Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-02

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 given table elucidates the data of visitors to Ashdown Museum during the year before and the year after it was refurbished, also the pie chart illustrates the outcome of surveys questioning visitors how satisfied they were with their visit, during the same two periods.

The table gives information that, there was 74000 total number of visitors to Ashdown Museum during the year before refurbishment and during the year after refurbishment the total number of visitors to same museum was noted at 92000, which was 18000 higher than previous year.

In addition, the pie graph shows the distribution of visitors satisfaction. There is major distribution of visitors who was very satisfied was marked at 15% a year before refurbishment which increased to 35% after the changes in the museum. There was similarity in no response distribution which is 5% for both. The proportion of satisfied visitors was at 30% a year before the construction followed by moderate rose to 40% after the construction. There was only 5% difference in very dissatisfied responses, which accounted to be lowered after refurbishment process. There was 40% visitors who felt dissatisfied before refurbishment and after refurbishment the response was dropped to 15%.

Overall, it can be seen that the number satisfaction by visitors was marked higher after refurbishment, while it revealed notably declined distribution after the refurbishment of the museum.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response covers the main parts of the prompt by presenting data from both the table and the charts, such as the visitor numbers of 74,000 and 92,000 and the survey percentages. However, the treatment of the visual information remains somewhat limited and mechanical. While key figures are mentioned, the overview at the end is confusing and contradictory, stating that satisfaction was higher while simultaneously claiming a 'notably declined distribution'. To reach a higher level, the overview needs to be clearer and more coherent, and the comparison of survey data should be more fully developed rather than simply listing figures one by one.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response displays a basic overall structure with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a concluding overview. However, the logical progression is hindered by awkward transitions and repetitive phrasing, such as the excessive use of 'There was' at the beginning of sentences. Paragraphing is attempted, but the internal flow of ideas lacks smoothness. Cohesive devices are sometimes inaccurate or mechanical, which affects the readability of the text. To improve coherence, you should vary sentence openings, use a wider range of cohesive links naturally, and ensure that the final paragraph clearly summarises the main trends without contradiction.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for communicating basic ideas, but the range is limited and repetitive. There are noticeable errors in word choice and phrasing, such as 'visitors satisfaction' instead of 'visitor satisfaction', 'moderate rose' instead of 'moderate rise', and 'number satisfaction' in the conclusion. While you attempt some less common vocabulary like 'elucidates' and 'distribution', these are occasionally used with awkward collocation. To achieve a higher score, you should focus on correct word forms, improve lexical precision, and expand your range of vocabulary to describe statistical trends more naturally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writing demonstrates a limited range of sentence structures, relying heavily on simple constructions and basic clauses. Attempts at more complex sentences often contain grammatical errors, such as missing prepositions, faulty relative clauses ('visitors who was very satisfied'), and awkward phrasing. There are frequent errors in subject-verb agreement and article usage throughout the text. While these errors rarely completely impede understanding, they are frequent enough to cause some difficulty for the reader. To improve, you need to exercise better control over complex grammar patterns, ensure correct verb forms, and pay closer attention to punctuation and singular/plural consistency.

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

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