Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-12

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)

Introduction:

This graph illustrate the numbers of visitors which experienced Ashdown Museum before and after renovation.

Overview:

Overall the graph shows that there were more visitors after refurbishment and most of them got satisfied after their visit, Whereas Visitors were not happy before refurbishment.

Paragraph One:

Ashdown Museum experienced a very bad year before refurbishment because 40% of the visitors were seem unsatisfied which is a big setback for their museum. 30% of them just got satisfied which is a positive sign for the museum in that bad year. 15% of the people who explored museum at that year were so much happy.

Paragraph two:

But after the refurbishment the museum experience a rise in their visitors who came to see their museum, and 40% of them were satisfied from the renovation which is a very special moment for Ashdown Museum after a massive setback. 35% of the visitors were so much satisfied I think those were the same visitors who sawed the museum before renovation. And in last only 15% were gone unhappy from that museum, Overall it was a great year for Ashdown Museum,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main overall changes: visitor numbers rose after refurbishment, and satisfaction improved. Several key figures are also reported accurately, including 40% dissatisfied and 15% very satisfied before, and 40% satisfied and 35% very satisfied after. However, the account is only partial: the visitor totals of 74,000 and 92,000 are not included, and the overview’s claim that “most” visitors were satisfied after refurbishment is not quite accurate, since the satisfied categories together make up 75%—a majority, but this should be stated precisely. The 5% with no response in each survey is also omitted. Avoid unsupported speculation such as claiming the very satisfied visitors were the same people surveyed before. Select and compare the main data more systematically.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable introduction, overview and two body paragraphs, and it moves broadly from the period before refurbishment to the period after it. This gives the reader a basic structure. However, progression within the paragraphs is uneven: the first body paragraph focuses on dissatisfaction, then satisfaction, without consistently comparing the categories across the two periods. Linking words such as “But” and “And in last” are either informal or awkward, while “Overall” is repeated and the final paragraph ends with a comma. Some references, including “those” in the speculation about visitors, are unclear. Organise the figures by satisfaction category or by period, and use clear, restrained links to show comparisons rather than adding commentary.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “visitors,” “refurbishment,” “satisfied” and “dissatisfied,” so the main subject is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or too informal for an academic report. Phrases such as “a very bad year,” “a very special moment,” “so much happy” and “gone unhappy” do not describe survey results precisely. “Setback” and “massive setback” add an evaluative tone that is not needed when reporting data. There are also word-form and collocation problems, such as “experienced a rise in their visitors.” Aim for neutral, precise expressions for changes and proportions, and avoid personal opinion or dramatic language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and longer sentence forms, and the reader can usually follow the intended comparisons. However, errors are frequent, and some longer constructions are difficult to interpret. For example, “This graph illustrate” has subject–verb disagreement, while “40% of the visitors were seem unsatisfied” combines verb forms incorrectly. Other problems include “the museum experience a rise” and “30% of them just got satisfied which is a positive sign,” where tense, clause structure and punctuation are not controlled. Sentence patterns are often repetitive, and capitalisation is inconsistent, as in “Whereas Visitors.” Practise accurate past-tense reporting and build comparisons with complete clauses, checking agreement and punctuation before finishing.

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