Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-14

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 table compares the total number of visitors to Ashdown Museum in the year before and after it's refurbishment. At the same time, the pie chart shows the level of visitors satisfaction during the visit.

Overall, the museum experienced a significant increase in number of visitors after refurbishment. Furthermore, the visitors level of satisfaction also increased considerably, as the ratio of satisfied people rose with decreased in dissatisfaction level.

Before the refurbishment, the museum has 74,000 tourists which has increased to 92,00. This has shown that the refurbishment has attracted so many people.

Regarding visitor satisfaction, before the renovation, only 15% of visitors are very satisfied while it has reached to 35% after renovation. Meanwhile, 40% of them are satisfied, and 15% are dissatisfied. The remaining 5% expressed no reaction.

After the refurbishment, the number of very satisfied travellers has increased by 15%, while the ratio of satisfied visitors has reached to 40%. In contrast, the number of dissatisfied visitors dropped to 5%.

The overall chart reflects improvement and development of museum after refurbishment.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main overall patterns: visitor numbers rose after refurbishment, and satisfaction improved while dissatisfaction fell. Several figures are reported accurately, including 74,000 visitors before and 92,000 after, and the rise in very satisfied responses from 15% to 35%. However, some details are unclear or inaccurate: “92,00” is missing a zero, and the sentence beginning “Meanwhile, 40% of them are satisfied” does not make clear which year it describes. You also omit the before-refurbishment figures for dissatisfied and very dissatisfied visitors, and the after-refurbishment figure for very dissatisfied visitors. The overview is relevant, but the comparison of survey results is not consistently developed. A clearer, year-by-year account of the key categories would make the response more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction and overview to visitor numbers and then satisfaction data. Paragraphing helps separate these topics, and transitions such as “Overall,” “Meanwhile,” and “In contrast” signal relationships between ideas. However, progression is weakened by repetition: the increase in visitor numbers and the improvement in satisfaction are stated in both the overview and the conclusion without adding much. The survey comparisons also move between years without always identifying the period, particularly in “Meanwhile, 40% of them are satisfied.” Some linking phrases feel mechanical rather than guiding a precise comparison. Group the satisfaction figures by year and use clear references such as “before refurbishment” and “after refurbishment” throughout.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of task vocabulary, including “refurbishment,” “satisfaction,” “dissatisfaction,” “ratio,” and “in contrast,” so the main meaning is generally clear. There is some variation in wording, such as “renovation” and “refurbishment,” but several choices are inaccurate or unnatural for describing survey data. “Visitors satisfaction” needs a possessive form or a more natural phrase, while “expressed no reaction” is not an appropriate description of respondents who gave no response. “Tourists” and “travellers” are also less precise than “visitors” in this context. Aim for consistent, accurate collocations and avoid changing labels when the chart uses specific categories.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a contrast clause in “as the ratio of satisfied people rose with decreased in dissatisfaction level.” Most sentences remain understandable, but some grammatical errors affect accuracy. For example, “the museum has 74,000 tourists which has increased” uses an unsuitable tense and unclear reference; “only 15% of visitors are very satisfied” should be reported in the past; and “rose with decreased” has an incorrect verb pattern. There are also article and possessive issues in “in number of visitors” and “visitors satisfaction.” Use past-tense forms consistently for the two completed periods, and check subject–verb agreement and sentence construction when comparing figures.

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