Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-13

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 6.5)

The given table illustrates the number of tourists to Ashdown Museum in the year before and the year after the refurbishment.

Overall, the number of tourists was highest in year after the refurbishment and lowest tourists was present before refurbishment in Ashdown Museum.

In detail, before the refurbishment the museum received 74,000 visitors. In terms of satisfaction, 15% of visitors were very satisfied and 30% were satisfied, meaning that 45% were satisfied overall. However, 40% were dissatisfied. The remaining 5% gave no response.

In the case of after refurbishment, the number of visitors increased to 92,000, which was 18,000 more than before. The percentage of very satisfied visitors more than doubled, rising from 15% to 35%, while the proportion who were satisfied increased from 30% to 40%. In contrast, dissatisfaction decreased from 40% to 15%, and the percentage of very dissatisfied visitors fell from 10% to 5%. the proportion giving no response remained unchanged at 5%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses all requirements of the task. You have identified the main features, such as the increase in visitor numbers from 74,000 to 92,000, and provided a clear comparison between the two periods. The data regarding satisfaction levels is accurately reported and contrasted. To reach a higher band, ensure that the overview is more comprehensive; for example, you could explicitly mention that the refurbishment led to a significant shift in visitor sentiment from dissatisfaction to high satisfaction, rather than just listing the figures. Overall, the information is well-selected and relevant.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use some cohesive devices effectively, such as 'In detail', 'However', and 'In contrast'. However, the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs could be smoother. Additionally, some sentences feel slightly mechanical. To improve, try to vary your linking phrases and ensure that the connection between the visitor numbers and the satisfaction survey results is more tightly integrated within the paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'refurbishment', 'proportion', and 'remained unchanged'. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'lowest tourists was present', which is slightly awkward. To achieve a higher band, aim for more sophisticated collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing. For instance, instead of saying 'the number of tourists was highest', you could use 'visitor numbers peaked' or 'saw a significant rise'. Expanding your range of descriptive verbs and adverbs would also enhance the precision of your report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While most sentences are clear, there are some grammatical slips, such as 'the number of tourists was highest in year after' (missing an article) and 'lowest tourists was present' (incorrect subject-verb agreement). Punctuation is generally accurate, though there is a missing capital letter at the start of the final sentence. To improve, focus on article usage and subject-verb agreement. Incorporating more complex sentence structures, such as using relative clauses or participial phrases, would help demonstrate greater grammatical control.

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