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 given pie chart and tabular chart illustrates the categories and satisfaction of library users and at a university.
To sum up, full-time undergraduate uses library the most while the least is used by academic staff.
To begin with, academic staff uses the library around 7%. Moreover, distance learning scholars at a university uses the library 8%.However, there is part-time postgraduate along with full time postgraduate who like reading the books at library are between 15% to 25%. Additionaly, the majority group of the university which ia full-time undergraduate students uses 44% of the library.
Furthermore, 65% of the students satisfied with the library opening hours whether 35% are fairly satisfied. Likewise, majority of the scholars find library staff helpful. Nevertheless, there are books and journals available in the library, half of the folks are satisfied while other half are netutral or unsatisfied. However, 48% are happy, 33% are fairly satisfied and 19% are not satisfied on the reliability of wifi in the library.
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 analysis is somewhat superficial. While you identified the highest and lowest categories, you missed opportunities to make more insightful comparisons, such as grouping the postgraduate categories or contrasting the satisfaction levels more effectively. The overview provided is very brief and lacks a clear synthesis of the data. To improve, ensure you highlight the most significant trends rather than just listing percentages. For instance, noting that satisfaction is generally high for staff but more varied for resources would provide a stronger analytical summary.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly unnatural, such as 'To sum up' used at the beginning of the second paragraph, which is not an appropriate place for a summary. The transition between the pie chart data and the table data is abrupt. While there is a logical progression, the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that referencing (e.g., 'the latter', 'this group') is used more effectively to connect ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and range required for a higher band. You rely on basic descriptors like 'uses' and 'satisfied'. There are also some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'distance learning scholars' and 'folks', which is too informal for an academic report. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more precise academic vocabulary related to data description, such as 'proportion', 'segment', 'majority', or 'minority', and avoid informal terminology.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, particularly with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'academic staff uses', 'scholars... uses') and article usage (e.g., 'at a university', 'in library'). The sentence structures are relatively simple, and there is a lack of complex grammatical forms. While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar and the limited range of structures prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles will significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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