Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-05

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The table below shows the numbers of visitors to Ashdown Museum during the year before and the year after it was refurbished. The charts show the result of surveys asking visitors how satisfied they were with their visit, during the same two periods.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The table illustrates tourists to Ashdown Museum before and after the year it was reconstructed. While charts demonstrate the conclusion of surveys knowing visitors satisfaction between the same two periods.

Overall, the number of visitors increased after the museum was refurbished. In addition, visitor satisfaction improved considerably, while the percentages of dissatisfied and vet dissatisfied visitors decreased.

The total number of visitors increased form 74000 before the refurbishment to 92000 afterwards. In terms of satisfaction, the proportion of very satisfied visitors rose from 15% to 35%, while the percentage of satisfied visitors increased from 30% to 40%.

By contrast, the percentage of dissatisfied visitors fell sharply from 40% to 15%, and the figure for very dissatisfied people dropped from 10% to 5%. Meanwhile, the proportion of visitors who gave no response remained unchanged at 5%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main features of the data, including the overall increase in visitor numbers and the shift in satisfaction levels. However, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts the score. While the key data points are identified, the analysis is somewhat brief. To reach a higher band, you should expand on the comparisons between the two periods, perhaps by discussing the significance of the shift in satisfaction categories more deeply. Because the response is under-length, it fails to fully develop the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the visitor numbers from the satisfaction survey results. Cohesive devices such as 'In addition,' 'By contrast,' and 'Meanwhile' are used effectively to guide the reader through the data. The progression of ideas is clear, though the brevity of the response limits the complexity of the cohesion. Overall, the structure is sound and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'refurbished,' 'proportion,' and 'remained unchanged.' There are some minor errors, such as 'vet dissatisfied' (likely a typo for 'very') and 'knowing' instead of 'regarding' or 'measuring.' The vocabulary is generally accurate and appropriate for an academic report, but it lacks the range of less common lexical items that would push the score into the higher bands. Focusing on more precise collocations would improve this score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'increased form' (spelling error) and 'the year it was reconstructed' (which is slightly awkward; 'the year before and after the refurbishment' would be better). The sentence 'While charts demonstrate the conclusion of surveys knowing visitors satisfaction' is a sentence fragment and lacks a main clause. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more careful proofreading and a wider variety of error-free complex structures.

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

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