Cambridge 19 Writing Task 1 Test 4 - Sample Answers (Band 9 to 4-5)

Real band 9, 8, 7 and 6.5 sample answers for this prompt, plus a genuine band 4-5 answer so you can see exactly what pulls a score down. Every sample comes with examiner-style notes on Task Achievement, Coherence & Cohesion, Lexical Resource and Grammatical Range & Accuracy.

The Prompt

Location and Types of Dance Classes for Young People

The charts below give information on the location and types of dance classes young people in a town in Australia are currently attending.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

The Data

Location of dance classes

Private studios: 48% of students

School halls (after-school): 24% of students

Community halls and other: 18% of students

College-based studios: 10% of students

Types of dance classes - under 11 vs 11-16 students

Ballet: 500 (under 11) → 175 (11-16)

Tap: 350 (under 11) → 250 (11-16)

Modern: 300 (under 11) → 400 (11-16)

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Band 9

179 words

Explicitly identifies the reversal in ballet's and modern dance's relative popularity rather than simply listing both age groups' figures.

The charts show where young people in an Australian town attend dance classes, and the types of dance classes taken by two different age groups.

Overall, private studios are by far the most common location for dance classes, while the type of dance preferred shifts noticeably with age, from ballet dominating among younger children to modern dance becoming most popular among older teenagers.

Private studios host almost half of all dance classes, at 48%, nearly double the proportion held by school halls, the next most common location at 24%. Community halls and other venues account for a further 18%, while college-based studios represent the smallest share, at just 10%.

Among students under 11, ballet is clearly the most popular style, with 500 participants, compared to 350 for tap and 300 for modern dance. This pattern reverses considerably by ages 11 to 16, where modern dance becomes the most popular style, with 400 participants, while ballet falls to the least popular of the three, with only 175, suggesting a clear shift in preference towards modern dance as students grow older.

Examiner Notes

Task Achievement: Accurately covers both charts with a precise overview identifying the genuinely notable reversal in ballet's and modern dance's popularity between age groups.

Coherence & Cohesion: A clear overview precedes detail organised by chart, with cohesive devices ("this pattern reverses", "suggesting") linking the two data sets naturally.

Lexical Resource: Precise, varied language ("dominating", "reverses considerably", "proportion") used accurately throughout.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Wide range of accurate structures, including comparatives, used with full control.

Band 8

169 words

Accurate and clearly organised, just slightly less varied in its vocabulary than a band 9 answer.

The charts show where young people in an Australian town go to dance classes, and the types of dance classes taken by two age groups.

Overall, private studios are the most common place for dance classes, and the type of dance that is most popular changes with age, from ballet for younger children to modern dance for older teenagers.

Private studios host almost half of all dance classes, at 48%, much more than school halls, the next most common location, at 24%. Community halls make up 18%, and college-based studios are the smallest, at 10%.

For students under 11, ballet is the most popular, with 500 students, compared to 350 for tap and 300 for modern. For students aged 11 to 16, this changes, and modern dance becomes the most popular, with 400 students, while ballet drops to the least popular, with only 175. This suggests that as children grow older, their taste in dance styles shifts noticeably away from more traditional, classical forms and towards more contemporary alternatives.

Examiner Notes

Task Achievement: Covers both charts accurately with a clear overview, including the age-related shift, though described a little more simply than in the band 9 answer.

Coherence & Cohesion: Clearly organised with an overview followed by detail grouped by chart; cohesive devices are accurate throughout.

Lexical Resource: Good range of vocabulary for describing proportions, though slightly less varied than the higher-band answer's phrasing.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Accurate throughout, with a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures.

Band 7

153 words

All figures are correct, but the reversal between ballet and modern dance is only loosely implied rather than clearly stated.

The charts show where young people go to dance classes and what type of dance they do.

Overall, most dance classes happen in private studios, and older students prefer a different type of dance than younger students.

Private studios have 48% of classes, which is the most, followed by school halls with 24%. Community halls have 18%, and college studios have 10%.

For students under 11, ballet is the most popular with 500 students. For students 11 to 16, modern dance becomes the most popular with 400 students, and ballet drops to only 175. This shows a clear change in taste between the two age groups, since ballet, which is by far the most popular style among younger children, becomes the least popular among older students, while modern dance grows considerably more popular as students get older. Community and school venues remain far less common choices for either age group throughout the data.

Examiner Notes

Task Achievement: Reports both charts' figures accurately with a basic overview, but the overview does not clearly identify the reversal between ballet and modern dance the way the higher-band answers do.

Coherence & Cohesion: Clearly organised by chart, though figures are listed with fairly plain connecting language throughout.

Lexical Resource: Adequate range for the task; figures are accurate but connecting language stays fairly plain throughout.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Generally accurate, mostly simple sentence structures; meaning is always clear.

Band 6.5

153 words

The figures are all correct, but agreement errors appear in almost every sentence.

The chart show where young people go to dance class and what type of dance they do.

Overall, most dance class happen in private studio, and older student prefer a different type of dance than younger student.

Private studio have 48% of class, which is the most, followed by school hall with 24%. Community hall have 18%, and college studio have 10%.

For student under 11, ballet is the most popular with 500 student. For student 11 to 16, modern dance become the most popular with 400 student, and ballet drop to only 175. This show a clear change in taste between the two age group, since ballet, which is by far the most popular style among younger children, become the least popular among older student, while modern dance grow considerably more popular as student get older. Community and school venue remain far less common choice for either age group throughout the data.

Examiner Notes

Task Achievement: Reports both charts' figures accurately, matching the content of the band 7 answer.

Coherence & Cohesion: Clearly organised by chart, following the same structure as the higher-band answers.

Lexical Resource: Limited by "class", "hall", and "student" being used without their plural forms throughout.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Frequent subject-verb agreement errors ("chart show", "private studio have", "ballet drop") appear in nearly every sentence.

Band 4-5 - What to Avoid

26 words

No exact figures appear anywhere in the report, and the age-related shift between ballet and modern dance is never mentioned.

This chart show dance class location.

Private studio is popular, this is nice place I think.

Kids like ballet, this is my opinion about this chart.

Examiner Notes

Task Achievement: No exact figures are given for either chart besides one vague reference to private studios, and the reversal between ballet and modern dance across age groups is never mentioned. A personal opinion is also inserted, which has no place in a Task 1 report. At well under 150 words, the response is also underlength.

Coherence & Cohesion: Reads as three short, disconnected remarks rather than an organised comparison across both charts.

Lexical Resource: Vague, repetitive vocabulary ("nice place", "kids like") used instead of the specific figures given in the charts.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Frequent errors throughout ("this chart show", "kids like ballet").

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These sample answers are written independently for Prep IELTS Now to illustrate real band-score differences. They are a study aid, not official Cambridge or IELTS material.