Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-27
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 illustrates the results of a survey carried out to know what individuals who resided in London city think.
Overall, the result indicated that the best things in London city were range of shops available in it.
And the worst things about living in London are the cost of living and traffic congestion. In case of Major issues concerning this city are litter and air quality.
First off, the results indicate that the number of people satisfied with the availability of shops in this city are about 45%. They say that it is the best thing they have encountered so far. Furthermore, bad thing about living in this city is its cost of living which is about 58% and another reason is the high rate of traffic congestion which is demonstrated by a number of 57% respectively.
Last but not least is the things that are major problems such as litter lying around the city contributes to 85% with minor variations over the years, plus the bad air quality is another disadvantage of living in a big city like London. It is presented by a fraction of 70-60 % Overall.
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 the main features of the charts, but the presentation of data is inconsistent and lacks precision. While you identify the 'best things' and 'major issues', the reporting of figures is often vague or inaccurate. For instance, you mention '85% with minor variations' for litter, but the graph shows a clear downward trend from 85% to 75%. Furthermore, the structure is slightly disjointed, as you mix the 'best' and 'worst' aspects within the same paragraphs. To improve, ensure you clearly group data points and provide accurate comparisons rather than generalising figures, which helps in fully developing the response as required for higher bands.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical flow between them is weak. The use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally misused, such as starting a paragraph with 'Last but not least is the things that are major problems', which is grammatically awkward and disrupts the flow. Referencing is also inconsistent; for example, the transition between the 'best' and 'worst' aspects is abrupt. To improve, use more sophisticated linking words and ensure each paragraph has a clear, singular focus (e.g., one paragraph for positive aspects and one for negative/major issues) to guide the reader more effectively.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. You rely on basic phrasing such as 'bad thing', 'best thing', and 'major problems'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'resided in London city' (London is a city, so 'resided in London' is sufficient) and 'litter lying around the city contributes to 85%'. The latter is an inaccurate use of the verb 'contribute'. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more academic vocabulary related to data description, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'a significant proportion'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'the number of people satisfied... are about 45%' (subject-verb agreement error: 'number' is singular) and 'It is presented by a fraction of 70-60 % Overall' (awkward phrasing). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the sentence structure often feels repetitive. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and avoid informal phrasing. Increasing the variety of complex sentences while ensuring they are error-free will help you achieve a higher score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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