Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-10-13

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 number of fatal, serious and slight injuries resulting from gun and knife crime in Great Britain from 1998 to 2007 has overall increased. As we see from the table, the crimes have gradually increased from 1998 to 2002 in all three injuries and in total. However, fatal injuries dropped on [redacted phone] from 95 to 80 but this was not the case in serious and slight injuries. This pattern is repeated again in [redacted phone]. In [redacted phone] we can see a rise in fatal and slight injuries but a fall in serious injuries. It is the opposite in [redacted phone], where we can see a drop in fatal and slight injuries but a rise in serious injuries. Fatal injuries have risen again from [redacted phone]. The percentage increase in slight injuries is the highest when compared to fatal and serious injuries. This can be due to the rapid increase in slight injuries from 1862 to 3424 in years [redacted phone] and [redacted phone]. The fatal and serious injuries have also increased but in smaller numbers as compared to slight injuries.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the broad upward trend and make relevant comparisons, including the fall in fatal injuries from 95 to 80 and the contrasting movements in 2004–05 and 2005–06. However, the overview is not sufficiently precise: the figures do not show a steady rise across all categories, and the total also falls from 3,912 to 3,821 in 2005–06. The statement that the pattern repeats in 2003–04 is unclear, since fatal injuries fall while serious and slight injuries rise. Your percentage comparison is useful, but the explanation gives the wrong interval: slight injuries rose from 1,862 to 3,424 between 2003–04 and 2004–05, not across those years as stated. A clearer overview and more accurate selection of key changes would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response follows a broadly chronological order, so readers can track changes from the early years to 2006–07. Linking phrases such as “However,” “In 2004-2005,” and “It is the opposite” help signal contrasts. Nevertheless, the writing is presented as one continuous paragraph, and the sequence of year-by-year observations does not build a clear overview followed by organised supporting details. Some references are also difficult to follow: “This pattern is repeated again” does not clearly identify which pattern, while “It is the opposite” requires the reader to infer the comparison. Grouping the main trends into paragraphs and using more explicit references would improve progression and cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “fatal,” “serious,” “slight,” “percentage increase,” and “rapid increase,” and the meaning is generally clear. However, the range is somewhat repetitive, particularly the repeated use of “injuries,” “increase,” and “rise,” and several expressions are imprecise or awkward for describing data. For example, “the crimes have gradually increased” is not an exact description of the number of injuries, and “in smaller numbers as compared to” is wordy. More precise trend language and natural collocations would help you report the figures efficiently. Aim to vary verbs such as “rose,” “fell,” and “increased” while keeping the distinction between crime and injury statistics clear.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use a mixture of simple statements and longer sentences with contrast clauses, as in “Fatal injuries dropped … but this was not the case in serious and slight injuries.” Most sentences communicate the intended trend, but there are recurring issues with tense, sentence construction, and grammatical phrasing. “The crimes have gradually increased from 1998 to 2002” shifts awkwardly between a present-perfect form and a past time period; a simple past construction would be more suitable. “This pattern is repeated again” is also an awkward passive construction, and “in years 2003-2004 and 2004-2005” needs a more natural prepositional structure. Greater control of past-tense reporting and more varied, accurate complex sentences would improve clarity.

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