Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-17
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 illustrates the distribution of various categories of library users at a university., while the table depicts how much satisfied are have with different facilities of library.
At a glance, full-time undergraduate accounts for the highest proportion, whereas other users represents the smallest portion. In terms of user satisfaction, most of the services of the library has been rated with very satisfied
According to the pie chart, full-time undergrade made up to 44% of the total users, the highest among all individuals,. Full-time postgraduate was the second highest at 25%, followed by part-time graduate at 16%. Distance learning and Academic both closely match the value of 8% and 7% respectively.
The table reveals that users are very satisfied with the helpfulness of the staff. Secondly, library opening hours work for them well. Conversely, twenty people complained on availability of journals. Alost half of the cohort rely on wi-fi , same is with availability of books.
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 the main features of the data, but the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you correctly identify the largest user group (full-time undergraduates) and the highest satisfaction ratings, the description of the table is underdeveloped. You mention 'twenty people' complained about journals, but the prompt does not provide raw numbers, only percentages or categories, which suggests a misinterpretation of the data source. Furthermore, the comparison between categories is limited. To reach a higher band, ensure you accurately interpret the data provided and provide a more comprehensive overview of the trends rather than just listing individual figures.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is mechanical and sometimes inaccurate. For example, 'Secondly' is used to start a sentence about library hours, but it does not follow a clear list of points. The transition between the pie chart and the table is abrupt. While there is an attempt to use linking words like 'conversely' and 'whereas', the overall flow is hindered by awkward phrasing and a lack of sophisticated logical progression between sentences.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely on basic terms such as 'highest proportion', 'smallest portion', and 'made up to'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'how much satisfied are have with' and 'undergrade' (instead of undergraduate). To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary related to data description, such as 'constitute', 'account for', 'a significant majority', or 'a marginal minority'. Spelling errors like 'Alost' also detract from the overall quality.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'most of the services of the library has been rated' (subject-verb agreement error) and 'same is with availability of books' (awkward phrasing). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary commas appearing in several places, such as after 'university.' and 'individuals,'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic sentence construction prevents the response from reaching a higher band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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