Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-04
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 provided images illustrate the results of a survey of library users at a university, in which bar graph depicts the categories of library users and a table gives information about library user satisfaction. The data has been calibrated into percentages.
Overall, it is crystal clear that the highest value is covered by helpfulness of staff and least value is covered by academic staff.
At a fleeting glance, in a pie chart, the highest value was enveloped by full time undergraduate which was 44%, followed by full time postgraduate which was 25%. Moreover, the difference in percentage between distance learning and academic staff was exactly 1%. In addition, the ratio of part-time postgraduate and distance learning in all courses was 16% and 8% respectively.
Moving ahead, in the table, library opening hours users were very satisfied which denoted the percentage of 65, while only 15% users were fairly satisfied. The 10% library users were not satisfied by the availability of journals. Furthermore, one third of users were fairly satisfied with availability of wi-fi, but half of the users were satisfied by the availability of books.
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
You have successfully identified the main features of both the chart and the table. You provided a clear overview and supported your points with relevant data. However, there are some inaccuracies in your reporting. For instance, you mention the 'highest value is covered by helpfulness of staff' in the overview, but the table actually shows 'library opening hours' as having the highest satisfaction (65%). Additionally, you refer to a 'pie chart' when the prompt describes a bar graph. While you cover the main trends, ensuring that your data extraction is precise and that you correctly identify the visual aids provided is essential for a higher band score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is logically organized into paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs focusing on the chart and table respectively. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'In addition', and 'Moving ahead' to guide the reader. However, some of these transitions feel slightly mechanical or forced. The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the link between the overview and the body paragraphs could be smoother. The referencing is mostly clear, though the misidentification of the chart type slightly disrupts the flow of information.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'calibrated', 'percentages', and 'respectively'. However, there are instances of unnatural word choice and collocation errors. For example, 'highest value is covered by' is not the most precise way to describe data trends; 'the highest percentage was recorded for' would be more appropriate. Similarly, 'enveloped by' is an unusual choice in this context. While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors. For instance, 'in which bar graph depicts' is missing an article ('the'), and 'the percentage of 65' is better phrased as 'a percentage of 65%'. You also have some awkward phrasing, such as 'the ratio of... in all courses was 16% and 8% respectively', which is slightly confusing. Despite these errors, your grammar does not impede communication, and you show an attempt to use varied sentence structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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