Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 chart illustrates that the number of visitors has increased after the refurbishment of the ashdown museum from 74,000 to 92,000. If we compare the percentage of number of visitors who are very satisfied has increased significantly from 15 to 35 and for the satisfied visitors it also shows an addition of 10 percent. The refurbishment of the museum has done an excellent job of reducing the dissatisfied percent from 40 to only 15 and for the very dissatisfied visitors has been down to 5 percent as well meanwhile the percentage of no response visitors has remained the same. we can conclude from both of the charts that after the refurbishment of the Ashdown museum it has noticed a good amount of improvement.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main changes accurately: visitor numbers rose from 74,000 to 92,000, satisfaction increased, dissatisfaction fell, and the no-response figure stayed at 5%. The comparisons for the satisfaction categories are also correct. However, the overview is brief and the response does not fully develop the survey results—for example, it could clearly distinguish the rise in “satisfied” visitors from 30% to 40% and explain that this, alongside the rise in “very satisfied” visitors, marks a broad improvement. The response is also 26 words below the required minimum, which limits the detail you can provide. A fuller summary with a clear overview and a few well-selected figures would address the task more completely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response follows a generally sensible order: it introduces the visitor total, compares satisfaction categories, and ends with an overall conclusion. Linking phrases such as “If we compare” and “meanwhile” help connect the information. However, the whole response is presented as one paragraph, and several ideas are crowded into long sentences, making the progression less clear. The final conclusion repeats the general point that there was improvement rather than adding a distinct overview. Use separate paragraphs for the introduction/overview and key comparisons, and organise the figures into clear groups—for example, rising satisfaction first, then falling dissatisfaction. This would make the relationships between the data easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing change, including “increased,” “reducing,” and “remained the same,” and the meaning is generally clear. However, some choices are imprecise or repetitive: “addition of 10 percent” is less natural than a phrase describing a rise, while “a good amount of improvement” is vague. “Pie chart” is also inaccurate because the task includes a table and survey charts. The repeated use of “visitors” and “percentage” could be varied with terms such as “respondents,” “share,” or “proportion.” Aim for precise chart language and natural collocations, while keeping the wording formal and avoiding evaluative claims such as “excellent job.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of sentence forms, including comparisons and a concluding statement, and the main message remains understandable. Some grammatical errors nevertheless reduce accuracy. For example, “the percentage of number of visitors who are very satisfied has increased” has an awkward noun structure, and “for the very dissatisfied visitors has been down to 5 percent” lacks a clear grammatical subject. The sentence beginning “we can conclude” also runs on from the preceding comparison, and “we” should not begin a sentence in lowercase. Practise forming complete comparison clauses, such as “The proportion who were very satisfied rose from 15% to 35%,” and use full stops to separate the main data points.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.