Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-01

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 charts depicts the results of surveys of visitors satisfaction while the table illustrates the total number of visitors to Ashdown Museum year before and after the refurbishment. Overall, in pie charts the dissatisfied visitors were maximum while no response visitors were minimum in the year before and after refurbishment. The total number of visitors during the year before was less while the year after refurbishment was paramount.

To begin, the pie chart with the year before showed the dissatisfied visitors 40% was the highest and 15% the year after refurbishment. Whereas, the no response visitors survey results were 5% lowest one was same in both years. Meanwhile, the results showed by very satisfied was drastic as 15% in the year before and 35% the year after refurbishment. The satisfied visitors results was 40% much higher in the year after while was 30% in the year before that. Moreover, results of surveys was very dissatisfied of about 10% in the year before but in the year after it was half of it 5%.

Furthermore, the table eradicates about the total number of visitors which during the year before was 74,000 diminished while that of during the year after was 92,000 pre-dominant.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by summarizing both the table and the pie charts, meeting the basic requirements for this band. An overview is present, noting the main trends such as the highest and lowest survey categories and the change in total visitor numbers. However, some parts are more fully developed than others, and certain features lack precision or are slightly confused. For instance, the statement that 'dissatisfied visitors were maximum while no response visitors were minimum' conflates the two charts or misinterprets the specific breakdown, as dissatisfied visitors represented 40% in the first period but were surpassed by satisfied ones in the second. Ideas are relevant, but the lack of accurate data synthesis prevents a higher evaluation.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The writing exhibits a coherent overall arrangement with a clear attempt to structure the response into an introduction, body paragraphs, and a brief conclusion or final comparison. Paragraphing is used to separate the pie charts from the table data. However, cohesion is at times mechanical or faulty. Transitional phrases like 'To begin' and 'Furthermore' are used, but referencing and logical progression can be disjointed, such as in sentences like 'the pie chart with the year before showed the dissatisfied visitors 40% was the highest'. Pronoun referencing and clause linking occasionally disrupt the smooth flow of ideas across sentences.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common items and descriptive terms such as 'refurbishment', 'diminished', and 'paramount'. However, there are noticeable inaccuracies in word choice, collocation, and word form throughout the text. Examples include 'visitors satisfaction' instead of 'visitor satisfaction', 'results showed by very satisfied was drastic', and awkward phrasing like 'the table eradicates about the total number of visitors'. While these lexical errors and awkward collocations do not completely impede communication, they restrict the vocabulary score, as precision and natural control are lacking.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

There is a mix of simple and some complex sentence forms attempted, showing some structural variety. However, there are frequent errors in grammar, agreement, and prepositions that persist throughout the text. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('the satisfied visitors results was 40%'), missing articles or awkward prepositional placement ('survey results were 5% lowest one was same in both years'), and poorly formed relative or participial clauses. Although these errors rarely impede overall communication, they prevent the sentence structures from achieving the consistent control required at higher bands.

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