Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-10-15

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 graph compares overweight rates in OECD countries across a 50 year period from 1970 to 2020 mentioning past, current and future rates.

Overall, obesity rose considerably in all nine countries. USA had the highest proportion of obese people, whereas Korea remained the lowest throughout the period.

In 1970, the individuals who were overweight stood at 45% in USA, compared with England at 47% in 1990. Both figures increased over the following years reaching by 75% and 70%, respectively by 2020.

Korea recorded the least number of individuals over the timeline. Its figure rose from 25% in 1997, before reaching 35% in 2020. Despite this slight increase it remained below the figures recorded in every other countries at the end of the period. Respectively, overlooking at the remaining countries , Australia's figures rose substantially. The remaining countries such as Spain, Austria, Italy and France faced a slight fluctuation but remained constant .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You provide a relevant overview, identifying the broad rise across the countries and correctly noting that the USA was highest and Korea lowest. However, several details are inaccurate or too vague: the USA is shown at about 74% in 2020, not 75%, while England reaches about 69%, not 70%; the USA’s starting figure is from 1972, and England’s comparison is from 1991 rather than 1990. Korea begins in 1998, not 1997. More importantly, the final paragraph gives little account of the other countries: Australia’s substantial rise is mentioned without figures, and the claim that Spain, Austria, Italy and France fluctuated but remained constant oversimplifies their upward trends. Select and compare key endpoints more precisely to develop the report fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview and two detail paragraphs. The overview gives the reader a useful general direction, and the Korea paragraph follows a clear chronological pattern. However, the final paragraph becomes difficult to follow, particularly in “Respectively, overlooking at the remaining countries,” where the linking language does not clearly connect the ideas. “The remaining countries such as…” also introduces a broad group without explaining how their trends compare. The report would progress more logically if the body paragraphs grouped countries by similar rates or trends and used clear comparisons between them. Some linking is present, but it is occasionally mechanical or unclear.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for describing trends, including “rose considerably,” “remained the lowest,” “reaching” and “slight fluctuation.” These choices generally communicate the main ideas, and the meaning remains understandable. Some word choices are imprecise or unnatural for a statistical report: “the least number of individuals” refers to people rather than the lowest proportion, and “overlooking at” is not an appropriate expression here. “Faced a slight fluctuation but remained constant” is also an awkward and contradictory description of the countries’ generally rising figures. Aim for precise terms such as “proportion,” “rate” and “increased steadily,” and avoid switching between obesity and overweight when the graph measures overweight rates.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex forms, including the contrast in “USA had the highest proportion…, whereas Korea remained the lowest” and the time clause “before reaching 35%.” Most sentences are understandable, but some grammatical and punctuation errors remain. For example, “reaching by 75% and 70%” has an incorrect construction, and the sentence needs clearer punctuation around “respectively.” In “every other countries,” the noun should be singular after “every other.” The final sentence also has a comma separated from the preceding word and an unclear structure. Check articles and plural agreement, and make sure clauses describing figures have a clear subject and verb.

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