Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-09
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 results of a survey of library users at a university were illustrated in the pie chart and table chart. Overall, it can be seen that, full-time undergraduates had the highest percentage of library users, whereas, full-time postgraduates recorded the lowest. Moreover, helpfulness of staff increased significantly for very satisfied, while, reliability of wi-fi remained stable for satisfied. Regarding the types of satisfaction, full-time undergraduates accounted for 44% compared with full-time postgraduates, which was around 25%. Meanwhile, part-time postgraduates represented for 16% of library users, which was lower than academic staff. In comparison, distance learning(all subjects) and academic staff stayed the same 8% in library users. Turning to the remaining satisfied categories, Library opening hours recorded 65% very satisfied, followed by fairly satisfied and non satisfied at 35% to 0%. In addition, reliability of wi-fi and availability of journals were approximately 48% to 45 very satisfied , while, fairly satisfied and not satisfied were around 35% to 20% respectively. Helpfulness of staff stood at 95% very satisfied rather than fairly satisfied was 5%. Finally, availability of books was around 50% to 40% very and fairly satisfied then no satisfied.
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 breakdown of user categories and satisfaction levels. However, the report is somewhat disjointed. While you identify the highest and lowest user groups, the description of the satisfaction table is confusing. For instance, stating 'availability of books was around 50% to 40% very and fairly satisfied then no satisfied' is unclear and lacks precision in reporting the actual data points. To improve, ensure that comparisons are more explicit and that the data is grouped logically rather than listing figures in a way that is difficult for the reader to follow.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into a single block of text, which makes it difficult to follow. Paragraphing is essential in IELTS Task 1 to separate the overview from the detailed analysis. While you use some cohesive devices like 'Meanwhile' and 'In addition', the flow between sentences is often mechanical. The lack of clear paragraph breaks and the repetitive structure of the sentences hinder the overall progression of ideas. Using a clear structure—Introduction, Overview, and two body paragraphs for detailed data—would significantly improve the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'percentage', 'accounted for', and 'recorded'. However, there are instances of awkward phrasing and word choice errors, such as 'represented for 16%' (the preposition 'for' is unnecessary) and 'table chart' (which is redundant). Additionally, some descriptions of the data are imprecise, such as 'non satisfied' instead of 'not satisfied' or 'dissatisfied'. Expanding your range of reporting verbs and ensuring accurate collocations will help you achieve a higher band score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Punctuation is often misused, particularly with the placement of commas, such as in 'whereas, full-time postgraduates' and 'while, reliability of wi-fi'. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and preposition usage, for example, 'represented for 16%' and 'stayed the same 8% in library users'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to impact the clarity of your report. Focus on proofreading for basic sentence structure and punctuation rules.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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