Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-16
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 following image of pie chart distributes the individuals of a university who have been to library. The tables shows the data of the people' opinion about the facilities provided in a library at an educational institute.
Overall, the highest number of library users are full-time undergraduates followed by full-time graduates. Out of all users, most of them are satisfied with the behaviour of the staff of the library. However, people disagree that there are enough journals available in the library.
In the pie chart, the biggest piece of the cake is given to full-time graduates which is 44%. The library is second most occupied by full-time postgraduate students who make 25% of the total participants. The least number of individuals who are visiting library are academic staff and they contribute to only 7% of the total number of individuals coming to the library.
Result of survey depicted that everyone is strongly or somewhat satisfied with the library opening hours and helpfullness of the staff. 95% of the people are very satisfied with the positive attitude of the staff members; meanwhile; only 65% strongly agreed with the opening timings of the library. In the contrast, 20% of the population are not satisfied with availability of journals followed by the reliability of wi-fi and that is 19%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| 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 pie chart and the table. You successfully identified the main features, such as the highest and lowest user categories and the satisfaction levels regarding library facilities. However, there is a significant factual error in the body paragraph: you stated that full-time graduates make up 44% and postgraduates 25%, but the chart actually shows undergraduates at 44% and graduates at 25%. This misinterpretation of the data impacts the accuracy of your summary. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are transcribed precisely from the source material.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'However', 'In the pie chart', and 'In the contrast', which help the flow of information. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical or misused, such as 'In the contrast', which should be 'In contrast'. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, and the progression of ideas could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the internal cohesion within paragraphs could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect sentences more naturally.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'participants', 'depicted', and 'availability'. However, there are some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'biggest piece of the cake' (which is too informal for an Academic task) and 'individuals of a university who have been to library' (which is grammatically clunky). There are also minor errors in word form, such as 'helpfullness' (spelling) and 'people disagree that there are enough journals'. To improve, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and ensuring correct word forms.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'The following image of pie chart distributes the individuals' (incorrect article usage and verb choice) and 'The tables shows' (subject-verb agreement error). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly the misuse of semicolons in 'meanwhile; only 65%'. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the main points, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Increasing the variety of error-free complex sentences will help improve this score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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