Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-10-16

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 depicts the proportion of overweight people in nine different countries between 1970 and 2020.

Overall, every countries selected increased gradually throughout the period. The percentage of overweight people in the USA had the highest amount with approximately 74% in 2020. The lowest percentage of obesity people was in Korea, with 45%. The most significant change throughout the period was in Australia, started with approximately 33% of the population with obesity. From 1990 to 2020, Australia increased drastically by around 30%.

Four countries of America had the highest percentage of obesity with over 55% to 75%, compared to other continents. The number of people with obesity in Austria remained relatively stable throughout the period. The percentage of overweight rates in France increased steadily every period. Although Italy had increased steadily starting from 1995, the percentage of overweight rates rose between 2010 and 2015. In 2009, Italy and France reached the same amount of percentage of approximately 39% overweight rates.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the graph’s subject and include an overview, noting the USA’s high endpoint and Australia’s substantial rise. However, the overview contains important inaccuracies: Korea finishes at about 35%, not 45%, and the statement that every country increased throughout is too broad because several series fluctuate or remain stable at points. The comparison that “Four countries of America” had the highest rates is unsupported; the graph shows the USA, Canada and Australia among the higher-rate countries, while Australia is not in America. Some details are also misreported: Italy and France were not both at about 39% in 2009. Select a few reliable comparisons and describe the overall ranking and trends accurately to make the response more complete and relevant.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a final paragraph of country comparisons. This helps the reader follow the general topic. However, progression between the selected features is limited: the final paragraph moves from a broad continental claim to Austria, France, Italy and then a France–Italy comparison without a clear grouping or consistent basis. The overview also combines several points in a way that makes the main trends less clear. Use paragraphs to group countries with similar levels or patterns, and connect comparisons explicitly—for example, contrast the highest and lowest endpoints before discussing moderate-rate countries. This would make the organisation more logical and reduce the impression of a list.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “proportion,” “percentage,” “increased steadily” and “remained relatively stable.” These expressions communicate the general subject and some trend information. However, word choice and collocation are often imprecise or repetitive: “highest amount,” “percentage of obesity people” and “percentage of overweight rates” are not natural ways to describe the data. “Drastically” also overstates a rise that is better described as substantial. The repeated use of “percentage” and “people with obesity” limits flexibility, while “Four countries of America” is an unclear label. Use precise terms such as “rate,” “share” and “overweight population,” and distinguish overweight from obesity consistently.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple statements and more complex forms, including the contrast beginning “Although Italy…” and the comparison introduced by “compared to.” Most of the meaning remains understandable, but errors in agreement and sentence construction are noticeable. For example, “every countries selected increased” should use a singular subject (“every country”), while “Australia, started with approximately 33%” is an incomplete construction; write “Australia started at approximately 33%.” The phrase “the most significant change … was in Australia, started…” also needs a clearer clause structure. There is some control of past-tense reporting, but improve agreement, articles and sentence boundaries, then check that each comparison has a complete grammatical structure.

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