Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-21
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 the quantity of tourists to Ashdown Museum in the year before refurbishment and the year after it was refurbished. while the pie charts demonstrate the difference in visitors feedback during the same two periods.
Overall, it is observed that not only there is an increase of approximately 18000 visitor after refurbishment , but also there is more positive feedback after the museum was refurbished.
On the one hand, before refurbishment there were 74000 visitors out of which only 15 percent were very satisfied, followed by the only 10 percent satisfied visitors, moreover almost 70 percent people were not happy with 40 and 30 percent ratio of dissatisfied and very dissatisfied respectively.
Conversely, a significant difference in number of visitors and feedback is observed after the Ashdown Museum was refurbished. There were roughly 75 percent were satisfied from which 35 percent were very satisfied. The number of dissatisfied fell to only 5 percent.
It is interesting that in both the surveys the ratio of people with no response remain same.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers the main features of the table and charts well. You successfully identified the increase in visitor numbers and the shift in satisfaction levels. However, the data reporting is slightly inaccurate in places. For instance, you mention '18000' as the increase, but the table shows 74,000 to 92,000, which is an increase of 18,000, so this is correct. However, your description of the satisfaction percentages is confusing; you state '75 percent were satisfied from which 35 percent were very satisfied', which misrepresents the data categories. Ensure you clearly distinguish between the categories provided in the charts to avoid misinterpretation.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices like 'On the one hand' and 'Conversely' to signal shifts in the argument. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'followed by the only 10 percent satisfied visitors'. The use of referencing is sometimes mechanical, and the transition between the table data and the chart data could be smoother. Paragraphing is present, but the internal structure of the body paragraphs needs more careful linking to ensure a seamless progression of ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'illustrates', 'refurbishment', and 'significant difference'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'quantity of tourists' (number of visitors is more natural) and 'ratio of people' (percentage or proportion is more precise). There is also a lack of variety in reporting verbs and descriptors. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary and ensure that collocations are used accurately to convey your meaning without ambiguity.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'not only there is an increase' (should be 'not only is there an increase'), '70 percent people' (should be '70 percent of people'), and 'ratio of people... remain same' (should be 'remained the same'). Subject-verb agreement and article usage are inconsistent throughout the text. While these errors do not completely prevent understanding, they occur frequently enough to limit your score. Focusing on basic sentence construction and verb tense consistency will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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