Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-11-03

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 4.0)

The bar chart shows that which are the best and worst things for living in london according to the surveys, and the line chart illustrates that litter, air quality and noise are the major problems in london.

Overall,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

You identify the general subject of the visuals, noting that the bar charts concern the best and worst aspects of living in London and that the line chart concerns litter, air quality and noise. However, the report stops after “Overall,” and gives no overview or specific figures, comparisons or trends. As a result, it does not meaningfully describe the information or select key features from the charts. The response is also substantially below the required 150 words, leaving the task largely incomplete. To improve, complete the overview and add accurate comparisons across the three years—for example, the leading positive features and the changing levels of concern about litter, air quality and noise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 3.5

There is a basic attempt to organise the response: the opening sentence introduces the bar charts and line chart, and “Overall,” appears to signal an overview. However, the overview is left unfinished, so there is no progression from an introduction to a summary or supporting details. The single sentence also combines several chart topics without developing their relationships, and the reader has no paragraphing or linking to guide them through the information. For a clearer report, use a short introduction, a complete overview, and separate detail paragraphs for positive and negative aspects and the problems chart. Connect comparisons with simple, accurate links such as “while,” “by contrast” and “over the period.”

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The response uses a small set of relevant terms, including “bar chart,” “line chart,” “surveys” and the chart labels “litter” and “air quality,” so the topic is generally recognisable. However, the vocabulary is too limited to describe the data: there are no terms for ranking, change or comparison, and “the best and worst things for living” is an awkward phrase. Capitalisation is also inconsistent in “london.” Build a more precise range for reporting visuals, such as “most popular aspect,” “major concern,” “rose,” “declined” and “remained stable.” This would allow you to describe the chart information rather than only name its subjects.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt a complex opening sentence with a clause introduced by “that” and a coordinated description of the two chart types. However, the structure is faulty in “shows that which are the best and worst things”: “that” and “which” do not form a correct clause here. The phrase “according to the surveys” also sits awkwardly within the sentence, and the comma before “and the line chart” does not clearly separate the two descriptions. The unfinished “Overall,” is not a complete sentence. Use a direct structure such as “The bar charts show the best and worst aspects of living in London, while the line graph presents three major problems.” Then add complete sentences with accurate comparisons.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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