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 obesity rate and future prediction about the obesity rate in nine chosen nations.

Overall, the highest number of people were obese in the USA, while the lowest were in Korea. However, England had the second-highest number of fat people.

In the USA, a massive rise in the overweight ratio from 30% to 75% remained at the highest, while Korea, positioned at the lowest, showed a small increase in the present and future overweight rate.

England experienced a significant surge in obesity rate between 1990 and 2020, from 45% to 70%, but is positioned below the USA. A consistent trend was seen initially in Australia in 2000 and recorded a slight increase in obesity rates at 40 to 45%, declining after that. However, Australia substantially climbed its present as well as future overweight percentage from 30% to 65% in the years 1990 to 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which negatively impacts the score. While you identify the main features, such as the USA having the highest rates and Korea the lowest, the analysis is somewhat superficial. You mention specific countries but fail to provide a comprehensive overview of the trends across all nine countries, as requested by the prompt. The data interpretation is occasionally confusing, particularly regarding Australia, where the description of the trend is contradictory. To improve, ensure you cover the data more systematically and provide a clear, accurate summary of the overall trends without omitting key information or misinterpreting the graph's timeline.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the logical progression is hindered by some awkward phrasing and transitions. For instance, the transition 'However, Australia substantially climbed...' is abrupt and does not clearly link to the previous sentence. The use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between countries. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that guides the reader through the data comparison.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'significant surge' and 'overweight ratio'. However, there are instances of imprecise or inappropriate word choices, such as 'fat people' (which is informal and inappropriate for an academic report) and 'substantially climbed its present'. These choices limit the precision of your writing. To reach a higher band, focus on using more academic collocations and avoiding informal language. Ensure that your vocabulary is used accurately to describe statistical trends rather than just general movements.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'future prediction about the obesity rate' (redundant) and 'Australia substantially climbed its present... percentage'. There are also issues with preposition use and tense consistency. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, practice using complex structures like relative clauses or passive voice more accurately and proofread your work to catch minor errors in subject-verb agreement and prepositional phrases.

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

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