Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-15
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
The bar charts and line graph below show the results of a survey conducted over a three-year period to discover what people who live in London think of the city.
Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information below.
What are the best things about living in London?
Student answer (Band 5.5)
The two bar charts illustrate the results of a survey about best and worst things while living in london conducted in three years, whereas the line graph represents the proportion of major problems.
Overall, it is clear that cost of living, traffic congestion and crime accounted for the largest share in worst things, whereas transport had lowest in both categories. By contrast, range of shop recorded highest figure. In addition, litter in line graph sharply increased until fell down in final year, air quality and noise remianed stable.
Regarding the best things living in London, range of shops accounted for the highest share, standing at 45%, in first year until fell down just under 40%. Moreover, museums and art galleries represented the lowest figures at the beginning, stood at 30% and gradually climbed in coming years by 35% and 40% approximately. Transport was the least best thing about living in capital of the UK, standing and 25% with slight fluctuation.
Cost of living, traffic congestion and crime all three remained constant in first year by 55%, whereas crime considerably declined in next two years, standing at 40%. This was followed by cost of housing which remaind stable in first two years at 35% and climbed just over 35% in final year.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all parts of the task by describing the key features of the charts. You have successfully identified the main trends, such as the popularity of shops and the fluctuations in crime and cost of living. However, the report lacks a clear, cohesive overview that synthesizes the information effectively. Some data points are slightly inaccurate or confusingly presented, such as the description of the line graph trends. To improve, ensure that the overview paragraph clearly highlights the most significant differences and trends across all three visual aids without simply listing data. More precise comparisons between the categories would also strengthen the analysis.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed. While you use some cohesive devices like 'Moreover' and 'By contrast', the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical. The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when moving between the different charts. To improve, focus on using a wider range of linking words to connect your ideas more fluidly and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that guides the reader through the data being presented.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information, using terms like 'proportion', 'fluctuation', and 'accounted for'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'least best thing' and 'in coming years'. Additionally, there are minor spelling errors like 'remianed' and 'remaind'. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary and ensure that your word choices are natural and contextually appropriate. Focusing on collocations related to data description will also help improve your precision.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses and article usage (e.g., 'in first year', 'living in capital of the UK'). Some sentences are slightly awkward, such as 'litter in line graph sharply increased until fell down'. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles. Proofreading for basic tense consistency will help reduce the frequency of errors and improve the overall clarity of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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