Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-20

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 8.5)

The pie chart illustrates the proportions of different categories of people who used a university library, while the table provides information about their levels of satisfaction with various library facilities and services.

Overall, full-time undergraduates accounted for the largest proportion of library users, whereas academic staff represented the smallest group. In terms of satisfaction, the helpfulness of library staff received the most positive ratings, while the availability of journals was the least satisfactory feature.

Full-time undergraduates constituted the largest proportion of library users, at 44%, followed by full-time postgraduates at 25%. Part-time postgraduates accounted for a further 16%, meaning that these three groups together represented 85% of all library users. By comparison, distance-learning students made up only 8%, while academic staff accounted for the smallest proportion, at 7%.

Regarding satisfaction, the helpfulness of staff received by far the most positive response, with 95% of users being very satisfied and only 5% fairly satisfied. Opening hours also received a favourable response, with 65% being very satisfied and the remaining 35% fairly satisfied. Half of the respondents were very satisfied with the availability of books, compared with 48% for Wi-Fi and 45% for journals. The latter two facilities also had the highest levels of dissatisfaction, at 19% for Wi-Fi and 20% for journals, while no respondents were dissatisfied with either opening hours or staff helpfulness.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response is excellent. You have successfully identified and reported the main features of both the pie chart and the table. The overview clearly highlights the key trends, such as the dominance of full-time undergraduates and the high satisfaction levels regarding staff helpfulness. You have made effective comparisons throughout, such as grouping the three largest user categories to reach 85% and contrasting the satisfaction levels for Wi-Fi and journals. All parts of the prompt are addressed with a clear, logical focus, and the data is accurately represented without any significant omissions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. You have used paragraphing effectively to separate the user categories from the satisfaction data. Cohesive devices such as 'whereas', 'in terms of', 'by comparison', and 'the latter two' are used naturally and accurately to link sentences and clauses. The flow of information is smooth, and the referencing is precise, ensuring the reader can easily follow the comparison between the different groups and satisfaction metrics. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.5

You demonstrate a wide and sophisticated range of vocabulary that is well-suited to the task. Phrases such as 'accounted for the largest proportion', 'constituted the largest proportion', and 'received a favourable response' show a high level of control. You use precise terminology to describe the data, and your word choice is consistently accurate. There are no spelling errors, and the vocabulary is varied enough to avoid repetition while maintaining a formal, academic tone throughout the response. The use of 'the latter' is a particularly good example of precise referencing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The response exhibits a wide range of grammatical structures with high accuracy. You have successfully employed complex sentence forms, such as the use of participial phrases ('meaning that these three groups...') and subordinate clauses ('while academic staff accounted for...'). Punctuation is used correctly to support the clarity of your sentences. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the control over tense and subject-verb agreement is consistent. There are no grammatical slips that impede communication, and the overall quality of the writing is highly professional.

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