Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-14

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)

This chart depicts the results of library users at the university. These results are submitted from the survey which is conducted on the university level.

Different members attended the university library at each time. The large proportion of postgraduates students was about to 25%. Furthermore, full time undergraduates were accounted to 44%. Likewise, the proportion of part time postgraduates totaled 16% which outnumbered the academic staff and distance learning who were stood at 7-8%.

The survey also demonstrates the user satisfaction results, in which most satisfied credit goes to helpfulness of staff which was accounted to 95%. In addition to, library opening hours and availability of books showed the most satisfied result 65% and 50% and remaining were accounted to fairly satisfied category. 48% came from the reliability of wi-fi and availability of journals had most non satisfied results which were 20%.

In a nutshell, postgraduates students are most in numbers who attended the library on a daily basis. Overall, satisfaction is on peak and very little amount of the people illustrate the non satisfied results.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of both the chart and the table, identifying key categories and satisfaction levels. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For instance, the statement that 'postgraduates students are most in numbers' is factually incorrect based on the data provided, where full-time undergraduates are the largest group at 44%. Additionally, the description of the satisfaction data is slightly confusing, particularly the grouping of 'remaining' categories which lacks clarity. To reach a higher band, you should ensure that data points are accurately transcribed and that comparisons are more precise, rather than simply listing percentages. The overview is present but could be more effectively integrated to highlight the most significant trends.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, body paragraphs for the two data sets, and a concluding summary. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'Likewise', and 'In addition to' are used to link ideas, although some transitions feel slightly mechanical or are used incorrectly, such as 'In addition to, library opening hours...' which is grammatically incomplete. The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the internal structure of the second body paragraph is somewhat disjointed, making it difficult to follow the comparison between satisfaction levels. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words will help the flow of the essay.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportion', 'outnumbered', and 'satisfaction results'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'most satisfied credit goes to', 'most non satisfied results', and 'satisfaction is on peak'. These errors occasionally impede the natural flow of the text. To improve, focus on using more precise academic collocations and avoid translating phrases directly from your native language. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, it lacks the flexibility and precision required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Examples include 'These results are submitted from the survey which is conducted', 'who were stood at 7-8%', and 'postgraduates students are most in numbers'. There are also issues with article usage and prepositional phrases. While these errors do not completely prevent the reader from understanding the message, they are frequent enough to cause some distraction. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of passive voice in academic writing. Increasing the number of error-free sentences will be key to moving up the band scale.

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

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