Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-10
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 the the findings of a survey conducted among library users at a university.
Overall, the full-time undergraduate students accounted the largest proportion. Academic staff represented the smallest group. In terms of satisfaction, students were more satisfied with helpfulness of staff while others showed dissatisfaction with availability of books and reliability of wi-fi.
Full-time undergraduate students represented the largest proportion of 44%. While full-time postgraduate accounted for 25%. Part-time postgraduate and distance learning students category were 16% and 8% respectively. Academic staff was the smallest group among all category of 7%.
Regarding satisfaction, 95% of largest proportion of students were satisfied with the helpfulness of staff with zero percent dissatisfaction. Library opening hours received 65% satisfaction, 35% fairly satisfied with zero dissatisfaction. 10% and 20% Students were dissatisfied with availability of books and journals respectively. Whereas, 19% showed dissatisfaction with the reliability of wi-fi.
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 categories of users and the satisfaction levels. However, the response falls slightly short of the 150-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts the task achievement score. While the key information is presented, the analysis is somewhat mechanical and lacks a cohesive synthesis of the data. The inclusion of percentages is accurate, but the overall summary could be more effectively developed to highlight the most significant trends rather than just listing figures. To improve, ensure you meet the word count and provide a more analytical overview that connects the user categories to their respective satisfaction levels.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat repetitive and mechanical. For instance, the transition between the user categories and the satisfaction data could be smoother. While the progression of ideas is generally clear, the referencing is occasionally clunky, such as in the phrase '10% and 20% Students were dissatisfied'. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that sentences flow more naturally into one another would help elevate the coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the student to convey the necessary information about percentages and categories. However, there is a lack of variety and precision. Phrases like 'accounted the largest proportion' are grammatically incomplete, and the repetition of 'dissatisfaction' and 'satisfied' limits the lexical range. To reach a higher band, the student should incorporate more sophisticated synonyms and collocations related to data description, such as 'constituted', 'comprised', or 'expressed discontent'. The current range is sufficient for communication but lacks the flexibility required for higher scores.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains several grammatical errors that affect the flow of the text. Examples include 'the the findings', 'accounted the largest proportion' (missing 'for'), and 'Academic staff was the smallest group among all category' (should be 'categories'). There is a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but the accuracy is inconsistent. While the meaning is generally clear, these frequent minor errors in subject-verb agreement and preposition usage prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy and ensuring complete sentence structures would be highly beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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