Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-02

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 pie chart illustrates the amounts of visitors towards Ashdown Museum between the year, before and after it refurbished. This represents the result of surveys that during the same two phases to which extent visitors are satisfied.

Overall the chart shows that before refurbishment the tourists amount was approximately 40% who were dissatisfied with the current situation of the museum, although after refurbishment there were 40% people who satisfied with their visit.

Prior to refurbishment the range of tourists were quite higher who were dissatisfied with their visit, while 30% people were interested in it and overall range of visitors were about 74,000.

Afterward refurbishment the total number of people were exceeded to 92,000 and almost 40% of them show their concern in surveys, meanwhile 30% of them were dissatisfied. However, as a result it's proved that Ashdown Museum later on it was refurbished got so much attention from the visitors.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the data, including the total visitor numbers and the shifts in satisfaction levels. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you correctly identify the increase in total visitors from 74,000 to 92,000 and the shift in satisfaction, the reporting of the survey data is slightly confusing. For instance, stating '40% of them show their concern' is ambiguous and does not clearly link to the 'dissatisfied' category shown in the charts. To improve, ensure that data points are clearly linked to the specific categories provided in the prompt and avoid vague descriptors like 'show their concern' when the chart provides specific labels like 'dissatisfied' or 'very satisfied'.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into four paragraphs, which is a good structure for a report. However, the logical progression between sentences is sometimes hindered by awkward phrasing and mechanical transitions. For example, 'Afterward refurbishment' is not a standard cohesive phrase; 'Following the refurbishment' would be more appropriate. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the second paragraph where the link between the 'tourists amount' and the satisfaction percentages is slightly disjointed. Using a wider range of cohesive devices, such as 'in contrast,' 'consequently,' or 'regarding the,' would help the ideas flow more naturally between sentences and paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. You rely on repetitive phrasing such as 'tourists amount' and 'people were'. There are also some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'amounts of visitors' (number of visitors is preferred for countable nouns) and 'show their concern' (which does not accurately reflect the satisfaction scale). To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise terminology related to data reporting, such as 'proportion,' 'figure,' 'experienced a rise,' or 'remained stable.' Avoid informal or imprecise phrasing to ensure your report sounds more professional and academic.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'the year, before and after it refurbished' (should be 'the year before and after it was refurbished') and 'the range of tourists were quite higher' (should be 'the number of tourists was significantly higher'). Subject-verb agreement and preposition usage are inconsistent throughout the text. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for basic tense consistency and ensuring that subjects and verbs agree correctly.

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

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