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 pie chart and table depicts the data of a survey of users of a library in a certain university.
Overall, the users of the library is given in percentage in a pie chart with the largest proportion as full-time undergraduate students and the second highest as postgraduates and eventually decreasing number of user percentages. Additionally, the the the satisfaction rate of the library facilities is mostly marked as very satisfied to fairly satisfied with only one few (books, journals and wi-fi) as not satisfied.
Firstly, the most library visitor in the pie is full-time undergraduates as the proportion is less than a half (44%) while the second and third position is taken by full-time postgraduates(25%) and part-time postgraduates(16%), respectively. Additionally, the other users are almost less than 10% of the whole users percentage.
Secondly, the users rated the highest satisfaction for stuff's helpfulness(95%) while the other services are lesser as the lowest rated is journal availability(45%). Moreover, the fairly satisfied ratings are all less than a halve and dissatisfaction ratings are lower than 20% with opening hours and helpfulness both rated 0% for not 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 all parts of the task by summarizing the main features of both the pie chart and the table. You successfully identified the largest user groups and highlighted key satisfaction trends. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For example, you mention 'other users' are less than 10% but do not specify who they are (part-time undergraduates and staff). Additionally, the comparison of satisfaction rates could be more precise; instead of saying 'lesser', you should explicitly compare the percentages. To reach a higher band, ensure you provide a more comprehensive overview of the data points and avoid vague descriptors, focusing instead on specific, accurate comparisons between the categories.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'Additionally' to guide the reader. However, some transitions are mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'the the the' (repetition) and 'eventually decreasing number'. The referencing is sometimes unclear; for instance, 'the other services are lesser' lacks a clear point of comparison. While the progression of ideas is generally clear, the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking phrases and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer back to the intended subjects.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportion', 'satisfaction rate', and 'availability'. However, there are several instances of imprecise word choice and collocation errors. For example, 'stuff's helpfulness' should be 'staff helpfulness', and 'one few' is not a standard expression. You also use 'less than a halve', which is grammatically incorrect. To improve, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and ensure that collocations are natural. Expanding your range to include more sophisticated synonyms for 'highest' or 'lowest' would also help elevate your 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 that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('the users of the library is', 'the most library visitor... is'), incorrect pluralization, and repetitive errors like 'the the the'. Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence structure is often simplistic. To achieve a higher band, you need to demonstrate better control over complex sentence forms and reduce the frequency of basic grammatical slips. Proofreading for subject-verb agreement and article usage would 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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