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 of consumers ranging from academic staff to distance learners whereas the table illustrates the feedback of users to several factors of the library.
Overall, it is apparent that most of the users of the library are full-time undergraduates 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 undergraduates represented the largest portion and accounted for 44% followed by full-time postgraduates made up nearly 25% of the total. Part-time postgraduate recorded as 16% whereas the proportion of 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 regarding the 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 | 6.0 |
| 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 main features of both the chart and the table. You successfully identified the largest and smallest categories of users and highlighted key satisfaction levels. However, the analysis could be improved by making more direct comparisons between the data points. For instance, you mention the satisfaction levels for journals but do not explicitly compare them to the other categories in the table. To reach a higher band, ensure that you not only report the figures but also synthesize the information to show relationships between the data sets more clearly.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. The use of cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'On the other hand', and 'In addition' helps guide the reader through the information. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the demographic data from the satisfaction survey results. The progression of ideas is generally smooth, although some transitions could be more sophisticated to improve the flow between sentences. Overall, the information is presented in a coherent manner that is easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'depicts', 'proportion', and 'identical'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'consumers' to describe library users, which is slightly unnatural in this context. Additionally, the phrase 'recorded as 16%' is grammatically awkward. To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary related to data description, such as 'constitute', 'account for', or 'fluctuate', and ensure that your word choices are contextually appropriate for a formal report.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are some grammatical slips, such as 'full-time postgraduates made up nearly 25%' (missing a connector or relative pronoun) and 'the proportion of distance learning and academic staff were' (subject-verb agreement error). Punctuation is generally accurate, but some sentences could be refined for better clarity. The majority of your sentences are error-free, but to achieve a higher band, you should aim for more consistent control over complex grammatical structures and ensure subject-verb agreement is always accurate.
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.