Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-09-09
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 graph illustrates the perceived danger and actual likelihood of being a victim of crime; Burglary, Car crime, Violent crime from 2009 to 2011.
Overall, the number of perceived and actual likelihood was higher in Car crime whereas the amount of perceived and actual likelihood was lower in Burglary in 2009. On the other hand, In 2011 the proportion of perceived and actual likelihood was greater in Car crime meanwhile the quantity of Perceived and Actual crime was less than other crimes.
The amount of perceived decreased in 2011 from 21 to 17% and actual likelihood from 4 to 3% in Car crime. However, perceived dropped from 16 to 13% in Burglary crime and actual likelihood rose from 2 to 3%. Similarly, perceived declined from 15 to 13% and actual likelihood went up from 2 to 3% in Violent crime in time duration of two years.
Therefore, between the year from 2009 to 2011 perceived went down and actual likelihood went up in three major crime type; Burglary, Car crime, Violent crime.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the graph, identifying the three crime types and comparing the perceived versus actual likelihood. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical overview. The summary in the second paragraph is confusing, as it states that the 'amount of perceived and actual likelihood was lower in Burglary' in 2009, which is not clearly supported by the data provided. Furthermore, the conclusion contains a factual error, stating that the actual likelihood went up in all three crime types, whereas the data shows a decrease for car crime. The response addresses the task requirements but lacks the precision and depth required for a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into logical 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 'perceived and actual likelihood' as a noun phrase. The transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is somewhat abrupt. While there is a clear attempt to sequence the information, the lack of variety in linking words and the occasional misuse of cohesive devices (e.g., 'meanwhile' used to contrast quantities) limits the flow of the text.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision expected at higher levels. The student relies heavily on repeating the same phrases, such as 'perceived and actual likelihood', rather than using synonyms or varying the sentence structure to describe the data. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'quantity of Perceived and Actual crime', which is not standard usage. The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the basic meaning, but it does not demonstrate the flexibility or sophistication required for a band 7 or above.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include incorrect preposition usage ('in time duration of two years'), missing articles, and subject-verb agreement errors. For example, 'the amount of perceived decreased' should be 'the perceived level decreased'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are persistent throughout the text. The punctuation is generally acceptable, but the overall control of complex structures is inconsistent, keeping the score in the band 5.5–6.0 range.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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