Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-22

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 compares the number of visitors at Ashdown Museum after the redevelopment and before the redevelopment year whereas the pie chart depicts the satisfaction level of users in those years.

Overall, an increase is observed in the number of visitors after the refurbishment year of Ashdown museum. After the refurbishment year, very satisfied and satisfied users showed an increase consequently a decrease was seen in dissatisfied and very satisfied categories.

Before refurbishment, total number of visitors were 74,000 but afterwards the number reached 92,000 due to refurbishment. Very satisfied category saw a 20% increase after refurbishment year with 10% increase in satisfied response of users of Museum.

Decline of response of dissatisfaction was showed from 40% to 15% after the redevelopment year of Ashdown Museum. Very dissatisfied category had a slight change at 5% from 10% in the following year. The only category that depicts no change is the no response category at 5%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have successfully identified the main features of the data, including the overall increase in visitor numbers and the shift in satisfaction levels. You provided specific data points to support your observations, such as the visitor numbers (74,000 to 92,000) and the percentage changes in satisfaction categories. However, there is a factual error in your summary: you stated that 'dissatisfied and very satisfied categories' decreased, but the data shows that 'dissatisfied' decreased while 'very satisfied' actually increased. Additionally, the phrase 'very satisfied and satisfied users showed an increase consequently a decrease was seen in dissatisfied and very satisfied categories' is contradictory. Ensure your summary accurately reflects the data presented in the charts.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'Overall', 'Before refurbishment', and 'afterwards', which help the reader follow the progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'consequently a decrease was seen'. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the visitor numbers from the satisfaction survey results. To improve, try to use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that the transition between sentences is smoother to enhance the flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'refurbishment', 'redevelopment', 'satisfaction level', and 'categories'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'Decline of response of dissatisfaction was showed' is unnatural; a better phrasing would be 'The level of dissatisfaction declined'. You also use 'very satisfied' twice in the same sentence when describing the decrease, which is confusing. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive or inaccurate phrasing when describing trends and data points.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For instance, 'total number of visitors were 74,000' should be 'was 74,000' (subject-verb agreement). You also have issues with article usage and word order, such as 'after the refurbishment year of Ashdown museum'. Some sentences are slightly clunky, which impacts the overall fluency. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles, and try to incorporate more varied complex sentence structures with greater accuracy.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.