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 OECD countries for past, present, and future spanning all the way from 1970 to 2020.

Overall, all 9 countries are rising continuously with the USA at the top position in having the highest proportion of overweight individuals and is predicted to stay at this position for many years. While Korea resides on the bottom of the graph with the least percentage of proportion overweight in the past present and future.

The 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. Australia had hiked up significantly increasing from 30% all the way to 55% in 2010 and is forecasted to increase linearly.

Canada and Spain are rising together with 50% proportion overweight in late 2000 and are anticipated to end on 55% in 2020. Austria, Italy and France show similar trends and are supposed to end on 45%. 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 across the nine countries. You successfully highlighted the USA as the leader and Korea as the lowest, which is essential for a good summary. However, the data reporting is slightly inconsistent. For example, stating the USA started at 45% 'just after 1970' is imprecise, and the description of trends for countries like Canada and Spain is a bit vague. To improve, ensure you select the most significant data points and compare them more precisely rather than listing them country by country. The overview is present, but the selection of data could be more strategic to fully capture the 'main features' as required by the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that group countries by their trends. This structure helps the reader follow the information easily. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall,' 'While,' and 'However,' though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The paragraphing is appropriate, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the general trends to specific country data. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that the relationship between sentences is more fluid, rather than relying on simple sentence-by-sentence reporting.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'projected,' 'forecasted,' 'proportion,' and 'linearly.' However, there is some repetition of phrases like 'proportion overweight' and 'end on.' The word choice is generally accurate, but it lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher bands. For instance, 'doing exceptionally well' is a bit informal for an academic report. To improve, try to vary your verbs and nouns—for example, using 'climb,' 'surge,' or 'plateau' instead of repeating 'rising' or 'increasing,' and avoid repeating the same noun phrases throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical slips. For example, 'Korea resides on the bottom' should be 'at the bottom,' and 'the least percentage of proportion overweight' is redundant and awkward. There are also minor issues with tense consistency when discussing past and future projections. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on refining your use of prepositions and ensuring that your complex sentences are constructed with greater precision.

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

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