Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-06

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 bar graph and pie charts depict the number of tourists attraction to Ashdown Museum during the year before and the year after it was renovated, while the chart illustrates the satisfaction and disapproval of their visit to the site, during the exact mentioned period.

Overall, it is apparent that the number of visitors to Museum increased exponentially after it was refurbished giving more people satisfaction than prior of changes. Which shows the huge success of their mission. Talking about satisfaction of people before the renovation the proportion was 30% but after the changes it shows dramatic surge to 40%, diminishing negative reviews from 40% to only 15%. Whereas the "very satisfaction" rating of visitors before the renovation was just 15% but after the change it sharply surged to approximately 35%. The "very dissatisfied" review also plummeted from 10% to 5% after the museum was refurbished. The only results of survey which remained constant the year before and the year after the changes were "no response" only 5%. It is evident that their project to change the building was beneficial.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all key features of the data, including the visitor numbers and the satisfaction survey results. You successfully identified the main trends, such as the increase in visitor numbers and the shift from negative to positive satisfaction ratings. However, the report lacks a clear distinction between the bar graph (visitor numbers) and the pie charts (satisfaction). While you mention the data, the description of the visitor numbers is quite brief compared to the satisfaction data. To reach a higher band, ensure that the data for all visual elements is presented with equal clarity and that comparisons between the two years are more explicitly linked to the specific figures provided.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into two paragraphs, which is acceptable, but the structure could be improved by separating the overview from the detailed data analysis. You use some cohesive devices like 'Whereas' and 'Overall', but the flow is occasionally interrupted by awkward phrasing, such as 'Which shows the huge success of their mission', which is a sentence fragment. Additionally, the transition between discussing visitor numbers and satisfaction levels is a bit abrupt. Using more varied linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus would improve the logical progression of your ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the main points, using terms like 'exponentially', 'dramatic surge', and 'plummeted' effectively. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'tourists attraction' should be 'tourist attractions' or 'visitor numbers', and 'prior of changes' is non-standard; 'prior to the changes' would be correct. The phrase 'very satisfaction' is grammatically incorrect; it should be 'very satisfied'. While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, refining these collocations and ensuring grammatical accuracy in word forms will help you achieve a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is good. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'the number of visitors to Museum increased' (missing an article), 'during the exact mentioned period' (awkward phrasing), and the sentence fragment 'Which shows the huge success of their mission'. Punctuation is generally functional, but there are issues with sentence boundaries. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles, and ensure that every sentence contains a clear subject and verb to avoid fragments.

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

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