Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-23
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 matrix illustrates the statistics of visitors to Ashdown Museum during the year before and a year after it was renovated. The charts indicate the result of surveys asking tourists how satisfied they were with their visit during the same two periods.
Overall, the total number of visitors after renovation is significantly higher than before reconstruction, and the bar graph illustrates that the satisfied visitors are very small in numbers before construction of the museum. And also the number of satisfied tourists were very low than after reconstruction.
The total number of travelers before refurbishment was 74,000, while after rebuild was 92,000, so there was a massive increase in visitors after reconstruction.
The satisfaction rate was 30% before and 40% after the rebuild of the museum; here there was a clear increase in the number of travelers. Although before the restoration of the museum, the disatisfaction rate was much higher than after the renovation, there was a clear decrease in the disatisfaction rate of approximately 25%.
The very satisfied rate also increased by 20% after the renovation of the museum
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The student covers all parts of the prompt by presenting the visitor numbers and the survey results for both periods. An overview is attempted, noting the higher visitor numbers and contrasting satisfaction levels after the renovation. Key features are selected, such as the increase in total visitors from 74,000 to 92,000 and the changes in satisfaction ratings (e.g., very satisfied rising by 20%). However, there is some confusion in the overview and second paragraph regarding terminology ('satisfied visitors are very small in numbers before construction'), and the data reporting is slightly disjointed. Nevertheless, the main trends are adequately captured and supported by the visual data. This aligns well with the Band 6 descriptors.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a discernible overall structure, beginning with an introduction, followed by an overview, visitor count data, and satisfaction survey details. Paragraphing is attempted, though some paragraphs are very short (such as the final single-sentence paragraph). Cohesive devices are used, but sometimes mechanically or inappropriately, such as starting a sentence with 'And also' or relying on repetitive structures. Referencing is generally clear, but the logical progression between paragraphs could be smoother and better integrated. Overall, the organization is coherent enough to meet the Band 6 criteria.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms such as 'renovated', 'refurbishment', 'massive increase', and 'satisfaction rate'. However, there are noticeable word choice and collocation inaccuracies, such as referring to the charts as a 'matrix' and using 'travelers' interchangeably with 'visitors' or 'tourists' in a museum context. Spelling errors also occur, such as 'disatisfaction' instead of 'dissatisfaction'. These lexical slips do not impede overall communication, placing the response firmly at Band 6.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing structures like 'while after rebuild was 92,000' and 'Although before the restoration...'. However, there are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasings, such as missing subjects or verbs (e.g., 'while after rebuild was', 'the number of satisfied tourists were very low than'). Punctuation is also lacking at the end of the final sentence. Despite these recurring errors, the meaning remains clear and communication is not impeded, which is characteristic of Band 6 performance.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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