Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-24

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 graph and chart illustrate the findings of a study about what the residents of London think about their city 3 over a duration of three years.

Overall, the graph compares the best and worst things about living in London of three years, while line graph depicts the proportion of people agreeing with the major problems of the city.

The range of shops was the best thing according to the survey during the whole period with more than 40%. Followed by Job opportunities at almost 38% and declined slightly. The mixture of people stood at third with almost 36% in first two years but dropped to 32% in last year. Then, museum & art galleries recorded significant increase each year and ended at 32% in third year. Night life percentage also improved throughout the period, and transport sector declined a bit in the second year but managed in the last year.

On the contrary, cost of living in London was worst thing showing a proportion of almost 58% in first year but improved with time. Followed by, traffic congestion but also showed improvement in last year. The crime rate was about 60% in first year but improved and stood at almost 40% which was most improved sector. However, cost of housing and transport were also major concerns of the citizens.

Additionally, noise in the city reduced slightly through out the period and recorded almost at 57%. Air quality also declined slightly. Litter registered 70% in year 1 and then increased in the next year then suddenly decreased in the last year and recorded at almost 68%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all parts of the task by describing the key features of the charts. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical, listing data points rather than synthesising trends effectively. For instance, the report mentions 'the range of shops' and 'job opportunities' but fails to provide a clear overview of the most significant changes or comparisons between the categories. While the main trends are identified, the lack of a clear, analytical summary of the data prevents it from reaching a higher band. The information is generally accurate, but the presentation could be more focused on highlighting the most striking differences rather than just listing percentages.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes repetitive or mechanical, such as the frequent use of 'followed by' and 'also'. The transition between the 'best things' and 'worst things' is clear, but the internal flow within paragraphs could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words. Referencing is generally clear, but the overall progression of ideas feels more like a list of observations than a cohesive report. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different categories of data.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to describe the data points clearly. There are some attempts at using less common vocabulary, such as 'proportion', 'significant increase', and 'managed', but the range is somewhat limited. Some word choices are slightly awkward, such as 'managed in the last year' or 'most improved sector', which lack precision. While the vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the meaning, it does not demonstrate the flexibility or sophistication required for a higher band. Spelling is generally accurate throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('the range of shops', 'the mixture of people') and prepositions ('in last year' instead of 'in the last year'). Some sentences are fragmented or lack a clear subject, such as 'Followed by Job opportunities at almost 38%'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. The control of punctuation is generally acceptable, but the sentence structure could be more varied to demonstrate greater grammatical range.

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