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 chart and table illustrate categories of users and their satisfactions about a library which is located in a university.
Overall, full-time undergraduates use the library more than others as it is 44%. In contrast, majority of the library members are happy about the helpfulness of staff while there are no people who are dissatisfied about it. However, there are no any users who are not satisfied with the library opening hours also.
As the chart represents, minority of the people who use the library are academic staff and it is 7%. A quarter of the library members are full-time post graduates while, the past-time postgraduates are less than that as it is 16%. Furthermore, the remaining proportion of the members are distance learners of the all courses in the university.
On the other hand, half proportion of the people are very satisfied about the availability of books so, the remaining half are divided to 40% and 10% to other two. The second higher proportion of members who choose the very satisfied category for the library opening hours. Consequently, availability of journals and reliability of wi-fi are separated to all three parts in the table.
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 the main features of the data, including the user categories and satisfaction levels. However, the reporting of data is sometimes imprecise or confusing. For instance, stating 'the remaining half are divided to 40% and 10% to other two' is mathematically unclear and lacks the necessary precision for an Academic Task 1 report. Furthermore, the description of the table data is somewhat disjointed, failing to clearly compare the different satisfaction categories against each other. While the main trends are identified, the lack of clarity in data presentation prevents a higher score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. Phrases like 'On the other hand' are used inappropriately as there is no contrast between the paragraphs. Additionally, the transition 'Consequently' does not logically follow the preceding sentence. The referencing is sometimes unclear, such as 'other two', which leaves the reader guessing which categories are being referred to. Improving the flow between sentences and using more precise linking words would significantly enhance the coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for higher bands. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'satisfactions about a library' (should be 'satisfaction with') and 'half proportion of the people' (should be 'half of the respondents'). The student relies on basic descriptors and struggles with collocations related to data reporting. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the lack of sophisticated or precise terminology limits the score in this criterion.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'there are no any users' (double negative), 'the past-time postgraduates' (incorrect terminology), and 'are separated to all three parts' (incorrect preposition). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence construction often feels clunky. To improve, the student should focus on subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and avoiding redundant words like 'any' in negative constructions.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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