Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-11

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 piechart illustrates result of the distribution of different categories of library users in a university, while the table demonstrates user satisfaction in library of a university.

Overall, it's clear that Full-time undergraduate recorded majority of distribution. In contrast, Academic staff saw the lowest distribution. Furthermore, Helpfulness of staff displayed a largest satisfaction of users. However, Availability of journals experienced less satisfaction.

Full-time undergraduate saw highest distribution ever which is 44%. Subsequently, Full-time postgraduate is next to Full-time undergraduate and recorded 25%. Furthermore, part-time postgraduate and distance learning displayed 16% and 8% respectively. Finally, Academic staff is lowest among them and recorded 7%, which is minimum in the distribution.

Helpfulness of staff and Library opening hours displayed 0% Unsatisfied .similarly, both are recorded 95% and 65% respectively, which makes highest among of all .Both are recorded in fairly satisfied are 5% and 35% . In contrast, Availability of journals and Reliability of wi-fi showed highest not satisfied distribution which are 20% and 19% respectively and lowest to next to each other in the group. As a result of higher un-satisfaction, they both displayed 45% and 48% in very satisfied. Although, they saw 35% and 33% in fairly satisfied.

Furthermore, Availability of books had average satisfaction. It displays 50% very satisfied , 40% Fairly satisfied which makes higher in Fairly satisfied and finally 10% in Not satisfied.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all parts of the task by summarizing the pie chart and the table. You successfully identified the main features, such as the highest user category (full-time undergraduates) and the highest satisfaction ratings (helpfulness of staff). However, the analysis of the table is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear comparative structure. For example, when discussing satisfaction, you list percentages without effectively grouping them to highlight the contrast between 'very satisfied' and 'not satisfied' categories. To improve, focus on synthesizing the data rather than simply listing figures, ensuring that the most significant trends are clearly contrasted.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the pie chart to the table. You use some cohesive devices like 'In contrast', 'Furthermore', and 'Finally' to link sentences. However, the use of these devices is sometimes repetitive or slightly unnatural, such as 'which makes highest among of all'. Additionally, some transitions between sentences are abrupt, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly in the paragraph discussing the table. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would enhance the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'distribution', 'satisfaction', and 'undergraduate'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'saw highest distribution ever' and 'higher un-satisfaction'. The phrasing 'which makes higher in Fairly satisfied' is also non-standard. To reach a higher band, you should focus on using more precise academic collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing. Expanding your vocabulary to include more varied ways of describing data trends, such as 'accounted for', 'constituted', or 'experienced a significant level of', would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include missing articles (e.g., 'in library of a university'), incorrect verb forms (e.g., 'both are recorded'), and punctuation errors, such as the space before the period in 'Unsatisfied .similarly'. There is also inconsistent use of tense and subject-verb agreement. While these errors do not completely prevent understanding, they are frequent enough to lower the score. Focusing on proofreading for basic errors like articles and prepositions will help improve your accuracy.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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