Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-19

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 6.0)

The provided table and pie chart depict the number of tourist to Ashdown museum during the year before and the year after it was refurbished. The pie chart shows the results of survey asking visitors how satisfied they were with their trip during the same two periods of time.

Overall, it is clear from the table and pie chart that the highest number of visitors to Ashdown museum visited in the year after refurbishment. The highest number of visitors before refurbishment were dissatisfied, while the highest number of visitors after refurbishment were satisfied.

Looking at the table in more detail, 74,000 visitors visited Ashdown museum before refurbishment, 92,000 visitors visited Ashdown museum after refurbishment.

Looking at the pie chart in more detail, in the year before refurbishment, the number of visitors who gave no response was 3%, 10% of visitors were very dissatisfied, 15% of visitors were dissatisfied, and 40% of visitors were very satisfied. In the year after refurbishment, 5% of visitors were dissatisfied, 35% of visitors were very satisfied and 40% of visitors were satisfied.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The student addresses all parts of the task by reporting both the visitor numbers from the table and the satisfaction percentages from the charts. An overview is successfully provided in the second paragraph, identifying the key trends of higher visitor numbers and increased satisfaction after refurbishment. However, there are significant data inaccuracies in the reporting of the survey statistics. For instance, the student states that '40% of visitors were very satisfied' before refurbishment, whereas the actual figure was 15%. Similarly, the breakdown of percentages for the after-refurbishment period misrepresents the source data provided in the prompt. Because key figures are misread or miscalculated, the response falls short of Band 7 requirements for accurate representation of main features.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized into four distinct paragraphs, following a logical structure with an introduction, an overview, and separate body paragraphs for the table and the chart. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader through the data, such as 'Overall, it is clear' and 'Looking at the table in more detail.' However, referencing and cohesion can feel somewhat repetitive and mechanical, relying heavily on similar introductory phrases. Paragraphing is generally appropriate for an Academic Task 1 response, ensuring a coherent overall arrangement even though the underlying data points contain factual inaccuracies.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing graphical data, including terms like 'refurbished,' 'tourist,' 'visitors,' and 'satisfaction.' However, there are notable word-form errors, such as 'number of tourist' instead of 'tourists,' and repeated phrasing throughout the response. Attempts at less common vocabulary are limited, and the misinterpretation of percentages impacts precision. The lexical resource is minimally adequate for the task, meeting the criteria for Band 5.5 to 6.0, but lexical control is hindered by frequent repetition and basic phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing introductory clauses like 'Looking at the table in more detail.' There are several grammatical errors and punctuation issues, such as comma splices in the third paragraph ('74,000 visitors visited Ashdown museum before refurbishment, 92,000 visitors visited Ashdown museum after refurbishment'). Articles and singular/plural agreement are sometimes handled incorrectly, as seen in 'survey asking visitors' without an article. Despite these errors, the sentences remain generally understandable, placing the response securely in the Band 6 category.

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

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