Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-18
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)
In the illustrated chart, we can clearly see that there are multiple categories of library users. The data about library user satisfaction is also available for analysis.
The most significant category of library users is of full-time graduates which consists of 44% of the total users, followed by full-time postgraduates which makes up 25% of the remaining users. All the remaining categories of library users such as part-time graduates, distance learners and academic staff falls in the remaining 31% library users.
Another data about library user satisfaction gives us crucial information about satisfaction of the users on the basis of certain aspects such as library opening hours, helpfulness of staff, availability of books, availability of journals and reliability of wi-fi. Users are satisfied with the aspects of library opening hours and helpfulness of staff but some people are unsatisfied with limited availability of books and journals. Also reliability of wi-fi is also flagged as poor by some users. These aspects need improvement in order to make the experience better for the users and the community.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response provides a basic overview of the data, but it fails to adequately report the specific figures from the satisfaction table. While the user identifies the main categories of library users, the description of the satisfaction survey is too vague. Instead of reporting the actual percentages or comparative data provided in the table, the response uses general terms like 'some people are unsatisfied.' To achieve a higher band, you must include specific data points (e.g., percentages or rankings) to support your claims. The task requires a clear summary of the main features and relevant comparisons, which is currently lacking for the second part of the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into three paragraphs, which is a logical structure for this task. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. Phrases like 'The most significant category' and 'Another data' are used to transition, but the flow between sentences could be smoother. The referencing is generally clear, but the lack of specific data makes the progression of ideas feel thin. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would enhance the overall coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for a higher band. You rely on basic descriptors such as 'multiple categories' and 'crucial information.' There are also some minor collocation issues, such as 'Another data about library user satisfaction,' where 'data' is an uncountable noun and should be preceded by 'Additional information' or 'Further data.' To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to data analysis, such as 'proportion,' 'constitute,' 'predominant,' or 'fluctuation.'
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'All the remaining categories... falls,' where the verb should be plural ('fall') to agree with the subject. Additionally, 'The most significant category... is of full-time graduates' is slightly awkward; 'consists of' is sufficient. While the errors do not significantly impede communication, the range of structures is limited. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and experiment with more complex sentence forms, such as using relative clauses or passive voice to describe the data more formally.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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