Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-10-04

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 compares the total number of fatal, serious, and slight injuries caused by gun and knife crime in Great Britain between [redacted phone] and [redacted phone] and the percentage increase for each degree of injury over the period.

Overall, slight injuries increased significantly throughout the period. Serious injuries also showed considerabely growth over the period, while fata injuries figures changed less dramatically.

In [redacted phone], fatal injuries accounted 49, compared with 162 serious and 653 slight injuries. The total number of injuries was 864. In the following years, the figures were generally increase. The slight injuries rose from 653 in [redacted phone] to 1862 in [redacted phone], before reaching to 3424 in [redacted phone]. Then slight fell to 3296 in [redacted phone].

Serious injuries showed second-largest increase after slight injuries, they went up from 162 in [redacted phone] to 437 in [redacted phone], fell slightly to 411 in [redacted phone]. Again, it rose up to 476 in [redacted phone]. In contrast, fatal injuries fluctuated over the period, starting from 49 in [redacted phone] and reaching ta peak in [redacted phone], before falling to 49 in [redacted phone], again slightly increased to 58 in [redacted phone].

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses the task partially by presenting some main features and data from the table, but it fails to present a fully developed overview. While there is a brief attempt at an overview paragraph mentioning overall trends, some parts of the data are under-developed or inaccurately selected. For instance, the student reports that slight injuries rose dramatically up to 2004-2005 before falling slightly, but misses key comparative relationships across categories. Furthermore, some figures contain minor inaccuracies, such as stating that fatal injuries reached a peak in 2001-2002 before falling to 49 in 2005-2006, when the table shows 95 in 2001-2002. To move to a higher band, the response needs to provide a clearer, more comprehensive overview of all major trends and select key data points more accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response demonstrates some organisation with a discernible introduction, overview, and body paragraphs, but there is no clear overall progression linking the sections smoothly. Paragraphing is attempted, grouping information by injury type, but the internal flow within paragraphs is occasionally disjointed. Cohesive devices are used, but they tend to be mechanical or repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'over the period' and transitional phrases like 'In contrast,'. Referencing is sometimes unclear, as seen in sentences like 'Serious injuries showed second-largest increase after slight injuries, they went up...', which results in run-on structures and faulty cohesion. To achieve a higher band, the writer must ensure a more logical progression of ideas and use a wider, more natural range of cohesive devices without repetition.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate for the task. The student attempts to use less common vocabulary items, such as 'accounted', 'fluctuated', and 'dramatically', but these attempts are frequently accompanied by inaccuracies in word form, choice, or collocation. Examples of lexical errors include 'considerabely growth' (considerable growth), 'fata injuries' (fatal injuries), and 'reaching ta peak' (reaching a peak). Additionally, awkward phrasing like 'the figures were generally increase' shows a lack of control over word classes. Spelling errors are also present. To improve to a higher band, the student needs to expand their lexical range and eliminate word choice and form errors that occasionally impede smooth communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response employs a limited range of structures, relying mostly on simple sentences alongside some attempts at complex sentences. However, these attempts at complex structures are frequently faulty, leading to frequent errors. Examples include tense and verb form issues such as 'fatal injuries accounted 49' (missing the preposition 'for') and 'the figures were generally increase' (incorrect verb form). Punctuation errors, such as comma splices ('Serious injuries showed second-largest increase after slight injuries, they went up...'), are also noticeable and cause some difficulty for the reader. To reach the next band, the student should incorporate a wider variety of error-free complex sentence forms and improve control over basic grammatical agreements and prepositions.

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

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