Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-07

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The graphs below show the number of drivers in Britain who have been caught driving too fast by speed cameras placed on roads, and the number of people killed in road accidents, over an eight-year period since the introduction of speed cameras. The tables show the results of a survey on people's opinions on speed cameras.

Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information below.

SPEED CAMERA FINES and ROAD ACCIDENT FATALITIES

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The line graphs demonstrate the speed camera fines and road accident fatalities over a time period of eight years since the introduction of speed cameras.

Over the period of eight years, the speed camera fines have increased drastically. The first year had only 200,000 fines, whereas the eight year had over 1,600,000 fines which have increased gradually. But the growth in the number of fines changed drastically in the last two years.

Although, the road accident fatalities have been constant for the time period ranging between 3000 and 3500, it would be good if they were reduced and more people survived. The second and third year had the most deaths, but throughout the eight years the numbers remained constant.

Majority of the people think that the existence of speed cameras do not reduce the number of accidents on the roads which account up to 60% of the people. And also, most people think that main reason for installation of the speed cameras is to raise revenue for the government and very few people think it was to improve road safety. Many people shared their opinion that there were too many speed cameras on the road which make up 56% of the people, 19% say that there are very few cameras and 17% say that the number of cameras are about right.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed all parts of the task by describing the trends in the line graphs and summarizing the survey data. However, the analysis lacks precision. For example, you describe the increase in fines as 'gradual' while simultaneously calling it 'drastic,' which is contradictory. Furthermore, you include personal commentary ('it would be good if they were reduced'), which is inappropriate for an academic report. To improve, focus on objective reporting of the data, such as noting the specific peak or the inverse relationship between the two variables, rather than offering subjective opinions on road safety.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The report is organized into logical paragraphs, with a clear separation between the graph data and the survey results. You use some cohesive devices like 'Although' and 'whereas' to link ideas. However, the transition between the two main sections is abrupt, and some sentences feel disjointed. For instance, the paragraph regarding survey results uses repetitive sentence structures ('most people think... and also, most people think...'). Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would enhance the flow and logical progression of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'drastically,' 'fatalities,' and 'revenue.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, you write 'account up to 60% of the people,' which is awkward; a more natural phrasing would be 'account for 60% of respondents.' Additionally, the repetition of 'people' throughout the final paragraph limits the sophistication of your writing. Using synonyms such as 'respondents,' 'participants,' or 'the public' would demonstrate a more flexible range of vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is generally effective. However, there are several grammatical errors that persist. For example, 'the eight year' should be 'the eighth year,' and 'the number of cameras are about right' should be 'the number of cameras is about right' (subject-verb agreement). Additionally, the phrase 'which make up 56% of the people' is slightly confusing due to the placement of the relative clause. While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the response from reaching a higher band score.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.