likelihood of being a victim of crime.

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

Perceived and actual likelihood of being a victim of crime: by crime type

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The bar chart illustrates the percentage of burglary, car crime and violent crime actual rate and people's fear of being a victim between 2009 and 2011.

Overall, the car crime showed the highest fear and the actual crimes in both years while burglary and violent crime experienced the same perceived danger.

Car crime perceived danger accounted for just over 20% in 2009/10 and decline to around 17% in 2010/11 whereas actual crime was below 5% in both years.

Burglary and violent crime both experienced approximately 15% fear in 2009/10 and fall to around 13% in 2010/11. Being a victim of burglary crime showed the lowest rate in both years with 3% in 2009/10 and showed a gradual increase about 0.2% in 2010/11. while being a victim of violent crime showed around 4% in both years.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. While you have identified the main features of the graph, the analysis is somewhat superficial. You have successfully selected the key data points, such as the higher perceived danger for car crime compared to actual rates, but the lack of sufficient length means the comparison is not fully developed. To improve, ensure you provide a more detailed breakdown of the data and extend your analysis of the trends to meet the length requirement. The overview is present but could be more clearly integrated into the structure.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and limited. For instance, the transition between the description of car crime and the other crime types is abrupt. While there is a logical progression of ideas, the lack of varied linking words makes the flow feel slightly repetitive. To reach a higher band, try to use a wider range of cohesive devices such as 'in contrast,' 'conversely,' or 'furthermore' to better connect your sentences and paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely on basic terms like 'showed,' 'accounted for,' and 'experienced.' While these are accurate, they do not demonstrate a wide range of vocabulary. There are also some minor collocation issues, such as 'burglary crime' (simply 'burglary' is sufficient) and 'increase about 0.2%,' which should be 'an increase of 0.2%.' To improve, incorporate more sophisticated synonyms and ensure collocations are natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that affect the flow. For example, 'decline to around 17%' should be 'declined to around 17%' (tense consistency), and 'fall to around 13%' should be 'fell to around 13%.' Additionally, there are punctuation errors, such as the sentence fragment starting with 'while being a victim...' which should be connected to the previous sentence. Improving your control over verb tenses and sentence boundaries will significantly enhance your score.

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

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