Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-18

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 6.5)

The given bar charts and line graph illustrate the outcomes of a study carried out over three years to find out the opinions of London residents about their city.

Overall, the range of shops was the most popular positive aspect of living in London. But the worst thing about London was crime. However, it declined drastically over the years. On the other hand, litter was considered the most serious issue among the three environmental issues.

In Year 1, the range of shops was the most preferred option among individuals in London at around 45%, while this figure slightly fell to 40%. After that, it increased slightly again to 43%. Similarly, transport followed the same trend in year 1: it was 25%, then decreased to 20% and rose to 21%. Meanwhile, nightlife, museums and art galleries increased steadily over the period. Job opportunities and the mixture of people remained relatively stable, both showing an overall decline.

Looking at the least favourable aspects, crime was the most commonly mentioned issue in Year 1, at around 56%. However, this percentage declined noticeably to about 40% in Year 3. Similarly, the proportions of people mentioning the cost of living and traffic also fell over the period, while the figures for the cost of housing remained relatively stable and transport decreased in the final year. As for the major problems in London, litter had the highest percentage throughout the period. It rose from approximately 70% in Year 1 to 75% in Year 2, before falling to around 65% in Year 3. In comparison, air quality and noise showed gradual declines, with air quality decreasing from about 66% to 60% and noise falling from roughly 58% to 54%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The candidate has effectively addressed all parts of the task by reporting on the three separate visual data sets provided. The overview section successfully highlights key trends, such as the range of shops being the most popular positive feature and crime being a major negative aspect that declined over time. Data is selected appropriately and supported with accurate figures from the charts, such as noting the range of shops at around 45% in Year 1 and crime at 56%. While some minor data details could be further elaborated, the response fully satisfies the requirements of Task Achievement, earning a solid Band 7.0 for its clear selection and reporting of main features.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The report demonstrates clear logical organisation and progression throughout. The response is divided into logical paragraphs, beginning with a standard introduction and overview, followed by well-structured body paragraphs that tackle the positive and negative aspects separately. Cohesive devices are used flexibly and appropriately (e.g., 'Meanwhile', 'Looking at the least favourable aspects', 'In comparison'), and referencing is generally clear and effective. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to structure the information, contributing to an overall smooth and readable text that meets the criteria for Band 7.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate and generally appropriate range of vocabulary for the task. Less common lexical items and functional phrases are attempted with some success, such as 'outcomes of a study', 'drastically', 'relatively stable', and 'least favourable aspects'. There are occasional slight inaccuracies or repetitions in word choice, but the vocabulary is precise enough to convey the intended meaning without impeding the reader's understanding. Spelling and word formation are accurate throughout, supporting a Band 6.5 score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The candidate demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and subordinate structures effectively (e.g., 'while this figure slightly fell to 40%', 'which had the highest percentage throughout the period'). Grammar and punctuation are handled with good control; although a few minor structural slips occur, the majority of sentences are error-free and communication is never impeded. The grammatical range is sufficient to earn a Band 7.0.

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.