Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-26

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 6.5)

The year before Ashdown Museum was refurbished, the number of visitors was 74,000. A year after the refurbishment, the number of visitors increased to 92,000. That is an increase of 18,000 people.

Moreover, when comparing the results of surveys asking how satisfied visitors were with their visit, we see that a year before the refurbishment 15% of visitors were very satisfied, while a year after the refurbishment this number increased to 35%. Before refurbishment, 30% said they were satisfied, 40% were dissatisfied, 10% very dissatisfied, and 5% gave no response. Afterwards, these numbers changed from 30% pf visitors being satisfied to 40%. The percentage of people that were dissatisfied reduced from 40% to 15% - a 25% percent decrease, while those who were very dissastisfied reduced to 5% - a 5% decrease. The percentage of those that gave no response remained unchanged - from 5% to 5%, meaning that a year before refurbishment 3,700 people had no response, and a year after 4,600 did the same.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The student successfully covers all parts of the task by reporting the main visitor figures (74,000 before and 92,000 after) and summarising the survey results for visitor satisfaction across both periods. Key features are accurately highlighted, such as the increase in very satisfied visitors from 15% to 35% and the drop in dissatisfied visitors from 40% to 15%. However, the student makes a minor calculation error regarding absolute numbers for those who gave no response, stating that 5% meant 3,700 people before and 4,600 after, which mathematically contradicts the actual visitor totals (5% of 74,000 is 3,700, but 5% of 92,000 is 4,600, not 'did the same' in terms of raw count). Despite this minor numerical slip, the overall selection and reporting of data are clear and accurate.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response demonstrates clear logical organisation and progression. The student structures the text well by separating the general visitor numbers from the detailed survey satisfaction breakdowns. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'while', and 'afterwards' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the data comparisons. However, paragraphing could be improved; the entire second half of the response is bundled into one lengthy paragraph containing multiple distinct ideas and comparisons. Breaking this down into logical sub-sections would enhance the overall cohesion of the essay. Referencing is generally clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for an Academic Task 1 response, incorporating terms like 'refurbished', 'percentage', 'decrease', and 'unchanged'. There are some successful attempts at less common phrasing ('reduced from 40% to 15% - a 25% percent decrease'). However, there are a few lexical inaccuracies, such as the typographical error 'dissastisfied' and the awkward phrase 'did the same' when discussing statistical data. The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main features and comparisons, but lacks the flexibility and precision required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and comparative structures effectively (e.g., 'while those who were very dissastisfied reduced to 5%'). There is good control over basic grammatical structures, and punctuation is generally accurate. However, there are occasional errors and awkward phrasings, such as the tautological '25% percent decrease' and a minor typo ('dissastisfied'). The majority of simple sentences are error-free, and complex attempts do not impede overall communication, supporting a solid Band 6.5 performance.

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

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