Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-07
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 charts illustrate the number of people who visited Ashdown Museum. Data were collected before and after the refurbishment. This survey was held to determine the visitor's satisfaction levels during time period of one year before and one year after.
Overall, the number of visitors improved after the refurbishment in museum. Before the refurbishment, people were not satisfied, but after the initiative the dissatisfaction level declined. In both charts, around 5% of people were not comfortable cooperating.
but there seems 10% improvement in satisfaction after. and dissatisfaction decreased from 40% to 15% which was very high in ratio.
Moreover, 10% of visitors were very dissatisfied but year after restructure they declined to 5%. Arround 15% were satisfied but there seems acceleration of 20% in the satisfied visitors ratio.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the ability to fully develop the task. While you have identified some key features, such as the decline in dissatisfaction and the increase in satisfaction, the analysis is superficial. You have not included the specific data for the total number of visitors, which is a key part of the prompt. Furthermore, the description of the survey results is somewhat fragmented and lacks a clear, comparative overview. To improve, ensure you cover all data points provided in the charts and provide a more comprehensive summary that highlights the most significant trends rather than just listing individual percentages.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into short paragraphs, but the flow between sentences is often disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical, such as the repetitive use of 'but' and 'and' to start sentences. There is a lack of sophisticated linking words to connect ideas logically. For instance, the transition between the visitor numbers and the satisfaction survey is abrupt. To improve, try using a wider range of cohesive devices like 'consequently', 'in contrast', or 'furthermore' to better connect your points and improve the overall logical progression of the text.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is somewhat basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'people were not satisfied' and 'there seems acceleration' are functional but lack the precision expected at higher bands. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'not comfortable cooperating' and 'very high in ratio', which do not accurately reflect the data. To improve, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary related to data description, such as 'proportion', 'fluctuation', or 'significant increase'. Additionally, ensure that your word choices are contextually appropriate for describing statistical trends.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include incorrect article usage ('in museum'), subject-verb agreement errors ('they declined to 5%'), and punctuation mistakes, such as starting sentences with lowercase letters. The sentence structure is often fragmented, which hinders the clarity of your analysis. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like missing articles and incorrect verb tenses. Aim to vary your sentence structure by combining simple ideas into more complex, compound sentences using appropriate conjunctions.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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