Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-08-27

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The table shows the number of fatal, serious and slight injuries resulting from gun and knife crime in Great Britain from 1998 to 2007 and the percentage increase for each degree of injury over the period.

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

Great Britain - Gun and Knife Crime statistics - 1998-2007

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The table chart illustrates the information about the quantity of fatal, serious and slight injuries occurred from weapon and knife crime in Great Britain from 1998 to 2007 and the percentile increase for each degree of injury over period. The data is calibrated in percentage.

After taking the statistical data into account, it can be clearly seen that between 1998 to 1999 the ratio of slight injuries was highest which was recorded as 653, followed by the number of fatal and serious injuries was 49 and 162. Moreover, in [redacted phone] a slight increase of 331 injuries was noticed in total number of injuries. Furthermore, the total number of injuries in 2001, 2002 and 2003 was recorded as 1382, 1877 and 2179 respectively.

Turning toward the rest of the details, it may inferred that in 2004 the number of injuries was 2367 ,however which was then drastically increased yo 3912 in 2005.

Interestingly, a slight decrease of 91 injuries was recorded in 2006.

Overall, slight injuries was the highest among other two category of injuries in every single year and the biggest increase was also in slight injuries.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response identifies some main features, such as the dominance of slight injuries, but it fails to provide a comprehensive overview. The data selection is somewhat erratic; for instance, it lists specific annual figures for 2001-2003 without explaining their significance or comparing them effectively. The prompt asks for a summary of the statistics and the percentage increase, yet the student largely ignores the percentage increase data provided in the table, which is a key requirement. The analysis lacks a clear focus on trends, instead providing a list of numbers that does not fully highlight the overall patterns or significant changes over the decade. To improve, ensure all parts of the data are addressed and focus on comparing categories rather than just listing figures.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. While some cohesive devices are used (e.g., 'Moreover', 'Furthermore', 'Turning toward'), they are sometimes used mechanically or inappropriately, such as 'Turning toward the rest of the details' to introduce a single year's data. The referencing is occasionally unclear, and the transition between the description of individual years and the summary is abrupt. The paragraphing is functional, but the internal flow of ideas within paragraphs is disjointed, making it difficult for the reader to follow the development of the argument or the comparison of the data points.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision. There are several instances of awkward word choices, such as 'calibrated in percentage' (which is not the correct use of 'calibrated') and 'occurred from weapon and knife crime'. The student relies on basic descriptive terms and struggles with collocations. For example, 'drastically increased yo' contains a typo and a slightly informal phrasing. To reach a higher band, the student should focus on using more precise academic vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', or 'remained consistent', rather than relying on simple verbs like 'was' or 'noticed'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but accuracy is inconsistent. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'slight injuries was the highest' (subject-verb agreement error) and 'among other two category' (missing article and pluralisation error). Punctuation is also problematic, particularly with the placement of commas and the spacing around them (e.g., '2367 ,however'). While the meaning is generally clear, these frequent errors indicate a lack of control over complex structures. To improve, the student should proofread for basic agreement and ensure that complex sentences are constructed with correct punctuation and conjunctions.

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

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