Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-03
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
The chart and table below show the results of a survey of library users at a university.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Categories of library users
Student answer (Band 5.5)
The pie chart depicts the total portion consumers ranging from academic staff to distance learner whereas table illustrates the feedback of users to several factors of library.
Overall, it is apparent that most of the users of library are full-time undergraduate while academic staff shared the smallest portion. In addition, a considerable number of users are satisfied with the helpfulness of staff.
To begin with, full-time undergraduate represented the largest portion and accounted for 44% followed by full-time postgraduate made up nearly 25% of the total. Part-time postgraduate recorded as 16% whereas the percentage for distance learning and academic staff were almost identical at around 8% and 7% respectively.
On the other hand, it seems that overall users are satisfied with the helpfulness of staff. The feedback of availability of books is balanced neither satisfied nor unsatisfied. It is noticeable that 48% of users are satisfied whereas 20% of consumers are not satisfied with availability of journals.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all parts of the task by summarizing the pie chart and the table. You successfully identified the main features, such as the largest user group (full-time undergraduates) and the general satisfaction levels. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For instance, in the table section, you mention that 48% are satisfied with journals, but you fail to compare this with the dissatisfaction rate or the other categories effectively. To reach a higher band, ensure you provide a more comprehensive overview of the data trends and make more explicit comparisons between the different categories rather than just listing the figures.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'To begin with', and 'On the other hand' to link ideas. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical. For example, the transition between the pie chart data and the table data could be smoother. Additionally, some referencing is slightly unclear, such as 'the feedback of availability of books is balanced', which lacks a clear connection to the data provided in the table. Improving the variety of linking words would enhance the overall cohesion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'depicts', 'accounted for', and 'identical'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'total portion consumers' is awkward; 'proportion of users' would be more natural. Similarly, 'feedback of availability' should be 'feedback on the availability'. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Expanding your repertoire of reporting verbs and descriptive phrases will help improve your score in this area.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are several grammatical errors throughout the text. For instance, 'the table illustrates the feedback of users to several factors of library' is missing articles ('the library'). There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and missing prepositions, such as 'full-time undergraduate represented' (should be plural 'undergraduates') and 'recorded as 16%' (should be 'was recorded at 16%'). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band score. Focus on proofreading for articles, pluralization, and correct preposition usage.
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.