Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-15
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 the table illustrates the category of users in library and user satisfactions results respectively as a result of a survey. The survey was was carried out for type of users in library and what are they satisfied and dissatisfied about in the library.
The full-time undergraduate at 44% and full-time postgraduate at 25% are accounted for the majority of library users. Whereas, academic staff were lowest of all library users at 7%. Moreover, distance learning and part-time postgraduate were hanging in the middle at 8% and 16% respectively.
According to the survey, all the user were happy with the library opening hours and helpfulness of staff. Furthermore, there were some individuals dissatisfied with availability of books and journals as well as reliability of wi-fi. However, the number of fairly satisfied library users were also holds an important numbers. Therefore, people were mostly very satisfied about the facility of library and least were having some complains.
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, but the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you correctly identify the largest and smallest user groups, the description of the satisfaction table is vague. You mention that users were 'happy' with opening hours, but you fail to provide the specific percentages or comparative data required for a high-band response. Furthermore, the summary of the table lacks precision, as you describe the data in general terms rather than highlighting the specific trends or contrasting the levels of satisfaction (very satisfied vs. fairly satisfied) effectively. To improve, ensure you include key data points to support your observations.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into three paragraphs, which is a logical structure for this task. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Whereas', 'Moreover', and 'Furthermore' to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally interrupted by awkward phrasing, such as 'were hanging in the middle', which is not appropriate for an academic report. Additionally, the transition between the pie chart description and the table analysis is a bit abrupt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus would enhance the overall coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and range expected at higher bands. You rely on basic phrasing like 'were accounted for' and 'were happy with'. There are also some errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'the number of fairly satisfied library users were also holds an important numbers' and 'least were having some complains'. These errors occasionally make the text sound unnatural. To reach a higher band, focus on using more academic collocations and precise terminology related to data description, such as 'constitute', 'proportion', or 'significant majority'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. For example, 'The pie chart and the table illustrates' (subject-verb agreement error), 'The survey was was carried out' (repetition), and 'all the user were happy' (pluralisation error). These errors are noticeable and occasionally distract the reader. While the meaning remains clear, the lack of control over basic grammatical rules prevents a higher score. You should focus on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and ensuring consistent verb tenses when describing data.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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