Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-12

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 7.5)

The graphs illustrate the number of speeding fines issued by speed cameras and the number of fatalities resulting from road accidents in Britain over an eight-year period. The tables also present the public’s opinions about the effectiveness and purpose of speed cameras.

Overall, the number of speeding fines increased dramatically throughout the period, whereas the number of road accident fatalities fluctuated but remained relatively stable. In addition, the majority of people surveyed believed that speed cameras did not reduce accidents and that their main purpose was to raise revenue.

In the first year, approximately 200,000 speeding fines were issued. This figure increased steadily to around 600,000 by year 5, before rising more sharply to about 800,000 in year 6 and 1.2 million in year 7. By year 8, the number had reached approximately 1.6 million. In contrast, road accident fatalities remained within a relatively narrow range of around 3,000–3,500 throughout the period, despite some fluctuations.

Regarding public opinion, 60% of respondents did not believe that speed cameras reduced road accidents, compared with 32% who thought they did. Furthermore, 71% considered raising revenue to be the main reason for installing cameras, while only 26% believed the purpose was to improve road safety. Finally, 56% thought there were too many speed cameras, compared with 19% who thought there were too few and 17% who considered the number appropriate.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by describing the main trends in the graphs and outlining the key results of the survey tables. The overview effectively captures the primary trends, noting that speeding fines increased dramatically while road accident fatalities remained relatively stable, alongside the main survey findings. Data points are appropriately selected and accurately quoted, such as the rise of speeding fines to 1.6 million by year 8 and the specific percentages from the survey, like 71% considering raising revenue to be the main reason. The information is well-selected and directly answers the prompt without unnecessary repetition, satisfying all requirements for this criterion at a high standard.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

Ideas are logically sequenced, moving smoothly from a general introduction and overall summary into detailed body paragraphs for the graphs and then the survey tables. The response employs appropriate cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In addition', 'In the first year', 'In contrast', and 'Regarding public opinion', which guide the reader effortlessly through the text. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each paragraph serving a distinct and clear function in structuring the report. Referencing is clear throughout, contributing to an overall coherent and well-organized piece of writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient and flexible range of vocabulary suited to an Academic Task 1 response. Appropriate terms related to data trends and statistics are used accurately, including 'dramatically', 'fluctuated', 'relatively stable', 'steadily', and 'sharply'. There is also good use of survey-specific language such as 'respondents', 'percentage', and 'revenue'. Word choice and collocations are natural and precise, with only very occasional minor issues. Spelling and word formation are completely accurate throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The student uses a wide variety of sentence structures, seamlessly mixing simple, compound, and complex sentences. There is excellent control over subordinate clauses and comparative structures, as seen in phrases like 'whereas the number of road accident fatalities fluctuated' and 'compared with 32% who thought they did'. The majority of sentences are completely error-free, with accurate punctuation, tense consistency, and subject-verb agreement maintained throughout the entire response. Grammatical control is strong and consistent.

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