Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-08-04

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The line graph below shows past and current overweight rates, as well as a projected future overweight rate in nine selected countries.

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

Past and projected future overweight rates in selected OECD countries

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The line graph illustrates the overweight rates across nine different countries for past present and future spanning all the way from 1970 to 2020.

Overall, USA takes the top position in having the highest proportion of overweight individuals and is predicted to stay at this position for many years. Whereas, Korea resides on the bottom of the graph with the least percentage of proportion overweight in the past present and future.

USA started off with 45% proportion overweight just after 1970 and has been increasing ever since planning to end at 75% in 2020. England has 55% proportion overweight in 2000 and is predicted to touch 70% in 2020. Canada and Spain are rising together with 50% proportion overweight in late 2000 and are anticipated to end on 55% in 2020. Australia has hiked up significantly increasing from 30% all the way to 55% in 2010 and is forecasted to increase linearly. Korea can be seen doing exceptionally well having 26% proportion overweight in 2000 and projected to rise by only 10% by 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response provides a clear overview and identifies key trends for the selected countries. You successfully highlighted the extremes (USA and Korea) and noted the general upward trajectory of overweight rates. However, the task requires a summary of the main features, and while you included specific data points, the analysis could be improved by grouping countries with similar trends rather than listing them individually. Additionally, the time frame mentioned in the introduction (1970 to 2020) is slightly inaccurate based on the typical data provided in such charts, and ensure you distinguish clearly between past, current, and projected data to fully meet the requirements of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is generally clear, and you use some cohesive devices like 'Whereas' and 'Overall' to link ideas. However, the transition between the individual country descriptions is somewhat mechanical, relying on a list-like structure. To reach a higher band, try to use more sophisticated linking phrases to compare and contrast the countries more fluidly, rather than simply stating the figures for each country one after another.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportion', 'projected', 'forecasted', and 'linearly'. However, there is some repetition of the phrase 'proportion overweight', which makes the writing feel slightly restricted. To improve, vary your vocabulary by using synonyms such as 'prevalence of obesity', 'figures', or 'rates'. Some word choices are slightly unnatural, such as 'resides on the bottom of the graph' or 'planning to end at', which could be replaced with more precise academic collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are some minor grammatical errors, such as 'past present and future' (missing commas) and 'USA takes the top position' (missing the definite article 'The'). Additionally, 'Korea resides on the bottom' is slightly awkward; 'Korea remains at the bottom' would be more accurate. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more careful proofreading of articles and prepositions to achieve a higher score.

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

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